RE: Cheap scan tool?? (Ease)

From: Bridges, Bruce (bbridges@alarismed.com)
Date: Fri Sep 18 1998 - 19:13:36 EDT


Jon,
That is also what I thought when I requested their sales literature (via
their website). When I got it via snail mail, the blurb stated that the
basic ease for The chry co was 295 and described it as you have. This
package does not allow real time data viewing (lap top in the passenger
seat) and has no graphing capability. They "added" a xeroxed page to their
"glossy" that described the "Plus" upgrade that allows you to do real time
aquisistion with the parameter graphing capability (like the diacom tool)
and stated the price as 695.00. Once I looked back at the website I
realised (canadian spelling) that they were generically calling out their
product (without mentioning options) in thier (incorrect spelling) broad
descriptions. I could always be wrong... (youve seen it before) Their
"mailed" literature was confusing, made no mention of the 97-99 vehicles and
differed from their website info... I was ready to go for 295.00, but for
700.00 Im stalling. I want the real time graphing. I think Ill contact
Jennifer Wilson via phone for some direct info (shes director of
communications, and I believe we have a failure to communicate...)
BKB

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Steiger [mailto:stei0302@cs.fredonia.edu]
Sent: Friday, September 18, 1998 3:55 PM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: RE: DML: Cheap scan tool?? (Ease)

On Fri, 18 Sep 1998, Bridges, Bruce wrote:

> DML,
> I got the info package from Ease regarding their "low cost" scan tool. To
> get basic tabular info it costs you 295.00. If you want graphing
capability
> (30 parameters perr graph) in the "real time" mode, its the ease + tool
for
> 695.00.... Seems like a good package but the cost is getting up there..
> BKB

   Are you sure about that? The way I read the info is as follows:

  There are three versions: Professional, Express, and Consumer.

  There are also three standards for communicating with OBDII vehicles. The
  most common appears to be ISO (this is the one Chrysler/Dodge Truck uses),

  followed by VPW, then PWM.

  The Professional is the full blown version with loads of capabilities,
report creation, etc. Its cost is $1295. It supports ISO, VPW, and PWM,
so it can communicate with any OBDII vehicle.

  The Express version has less capabilities than the professional
version, but still has graphing, etc. It also supports all three
interfaces, so it can communicate with any OBDII vehicle.

  The Consumer version is exactly the same as the Express version, but
it can only support one interface, so you have to decide which vehicles
you want to use it on and choose the correct interface. In our case,
this would be ISO. Its cost is $295. If you want to add another
interface to the Consumer version, it costs $495. You can upgrade
any of these tools for the cost difference in the future.

  Here's a cut'n'paste from their web site:

   |----------------
   |The Consumer Version of the PC Scan Tool has the same scan tool
   |capabilities as the Express Version except the Express Version works
   |with all OBD II communication protocols and the Consumer Version works
   |with only the specific OBD II communication protocol(s) you purchase.
   |----------------

  Did Ease specifically tell you that the consumer version doesn't
do graphing? If so, how long ago was this? Maybe its something they've
changed recently.

                                              -Jon-

  .--- stei0302@cs.fredonia.edu ----------------------------------------.
  | Jon Steiger * AOPA, DoD, EAA, MP Race Team, NMA, SPA, USUA * RP-SEL |
  | '96 Dodge Dakota v8 SLT CC (14.80@92.97), '96 Kolb FireFly 447 |
  `--------------------------- http://www.cs.fredonia.edu/~stei0302/ ---'



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