autel im608 o vvdi2 full- vvdi mb

[Keyblade]

Is there a big difference in immo coverage between IM508 and IM608 ?

I'm not sure, i think difference is XP400, MQB and BENZ 3rd Immo add key,AKL.

[Rjautolocksmith]

I own vvdi mb and vvdi full also im600 and 908p ,vvdi is way better and also programming mb is better in 908p.im600 is getting better with the time but at this point I can't get rid of them.
Vvdi mb password is faster even than AVDI.but it can't do w163 via OBD2 or eeprom.
Vvdi full covers most tango functions
No tool can do all at this moment.

[madsci69]

I have the IM608. The Mercedes it can do, and with the G-Box it usually about 15-60 minutes to calculate the password. There are no tokens or anything. I can do almost all vehicles common in the US, and it is always updating. It hasn't had any problem with BMW CAS systems, though ISTAP update you should still remove the module(it has the option to downgrade but I usually remove the module and program that way with 64 attempts to catch rolling code).

Volkswagen it works well with most. Had trouble with Kessy on a 2012 VW before, but since then no issue. Has some decent scan abilities as well which is nice.

I don't have VVDI2 though I considered getting it as well. I am curious if anyone has both to compare side by side.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

[crazylou2017]

Is there a big difference in immo coverage between IM508 and IM608 ?

Look at the two images:
immo coverage bettween im508 vs im608-01.jpg
immo coverage bettween im508 vs im608-02.jpg

or on the official site: https://www.autel.com/vehicle-coverage/coverage2
you select "IM608 (IMMO)" or "IM508 (IMMO)" to check the specific car models.

[ranchero]

I was thinking to buy this, but it turned out they're selling you tool which becomes pretty much useless in 1 year if you don't pay for expensive updates. So you are basically paying almost $3500 to rent tool with software for a year. How nice! Totally useless for small business.
They so shy that they don't mention this fact ANYWHERE on their website or on any dealer's websites.

AutoProPad does 90% of what IM does and it will not expire in one year if you don't buy updates.

[crankycarl]

I was thinking to buy this, but it turned out they're selling you tool which becomes pretty much useless in 1 year if you don't pay for expensive updates. So you are basically paying almost $3500 to rent tool with software for a year. How nice! Totally useless for small business.
They so shy that they don't mention this fact ANYWHERE on their website or on any dealer's websites.

AutoProPad does 90% of what IM does and it will not expire in one year if you don't buy updates.

Useless? Couldn't be further from the truth.
How else do you plan on incentivizing them to keep making current software and firmware better and expand coverage if you are not paying? Do they eat and raise their kids for free?

The tool pays for itself if you use it. Tag $2 more on every job and it's like the updates are nothing.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[sleepyrz]

Useless? Couldn't be further from the truth.
How else do you plan on incentivizing them to keep making current software and firmware better and expand coverage if you are not paying? Do they eat and raise their kids for free?

The tool pays for itself if you use it. Tag $2 more on every job and it's like the updates are nothing.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

They arent real workers carl

They dont understand how a business works

They dont actually have one.

This is just something they do on the side after their regular job sweeping floors

[Matronix]

As said before, the IM608 is a solid base with lot's of futures and coverage. However, it, as ALL tools has gaps, flaws and you will ALWAYS need backup from other tools to be safe. It does not cost 1300usd a year, I just updated for 895 buying from Autel themselves. It is still al lot of cash to earn back, but if you ask decent prices for cars that others have to leave aside, then you can earn it back plus extra profit. VVDI I will buy into soon as well, but also already bought Abrites (Opel, PSA quite good, Fiat as well) since IM608 is still making steps (but failing lot of times) on certain European brands where being quite strong on others (lot of VAG, Benz).

Little advise; take a sub on something like Jifeline, and external backup that can program lot of cars by internet. You pay through the nose but as a back up, you may finalise on jobs you will be stranded on without. It works by buying a box which you connect to internet using your phone or tables. You buy into a service like key programming and they will do it from a server. It is not saving you on all occasions (still work left for bench, lock picking, etc. as final solution) but it will save your ass at times.

[ranchero]

Useless? Couldn't be further from the truth.
How else do you plan on incentivizing them to keep making current software and firmware better and expand coverage if you are not paying? Do they eat and raise their kids for free?

