The $305 Tech2 clone review

[CMNTMXR57]

I guess here is where the confusion is coming in;

1) GM started utilizing the Tech 2 in service departments in 1996 (1995 in California), as that is when they went to the OBDII protocol.

Repeatedly you have stated yours works on 1999 - 2013;

these will work on any gm based vehicle from 1999 to 2013. i have heard from people that have used them on many gm based cars and they all worked properly.

Then you say;

these will not work for vehicles before 1999. these cover from 1999 to 2013.

Which is why Leon above asked;

Why does it NOT go back to 1996, which was the beginning of OBD2?

Now the question becomes, if yours does not work for anything 1996 – 1998, is that by your intention (as you only had those model years, so you only ordered software/card for those years?)? OR, is this a limiting capability of the tool? If it is the later, that is one major red flag for me right there. It should work on anything 1996+

2) You keep saying that you called them up, selected from a list of vehicles, and had them prep and load the software for your specific tool (along with something about a “card”).
I’m not sure I follow this. My Tech 2 works in EVERY GM vehicle from 1996 and up (well through 2009 anyway). I don’t need special software loaded to the tool to access a specific vehicle/platform. I plug in to the DLC, it sees it, I use it to do what I need it to do. Never once in my some ~20 years either in dealer service or on my own (freelancing), with a Tech 2 at my disposal (whether it be my own, or a dealer unit), run into an issue where a GM vehicle I plugged into it, wasn’t supported by the tool, to where I had to run over to the TIS terminal to get it updated! I feel with relative confidence that I can safely say, in that time, mine has been plugged into pretty much every GM platform that can roll into a service department (whether in OBDII or CANbus setup). From GMNA vehicles, to GMHolden vehicles. Matter of fact, several people on here have had their cars (Bonneville's or G8's), probed by my T2.

So this is where some of us are questioning things. It’s not meant to be an argument or debate. You’ve got a couple of people here (Leon, Andrew, and Myself), who are actually pretty familiar with the tool. In the case of Leon and I, both of us work/have worked in a GM service department and lived with the tool day in, day out.

[Roadrunner]

I sent them a list of cars I wanted to use it on (ranging from 96 to '09) and asked if one card would work for all. Reply was as follows:
"This product support 6 series cars GM,Holden,Isuzu,Opel,Saab,Suzuki. But the order is with 1pc free software. So you need to tell us which card do you need. For the cards, GM card is for GM series cars, Holden card is for Holden cars, Isuzu card is for isuzu cars, the same with Opel and SAAB cards."

They sell a package with all cards: Link

So looks like you just have to choose one of the following:
1. GM
GM-English 32.002 1991-2013
GM-Spanish 29.006 1991-2010

2. OPEL
OPEL-English 155.000 1997-2014

3. SUZUKI
SUZUKI-English 01.210.020

4.SAAB
SAAB-English 143.000 1998-2012

5. Holden:
HOLDEN-English 149.000 1999-2013
Australia HOLDEN-English 141.000 1999-2012

6. Isuzu:
Isuzu -English 107.021 2006-2010

They did not specifically confirm it would work on all GM cars in my list but one can infer the answer is yes for the GM card.

[J Wikoff]

I wonder if my G8 would need the GM card or the Holden card.

[CMNTMXR57]

Holden apparently.

I know mine doesn't have any specific "cards" and I get into G8's all the time. LIke I said, I just did a transmission "Fast-Learn" on a G8 with it last week.

[02 bonnie beast]

I guess here is where the confusion is coming in;

1) GM started utilizing the Tech 2 in service departments in 1996 (1995 in California), as that is when they went to the OBDII protocol.

Repeatedly you have stated yours works on 1999 - 2013;

these will work on any gm based vehicle from 1999 to 2013. i have heard from people that have used them on many gm based cars and they all worked properly.

Then you say;

these will not work for vehicles before 1999. these cover from 1999 to 2013.

Which is why Leon above asked;

Why does it NOT go back to 1996, which was the beginning of OBD2?

Now the question becomes, if yours does not work for anything 1996 – 1998, is that by your intention (as you only had those model years, so you only ordered software/card for those years?)? OR, is this a limiting capability of the tool? If it is the later, that is one major red flag for me right there. It should work on anything 1996+

2) You keep saying that you called them up, selected from a list of vehicles, and had them prep and load the software for your specific tool (along with something about a “card”).
I’m not sure I follow this. My Tech 2 works in EVERY GM vehicle from 1996 and up (well through 2009 anyway). I don’t need special software loaded to the tool to access a specific vehicle/platform. I plug in to the DLC, it sees it, I use it to do what I need it to do. Never once in my some ~20 years either in dealer service or on my own (freelancing), with a Tech 2 at my disposal (whether it be my own, or a dealer unit), run into an issue where a GM vehicle I plugged into it, wasn’t supported by the tool, to where I had to run over to the TIS terminal to get it updated! I feel with relative confidence that I can safely say, in that time, mine has been plugged into pretty much every GM platform that can roll into a service department (whether in OBDII or CANbus setup). From GMNA vehicles, to GMHolden vehicles. Matter of fact, several people on here have had their cars (Bonneville's or G8's), probed by my T2.

