Auto repair shops are dealing with rising costs everywhere — parts, labor, equipment, and rent. That’s exactly why our newest ARI update does the opposite. The Diagnose feature no longer uses ARI credits, and every Diagnose action is now 100% free.
This puts real money back into your hands as an auto repair business owner.
Diagnose Is Now Free — No More Credits Required
Previously, every diagnostic action used ARI Credits in the background. A TSB, VIN decode, repair report, or full maintenance check all carried a cost.
Now:
All Diagnose actions are free
No changes needed in your settings
No more counting credits or limiting usage
You simply open Diagnose and use it as much as you want — all included in your subscription.
Old Credit Usage Breakdown
Below is what each Diagnose action used to cost:
| Diagnose action | Credits per use |
|---|---|
| VIN decoding | 1 |
| Port location | 40 |
| Maintenance | 5 |
| Full maintenance report | 30 |
| Repair report | 150 |
| Diagnosis | 20 |
| Upcoming maintenance | 150 |
| TSB | 15 |
| Recall | 5 |
| Warranty | 5 |
1 ARI Credit ≈ $0.04, so those credits translated into real monthly expenses.
Dollar Value of Each Action (Now Saved Per Use)
| Diagnose action | USD saved per use |
|---|---|
| VIN decoding | $0.04 |
| Port location | $1.60 |
| Maintenance | $0.20 |
| Full maintenance report | $1.20 |
| Repair report | $6.00 |
| Diagnosis | $0.80 |
| Upcoming maintenance | $6.00 |
| TSB | $0.60 |
| Recall | $0.20 |
| Warranty | $0.20 |
Real-World Monthly Savings For Different Shops
Here you can see an estimate of the savings based on historical usage patterns.
1) Solo Tech / Mobile Mechanic – Around $60 Saved per Month
Solo techs typically use Diagnose for quick checks, not deep reports or heavy data pulls.
Average monthly usage:
60 VIN decodes
2 port locations
15 maintenance checks
3 full maintenance checks
1 repair report
10 diagnosis actions
0–1 TSB, recall, or warranty lookups
Total credits previously used:
1,500 credits ≈ $60 saved per month
2) Busy 3-Bay Shop – Around $240 Saved per Month
A typical small shop uses Diagnose often, but still not heavily enough to hit extreme credit numbers. They’ll generate a few reports a week, some maintenance checks, and occasional full maintenance or TSB work.
Average monthly usage:
140 VIN decodes
10 port locations
40 maintenance checks
15 full maintenance checks
8 repair reports
35 diagnosis actions
3 upcoming maintenance checks
10 TSB checks
10 recall checks
5 warranty checks
Total credits previously used:
6,000 credits ≈ $240 saved per month
3) High-Volume Shop – Around $500 Saved per Month
A flagship or high-volume location pushes Diagnose harder — more bays, more jobs, more estimates, more diagnostic reports.
Average monthly usage:
220 VIN decodes
25 port locations
100 maintenance checks
50 full maintenance checks
24 repair reports
90 diagnosis actions
18 upcoming maintenance checks
40 TSB checks
60 recall checks
45 warranty checks
Total credits previously used:
12,500 credits ≈ $500 saved per month
Monthly Savings Summary
| Shop type | Estimated monthly savings |
|---|---|
| Solo / Mobile | ~$60 |
| Busy 3-Bay Shop | ~$240 |
| High-Volume Shop | ~$500 |
Why that matters for you
In a world where everything gets pricier, ARI (Auto Repair Software) gets even cheaper to use. By making Diagnose completely free, we’re taking pressure off your bottom line and giving you more room to breathe — whether you’re a one-man operation or a full shop running wide open.
You work hard, turning wrenches and doing right by your customers. Your software shouldn’t nickel-and-dime you every time you click a button.
This update keeps ARI affordable, predictable, and built for real shop life — not corporate pricing games.
We remain committed to providing the best solution at the lowest possible price!
