Recently, a friend asked me: “Throttle, are TopDon scanners any good?” Without mincing words, I replied. However, when I thought about it, this question is one that many folks, especially vehicle owners interested in auto DIY and mechanic tools would have.
So, I did what I normally do: I decided to run a PSA and answer the question relating to whether or not TopDon scanners are any good.
So, here’s the public answer.
Article Outline
Are TopDon Scanners Any Good?
Yes, TopDon scanners are good and in my experience, comparable to the older, more established brands. They are also relatively (more) affordable, offering more features for the bucks.
Coming to the scene in 2017, TopDon needed to do something extraordinary to capture a market that was already the big players’ exclusive reserve.
Like Ancel, TopDon arrived on the scene relatively later than most of the big players. The company didn’t have any other option than to be vehemently innovative and offer very competitive pricing.
The strategy clearly worked.
However, that wasn’t all: there is a budding user base that TopDon (and Ancel) have targeted that the older players conveniently did not acknowledge: the auto DIYers. Instead of making tools targeting either beginner vehicle owners or professionals (only), TopDon targets a third demographic: the prosumers – auto DIYers who demand more options than traditional vehicle owners but aren’t interested in dealer-level options that traditional mechanics would ordinarily need.
If their tools weren’t very good, this wouldn’t have happened.
TopDon TopScan: A Case in Point
When I first came across the TopDon TopScan – I was shocked; a little pocket unit from TopDon, the scanner could scan the engine, tranny, ABS, and an array of other modules. It also could run many resets and importantly, could break the AutoAuth barrier.
Essentially, what this tiny unit did was what before now, was the exclusive reserve of dealer-level professional scanners, costing, usually, several thousands of dollars.
The subscription cost too, remained reasonable – at a bare $50 a year. Pair that with the frequent updates and a price that isn’t any better than the annual subscription itself and it begins to look as though the unit is stolen!
The deal, for bi-directional power, is that good.
Step up to the TopScan Pro, it becomes easy to see that for a fraction of the cost most scan tools are retailed for, you’ll run basically EVERYTHING the more expensive scan tools can, with the (small) Bluetooth unit.
For instance, the TopScan Pro can program keys – easily and do so all while being connected to Bluetooth!
The question, often, remains: why bother with stressing yourself and expending more money when for a fraction of the cost, you can still get what you need and get it in style?
Wrap Up
The shock the Germans had when Lexus launched in 1989 was immense and for years, they didn’t recover from it. For some, they still haven’t, decades after.
Why the scenario is a bit different in 2025 and certainly not on that scale, newer entrants into the OBD II scanner market like TopDon (and Ancel) are gradually proving that you don’t need to spend thousands of Dollars on a scanner in order to get it to perform dealer level actions.
And, since quality, reliability, and importantly, customer service is great, what is there not to love?
This, to me, is the re-enaction of 1989 all again (this time, not by Lexus but by TopDon – and a few other tools companies daring to do the hitherto ‘impossible’).
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Throttle Lan
DIY Mechanic and Freelance Auto Writer