Hello all,

I am going to purchase a STAR C4 as it is a necessary tool to help me revive my W220. Also, I am well aware of the plethora of information here in the forum regarding these tools, and have done a search as suggested and have consumed a great amount of wisdom from my fellow W220 owners. I am in awe from the dedication and time spent by the many contributors here.

Unfortunately I have not found any of what I would consider recent posts concerning the purchase experience of such a unit. It occurred to me that someone posting information regarding where they bought one, what was the cost and so on might be regarded as a recommendation by this person and therefore would be opened up to criticism or any other backlash should someone have a purchase go bad by the same vendor.

With this in mind, would anyone who has had a positive recent (past 12 months) experience be willing to share with me the details of their purchase. Such as who was the vendor, how long did the shipping take, was the customer service response reasonable, did you receive what was promised and etc.?

My goodness man there are a bunch of these things offered for sale on eBay and AliExpress and I don't mind spending $400-$800 on such a unit but eBay is sketchy at best and I have never dealt with AliExpress. Also, I would not hold it against any member willing to share this information should my experience be different. This is unfortunately the world we live in and it is not easy to take a blind leap on a large international purchase with little to no guarantees but it would be somewhat comforting to know that at least someone got what they paid for.

Thank you in advance to any kind souls who are willing to put this information out there and please forgive me if it already is and I somehow overlooked it.

I bought an Autel AP200. You get one free manufacturer for lifetimes updates. I chose Benz. Rest of car manufacturers it just ODB diagnostics. It’s like a single car version of Airtel 809. Auto reads vin and brings up ur car and chose left or right hand drive. It picked all all faults so far. Sees Bose sound etc etc

There is an Autel AP200(H?!) that has another letter at the end. Gives you frrr first year then $25 per year after. Also if you want to add another vehicle brand $ 25 per year. Get live dat service modes etc
Here’s a link to a YouTube.

It’s all I’ve needed so far. I’m South Africa was $110 which includes huge import taxes etc
Hope it helps
Regards
Andrew

 

Thank you for responding. I do have a unit similar to this. However I am in need of the STAR diagnostic system as the one suggested here doesn't come close to the functions available on the STAR unit. From what I can tell, all of the aftermarket units pale in comparison to STAR.

 

Star I believe is cool when you want to program boards with new updated code. Hasn’t been something this hasn’t picked up. Google ap200 on YouTube. They say it’s Autel mk808d but for only a single car for life. From what I’ve read on forums star can be dicey from china so really what it get genuine one. If you home user then this. My 2 cents worth.

This aBenz guy

 

Thank you for responding but I am specifically interested in the STAR Diagnostic system. Please keep all responses with regard to that and only that.

Thanks again.

 

I have just ordered one from aliexpress about 3 days ago and all I can say for now is that you want to make sure you use PayPal (what I did). Just a little assurance. I ordered the set with ssd and without laptop since I have one (2014 Lenovo thinkpad X250) laying around here that works and is used by other people who also have star. I can keep you updated but I think delivery was scheduled for somewhere in august (I am in Sweden).

 

Best regards to you my Scandinavian friend and thank you for the info and advise regarding payment. I am interested to see how it goes with you so any updates you care to share are welcome. May I inquire concerning the particular vendor you selected for this transaction?

 

There is a great writing about SDConnect electrical component problems in MHH auto, thread is called
'Adventures in SDConnect C4 - the Clone Wars'

Go and read it (hope it is available for non members, I did not put a direct link here)

 

I am not an expert...

It is really difficult to pick out a good vendor for SDS.

First - there are "several" actual manufacturers of the systems. Several years ago, we had an active member on one of the forums who actually ran a garage in China - he gave us a lot of good tech info on the W220. He recommended that you buy from a manufacturer in Shenzhen Province, as that was the center for high-tech electronics manufacturing.

Second - There are "MANY" vendors selling SDS systems on Aliexpress. They appear and disappear constantly, and in my opinion, they are usually a small warehouse with a computer, and they change both identities and suppliers quickly and easily. It can be frustrating, because apparently you cannot search for a vendor name, or even find the vendor that you used last time.

