Advice on diagnostic equipment

Botus

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Thought I'd order one direct from Autel as there are some intriguing features.
Website says UK stock.
Email come through 24 hours later to say being shipped from China.
Email sent requesting cancellation as I don't want to pay UK prices for Chinese stock I can buy cheaper direct from China.
Email received 10 minutes later saying despatched and requesting if I really want it cancelled.
Email sent saying yes cancel.
Email received saying they can't cancel as it's been dispatched.
Email sent saying fine, I'll just refuse it at the door then and courier can take it back.

Paid by PayPal so nicely covered.

I'm somewhat unimpressed with Autel. Not going to bother with it now.


autel try to block updates on anything other than those from UK approved sellers (I suspect many get an update and may not get any more...) there should be a sticker on uk approved ones allegedly entitling to something.... often UK ones get 2 years of updates

I think 70% are leaked out the back door direct with goodness knows what hardware and software, 25% hooky UK imports with a version of the right software (but may never get updates).... and 5% get sold through approved dealers with full support but cost more than double the amount...

if you're in the south east these guys sell legit ones... https://www.allpartsautomotive.co.uk/
 

Kev555

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My APB 200 arrived yesterday so had a little play on the 230.
I'm moderately impressed.
The setup is a bit long winded requiring you to download 2 apps and 800MB of application data. 5hen it wanted to do a firmware update straight away. Took about 30 minutes call in to get it setup.
Running the software against the r230 it picked up every module and did a full scan showing how many errors on each in the home page. Seems reasonably quick too.
Interface is reasonably intuitive though it does over report fault codes as it interprets an event message as a fault. This meant there appeared to be a significant number of fault codes against some modules but in reality there was one or two tops (result of pulling fuses to check them).
It appears to have the ability to program and delete keys which is nice (if potentially dangerous). Can force DPF regens (not tested) and calibrate the steering angle sensor (which it wouldn't do on the 230), disable SBC (not tested) and has the ability to do something with Electronic parking brake (not tested).
Obviously you can also reset the service light.

I paid £49 in the end from the main Autel UK website. For the money I'd have to say that (so far) it's very good.

Youll have to test all these "not tested" things LK at risk of bricking the R230 just to confirm we can all buy a cheap scan tool that does it all and all the risky programming actually works:D
 

LostKiwi

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Youll have to test all these "not tested" things LK at risk of bricking the R230 just to confirm we can all buy a cheap scan tool that does it all and all the risky programming actually works:D
Might be difficult given it doesn't have EPB!
 
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badger_wazzala

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It scans quickly, I’ll let you all know if the service light reset works and I’ll test the epb when I’m plugged in.
 

LostKiwi

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Let you off on that one only then:D
And I don't have a blank key to try the key programming (but if you want to supply one I'll happily oblige!)).
I also tried the SAS calibration but it appears the 230 doesn't require it...
 

Kev555

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And I don't have a blank key to try the key programming (but if you want to supply one I'll happily oblige!)).
I also tried the SAS calibration but it appears the 230 doesn't require it...
Not buying it then:D
 

AnthonyUK

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And I don't have a blank key to try the key programming (but if you want to supply one I'll happily oblige!)).
I also tried the SAS calibration but it appears the 230 doesn't require it...

That would be worrying if it could program keys. Even the Aliexpress devices are £1k+.
 

Botus

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And I don't have a blank key to try the key programming (but if you want to supply one I'll happily oblige!)).
I also tried the SAS calibration but it appears the 230 doesn't require it...

I don't think there is any calibration on any Mercedes…. when you buy new its in the "correct position" and you should be careful not to mess the setting up as you fit it... what I think that means is you can tweak as you fit... but there must be something outside Mercedes spec that "wrongly" warrants tweaking its position

which for me is utter madness.... as they build the cars with poor camber / geometry coming out from new... and that warrants needing to set up the whole car.... which could easily give a small need to electronically tweak in software, LIKE EVERY OTHER MANUFTACTURER DOES
 
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badger_wazzala

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Something I only discovered this past week (and it actually disgusted me) is that you can buy 'mileage correction' obd tools from heaps of on-line places and no licence/vat number etc is required. Yes the previous mot will show mileage on the gov.co.uk site, but what if someone has used their car as a courier for example and then simply deleted the 30k miles they've covered that year and claimed they barely dirve the car.
Yes I'm a little slow to catch on to these things, but my mind was blown.
 

Kev555

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Mileage correction has been around a long time before the digital age;) Digital just made it a 10 min job probably compared to a dash removal:) Is it true that the ECU still stores the true mileage after one of these hack jobs? I know my ECU shows 20k more miles than the Dash:rolleyes:
 

Blobcat

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Something I only discovered this past week (and it actually disgusted me) is that you can buy 'mileage correction' obd tools from heaps of on-line places and no licence/vat number etc is required. Yes the previous mot will show mileage on the gov.co.uk site, but what if someone has used their car as a courier for example and then simply deleted the 30k miles they've covered that year and claimed they barely dirve the car.
Yes I'm a little slow to catch on to these things, but my mind was blown.
Lots of people on 6k Miles PCP Contracts...
 

Blobcat

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Mileage correction has been around a long time before the digital age;) Digital just made it a 10 min job probably compared to a dash removal:) Is it true that the ECU still stores the true mileage after one of these hack jobs? I know my ECU shows 20k more miles than the Dash:rolleyes:
Stored in quite a few different modules in the car.
 

Botus

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Something I only discovered this past week (and it actually disgusted me) is that you can buy 'mileage correction' obd tools from heaps of on-line places and no licence/vat number etc is required. Yes the previous mot will show mileage on the gov.co.uk site, but what if someone has used their car as a courier for example and then simply deleted the 30k miles they've covered that year and claimed they barely dirve the car.
Yes I'm a little slow to catch on to these things, but my mind was blown.


that's why the mileage is buried in multiple control units (these naughty tools only bodge up the one you see....) plugging in to dealer kit it knows the real mileage regardless and flags its been tampered with
 

Kev555

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Stored in quite a few different modules in the car.
I remember now coming across it on my carsoft i980 with its limited connection in 3 places from memory (modules as you say blobcat)
 

Botus

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the USA site posts newer tools that the UK guys do.... They had a new high end one out a year ago 908S PRO that is still not listed on the UK site.... But now there are three other new high end ones (new big boy one on the right)

https://www.autel.com/c/www/mk3/3525.jhtml
 
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badger_wazzala

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I bought a Vauxhall once (yes I know) from a main Vauxhall dealership (yes I know this too thanks).
Mileage on the car was 39k, when I traded it in a few months later the mileage was actually found in hpi to be 141k and Vauxhall had been naughty about the truth.
Vauxhall said I was informed about the mileage and the technical error on the sales sheeto_O
Possibly one day karma will be my friend and I’ll see the sales guy again who misled me, and it won’t end well for him.
 

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