So I was looking around ross-tech at the VAG stuff, and have a few questions.

With the basic VAG, are you limited in what you can do with it? Based on my limited understanding, it looks like there's a number of different 'modules' for our cars - does the basic VAG let you look at/analyze all of them?

Part of the reason for this question - when i was at the tuner, they were able to check my boost using module 115 (i think). So why don't people just use this instead of a boost gauge? I don't need to always know what i'm boosting. It would just be nice to know it occaisionally. And if i can do it with VAG for $250, then i wouldn't bother getting a boost gauge.

Anyhow, the ross-tech site isn't very user friendly - i can't really tell what all the options are. So any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

With the "basic" $250 cable you can do just about everything you will need to. 115 logging is more then just boost. It's also requested & actual. This way you can tell if you are over or under boosting what the ECU wants. There are also a ton of other cool things you can do, & log. It's a MUST have for any DIY jobs!

 

So you're saying this basic program will let me do all of that?

And what the heck is all this HEX, CAN, COM crap. I can't figure out what I'm supposed to get.

You can see my car in my sig. Can someone provide me with the correct link?

 

Yes, the $250 one will do it all! Look around the site, it explains all the difference between hex & can. I think mine is the Key USB. If you had MMI, or the car is using the CAN gateway, you need the more expensive cable.

 

Thanks for the info.

Ok, let me ask you this. Can I just buy a $10 cable on ebay, and then buy the software for $99 from ross-tech? If the software is $99, that means you're spending $150 on the cable? Is that correct?

 

the ebay cables can only run the older version of vag-com. im not sure what the exact diff is but i know it's not as good

 

I have the ebay cable - right now i have one that I purchased through autonotics.com(ebay ID: autonostics) this one will only connect to the ecu when the car isn't running - once I start the car the ECU will not communicate - I've heard that it is the cable so I have ordered a new one from another ebay member that had good feedback on AZ.
Fairly sure you only need the Key-com to work with you car. I suggest going through ross-tech since you don't get any tech support after the sale with the others. Plus when you sell the car you can sell the cable on ebay for damn near what you purchased it for.

 

Yup, but don't expect much help from Ross-tech with problems with it. You want the newer software.

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vag-functions.html

 

that is a comparison between the shareware version of the old one's vs. the full version of the new one - not sure what the difference would be between the full versions of each.