I bought three C3 systems -just multiplexer and cables - a few months ago, assisted by a person who makes his living with computers and programming. Eventually, we decided to try to see what the differences were in the systems offered for sale, based upon the descriptions and photographs. We finally went with systems that appeared to have fully-populated boards, using Japanese ICs, and having an electronic module in the serial cable. We also didn't try for the absolutely cheapest system, believing that if it sounds too good to be true, it isn't true. The vendor that we used was "flyobd" - good luck in finding them again!

The three systems came very quickly, very well packed, and all three worked perfectly out of the box. It helps that I used proven software that I already had, and used bullet-proof Dell D630 and D830 laptops that I had already prepared with max memory, fast CPUs and SSDs. Remember that we opted for C3, not C4 systems.

Alibaba is the wholesale version of the Chinese market, and most of the time, the minimum sale quantity is wholesale level. When I saw your plea, I tried something new. I went on Alibaba, and found a vendor who says that they are an SDS manufacturer, with a real address in Shenzhen Province, in business for years, and that they will sell you one system. I have absolutely no personal knowledge of this organization, but it looks pretty good. They say that they will build the system to your needs. Good luck, if you decide to use them! Please let us know what happens.

V2025.06 Mb Sd C4 Connect Compact 4 Star Diagnosis With Wifi For Cars And Trucks Multi-language - Buy Mercedes Star Diagnosis Compact 3 diagnosis Multiplexer C4 Star star Diagnosis Compact 5 Product on Alibaba.com

V2025.06 Mb Sd C4 Connect Compact 4 Star Diagnosis With Wifi For Cars And Trucks Multi-language - Buy Mercedes Star Diagnosis Compact 3 diagnosis Multiplexer C4 Star star Diagnosis Compact 5 Product on Alibaba.com

www.alibaba.com

 

Remember that we opted for C3, not C4 systems.

Why oh why ?????

C4 SD Connect, (without DOIP), is by far the best Mux available these days.

C5 is a waste of money, I am yet to see one that isn't just C4 guts shoehorned into a C5 lookalike case !!

I use these things lots, and aside from very old Cars I rarely use the very old tech C3 these days, my C3 was reworked by a UK expert and doesn't issue Comm Errors anywhere near as frequently like the original components did, but it can still be glitchy, mostly when using HHT on older vehicles such as R170.

C4 SD Connect very rarely chucks a comm error, (almost never) ........... IDK ?????

I do not advise Chinese s/w any more, there are many guys on forums offering glitch free s/w that they have sorted, on SSD with un-locked functions fix added etc etc for very reasonable sums, that has been the route I have gone for at least the last 5 years

 

Thank you so much for the reply and link. This type of response is precisely what I was hoping for. I have contacted the supplier and am awaiting their reply. I will update my progress and probably just journal my experience in real time here for the benefit of the forum. BTW, I did come across the flyobd vendor on AliExpress, the very few customer reviews posted were not encouraging.

 

Following., I’m also in the market for a sds

 

Hopefully, if all goes well, you may be rewarded. lol..

 

Hi. It’s name is ”mb star c4 ben-z diagnostic store”, according to my paypal bill.

 

I copied this and pasted it to my search engine but nothing come back with that name specifically. However the top return was the following website: V6/2022 MB SD C4 Star Diagnosis with Software SSD Plus Second Hand Lenovo T410 Laptop

 

Our little group has four C3 units, one over ten years old. So far, zero comm errors, zero problems. They just work. We have very good non-Chinese software on them.

 

And the plot thickens.
I have received a response from the vendor suggested. It did not contain any direct information regarding my specific questions but did supply a link to their website.
Also, Alibaba does not recommend dealing with vendors outside of their portal (similar to eBay) for what it's worth.
They offer many systems within the C4 envelope with choices in computing power. A D430, A Panasonic (rugged?) laptop, Lenovo and even a tablet. Most are 4Gb RAM with the option of a 500G HDD or 256G SDD. The Dell laptops have a 1.8GHZ processor while the Lenovo units have 2.53GHZ. The tablet has a Celeron. Not sure if this would make as big a difference as having 8Gb RAM.
Also, can someone please educate me on this "Including Super Engineer Software:DTS monaco V8.16.15 And Vediamo V5.01.01 Support Offline Programming".
Suggestions?

