The original jack worked very similarly but this one has a ratchet which makes jacking up the car much easier. Jack's car was stolen and it cost twice as much to replace at the dealership as this jack. Very little can go wrong with a scissor jack. this jack is longer than the original one because i bought a stronger one, but there is enough space in the trunk of my car for this jack. Didn't know my jack was up until I used it. Make sure you test yours before using them or join AAA.