This blog is to debunk what can and can’t be done with respect to programming by independent facilities, and why advanced diagnostics for today’s cars are so expensive labor-wise, requiring capable, expert technicians with access to the right equipment.
The old saying “you get what you pay for”, is very accurate in the automotive professional private sector. To have an independent automotive facility equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment (equivalent to what new car dealerships are required to purchase and possess), along with a service staff that is both mechanically capable enough to operate said equipment, and technically trained enough to interpret the test results, resulting in a successful investigation from a fault to root-cause fix, is becoming far less common in today’s workshops, and quite frankly; a huge turn-off for the “mechanics” of the simpler times.
Too often do we find that we are the third or fourth service workshop that someone has visited, almost as if we are a last resort because of our unique capabilities, which has always been perplexing to us.
Today’s cars are chock-full-of tech. When I say chock-full, I mean it. The wires that loop through a modern car’s electrical system span miles in length, encompassing the controller area network (CANBUS) through multiple computers.
In our many years of experience (individually and collectively as a team), our witnessing the evolution of automobiles (and their onboard technology systems) has shed much light on the direction of the industry, and just how unprecedented a rate technologies have advanced, requiring that dealerships and serious independent service workshops like our own attend regular training seminars, attain various certifications, and spend large sums of money, in order to maintain relevance in capability with respect to understanding these technological advancements, and ultimately diagnosing / servicing them.
The gamut of onboard technological suites that our latest vehicles have onboard, actually carry multiple components of vehicle lessee / owner privacy, along with proprietary manufacturer software systems, which several computer modules (on the theft relevant / private data gateways) actively have independent’s restricted to what we can and can’t program (beginning roughly around model year 2018). This means that diagnostics don’t always result in our ability to resolve an issue, and at times; our staff will recognize this and refer to the dealership of our clients’ choice. despite our unwavering commitment to making every effort to be your one-stop-shop.
The gateways on our newest tech vehicles, starting as early as 2018, are so advanced, carrying multiple components of owner privacy, and proprietary manufacturer software / systems, that several CANBUS modules require dealership visits,