 

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website link provided to me via email.

 

Hello all,

I offer a different perspective.

As background, I am highly computer literate with both Win and Mac computers. I have a tech and IT background and am comfortable pulling computers and servers apart and reassembling them.

But I am lost when it comes to my C3 Star kit, vediamo and associated MB software.

I took the plunge about 2 years ago and took advice from Benz Ninja.
He helped guide my purchases and I received everything I paid for as well as his ongoing support and advice. he pointed me to a couple of ebay sites and left it to me as to which one I purchased dmy kit from.

My next point is, unless you are super switched on re MB cars, software and the Star kit, you may not be able to make the thing work, without a properly loaded and configured laptop.

For a little bit extra, I also bought lifetime membership of the Ninja's club which resulted in him dialling in and setting up my laptop, he also supplied all necessary extrasoftware and spent hours in setting up my laptop, so that it would work with the kit and my car.

I have no other interest in promoting Ninja, other than to offer another slightly safer,(in my opinion) path, with unofficial training and live support as he fixes your car. You talk to a real human on WhatsApp and watch him whiz around your laptop at lightning speed via TeamViewer.

He makes short work of most issues and is more than keen to advise and guide as you get more confident and want to do more yourself. As an IT worker, i think his skill set and knowledge of the MB environment is impressive.

Whatever path you take, good luck.
There are lots of good folk here who will back you up....

Cheers.

 

Vediamo and Monaco goes way deeper than Xenrty (and nowadays they are almost always included in sofware package), but interface AND usage really needs quite a lot experience. PLUS with those tool you can brick or at least mess you module very easily. However they are very powerful with newer cars, especially after MB launced stupid SCN coding system, those program can walk around it. See youtube. I have not dared to do anythig with Vediamo without remote guidance by experienced user, Monaco needs project files to work properly, which I have not even downloaded. I recommend reading and searching that MHHAuto site...

 

Here is a link to the system that I am currently considering: V2022.06 Mb Sd C4 With 256gb Ssd Pre-installed On Lenovo T410 Laptop 4gb Ready To Use - Buy Mb Sd C4 Plus Support Doip,Mb Sd C5 Sd Connect Compact5 Star Diagnosis,Mb Sd C4 Star Diagnostic Tool Product on Alibaba.com.
I have started digging into the MHH Auto stuff suggested earlier in the thread so depending on what I learn there and any additional suggestions here, things could change.✌

 

Apologies for not replying sooner, but I have a lot of life issues going on atm and therefore insanely busy for the next month at least

Make certain that whatever you buy software wise has working "HHT Win" program and includes WIS / EPC !!

HHT Win isn't needed on W220, but it is necessary on vehicles like R170 and some of the other older Cars, you never know, you might well decide to buy one of those later on like an older SL or SLK, or even an older Saloon Many of the older Cars are an investment and rapidly getting into the "Classic Car" investment status

Vediamo and DTS Monaco are nice to have's even if you can't figure them out / don't want to take the risks, there are guys who can Team Viewer and sort things out with them, eg "Virgin and Initial Start 7G Transmission" !!

Personally I would buy C4 SD Connect !! At time of writing, AFAIK a C5 is still just C4 guts in a C5 Case !!

Personally I would not buy the s/w and laptop from Chinese, I only buy Multiplexers from Ali Express.

I have written all this a million times before, it's all here on this and other forums, there was links put up by another guy for someone else this past week.

You need to do due diligence and read read read, but look at the date stuff was written, for example, advice for buying C3 Mux because it is more reliable is simply complete rubbish and has been for a long while now !!.

@Paul600600 or @doni01 on here or a guy called i860 on SLK World ....

