One of the biggest headaches from vehicle owners is the dreaded warning lights that let you know something is wrong, but not exactly what is wrong. That usually leads to a trip to the mechanic, paying an inspection fee, and then what it costs to repair the offending system.

However, there are tools available to help people who do not want to rely on an outside opinion, and have the savvy to do some repairs themselves.

One concern has generally been the high cost of such diagnostic equipment, but there are some products that are emerging which have a much more reasonable cost. 

One such product that DIY mechanics can pick up is the Topdon ArtiDiag500 (AD500), which I recently had the chance to test out. With a price under $200, this item can pay for itself very quickly by removing the step of getting to a mechanic and seeking outside diagnosis.