The FCAR F3SG Master Pro is designed to be a fast, powerful and compact handheld scan tool unit. It features a built-in printer, as well as more coverage and additional functionality than previous FCAR offerings. In addition to providing full-function coverage for most passenger vehicles, the F3SG provides coverage for most trucks from pickup all the way to Class 8 heavy duty vehicles. The F3SG also provides on-road to off-road with bidirectional functions and testing functions..Other features include an 8" TFT color touch display and a power voltage of 8-30V. A 12-month warranty is included.
The review
The value for a shop owner or a technician to utilize one tool to secure a quick and accurate diagnosis of a vehicle problem cannot be understated.
A few months back, Michael Bucey, owner/sole organizer of Goose Diesel Truck Parts & Service in Pleasant Valley, N.Y., decided his facility was in need of a single aftermarket diagnostic solution he could train his technicians to use on the vast majority of vehicles that came into the shop. He found it in the FCAR F3SG Master Pro and, after using it day in and day out for several months, he has come away impressed with its speed and versatility.
“Whether the truck is a Volvo, an International, a Hino or a Mitsubishi, our technicians can walk up to it with this tool and use it pretty much every time,” says Bucey.
“You plug it in, hit a button and it’s ready to go,” he continues. “Within seconds, you can get a fault code.”
Specific applications Bucey and his technicians have used the F3SG Master Pro for include manual diesel particulate filter (DPF) regenerations and cylinder cut-out tests.
“We’ve had no problems with doing the command regens,” he says. “It’s just flawless. All of the information is there, and it monitors your temperatures while you do a regen, which is very important.”
Bucey and his technicians use a number of OEM diagnostic offerings on a regular basis. However, they appreciate that they can opt for the FCAR tool when in need of some quick information, particularly on International vehicles.
“A dealer program requires us to use a laptop, and that’s just not as fast,” Bucey explains. “There is a little more boot-up time, as you have to start up the laptop, plug it in, sign on and search.
“The (F3SG Master Pro)’s speed is phenomenal. When you are in a fast-paced repair shop, that’s a plus.”
When using a dealer program, Bucey and his technicians get frustrated when it takes them more than a little while to navigate to one item.
“You have to go through (trouble) codes, then go through an avenue of what to check, and then another,” he says, of the dealer program. “It becomes difficult to figure out the problem without going through all of this.”
One of the main reasons Bucey says he opted for the FCAR offering was that when the subscription is up, it doesn’t turn into a code reader like some other products do.
“You get to use it for what it is,” he explains. “If you don’t update your subscription, you just don’t get the newer vehicles. I thought that was great.”
His lone issue with the F3SG Master Pro is some of the terminology is “a little off,” and he’s received some undefinable codes. However, he says he’s been in touch with the company and has heard that a future software update should address that specific issue.
All in all, Bucey says he speaks very highly of the FCAR F3SG Master Pro.
“I’m pretty impressed with this tool,” says Bucey. “We are grabbing it just about every day and using it in the shop, and the nice thing about it is it does everything.The versatility of it is just amazing.”