Mercedes SLK World

....may be able to help point you in the correct direction regarding software and laptops / laptop spec

BTW, (without trying to sound big headed), I use these machines during the course of my garage Business on old and new vehicles, all models, almost on a daily basis, so I class that as a bittie more experience than a DIY guy who own 1 or 2 MB's and spends his spare time maintaining his cars

 

Apologies for not replying sooner, but I have a lot of life issues going on atm and therefore insanely busy for the next month at least

Make certain that whatever you buy software wise has working "HHT Win" program and includes WIS / EPC !!

HHT Win isn't needed on W220, but it is necessary on vehicles like R170 and some of the other older Cars, you never know, you might well decide to buy one of those later on like an older SL or SLK, or even an older Saloon Many of the older Cars are an investment and rapidly getting into the "Classic Car" investment status

Vediamo and DTS Monaco are nice to have's even if you can't figure them out / don't want to take the risks, there are guys who can Team Viewer and sort things out with them, eg "Virgin and Initial Start 7G Transmission" !!

Personally I would buy C4 SD Connect !! At time of writing, AFAIK a C5 is still just C4 guts in a C5 Case !!

Personally I would not buy the s/w and laptop from Chinese, I only buy Multiplexers from Ali Express.

I have written all this a million times before, it's all here on this and other forums, there was links put up by another guy for someone else this past week.

You need to do due diligence and read read read, but look at the date stuff was written, for example, advice for buying C3 Mux because it is more reliable is simply complete rubbish and has been for a long while now !!.

@Paul600600 or @doni01 on here or a guy called i860 on SLK World ....

Mercedes SLK World

....may be able to help point you in the correct direction regarding software and laptops / laptop spec

BTW, (without trying to sound big headed), I use these machines during the course of my garage Business on old and new vehicles, all models, almost on a daily basis, so I class that as a bittie more experience than a DIY guy who own 1 or 2 MB's and spends his spare time maintaining his cars

Hi
Dave2302,
I haven't talked to you in a long time. Do you remember how you and Cowboy advised me about the sound system for the MB CL55?

I didn't do it because my friend insisted and I sold him the car, but I bought another one and I have to buy an SD Star scanner because I can't pass the ABC suspension calibration with any of these Autels etc., because they start and don't finish, and once, when I was still running workshops, the Star and Bosch performed this operation flawlessly.

Have you heard of the Benz Ninja? Do you have any opinion about it? Apparently it makes a good SD Star clone?

I'm currently talking to this Vietnamese guy:

https://eurocartool.com/product/mercedes-package-combo/

but I don't know if I can trust him, and there's nothing about him anywhere, no forum.

I've been talking to him for a week now and it's clear that he knows a lot, but whether he still has the necessary dose of honesty to go along with his knowledge, I can find out through risk.

I will be grateful for your advice.

 

I too was looking for a C4 Star and found out that you can get the same results with a much cheaper tool. Look up Amir Miladi on Facebook and he can guide you through the process. His price is much lower and he will remotely download software to your computer. The interface is a $28 adapter and cable. Look him up and contact him, you'll be happy you did. I have a C218 and have been happy with his service to date. He is located in Tunisia. I am a happy customer using my CF-19 Panasonic Toughbook that I only use for my CLS550. He can also do remote coding for an extra cost. Marv

 

The interface is a $28 adapter and cable.

They don't work full function on all MB's full stop.

Better on later models yes.

 

I bought this 2012.11 setup which just arrived via DHL from China with multiplexer and cables.
Seller will remote in to enable the software to the laptop & multiplexer.
To be able to run HHT-Win it's set up on Windows XP - thus sold with a Dell D630 / Lenovo T410.
Their multiplexer uses a LAN cable, so laptop doesn't need an RS232 port.

