SCT xcal3 or 4? Advice needed

[lasernode]

k31th, yes that's true in regard to what you said, that by unlocking a device it takes control out of the hands of SCT and their dealers etc, but I think that's a good thing, no? Just by numerous USA forums I've read etc, it seems many people want the ability to unlock devices, I mean, spending close to say here in AU, anywhere about $600 and up for example on an X4 (plus the tune itself cost) and then you use it once to load a tune, and say that the car can't run on a stock tune because of upgraded injectors or whatever reason, so you can't do a "return to stock" and so it's cost you that amount to purchase an X4 and basically use it once to load one tune onto one car and now the X4's basically a brick, right? It seems like a crazy rort to me, and by the way, something that SCT does not advertise in all it's glossy sales talk etc...

[k31th]

What we "want as a community" isn't necessarily in line with what the company legally can control. I'm not familiar with where that line starts or ends, in this case, but it seems likely to me that they have some sort of control put in place due to ... let's say, "past events".

 

Also, there's nothing stopping you from keeping the stock parts and putting them back into the car when you "return it to stock". So the device is not a brick, for the sort of scenario you outlined. It has other uses on top of being able to upload a single tune, too.

 

Not saying that SCT's "control" of the devices isn't a rort, either, but it's definitely classed as "business". I don't blame them for trying to make the most possible money they can.

[lasernode]

No I don't blame them either for wanting to make money, good luck to them, but personally I think they're way too over the top and greedy in their obsessive dictator attempts at control, but as an owner of a used device you are free as a consumer and legal owner to do with the device as you wish, obviously as long as you don't steal SCT's IP (intellectual property). If by past events you're referring to the falling out between SCT and CAPA re the old X1, but what if CAPA had at the time no reliance on say SCT's software and CAPA could control devices themselves, I wonder if the outcome would have been different as to the ludicrous restrictions SCT brought about... I mean SCT's clamp down on X1 support and the 90 day (from memory, or was it 30?) time limit to get your X1 to a dealer... to me that whole saga proved SCT's ludicrous conditions.... also what about when SCT tried to enforce ON THEIR OWN DEALERS for god's sake, all the new conditions about Advatage III, that anything a dealers creates with ADVIII is SCT's legal property and SCT for any reason can revoke a dealer license at any time and cut-them off (as ADVIII insists on an internet connection to function) and a dealer has to hand over all copies of anything created and destroy any copies and this contract between SCT and dealers has to be physically signed and sent by snail-mail to SCT etc etc and it was only after the so-predictablke outcry by dealers that SCT withheld all this stuff (withheld mind, not removed... at the tiume) ... SCT as a company just seems to come up with some crazy stuff...

 

Oh and re your point, you can return a car to stock parts first and then return to stock tune, but realistically, most users of these devices that's not really an option many times I would haver thought, so I think my initial point about a device being, in many cases, a one-time use sort of thing...

[k31th]

I know heaps of people who've used their device many many times for various uses then returned the car to stock, flashed the stock tune and sold the car. I'd call that more than a one-time-use.

 

Yes, you picked the right topic I was alluding to. But I don't think we need to go over it again because it's been discussed to death on this forum. I personally don't disagree with anything you just said. Unfortunately, that's how SCT chooses to operate.

 

The only power we have as consumers, in the face of such business decisions, is to not spend our money in the first place. With the monopoly they had at the time there was no other good option. At least there's other options now...

[lasernode]

ok valid point that sometimes they are used multiple times, but when you see them advertised for sale used, I think you'd agree that most are locked (married etc) and re competition, yes that's true, like HPT etc, competition's good no argument there, (wish competition arose for eBay and PayPal but that's another story), maybe you're getting the idea that I can't stand SCT as a company and the way they treat their customers, who are the ones they should be looking after most, and SCT's facebook (hope I'm allowed to mention facebook), jebus there must be way more negative comments and upset people than positive last time I looked, and SCT's typical canned response does not inspire confidence, my summary of SCT is they just want sales of new devices and to hell with anything after a sale or they've sold including current model devices.... anyways

[k31th]

Most of the ones I see for sale are "unmarried" and if they're not, they're often directed to sources like this site to be sure that they are actually correctly set back to stock so that the purchaser does not get screwed. A service outside of this "confirmation" process might be valuable in reasonably rare circumstances.

If we wanted a thread dedicated to airing opinions on SCT, then I'm sure we'd get plenty of responses. This thread is not the place for that discussion, unfortunately.

[lasernode]

no prob, cheers

[stevev-pa]

anyone know if lasernode is still around and offering his unlock service?

[Crusher_AU]

is he ??

[k31th]

based on the last time he logged in, nope.