alldatadiy.com vs mitchel1diy - ot and mini-rant

Hi all

First off, this isn't something I normally do but just because we're all in this together I thought I'd share with y'all.

I have been a regular subscriber to alldatadiy.com for the past while on several vehicles. Recently I purchased a new subscription for my honda pilot and have been very disappointed. I contacted them several times and got the vaguest of answers, replies like "what are you looking for" when I'd specifically compare service and repair info that is on one subscription vs the absolute lack of info for the pilot. The customer service is horrible, take your hard earned $$ but fail to return any sort of help. I did hear at one point that info I wanted wasn't available... vehicle too new... (um what??)

Anyway, I subscribed this morning to the mitchel1 diy site. I have to say it was more expensive, but man, the info is fantastic. As an aside, I'm a fairly regular poster here so please don't think I'm associated with mitchel.. I'm not. I am associate with my hard earned money tho and don't wanna part with it, particularly when there's no value.

So, for those folks who want to purchase online auto repair info, mitchell is the way to go. They also sell a week at a time, along with longer periods too. The neatest part is, they also have an estimator segment, which I understand is new. I don't do car repairs for a living but do get my fair share of friends/family/acquaintances who ask me to do work for them. The estimator is a really handy way to determine time for a particular job, cost of parts and skill level to do the work. While I don't think I'd ever outright charge people I help do work, it's a great tool to let them know what they're looking at.

Anyway, as my current subscriptions run out, I know I'll be renewing them with mitchel.

http://www.eautorepair.net/Marketing/Default.asp

is their general front page link just in case you're thinking of looking..

fwiw, my :2cents:

p

Thanks for the info.

I'm looking forward to the day when the vehicle manufacturers themselves support giving all service info to the customer/public. I get a pretty good service book with my washing machine, and other support on-line .... why not for my auto?

+1 on Mitchell, I have access to the 2010 edition which contains 11 DVD's and so far haven't had a problem, all the info I ever needed has been there.

I remember somebody told me the biggest difference between Mitchell and Alldata was fancier images from the second, other than that was nearly the same.

Oscar.

The information that I see on my alldatadiy subscription is pretty identical to what I see in the printed factory service manuals.
I bought a subscription for my 2003 Toyota Sienna and also bought the 2 volume factory service manual (Genunine Toyota) on Ebay.
The 2 are super close.

However, there is, through Toyota and through FORD, advanced techical information subscriptions...available through their respective websites......I don't remember the exact name that each gives them, but I am guessing that these provide more information than the factory service manuals.....since they are both insainly expensive for yearly subscriptions.
They both offer short term subscriptions......which is great if you have a specific problem that you are working on.
For my blogging......I like the yearly subscriptions......but don't want to pay 100's yearly for each.......since we all know how much money we are making off each other doing this.


I also remember, a number of years ago, that Aldatadiy could not post the Honda manuals online, and I remember seeing a message that they were starting to offer them.
So, I suspect that there is some extra cost that the Mitchell is paying to Honda to offer what they do.

Of course.....I have NEVER seen anything that has enough pictures....which is why I take so many and post them.

I think the thing that bugged me the most was that when I compared one vehicle subscription to another, it's not that a small component wasn't included, it was huge sections. There are literally NO sections on repair and maintenance for the pilot...nada.. nothing. It's pathetic. When I contacted "customer service" (oxymoron) they didn't respond. I re-emailed and got back a flakey "were you looking for something specific" --duh, how about maintenance info, torque settings.. all the normal stuff. The fact that they're called alldataDIY... as in Do it yourself...

The final straw was the "oh your vehicle is too new.." :screwy:

Seeing the info on the Mitchell site, and the frequent "with permission from honda" leads me to believe that a fair amount of the subscription is to pay for royalties. I"m good with that. Hell, I don't mind paying a fair amount of money for something like this... I just want value. Mitchell has it.. alldatadiy doesn't.

p

I am guessing that Alldata is trying to have 1 price for all vehicles.....and they would have to raise the price for the Honda vehicles.
Maybe a higher price for specific vehicles/manufactures/age would be a better solution.
The Windstar information on AlldataDIY is quite good.....and I would expect the same level of information when I added another vehicle.
I can understand your disappointment.

I will have to keep that Mitchel pointer in mind.