Highly Recommend V2012.11 MB SD C4 with Second Hand Lenovo T440P Laptop 4GB Memory

V2012.11 MB SD Connect C4 with Second Hand Lenovo T440P Laptop, it is convenient to customers who do not have Second Hand Lenovo T440P Laptop or do not wanna install software. You can directly use this set when you receive the package. But if you want to use WIFI, you need to set up by yourself.

www.obdii365.com

Also bought a separate SSD with 2022.06 software, which I installed on a newer Lenovo laptop that then needs to be remotely activated.
Software comes loaded on Windows 10, and also connects via LAN cable.

V2023.09 MB Star Xentry Passthru Software with Keygen for Benz C6 OEM

This is the V2023.09 MB Star software with Keygen for VXDIAG Benz C6, VCX SE and OEM Xentry Diagnostic VCI. Supports vehicle: Mercedes For Benz & Smart vehicles Functions: Star Diagnostic & programming (SCN Coding).

www.obdii365.com

Will update once they're all enabled and tested.

 

Not sure if this is the ideal location for this question, but it really does (kind of) center on STAR C4; We recently purchased a 2002 S500 (car for my son to drive, I figured it is a tank and he will survive his senior year in HS...) and as you would expect, there are some issues. Mechanically, it seems pretty sound; the A/C needs work, but that is within my capabilities. I consider myself to be somewhere between an intermediate and advanced DIY'er, and have enough brains to know this car is complicated. We purchased a Foxwell S510 programmed for MB and were able to scan codes for all sorts of subsystems; we're working on remediating the biggies and exploring the stuff that seems less critical as we go - this is kind of a project car for my son and I. The big issue so far is a slagged PSE pump. Outlet was melted off, a thumb-sized bubble melted out of the manifold and the case of the PSE melted and dribbled onto the motor. Clearly not rebuildable, a used one will be here in a few days from eBay. This leads to a my questions; how critical is serializing the PSE to the car's computer? is it worth buying a STAR C4 off of AliExpress or Alibaba, and is there a relatively painless way to decode options that the card had when built so we don't chase unnecessary snipes looking for soft-close door issues that were never installed to begin with? I acknowledge these are pretty basic (read: possibly dumb) questions; in my defense I spend most of my wrench turning hours on GM or Honda; this is our first venture into Europe. Thanks in advance for any info or advice you can provide!

P.S.: My first car sure wasn't like this. Kids today...

 

how critical is serializing the PSE to the car's computer?

Lots of debates and "I swapped it and nothing happened" sample size of 1 posts.... you can swap it and have it work, certainly.

Also certainly that when you swap it, you won't run into issues and everything will be hunky dorkey.

The caveat is that the donor car must have the same exact options as your current car. Like orthopedic seats, massaging, headrest raising and dropping, soft close, trunk soft close, whether or not the car has keyless go, etc.

Reason is that the PSE module is coded for those options, and if installed in a car that does not have those options, it assumes that the car MUST have those options and will keep trying to connect to the missing module, over and over and over, even when the car is off. Thus battery drain. You use SDS to recode the PSE to the options that the car has, and it works with no adverse effect.

Same for front SAMs, rear SAM, door control modules, etc....hell, if you want to retrofit options that werent present (keyless go, distronic, bi-xenon headlights, LED taillights, etc...) you need SDS for that.

 

Just seems kinda shady sending almost a g to someone on the other side of the world and then trust them to remotely activate everything once you receive it. What if they disappear after you paid? I know this stuff is bootleg but isn’t there a reliable business for this stuff.

 

What if they disappear after you paid? I know this stuff is bootleg but isn’t there a reliable business for this stuff.

Which is just one of the reasons I always advise just buy Mux and Leads from China, and get one of the many experts on the Forums to do a pre loaded SSD or remote s/w install for you !!

Remote install requires the purchaser to first install Windows plus correct Drivers for Computer and also Team Viewer or Any Desk depending upon the Vendors choice. If you are no good with IT then option 1

 

That makes sense, and the $400-$450 for the STAR C4 is probably what it would cost to have the PSE recoded. The only other option I am considering is de-soldering the solenoids off the circuit board from our bad PSE and swapping it for the logic board on the inbound pump. Thoughts? I am wondering if there is a way to determine if our existing board is fried before I risk the job...

