Anyone familiar with the orange-colored Actron code readers and scantools available at Autozone and Pepboyz?

 

I was considering picking one up but I've got no idea if they're any good or not. Feedback appreciated.

blitz--I'm no expert, just got mine last week. Bought the CP9135 on the advice of a mechanic friend of mine (Dan Maurin at ROOpair Specialties in Tacoma).

 

Seems to work great, very easy to use too. DTCs came up immediately and were totally consistent with the symptoms.

 

You can download the operating manual from Actron's website if you want to read about it before buying. Bought mine off ebay for about half the store price!

 

Good luck!

I have only used it once to scan and reset when my car tossed a code last winter because of extreme rin conditions. Easy to use and worked fine. You don't learn a lot with one use though.

I bought it at Autozone and the saleswoman reccomeded the pocket scan as a newer and slightly easier to use model. That was the one the store here uses to read codes for people.

AutoZone appears high. Street price for the 9145 is $185 delivered from Amazon.

 

Tool Paradise has some scan tools that include the new CAN protocol. Does anyone know if the Actron units have this capability?

You can also just buy the software if you already have a laptop or a Palm computer. I have the sofware for the Palm computer from Harrison's and am very satisfied. Not only does it give you the codes but real time outputs from all the sensors. Compare the prices and maybe you'll find it even cheaper than the Scantron tool.

Thanks everyone. I wanna watch the ECU gears grinding in real time but I have no laptop or palm, so I'll probably try snagging one of the 9145's off Amazon, $185 delivered sounds pretty righteous. MSRP is like $299 or something.

I picked up the CP9125, it was less then $75 with tax. It works fine for me.