The tool pays for itself if you use it. Tag $2 more on every job and it's like the updates are nothing.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

You need to read more carefully, buddy. I wrote - "useless for SMALL business". Sure big locksmith companies will make that extra $1k in no time. But you might be surprised - not every company makes huge profit. For me - it's big part of my income, so I simply can't afford it (assuming that I already paid $3.5k for tool just a year ago).
Regarding "feeding their kids" - they already developed and manufactured everything at the point when I'm buying tool (both hardware and software).

If I don't need any NEW updates, what's the reason to block already existing features besides of taking more money from MY kids?

So you know what happens at the end? I left Autel engineers and greedy managers alone and bought AutoProPad and few other programmers and by purchasing them I'm helping their engineers to raise their kids. Simply because AutoProPad engineers and managers not as greedy - if I won't buy updates after 1 year, I still will use 100% of features which will be available 1 year from now, nothing gets blocked.

If someone prefers to pay for same thing two times or more - it's their choice.

And - I want you to read and understand this - if AutoProPad engineers one year from now will show that they were working hard and developed new features, new cars available, they might convince me to buy updates anyway. >>>>>But it will be MY choice<<<<<, like I already mentioned - nothing old gets blocked if I won't buy updates. This is PROPER way to treat customers.

There's so much BS going on in this business, it's just hard to believe. It's very important to see and support companies which do treat their customers at least in more or less fair way.

BTW, I mainly was interested in iM608 for Mercedes programming (all other features would be just a bonus, because I have tools for most other cars). But as alternative I also can buy CGDI for $500 which does Mercedes perfectly , with 1 free daily token for LIFETIME, which will cover my needs. And I can buy additional pieces for it later, as I go.

[Matronix]

Buying IM608 mainly or just for Mercedes is too much of a cost. But your statement of how things work with paying for a tool... man, really, you have to get your mind fixed on that. Autel does lot's of upates and development, that will cost you, simply as that. And they invest loads to develop (or buy code) for a tool before making a simple penny. Also, you don't just pay for development, you pay for a bunch of hardware and support. If you don't need any of that, just leave the tool alone, but reasoning like it's unfair to pay for what you get (a hell of a tool, though not perfect), that's just not fair. Making money is not greed.. it's wise, so you can keep on developing (and growing your business), if tools become really cheap, that's when I start to worry about it's future

Oh and looked in to Autopad but that is not an IM608 by far, not even close, so it's fair that it is way cheaper. But if it gives you what you need, who am I to tell you what to choose. I'm not a locksmith pur-sang, it's growing on me, but to do the cars that are really interesting, I bought (investment before collection) into tools for about 20k to 30k I guess (which I also use partially for my main business of diagnostics).

But everybody is entitled to his/her own believes, opinions etc etc. What I read here is mostly a difference in size of business, ability or willingness to invest certain cash and then yelling about greed. The better the tool and the larger the company it comes from, the more you will need to pay. If your business does not cover that, don't act like this... I don't drive a Ferrari, cannot afford it and have no need to show off a certain amount of wealthiness, but that's no reason for me to call Ferrari a bunch of ugly greedy bastards

Wow... too much time to spit out this lecture, better get back to work, earning back my Autel investment ... no hard feelings to any one, this is just my opinion on things, hope you can give me the freedom to have one.

[ranchero]

You have your opinion, so do I. So what's wrong or incorrect with my mind when I'm saying that this tool is no good for small business? You said that you have 20-30K in diagnostic tools. For some places or countries it still might be considered to be a small business, but I'm not making that kind of money in whole year let alone spending that kind of money on tools. And I can repeat - at the time I'm buying the tool for $3500 - all hardware and software already developed and included in price (as well as 1 year of FREE updates, right? At least, they say so). If YOU need further development and updates - you pay for it. If I don't need further updates - why should I pay for YOUR needs? It's called simple logic. I agree - this tool made by big company in favor of big companies. But it's exact my starting point - this tool is no good for small business. So we made a circle and came back to same thing. I nowhere said that this tool is bad with what it does, for someone with deep enough pockets.

And lastly, regarding AutoProPad. We are talking strictly about key programming abilities here, I don't need and don't care about additional options. So, from key programming point of view, it's very safe to say that AutoProPad will do 90% of what Autel does for NA market and do it very smooth I should say. But again, this is not a point. The point is that AutoProPad NOT PUSHING me to buy updates after first year, not limiting certain features to the point it becomes useless tablet.

