Vagcom / home logging

[jonny87]

well seeing as ive decided i cannot bring myself to part with the audi, i think i would benefit greatly from having my own vagcom and being able to do some of my own logging, as most of the problems i post up are easier explained/diagnosed with facts and figures to back it up

i have this link saved: http://www.vagproducts.co.uk/vagcom.html

is it really just a £20 cable? surely it costs more / there is more to it?

thanks in advance

 

[<tuffty/>]

Looks like it only works with earlier shareware versions of VAGCOM which will give limited functionality.

You can get the earlier version of VAGCOM to use with ebay/third party cables here...

http://www.ross-tech.com/vcds/download/index.html

All later versions use a dongle based approach to licensing with the cable so you effectively get a full version of VCDS for free if you by a licensed cable. Thats not cheap however...

You can buy a license for VAGCOM for $99 if using a third party cable but not sure what version that entitles you too....

http://www.ross-tech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VSWR&Category_Code=VAGCOM

..,also very restrictive and you can only use it on one PC... proper cable allows you to use it on any PC running VCDS.

<tuffty/>

 

[Westy]

VCDS from Ross-Tech was the first thing I got when I bought my S3, its saved me hundreds of squids in diagnostic charges and has helped me diagnose loads of issues on my friends VAG cars.

I paid almost £300 for the package as it comes from the US and you have to pay some import duty tax too! It's paid for itself in a year though. If I ever sell my car and dont get another VAG car these cables re-sell quite well 2nd hand so I wont loose too much cash.

 

[jonny87]

yer see this is my thinking, not only can i self diagnose, but doing all the logs will help me btter understand what is going on with my motor

alot of places will charge £50 just to plug vagcom in!!!

yer i think the vcds actually works out to £220 and then as you say theres import/duty tax to pay, its defo something im looking into

i may look at a 2nd hand one and then pay the $99 license charge, see if it works out any cheaper

thanks for the replies you two

actually i just found this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VCDS-VAG-COM-...iagnostic_Tools_Equipment?hash=item27aeae3b52

underneath the list of applications it says to never update the software, whats that all about? is that right? it seems a bit too cheap to be everything i wanted?

 

[<tuffty/>]

This is the one I have... does earlier K-line cars but not newer CANBUS cars... not a prob for me as I don't intend getting rid of my S3 anytime soon...
http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VCKU.html

This one does the lot though...
http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VCHUB.html

<tuffty/>

 

[jonny87]

im guessing canbus is what newer models use, like the 8p s3? and that k line would be the 8l era and earlier?

the two main things i want is code reading/resetting and live logging, i may well go with the one i linked above, but if not i will look into the one you have tuffty

 

[Westy]

Send a pm to NHN as he is a genuine VCDS seller in the uk and can probably sell to you for cheaper than getting it yourself from the US.

 

[jonny87]

Send a pm to NHN as he is a genuine VCDS seller in the uk and can probably sell to you for cheaper than getting it yourself from the US.

ahhhh nice one, will do

cheers guys!!