 

Home - BenzNinja.com

More than a service, an Exclusive Benzlover Club

benzninja.com

 

Hello all, I am going to purchase a STAR C4 as it is a necessary tool to help me revive my W220. Also, I am well aware of the plethora of information here in the forum regarding these tools, and have done a search as suggested and have consumed a great amount of wisdom from my fellow W220 owners. I am in awe from the dedication and time spent by the many contributors here. Unfortunately I have not found any of what I would consider recent posts concerning the purchase experience of such a unit. It occurred to me that someone posting information regarding where they bought one, what was the cost and so on might be regarded as a recommendation by this person and therefore would be opened up to criticism or any other backlash should someone have a purchase go bad by the same vendor. With this in mind, would anyone who has had a positive recent (past 12 months) experience be willing to share with me the details of their purchase. Such as who was the vendor, how long did the shipping take, was the customer service response reasonable, did you receive what was promised and etc.? My goodness man there are a bunch of these things offered for sale on eBay and AliExpress and I don't mind spending $400-$800 on such a unit but eBay is sketchy at best and I have never dealt with AliExpress. Also, I would not hold it against any member willing to share this information should my experience be different. This is unfortunately the world we live in and it is not easy to take a blind leap on a large international purchase with little to no guarantees but it would be somewhat comforting to know that at least someone got what they paid for. Thank you in advance to any kind souls who are willing to put this information out there and please forgive me if it already is and I somehow overlooked it.

A man after my own heart of inquiry.THANK YOU fo rso aptly posing your advisory request...When you decide upon a system please connect me as I'll buy the same under the same conditions / terms that you have so kindly expressed / posted.. I too have been investigating / looking and asking questions and getting few direct answers involving the mysterious arts of electronic diagnostics, especially evasive answers from a Chinese ( $880.00 unit which according to their claims can almost walk on water ) vendor of several SDS C4 systems..Just expect straight honest answers. .A point that might be appropriate concerns Benz braking systems..I have found some information that ( true or not ? ) Benz factory programming of the master ECM includes a means of counting the accumulative number of how many times a driver has applied his car's brakes ? When this factory preset number ( as an example 15,000 times ) of braking applications ( driver applied / used the car's brakes ) and the 15,000 threshold number has been reached, a barrage warning messages appears including one advising to take the car to the workshop !? This threshold number warning can appear even though there are NO apparent problems with the car's braking system ABS and etc...The threshold number warning is given because Benz has decided that at some preset number ( example number15,000 ) the brakes should be looked at for preventative maintenance, abnormal wear etc. or perhaps a warning is triggered due to the age of the braking system's components such as possible ABS motor cycling life wear ? However if NO PROBLEMS or concerns are noted ( just say the pads are showing some wear, but are still within acceptable factory tolerances, the wear inductor is not touching the rotor ) only the Dealership's SDS can reset the factory 's threshold ( Ex 15,000 ) number to a higher value , say 20,000 braking application cycles.. Yes DIY brake repair experience and common sense is required as no one would drive with questionable / defective brakes .. If a threshold factory brake preset number is for real purchasing any aftermarket SDS device really should be able to provide such reset capabilities ..Benz will not sell their SDS jewels to non dealership DIY people. Trying to contribute but for sure NOT an electronic / or diagnostic knowlegable DIY person.Which is why I'm looking for an SDS system thta is user friendly and tells it like it is... Your any comments are welcomed including criticism or throwing of stones....

 

factory preset number ( as an example 15,000 times ) of braking applications ( driver applied / used the car's brakes ) and the 15,000 threshold number has been reached, a barrage warning messages appears including one advising to take the car to the workshop !?

That only applies to cars with "Sensotronic" braking systems, W211 E Class IIRC, (and just maybe SL models ????).

This is because the ABS Pump applies the brakes every time you press the pedal based upon pedal pressure, Mercedes require to change the whole SBC ABS Pump assembly and then reset the counter.

Clone SDS will reset the counter, it is a complicated process but can be done and there are many articles telling you how to do that.

