There are a growing number of scantools compatible with 1996 and newer vehicles with a wide variety of features. First and foremost, the tool you purchase must support the vehicles you anticipate working on.
Some tools support all three and some are manufacturer specific.
If you're a diehard Chevy customer, you may be able to save a few dollars by choosing a manufacturer specific tool. Supported parameters Not all scantools are equal. In fact, some aren't even close. The SAE specification J1979 defines these legislated parameters. Many low-end tools only support these emissions related readings, giving you access to only a dozen or so truly useful parameters.