Automotive VOM or multimeter

[Gordon Maney]

What are you using for a multimeter to measure volts, ohm, and amps in your automotive work?

I am not thrilled with the idea of buying some no-brand thing made in China from Radio Shack. Fluke makes something pretty nice, but is a bit spendy, although I admire quality and durability.

Discuss....

[Desoto61]

I think for most casual usage there's no real advantage to the Fluke unless it has features you can't get in a "generic" meter.

Any more I think they're like calculators, no one cares about the guts because the all give you the same answer. So unless you need all the graphing and advanced scientific functions of something fancier, there's no reason to spend more.

Flukes are nice but I don't see the justification for something I use once a month at most. If I made my living off of it then I'd own one. If the difference in price was small I'd go for it, but for the money you can replace the cheap one many times.

I'd rather have a decent oscilicope and a cheap multi-meter. For automotive diagnostics any more they're much more helpful, almost as good as a decent diagnostic scanner.

[OLD DODGE]

If you are going to buy one I recommend getting the bottom of the line Fluke, it used to be like a 73 series. Last I saw they were in the $75 to $100 range. You can spend way more than that on one of their top of the line models but you probably don't need it. The Fluke might be 3 to 4 times the cost but its 100 times better than a cheap one.

You won't regret it. They are more accurate, more durable and easier to use. I laugh when people swear how great their $13 meter is. I have been using these daily for 20 plus years and have seen the difference. Don't buy the junk. Its not worth your dollars. Fluke also offers some automotive attachments for their meters if you needed them.

The Flukes use 9v batteries. The low end ones will last a couple of years. The high end, true RMS meters go through batteries a lot quicker. They also have good warranty service. I had a problem only one time and they took care of it right away.

[Gordon Maney]

They offer a model called the 88V which is described as being for automotive use. It is about $400.

[Frank Irons]

What are you using for a multimeter to measure volts, ohm, and amps in your automotive work?

I am not thrilled with the idea of buying some no-brand thing made in China from Radio Shack. Fluke makes something pretty nice, but is a bit spendy, although I admire quality and durability.

Discuss....

I'm with Desoto61 on this. I don't use a meter that much so I have a cheap Radio Shack model. I thought I was getting high tech with a meter. I used to use a test lamp!

Frank

[sret43]

I use the Fluke 787 for high resolution tuning at several high tech companies. That's about an $800 instrument.

At home, working on old vehicles, a $15 off the hook meter works fine for me. New cables for the Fluke cost more.

[Gordon Maney]

I ended up buying a Craftsman at Sears. They must have had at least ten different models. The one I got cost $55.

[712edf]

For whatever I prefer the non-digital versions for most testing. I do better with needles than digits.

Bucky

[74w300uteline]

fluke

Fluke is the Power Wagon of meters!

[Gordon Maney]

For whatever I prefer the non-digital versions for most testing. I do better with needles than digits.

Bucky

I agree with you. When I am continuity testing, I prefer to see a needle sweep, not look at numbers. I grew up with breaker points, too, so maybe that is it....

[rush]

I bought one off a snap-on truck, Blue Point brand. Not because I wanted to but because my ride was broken and he just happened by. Gotta hate those emergency purchases. Mine seems to work good, but it should for the prize I paid. Has nice cables with different ends that you can put on.