Launch X431 users question

Launch X431 users question:

Question: x431 cost me 1800 usd but x431 cost me 1100 usd
which is better to buy for outside china
x431 has 1 year updates
does anyone has problems with updates ,device locked?

Answer:GX3 is for local Chinese and Malaysian markets only, x431 Master is for rest of the world.Mine is a GX3 & I use it in America. No problem, come with selectable languages. GX3 also has English language, any other languages. Full software list, full set connectors.

Question:
Hi,
A friend of mine is looking into buying some professional diagnostic kits to help out the dad in the garage. He had a few sales reps around and tried out a few in the market: A "Launch X-431", a "Delphi" PDA type thing which was shit, and a "Wurth diagnostic system" (which consisted of PC based software "Wurth Online World: WOW" and a Bluetooth OBD transceiver "snooper box" which seemed a bit like old technology tbh)
The best he found out the lot was the wurth wow and the Launch X-431. He found that both could do pretty much all the tasks that he needed to do (program new key codes, airbags etc). However, the Launch X-431 costs over 3k euros and subscriptions of 690 a year. Similarly the Wurth kit costs 1.5k euros and 700 a year subscriptions.

Now, for me to help him out, I was wondering, which device would you recommend? Is there a cheaper alternative? i.e. are there chinese clones for the two devices hardware and/or cr*cked software that could do the same job for cheaper?

I have searched the forums and found c*acked updates for the Launch x431, but could find very little on the Wurth. I was hoping that maybe I could use a generic OBD bluetooth transceiver and some cr*cked WOW PC software? I would be pretty good at flashing firmware and working with HEX images, that sort of thing, so that wouldnt be an issue.

Answers: 

electromech:
M8 there is no one professional tool out there and with all things in life you get what you pay for so basicly what does he want to do with the tool and what brand!!!.....clear faults....Launch all the way..... I wouldnt look at the Wurth but if he wants indepth programming he needs to phone the bank manager!!!!!!!! in a nut shell we need more info on what exactly he wants to do but I have a launch and work on every car under the sun (exept american cars) and the Launch almost (french cars) never lets me down I find it very strong on euros

OBD-2010: 
In my view, don’t go throwing £****.** on a universal machine, 10 year ago, Yes these tools were really the only option. However, today and from here on, Manufacturer specific software / hardware, is the way to go, they offer way more than any universal tool. Does this mean universal tools are no-good anymore?? NO, they are still necessary, But maybe, a few cheap universal machines (pulling codes & Resets)and a few OEM machines, ( programming & Adaptions ).But Once you have pulled codes from the vehicles, we still have to know, what to do next.Most of these will log unrelated fault codes because they share circuts / hardware, or just a victim of the real fault.

My most used tool is my Scope, it fits 99.9% of cars,
but cant turn off a single mil lamp.......

electromech:
"My most used tool is my Scope, it fits 99.9% of cars,but cant turn off a single mil lamp....... "What scope you got M8?

rrob311:
If you are doing mostly OBD work I would get a Ruggedized laptop and start building it with an obd interface and just keep adding programs. Over here in the US we have no subaru coverage and I use the 2 major "all in one" scanners and the software has more holes than swiss cheese. Not a good 2000 dollar investment I expected way more than what I got.

OBD-2010:
it is a "general purpose" scope, not auto only, very fast, with recorder, (which is very handy).
The best part of my scope was the training i had from
Frank Massey, Preston.. The guy is a wizzard..if your are looking for scope, and finding things slightly to much £££ try looking for second-hand, general purpose bench-top models, (techtronix) for example..hope this helps......

electromech:
Got any good site where I could find one at reasonable price as I only find one that are way over priced.

OBD-2010:
You need to know what you need the scantool for? do you work on all make and models? What i would do is figure which one i work on the most and buy the factory scantool. Then i would get a uni scantool like OTC or the Snapon and go from there.