Equus Products Inc. reports it has sold its 500,000th Innova 3100 CanOBD2 Diagnostic Tool. The product debuted in 2002.
Equus is now focusing its attention on the total solution, by offering both the tools and information needed to help its customers fix their vehicles properly.
"Back in the late 1990s, our product development team had a vision to help drivers of all levels diagnose their high-tech vehicles as easily as they check their fluid levels,” says Ieon C. Chen, CEO of Equus. “We are pleased to have been able to help a half million people solve their stubborn engine-related problems. Thanks to easy-to-use products such as ours, repairing today’shigh-tech vehicles is actually becoming possible, affordable and even fun again.”
The Innova 3100 single item alone is believed to account for as much as 20% of all OBD2 tool sales in the U.S., according to Equus. It has also doubled its retail customer base and tripled its sales numbers over the past six years, adding a mix of mass merchandise, online, catalog and tool distributors.
Sales Manager Scott Gompper says the 3100’s success has helped get the company into the door of many new accounts. It has diversified its end-user base. In 2002, nearly 100% of Equus’ customers considered themselves do-it-yourselfers (DIY). Today, nearly 30% are professional automotive technicians.
Since launching the 3100, the company has made several improvements to it, including the addition of CAN (Controller Area Network), USB connectivity, trilingual on-screen definitions, MY2010 compliance; as well as several Internet flash-updateable software updates.
Recently, the company debuted its www.CanOBD2.com Web site with RepairSolutions. Now, owners of any Innova OBD tool, including the 3100, have online access to a complete repair solution by simply plugging their tool into the vehicle then connecting the tool to their PC. Without the need for training, any user can now gain access to most likely VIN specific fix; parts needed and repair procedures of how-tos.