Rather than actually replacing the whole chebang, it is a case of replacing the Pump Motor Brushes then reset the Counter. <<< This is the proper way to do it, there are many who have reset the counter and they work fine, but, only usually the first time it has been done in the cars history, next time the warning comes up, it will very likely not reset, because the Module monitors current drawn by the pump, and so Brush replacement is necessary, hence why professionals like myself always replace the Brushes before doing a reset !!

HTH

 

Update: I have sent in the application form to BenzNinja.com. Their protocol requires this initial contact before purchasing any memberships and etc. Benz Ninja was recommended to me on this thread by members of our forum so I thought it couldn't hurt to check into it. After reading through the FAQ, I was intrigued enough to take this first step. More to follow..... ✌

 

Hi,

Your final decision will be your own, following your research and responses on this forum.
Look up BenzNinja on this forum and on the web.

I am new to the MB world and this is my first MB. I ended up going with BenzNinja, even though I have a Carly and TopDon devices.

I am VERY happy with my choice. I had to supply a laptop and buy the DoIP device.

Additionally, with the cost of my membership I now have all the programs and equipment I need to care, assess and maintain my pride and joy.

I have always lived by the saying, “you get what you pay for”, in this instance I have a quality product and support I am very happy with.

Good luck with your eventual result.

 

BenzNinja update: I have received a reply from Peter the Benz Ninja. The deal is five bills for lifetime membership which includes his own version of the Xentry software (not Chinese software) plus many other perks. He does not supply any hardware although he does make recommendations (unaffiliated) for the C4 VCI clone unit that must apparently be sourced from a Chinese clone manufacturer.
After checking this out it seems a reasonable option. He does a custom computer set up for you via remote (Team-viewer). You supply the laptop and C4 VCI clone and he does the rest. Additionally he offers to train you on using the SDS or he will do all of your diagnostics for you once your set up including any coding requirements and etc. Also, he offers online chat or Skype anytime you need help! (business hours I think) 7/7 as he puts it.
Very tempting when you consider $800-$900 for entire system from Chinese clone maker or:

Used Laptop ~ $150
C4 VCI Clone ~ $400
Ninja SW. = $500 (non Chinese S.W. with lifetime support, diagnostics, training and etc...)
Total ~ $1050

Hmmm....
Thoughts anyone......

 

BenzNinja update: I have received a reply from Peter the Benz Ninja. The deal is five bills for lifetime membership which includes his own version of the Xentry software (not Chinese software) plus many other perks. He does not supply any hardware although he does make recommendations (unaffiliated) for the C4 VCI clone unit that must apparently be sourced from a Chinese clone manufacturer.
After checking this out it seems a reasonable option. He does a custom computer set up for you via remote (Team-viewer). You supply the laptop and C4 VCI clone and he does the rest. Additionally he offers to train you on using the SDS or he will do all of your diagnostics for you once your set up including any coding requirements and etc. Also, he offers online chat or Skype anytime you need help! (business hours I think) 7/7 as he puts it.
Very tempting when you consider $800-$900 for entire system from Chinese clone maker or:

Used Laptop ~ $150
C4 VCI Clone ~ $400
Ninja SW. = $500 (non Chinese S.W. with lifetime support, diagnostics, training and etc...)
Total ~ $1050

Hmmm....
Thoughts anyone......

I think benzninja is the way to go for the additional support he provides . No one is going to help you actually use your system once you get it except him and he’s a expert

 

I know you asked for purchases in the past 12 months, so please take this as almost-recent experience. I set up my system in 2018, but same vendors may be available. The C4 MUX (with cables) purchased from AliExpress for $364 (currently $449), and HDD with software for $100 (PM me for source). I installed the hard drive in an old Dell E6340 that I dedicated to the garage, and after a few hours configuring the software, was up an running. I have never connected the computer to the internet, and use ethernet cable instead of wifi. No glitches in the past 4 years - well worth the money and time investing in learning the software. The DAS/Xentry setup goes well beyond codes and helps troubleshoot so many systems, often to the component level.