So this is where some of us are questioning things. It’s not meant to be an argument or debate. You’ve got a couple of people here (Leon, Andrew, and Myself), who are actually pretty familiar with the tool. In the case of Leon and I, both of us work/have worked in a GM service department and lived with the tool day in, day out.

ok, if you look at the post below this, the guy lays it out. mine may cover 1996 and forward, i asked for one to cover 99 forward. that's why i say that. it may actually do a 96. but it does cover every car withn the north american field of operations. i have used it now on two saabs and my bonneville, and a 2006 garnd prix.

[02 bonnie beast]

I sent them a list of cars I wanted to use it on (ranging from 96 to '09) and asked if one card would work for all. Reply was as follows:
"This product support 6 series cars GM,Holden,Isuzu,Opel,Saab,Suzuki. But the order is with 1pc free software. So you need to tell us which card do you need. For the cards, GM card is for GM series cars, Holden card is for Holden cars, Isuzu card is for isuzu cars, the same with Opel and SAAB cards."

They sell a package with all cards: Link

So looks like you just have to choose one of the following:
1. GM
GM-English 32.002 1991-2013
GM-Spanish 29.006 1991-2010

2. OPEL
OPEL-English 155.000 1997-2014

3. SUZUKI
SUZUKI-English 01.210.020

4.SAAB
SAAB-English 143.000 1998-2012

5. Holden:
HOLDEN-English 149.000 1999-2013
Australia HOLDEN-English 141.000 1999-2012

6. Isuzu:
Isuzu -English 107.021 2006-2010

They did not specifically confirm it would work on all GM cars in my list but one can infer the answer is yes for the GM card.

i have had no issues with mine working on two saabs, my 02, and an 06 grand prix.

[02 bonnie beast]

Holden apparently.

I know mine doesn't have any specific "cards" and I get into G8's all the time. LIke I said, I just did a transmission "Fast-Learn" on a G8 with it last week.

why do you say holden? is it marketed here in the nao as a gm? and what brand is it? pontiac? then it would be on the gm card. is it sold here as a holden? then it would be on the holden card. why would there be any confusion?

[CMNTMXR57]

I was being a wee bit sarcastic...

I have now said in this thread 2, maybe 3 times in this thread, that I just did a "fast-learn" on the transmission of a "PONTIAC" G8 recently. This is not the first time I have hooked up to a Holden vehicle for whatever reason was requested. Aside from my OWN Holden vehicle (which I have it hooked up quite often), I have had mine hooked up to numerous Holden's, be they GTO's or G8's in our local Holden group. With that said, that would indicate that I am able to find them under the "PONTIAC" menu, on my tool setup for any GM vehicle in existence. No special cards, no special programming, etc...

[02 bonnie beast]

no doubt.

[crash93ssei]

Just ordered one

[harofreak00]

Any comments on yours Ryan?

[crash93ssei]

I have been very happy with mine, the cables can be a bit finicky at times, and I had to remove and reinstall the memory card several times to get a good connection on it, but have had no issues at all other then that. I have used on on both Bonnevilles, the Suburban and my neighbors '08 3/4 ton GM truck which used the CANi module.

Overall I am very happy with it and glad I jumped on it.

[1tinindian]

The link in the first post of this thread is a dead link.
Are these no longer available?
Is this a fly-by-night operation?

The price is intriguing, but there are still questions I need answered.
Thanks,

Leon

[1oldman]

The link in the first post of this thread is a dead link.
Are these no longer available?
Is this a fly-by-night operation?

The price is intriguing, but there are still questions I need answered.
Thanks,

Leon

Looks like that page is gone, but the product is still on the web site.

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?cat ... ext=techii

I've noticed it's not uncommon for sellers to redo their pages and have products move to new pages. - BC

EDIT: Looks like AliExpress may be something like Amazon, a market place for other sellers, or even Best Buy where they have "Market Place partners". - BC

[crash93ssei]

What questions do you need answered?

[harofreak00]

aliexpress.com is like the ebay of China. There are dozens of sellers with the Tech2, just pick one.

[1tinindian]

What questions do you need answered?

Thanks for the link.

My questions are, has it been determined if any one of these China seller are selling the same product?
If so, then it might not matter which one to buy from, right?

Has any one tried VIN matching a replacement radio with one of these knock off Tech 2?
Did it work?
Will they allow you to get into the Airbag (SDM module)?
Or the EBCM?

For that matter, have you noticed any module that can't be communicated with?

I'm more interested in it's limitations compared to a real one, rather that what you have tried and had luck with.

Has it been determined that these Tech 2s are the equal to the ones used at the dealerships?

I realize this is a lot less of a gamble at $300+ verses $5000, but throwing money out the window is still painful, no matter the amount.

Thanks for your responses in advance.

Leon

[harofreak00]

It will do everything you want it to do. I haven't found any limitations.

[samples08]

I have a Question that i may have missed in the comments but what is the disk for can you connect it to a laptop or something?

[02 bonnie beast]

the disks are user manual. amd the tis2000 software that you install into a pc to interface with the tech 2. in order for the tis2000 to work fully it needs a security key to unlock the programming section of the software. you gotta make sure that you get a key dongle with the software package or it will not work fully. you are gonna have to specify that you need the dongle as well or they will not send you one. once you get the dongle and unlock the software, there is no limitation to the machine at all.