by Gary Hixson

At Mitchell1, we’re always looking to improve our products so that your experience as a user is improved. A recent area of improvement in ProDemand is the diagnostic estimates in the Estimate Guide module.  We’ve reviewed our estimates, streamlined our consistency with naming the operation, and filled in gaps that may have occurred model to model.  Now, you’ll find a much improved experience when you want to give a diagnostic estimate.

To give you a straightforward example of a diagnostic labor estimate, let’s look at a 2009 Ford Mustang 5.4L Shelby GT500.  If you need to diagnose the anti-lock brake system, you can look under the brake category and anti-lock brake sub-category to find the estimate for diagnosing of the anti-lock brake system (see below).

 

We’ve reviewed and updated all diagnostic operations back to 1996 to coincide with OBD-II vehicles.  The diagnostic estimates vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. Estimates are initially based on recommendations from the OEM, but our editorial staff at Mitchell 1 adjusts estimates based on their own experience, knowledge of the vehicle, and repair procedures provided by the OEM.

Naming has also been standardized to include only four names for the type of effort: diagnosis, check, test and analyze.

All of the diagnostic estimates are based on systems, so for certain symptoms you’ll have to add multiple systems together to fully cover the diagnosis. This is best explained through an example:  You won’t find “no start” diagnostic estimates in the product.  But you can find diagnostic estimates for battery testing, checking the charging system, checking the starter circuit, ignition system tests and fuel injection system diagnostics.  Taken together, you can estimate your time to diagnose the “no start” symptom.

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• ProDemand Product Features