Got a question regarding the cable used to access VAG com., I've seen the Ross tech ones that go for $350, what's the difference in those than the ones on eBay that sell for like $50 that aren't Ross tech? Do they do same thing? Anyone our there use one of those knock off cables? Thanks

 

the knock-off's give you about 4 or 5 modules to check things w/the 'free software'....good for minimum basics.

The full Ross-tech will of course give you everything that the particular vehicle has to "manage & report"....plus they have a very helpful customer service dept. to help understand the software, trouble codes & how to approach repairs.

If you really want to be a diy or have some solid knowledge prior to going to the dealer or your indy mechanic...you want to have the most complete 'story'. Otherwise...you'll be making financial decisions based upon whatever "they" report to you.

I have the knock-off & now the full Ross-tech...I have been in the the above position...it's not pretty...

Now I can be better informed to set an action plan...

 

You should look at it this way.

Your going to be working on the car yourself and saving money. Why torture yourself with crap tools. It's torture enough with good tools to repair these cars

 

Not to mention from what i've gathered maybe 60% of the cables recieved from Ebay actually communicate with ANY modules. I have gotten PM's about the Ebay cable about 300 times, well over 100 times the cables were faulty. Don't buy electronics from china, i don't care what it is...

 

Not China and after this car not Germany either!!!

 

Found some site called VAG diagnostics ltd out of england offering a cable for about $150 claiming that they use the Vcds software similar to ross tech and that they offer full support, anyone ever deal with them?

 

Never heard of the company, but if you want to be the guinea pig let us know how it goes! Thats a good price if its equivalent to the ross-tech cable, but you probably won't get support like ross-tech.





Hahaha, i would take over engineered than under any day though.

 

Gotta ask yourself, what did you pay for the car, what does the dealer cost, if you f up a module with crap software/cable what is that going to cost you..... i could go on but 350 aint that much in the long run

 

Yeah you have a good point there. I'll play it safe and get the Ross tech

 

I needed MMI and Nav updates. I may have obtained the media to do the updates through less than honorable means (the Internet is an amazing tool). I just couldn't use them though. I'm sure they would have worked (I hoped).

But I thought, "What if these jack something up beyond my ability to repair it?" Would the money saved be worth the cost (in dollars and pride) to straighten things out again? The answer (for me) was, "No," on both counts.

I ended up using the same reasoning that gpoc mentioned above. I've seen a number of folks post the same rationale in several forums. In the end, I was actually able to swing a screaming deal with my local dealer to get everything updated properly.

I prefer to say that I'm thrifty, instead of cheap. But as "thrifty" as I may be, I'm just not willing to take certain risks with my beloved chariot. Sometimes morals and scruples really get in my way, darn it!