[crankycarl]

You have your opinion, so do I. So what's wrong or incorrect with my mind when I'm saying that this tool is no good for small business? You said that you have 20-30K in diagnostic tools. For some places or countries it still might be considered to be a small business, but I'm not making that kind of money in whole year let alone spending that kind of money on tools. And I can repeat - at the time I'm buying the tool for $3500 - all hardware and software already developed and included in price (as well as 1 year of FREE updates, right? At least, they say so). If YOU need further development and updates - you pay for it. If I don't need further updates - why should I pay for YOUR needs? It's called simple logic. I agree - this tool made by big company in favor of big companies. But it's exact my starting point - this tool is no good for small business. So we made a circle and came back to same thing. I nowhere said that this tool is bad with what it does, for someone with deep enough pockets.

And lastly, regarding AutoProPad. We are talking strictly about key programming abilities here, I don't need and don't care about additional options. So, from key programming point of view, it's very safe to say that AutoProPad will do 90% of what Autel does for NA market and do it very smooth I should say. But again, this is not a point. The point is that AutoProPad NOT PUSHING me to buy updates after first year, not limiting certain features to the point it becomes useless tablet.

Your opinion is being touted as nuanced understanding of locksmithing analiyics when in fact it's just a crying rant that contradicts itself. You don't want to pay for a sub, yet tokens are fine. You want cheap free to use tools, but Mercedes programing in mind. And that's just what a bothered to read. You just have a very incomprehensive entitlement to how things should be based on your circumstances. Sorry 'buddy' but the world doesn't revolve around you.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[crankycarl]

There's so much BS going on in this business, it's just hard to believe.

We can agree on that at least.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[ranchero]

Your opinion is being touted as nuanced understanding of locksmithing analiyics when in fact it's just a crying rant that contradicts itself. You don't want to pay for a sub, yet tokens are fine. You want cheap free to use tools, but Mercedes programing in mind. And that's just what a bothered to read. You just have a very incomprehensive entitlement to how things should be based on your circumstances. Sorry 'buddy' but the world doesn't revolve around you.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

There is "what you want to see" and then there is real world. May be it's time to wake up? Mercedes programming is not magic anymore, every kid on the block doing it. Especially keeping in mind that all available tools only able to program old MB cars (before FBS4 era) anyway.
There are HUNDREDS of people on eBay offering mail-in service of Mercedes key programming by EIS, prices start at $49! Where I live - there are dozens of local people competing with each other, driving prices to nothing. It might drive me nuts, but it's the way it is and I have to accept it.
So - times when people could charge few hundreds to make key for Mercedes are gone for good, at least, where I live.
Same with BMW. Same with other makes.
Even if you will be running like monkey, you won't get rich around here. So I have to be extremely careful with tools I buy, and what I'm getting for $$$ I spent.

BTW, when I mentioned tokens, I pointed specifically - LIFETIME FREE tokens, one per day. That makes difference, doesn't it?

[fred77]

You have your opinion, so do I. So what's wrong or incorrect with my mind when I'm saying that this tool is no good for small business? You said that you have 20-30K in diagnostic tools. For some places or countries it still might be considered to be a small business, but I'm not making that kind of money in whole year let alone spending that kind of money on tools. And I can repeat - at the time I'm buying the tool for $3500 - all hardware and software already developed and included in price (as well as 1 year of FREE updates, right? At least, they say so). If YOU need further development and updates - you pay for it. If I don't need further updates - why should I pay for YOUR needs? It's called simple logic. I agree - this tool made by big company in favor of big companies. But it's exact my starting point - this tool is no good for small business. So we made a circle and came back to same thing. I nowhere said that this tool is bad with what it does, for someone with deep enough pockets.

And lastly, regarding AutoProPad. We are talking strictly about key programming abilities here, I don't need and don't care about additional options. So, from key programming point of view, it's very safe to say that AutoProPad will do 90% of what Autel does for NA market and do it very smooth I should say. But again, this is not a point. The point is that AutoProPad NOT PUSHING me to buy updates after first year, not limiting certain features to the point it becomes useless tablet.

Charge your customers more. Then it won't seem so expensive.

Do get the competition argument but my price is 1/2 of dealer in many cases and i won't drop price to the beer boys