I hear from several tech that they cannot afford a Automotive Lab Scope and that the scan tool is their tool of choice. Why would they need a Lab scope?

To see the real information from the signal not the processed signal.

Automotive Labscopes Recommendations in price and platform type I think a beginner should look at.

Single channel inexpensive handheld Labscope AESWAVE USCOPE More to come about this scope later.

Inexpensive two channel Lab scope handheld look at the OTC 3840F or UEI 7103 and more to come about these two models.