I'm rooting for the agricultural sector to get the help. They're a close knit community, hard working people that could use a break. The lift truck industry wont see universal scan tools for a long time.
Drive system differ greatly, with IC motors and fully electronic systems that are polar opposites. Parts options are...one or the other. Then companies like big RED and Orange who invest so much in proprietary software or even prevent manuals form being shared online.
I like Chuck from Indiana's idea of posting "problem Child" lift trucks to avoid. I have to agree with the Raymond comments, especially after working on them 13 years exclusively, I see better built trucks out there now as an independent, with other companies willing to work with you.
Fritz from NL, the situation of dealers giving trucks away and signing low cost maintenance contracts is common here too. I would drive across the city losing 45 mins, to do a.7 hour maintenance. Then, when i find 3 hrs of work and expensive parts, the customer says 'thanks, our Independent guy will take over now"
My former company lost a lot of work to independents that had to be called in to diagnose ongoing issues that factory trained techs could not fix, or didnt care.
The only way big Lift companies can pay big bucks to their techs, supply IPads. Iphones, give free vehicles to drive around all day billing 4 hrs is to hold on to all their software, tech info, parts monopoly. On lift trucks,There will be no universal scan tool for a long time.
Agriculture may have a chance, it's mostly IC engines that run similar to automobiles.