Question:
What’s the best topdon scanner to get? I might be looking to switch from my Autel Maxisys906bt and $600 a year for subscription updates is getting out of hand for something I can’t hardly program anything with.
Here is the clue.
The 13″ Phoenix Max with its docking station is TopDon’s top dog scan tool. It does have a healthy $795 annual subscription (when not on sale), but at $3.5k, it’s four times the cost and four times the tool of your Maxisys906, so the higher subscription is expected.
What vehicle brands do you expect to program? Since some vehicles require their PC based OEM proprietary software and a J2534 passthrough, even the Max by itself can’t program them. The Phoenix Max does support a lot of online coding and programming for many brands (Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Porsche ,Land Rover & Jaguar, Hyundai & Kia, Nissan & Infiniti, Renault & Dacia, Subaru).
But if, for example, your focus is Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, you’ll need the TopDon RLink J2534 or RLink Lite. Yes, the Phoenix Max comes with a “J2534”, but it’s more for the Max’s internal use (cloud programming, etc.), and not as well suited for OEM PC based software.
Yeah, the Max to “the” tool. Especially if you get it with the Phoenix Scope (oscilloscope). Add in the RLink or RLink Lite, and that’s a sweet toolset. Then thrown in addon’s like the TC001 thermal camera, ADAS, the T-Ninja for keys, the battery tester, and life is really getting good. Oh, you can also add EV and HD support. Having said all this, the assumption is you have no budget limit.
If the sky is not the limit, I would look over TopDon’s Phoenix line, and use the compare function on that page to narrow down which tool model meets you requirements. Also use the Vehicle Coverage page.
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