Dear guys, if you want to start key programming business 2021 year, or will become a locksmith 2021 who will program key for European , Asian, American cars, but have no idea which key programmer is the best, please check the following poll result from mhh forum and read some locksmiths’ experience sharing.
Most Locksmith invested these key programmers:
OBDSTAR X300 DP PLUS | 20 | 16.67% |
Tango ( original ) | 25 | 20.83% |
Tango ( clone ) | 6 | 5.00% |
Handy baby | 2 | 1.67% |
SVCI 2019 | 10 | 8.33% |
Xhorse VVDI2 | 18 | 15.00% |
SKP 900 | 2 | 1.67% |
XTOOL X100 PAD2 | 16 | 13.33% |
VVDI Mini key tool | 5 | 4.17% |
ZED FULL | 16 | 13.33% |
Total | 120 vote(s) | 100% |
What more? read the locksmiths’ experience and know their daily list:
Review 1 .
You will need many tools. The newer the cars the more expensive the tools required. Scorpio-LK Tango is good if you have soldering skills and good programmers to read write dumps. Avoid clone Tango.
Tango is an excellent tool and I use it quite often. In the US its not so critical but still extremely useful even for those old crap cars. Main point being its a different method then OBD2 tools not that its their to compete with them.
One thing with tango tho, especially in the US. You can actually do a lot more then whats listed if you know what file structure you can use where.
Review 2.
For a start, xprog, obdstar x300 pro, vvdi mini key tool. With that you can make a lot for sure.
Review 3.
Currently, I have Autek ikey820 which is cheap and it is quite useful for Ford, Mazda 2017.
Review 4.
Need to add in the list AVDI, Lonsdor K518, Autel 508 and IM608, VVDI Key Tool Plus Pad in the future !
Review 5.
CGDI MB, CGDI BMW, Autel IM508 and OBDstar good tool too.
Review 6.
Autel Im608 plus G-BOX (don’t forget about g-Box) very usefully . Find a good remote suplier. X horse mini is very cheap and usefully as well for cloning.
Review 7.
for cutting:
Xhorse Dolphin Automatic Machine
Some manual side cutting machine (cheap)
for copies:
KD X2, and VVDI mini key tool
vag:
VVDI2 and VVDI prog
renault:
OBD STAR x300dp
psa:
OBD STAR x300dp
for the next 20%:
Autel IM508 and xp400pro
lishi:
vag, renault, psa (around 400 euros)
with this tool u can cover very big amount of job for start .
no subscription on VVDI2 tool
With OBDstar and Autel you will cover all your job like beginner in this job, more than enough to start and see what u missing in short time.
I start only with KD X2
For Automatic machine.. yes you decode with lishi and directly input manual biting and cut . but you need to much practice about this job with lishi. it is not soo easy but not so hard when you understand what are you doing. practice practice and practice.
Personaly i buy locks on scrapyard, put on bench and try to unlock, decode …
Review 8.
SMOK works fine on PSA and Fords
Vvdi2 will be good starter for VAG
And VVDI MB tool will do Mercedes
Review 9.
Depend of you budget, you can try VVDI2 is reasonable price for what can do, or can use SVCI, FVDI but to risky need to take care !
Or original AVDI and buy what activation’s you need, but is more expensive.
This year will be new unit from Xhorse VVDI Key Tool Plus Pad will see if will be better comparative with Autel IM608, Autel IM608 have in plus diagnostic for cars, I think also “VVDI Key Tool Plus Pad” will add step by steps diagnostic functions and new special functions what need for Locksmith.
I am curios if “VVDI Key Tool Plus Pad” will be in future the better tool for Locksmith and not only for this also for car diagnostics and for special functions for fix cars.
You need to take in consideration will need to have also another auxiliary tools like programmer memory for eeproms, MCU’s.
Review 10.
XHorse VVDI2 full: A good alternative when you don’t want to pay for the AVDI modules.
It has VW (Audi, Seat, Skoda, Porsche, Bentley), Beemer and PSA support with key learning and so on. I don’t know how other peoples think, but AVDI is and was a good tool – but is damn expensive. The modules what this machine can do were cost more than 10.000.- euros. This alternative is good enough to do the allday work, and costs only $1600 from the official web page. From this year the ID48 cloning is free for all users, don’t imitate – innovate! There is only one thing with this toy what irritates me: you have a prompt in the program, that you have to update the software, but if you push on update button, nothing happens. To update the program you have to download & install the new sw as usual @ VVDI Prog, only the firmware update needs the official update manager.
Update
There’s a serious trouble with this toy, in the Beemer section. DO NOT TRY TO ADD A KEY IN AKL SITUATIONS VIA OBD!!! The main problem is that fact, that this thing not simply communicates with the car, but in many cases it forces the car to answer. That triggers an alarm in the car, and it takes this as an attempt to steal the car, and destroys the CAS content. (Check the ISN checksum)
The best solution is, when you take out the CAS and read it on bech, and of course read the ISN from the ECU.
XHorse Key tool Max: Another key tool from X-Horse, if you want to buy something better than the mini, this is your choice.
I hate when I am forced to buy something, even then when it is a good tool. X-Horse did this with removing the normal Key Tool from the market, now you can make your choice between the mini and this if you want to have updates. This thing is a weird-housed Android tool with good functions, for example decoding keys from photo. This device makes the smartphone unnecessary for the use of X-Horse devices, it can do the key tool functions, can make the key cutters work and so on. The smart key side is strong enough @ X-Horse, but if you need the normal remotes, then the X-2 is much more better choice: the Keydiy usual remotes are easier to get as the X-Horse ones.
This device has an OBDII expander, the ‘Mini OBD’, what can read out special info (pin codes) trough OBD, and help to program keys.
Its price is a bit less, than $500 with the Mini OBD from the official website.
To be updating…
Invest the decent Car Key Programmers here:
https://www.obdii365.com/wholesale/car-key-programmers/
Finally, I wish you a prosperous business in 2021 year.