autel scan tool ols301 grey import or geniuine

blackdog2220

I bought a seely/autel ols301 scantool from a well known retailers , when it arrived the software was on cd rom , (no cd on my machines) so i contacted sealy (tools) who advied me to go to autel.com . register and go to downloads and select software 

software downloaded and the tool cannot be seen or recognised when plugged in , tried this on 4 computers , as this was a software fault , I contacted autel.co.uk , who stated the tool was nothing to do with them , never sold or heard of that model , and suggested it was a chinease copy / fake/grey import and i should kick off at company that sold it to me , should have hologram etc etc ,,, as soon as i said sealey posted it to me he shut up , backed down and basicly put phone down on me 
start looking deeper , you start seeing things , the machines "about page" 
autel.co.uk .. this is company that say they dont make/sell it , the outer box , bar code has been tampered with , the machiner has no hologram on reverse 

although I have sent those pics to sealy , best I can get is email saying to return it for exchange 
the unit cost £230 , you can see them on aliexpress for likes of £125 
I think I have a fake 
what do you think ?

blackdog2220

just been looking on all places aliexpress https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32805857272.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.4a896fabbWg7aK&algo_pvid=d55bb3c3-a434-4239-9841-53b70151133c&algo_expid=d55bb3c3-a434-4239-9841-53b70151133c-0&btsid=2100bb5116160061316315497e24ca&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

the identical tool , even down to the splash screen saying autel.co.uk 

the other thing to note on the one i bought , the 2019 manufacture date , 

AdrianC

https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637192426/eobd-code-reader---oil-service-reset-tool
The URL given on Sealey's website and in the screenshot is auteltech.com - the OP said they'd contacted autel.co.uk
auteltech.com redirects to autel.com which is the website for Autel globally, a Chinese company named Intelligent Technology Corp Ltd.
autel.co.uk is the website for the UK importer, Karnetic Ltd.

Karnetic Ltd is not owned by Autel, but by two British people.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09064942/persons-with-significant-control

I don't see anything that makes me think this is knock-off or hooky in any way.

What it clearly isn't is a UK-market product from Autel UK.  And Autel UK's website has a page which says...
https://www.autel.uk/grey-imports/

My guess would be that Sealey have put a deal together with Autel China, and the UK importer quite simply (and reasonably) do not see why they should be providing support to a product that's not been anywhere near them, physically or financially.

In addition, neither Autel China nor UK list a product called the OLS301. The basic hardware appears to be of similar external design to the Chinese website's DiagLink, EBS301 and MST505, though none of those are listed on the UK website.
DiagLink - https://www.autel.com/c/www/special/3290.jhtml
EBS301 - https://www.autel.com/c/www/special/3289.jhtml
MST505 - https://www.autel.com/c/www/special/3286.jhtml

Support's going to be from Sealey, the consumer rights from whoever you bought it from. Don't bother Autel UK, it's nothing to do with them.

blackdog2220

ok thanks sealy uk cannot offer any tech support and simply suggest going to autel.com , the unit is not listed or sold by autel.com , auteltech.com is the address to register and get downloads 

My guess would be that Sealey have put a deal together with Autel China, and the UK importer quite simply (and reasonably) do not see why they should be providing support to a product that's not been anywhere near them, physically or financially.

the packaging states only the wording autel , there is no mention of sealey on the packaging at all 
to the end user , the "about" screen states as much as the unit was supplied by autel UK , which would seem the place to go to get to get software update tech help ,and as you say , and indeed agree , there is no such animal as OLS301 shown on either com or uk 
"yes it looks like that , a machine that is not supported by either autel  globally or in the UK My guess would be that Sealey have put a deal together with Autel China, "



I still feel that I have been mis sold this product , and as the UK importers clearly state , there will be no support or spares available , in fact there are no updates available on the com site , because the com site dont list it 
had I have wanted a chineease import with no updates or support , I would have bought from alliexpress 
I did not , I wanted a tool that could be updated and serviced by the makers (after 12 mth warrenty) , and i have not got this 

blackdog2220

or to put this another way , if I had wanted an unsupported chinese import with an 18 mth old datestamp I would have bought direct from china , buying from UK dealer , , well I think autel uk says it all 

Grey Imports & Fakes can often be lower in price, but can cost you a fortune. Buy SMART, always buy from an Authorised Dealer.

Don't buy a tool in the UK unless it has a UK Warranty, UK Support Tag and E.U. Support card.

I did buy from an authorised dealer , however I did not get 

 UK Support Tag and E.U. Support card.

AdrianC

blackdog2220 said:

ok thanks sealy uk cannot offer any tech support and simply suggest going to autel.com , the unit is not listed or sold by autel.com , auteltech.com is the address to register and get downloads 
...
the "about" screen states as much as the unit was supplied by autel UK , which would seem the place to go to get to get software update tech help

That splash screen does not mention Autel UK. It mentions Autel Co Ltd, and it mentions AutelTech.com
Karnetic Ltd trade as Autel UK, and own the autel.co.uk domain name. They do not own autel.com or auteltech.com, both of which are owned by the Chinese manufacturer.

I still feel that I have been mis sold this product

No, you are simply assuming and extrapolating.

The product is a Sealey-marketed product in the UK, not a Karnetic marketed one.

and as the UK importers clearly state

The UK importer is not Karnetic Ltd, but Sealey.
Karnetic have nothing to do with this product. They merely import some of the same manufacturer's other products.

If Sealey do not want to provide support for the product that Sealey market, that's not Karnetic's problem.

Given Sealey are a fairly low-end tool brand, it's probably not a great surprise.

blackdog2220

That splash screen does not mention Autel UK. It mentions Autel Co Ltd, and it mentions AutelTech.com
Karnetic Ltd trade as Autel UK, and own the autel.co.uk domain name. 

so the fact that my unit is badged as Autel Co Ltd means it has not been imported or sold by Karnetic Ltd trade as Autel UK , and there website is autel.co.uk , same as displayed on my unit 

can anyone in the uk legally sell a product that displays a UK company website , but yet the product is nothing to do with them that,  is it not false advertizing , and implying that the product is  autel.co.uk which leads you to autel UK 

not overly impressed by the decete here , the unit will be returned and I will buy alternate product with uk support 

AdrianC

But neither of your photos mention autel.co.uk - the screenshot says auteltech.com

There is no implication at all. Only your mistaken inference.
There is no deceit. Only a mistaken assumption.

If you bought a Peugeot pepper grinder, would you take it to your local Peugeot car dealer, and throw a tantrum when they looked at you and shrugged?

blackdog2220

ok , so the words .co.uk do not appear on the unit when it is powered up?  , maybe its just me but the ^^&*dy thing implies that it is autel.co.uk that have supplied it or are supporting it , and the very thing the guy at the UK website was ranting about , telling me to report that screenshot to trading standfards , god and anyone else that would listen ,,, but yet backtracked very quickly when I replied it had been suplied by one of there (maybe best) customers,  sealey 

let me highlight something you clearly missed 

GrumpyDil

Yes it is just you - getting from Autel Co Ltd to Autel.Co.Uk is a massive stretch

blackdog2220

ok its a massive stretch , but funny that wghen you type in what is shown on dsisplay screen it takes you to Autel Co Ltd website 
perhaps the display screen should have pointed to ?????? oh i see sealey