Hey Guys!
My name is Tom. I have been in auto repair since '83 and Master ASE since '88 and L1 when it came out. I do basically bumper to bumper repair in my 1 man shop that I have had since '95, in Metro Detroit area until 2006, and Middle Tennessee area from '06 to present. My career path has been mostly Domestic with a fair amount of Asian thrown in. I have always had a knack for electrical and computer controls, and have used scopes for many years, starting with the old Sun LS 2000 and then a Vantage, and currently using a VPro and Modis Ultra. I hope that is ok. I got the impression that there are some high quality individuals here, and I wanted to improve my scoping skills. Personally, I would like to eat, drink, and breathe scopes, but there isn't enough of that kind of work to keep me busy full time, or I didn't cultivate it well enough. However, I am the go to guy in this county for drivability/electrical problems, so I guess I'm doing alright. It's funny. In 1988 or '89 I was contemplating my future, and whether or not I should remain in the auto repair field. I liked electrical/drivability and was good at it, and every trade mag I read said this was the way of the future. I decided to stay in the field, concentrating on honing my electrical skills, and convinced that in 10 years I would be wearing a white Labcoat with meters/scopes in all the pockets! Well, that didn't happen, but at 51 years old I still love chasing that elusive problem with a scope and solving what no one else around here can solve. However, as has become normal with this field for many years, you can't rest on your laurels, and there is always room for improvement. Hence my joining. I know there are guys out there that live, eat, and breathe scopes, and I kinda wish that had been my career path, but it wasn't. But I've learned a few things in 30+ years that most people missed, and hopefully I can share knowledge here as well as learn a little. 


Tom   

  Welcome to the squiggly line club!
  How do you like the modis ultra?
   I would neaver get rid of my pico but the ultra looks real nice!

top4 wrote on May 17^th, 2014 at 3:23am:

Welcome to the squiggly line club!   How do you like the modis ultra?

Thank You!
As a scanner, so far I like it, but I have only have had it about 3 weeks, upgraded from a Solus Ultra which I liked. I would like to have factory scanners, but as a 1 man shop who sees maybe 20 different makes, there is just no way.

As far as the scope portion, I kept my Vantage Pro because it has a few features not found in the Modis' scope. I occasionally need 4 channels and sometimes run 2 scopes  at once. I used to run a heritage Vantage along with the VP, but the old one has some limitations as you know. Now I have the Modis' scope as backup or primary when needed. I'm still learning the functions on it as it is laid out different from the VP, but it seems like it is missing a few functions from the VP such as the "pause" button, but that may be just me still learning where everything is. Time will tell. I have not been impressed with SO's available operational training info on either, but I can get around that.
I have been very impressed with the captures I have seen with the Pico, so I may end up with one down the road. Having 4 channels on 2 different scopes like I currently have is not ideal, but it gets the job done most of the time.


Tom

Welcome aboard Tom

Lots of help here. Just ask questions. Also search the archives to learn more. Great group of guys here. Also some OE tooling is next that expensive. Just pick a couple of OE tools which you do the most of. :)

Awtoman wrote on May 16^th, 2014 at 8:35pm:

but at 51 years old

51 is not old, the agency that I work at has an average age of 55, you would be one of the young ones.

Welcome
Jim

Never to old try new things.  I have only been using scopes now for maybe two years total.  Started with a heritage Snap On Vantage to get accustomed to time bases and settings even though it is just a power graphing meter and I played with the shop's Snap On Modis for awhile but couldn't use it to the full potential because we have no cf cards for it.  Then I got the pico scope last year in September and it has been awesome.  There is so much you can do with this scope it is mind blowing.  Not as old as you or Jim but I started late using scopes.  I'll be 37 in July on the 4th.  I'm a firecracker baby.  I used to think everyone was celebrating my birthday on the 4th, ;D  I'm playing catch up myself with scopes.  Welcome Awtoman.

Welcome Tom.  Hang around here for a while and I'm sure there will be a Pico in your future  :)