I guess they figure 3k isn't enough from each customer, they need a little more lol. Oh well I guess it makes our jobs a lot easier.
I was looking at getting 3.0 last fall but I couldn't afford the card then with the new software. (They said it would hold 3.0 but not the new updates) Was 3.0 free as well and my Tool & Equip guy feeding me a bunch of bull?
It is complicated. With 3.0, if you bought the 08 Domestic update, 3.0 came with it. But you needed the larger memory card to go with that. So you'd have had to buy the memory card and the Domestic update, or buy the 3.0/memory card bundle to just get 3.0.
I had a customer last year looking to upgrade from 2.0 to 3.0. He had the bigger card already, so I just got him Domestic and Asian 08 software and he got 3.0 with that.
Now with 4.0, no one has given me a straight answer if that still holds true. So far they are remaining mum on it and the soonest I think I will get a real answer is February.
The 09 software updates are going to require a 4GB memory card. Not the 1GB that is used currently. You can install 4.0 on the 1GB card but not the new updates.
On the card issue... We have gone round and round about this. The answer from every OTC rep I have gotten is, "Buy our card". But never "The others won't work.". in my experience, I was have a major machine issue, so I reformatted the memory card. As soon as I did, I smacked myself in the head. When I updated the software and tried to reinstall it, the NGIS program(computer program that installs updates) told me "Warning this is an unauthorized memory card". I was on the phone with OTC tech, they said "that is fine, just click ok". It worked fine. When my customers start getting 09 updates, I am going to Newegg.com and getting a 4GB SD card like this one. I will install it, update the tool myself and see what happens. If it works I will charge the guy how much I paid for the card, plus a buck or two probably and be the hero. We shall see. The issue is, OTC won't warranty that card. I had a bad card once, OTC next day aired me a new one. They won't be doing that if you are using an unauthorized card.
In the end I cannot guarantee it will work out. For me, I am gonna spend the money because the CF card will work in my digital camera as well, so no big deal if it doesn't work for the customer.
I know we are currently selling a coupon for 4.0 for $175. Normal list is $350. However I do not know if that requires that you purchased the tool in the past year or anything like that. I need to call Matco about it today. If it doesn't require that, then I will be ordering or two for some of the customers I currently have in Determinators/Genisys tools. I will let you guys know. If it will work with older tools, I will gladly sell it to you guys for the sale price. As long as you don't currently have a Matco distributor. If you do, I'd send you to him to get it.
Oh and here is a quick thing on the money of scan tools. We as distributors and the company themselves don't make much on scanners. Honestly I hate selling them. For the number of hassles in them, the money is not worth it. Every time it doesn't do something, I hear about it. Anytime there is a tiny glitch, I hear about it. I hear about so many things that are just operator error, and I hate it. I cannot turn the money down, but they are hard to sell and a pain to service. So I hate them. Now with the unit itself, when the Genisys first launched they were selling them at a loss. Why? Updates, software add ons, hardware add ons, all of that they could make money on. They don't make the money on the tool they make it on the stuff you buy later. Like a four wheeler or a snowmobile. They don't make the money on the unit, just on the add ons and parts. Now the Genisys has been out for 10 years, is that still the truth? I am sure not. The development costs have long since been cleared up. However the way OTC does updates, is they go direct to manufacturer and buy the data, then program it to work with their platform. It isn't a simple process, and it isn't a cheap process. Thus why updates cost what they do.
Fortunately you can update to 4.0 with your existing card, future updates will require a 1 gig card though.
