Scan Tool Advice

I've been checking out the awesome stuff you can do with a Ross-Tech Cable, but at $300 it might be a bit pricey for me right now...

And yeah I know, I paid good cash for my MK7 Sportwagen... monthly that is.... So I should put out the $$$

I've previously used chinese knock-offs on my mk4 with success, but it seems that they can be hit and miss.

Is anyone using this with any success https://obdeleven.com/en/?

thanks

Aivars

I have VCDS and love it. I don’t have any experience with obdeleven, but have seen nothing but good reviews for it.

My VCDS has paid for itself many times over, allowed me to do trailer wiring and traction control button retrofits, and tweak a few things.

I’m sure there are obdeleven users here, who will also be enthusiastic.

Homerjj said:

Is anyone using this with any success https://obdeleven.com/en/?

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I have VCDS, so I have no direct experience with OBDeleven. However, I do know some who have it. First - it does work on VWs and it will do just about anything that VCDS will do. That's the good part. I have been told that the bad part is that you have to buy "credits" for every time you want to scan a car or make any changes. Once you get past the free introductory period it will nickel and dime you to death. The good thing about VCDS is that you pay only once and then you can upgrade the software for free whenever a new version is released.


Have Fun!


Don

If VCDS still had unlimited VIN cables at a reasonable price I'd say go for that, but with how cheap ODBevelen is even with credits, I'd be hard pressed to pay extra for VCDS. Maybe 3-5 years later ODB would cost more but you can at least use it on countless other VINs.

Also not experience with ODB11, I'm not sure if the credits are needed for every code change but more of using their "apps" which are one click long coding changes. This might be the difference between the cheap one and the Pro one.

With that being said only downside with my unlimited VIN VCDS cable is I think my POS shop laptop finally got its last VCDS update as the newer versions require something newer than XP but thats just me being cheap and not wanting to buy a new cheap shop laptop to use once or twice a year.

I too agree that Ross Tech vin locking was a mistake. Like most businesses they saw an aveanue to generate more income and they put the all mighty dollar over everything else. I usta help as many people as i could with my VCDS and after selling my unlimited vin model i can no longer do that. Now with that said. A guy can get his own for under $300 and save themselves thousands vs going to dealer. So yes VCDS from Ross Tech is still worth its weight in gold if you have just one issue cause usually it only takes one time at the dealer to pay for your own VCDS.

Two points to add:
1) The VIN limiting is not quite as bad as it sounds. You can still do autoscans, read and clear fault codes, etc. on an unlimited number of cars. Only the more advanced functions (like coding and adaptations) require "registering" the VIN with the interface. More details here: https://forums.ross-tech.com/showthread.php?8869-VIN-Limited-Interface-FAQ

2) Unless the OP has a newer VW/Audi (about 2015+), a used VIN unlimited "legacy" interface will work just fine. Which interface to buy would depend on what cars need to be talked to. These legacy interfaces will also still access most of the controllers even in new cars (albeit slower than the new ones).

Have Fun!

Don

obdeleven does most of the stuff that vagcom does for $80. as long as you have an android phone or tablet. i've made countless changes to my mk7. some using the apps that require credits, other by using the adaptations and long coding.

The thing about a VCDS cable is most people will not understand how to use the advanced functions.

Ol'Rattler said:

The thing about a VCDS cable is most people will not understand how to use the advanced functions.

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In my experience, you learn it as you need it. If you don't need it, there is no reason to learn it. Most of what I have learned (and I'm no VCDS expert) has been learned by just playing with it and dealing with the circumstances that have unfolded in front of me.



Have Fun!


Don

Just so people know that you need to do your homework to get full use out of VCDS.

Ol'Rattler said:

The thing about a VCDS cable is most people will not understand how to use the advanced functions.

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Agreed, but typical owners of ODB11 have no idea how to do anything that doesn't have an "App" built in and scratch their head when anyone mentions "long coding". ODB never forces people to learn what they are doing and I feel is resulting in the dumping down of "enthusiasts".

740GLE said:

Agreed, but typical owners of ODB11 have no idea how to do anything that doesn't have an "App" built in and scratch their head when anyone mentions "long coding". ODB never forces people to learn what they are doing and I feel is resulting in the dumping down of "enthusiasts".

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Oh nooooo not dumping.

dump/dumb, same thing? can I blame auto correct?

740GLE said:

dump/dumb, same thing? can I blame auto correct?

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Just tell them you had a burger at iHob yesterday and got confused.

Have Fun!

Don

greenlantern_tdi said:

oh nooooo not dumping.

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740gle said:

dump/dumb, same thing? Can i blame auto correct?

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jswtdi09 said:

just tell them you had a burger at ihob yesterday and got confused.
Have fun!
Don

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Exactly

740GLE said:

Agreed, but typical owners of ODB11 have no idea how to do anything that doesn't have an "App" built in and scratch their head when anyone mentions "long coding". ODB never forces people to learn what they are doing and I feel is resulting in the dumping down of "enthusiasts".

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Even many VCDS owners think that it magically tells you what part to replace which is using VCDS wrong. VCDS tells you what data from the sensors etc that the ECU has a problem with and then you have to diagnose what is actually causing the ECU to throw the code.

740GLE said:

dump/dumb, same thing? can I blame auto correct?

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Would you let this woman cook you dinner? IDK about anyone else, but the "infomercial" puts a "dump" image in my head that refuses to go away.

ha ha!

Hey... thanks for the all the advice.... I guess a Ross Tech Cable is the way to go..... so I can config my car the way I want it....

thanks

Aivars

ps. anyone from PEI go into Brown's for a phase 2 fix yet? As I'm a little worried....?

def look for an older one, Vin locking is Ross techs down fall

Don’t get one that’s to old or it won’t do everything you want with the new car.
I bought one from Ross Tech in 2005 or so, worked fine for the 98 and 05. Had to upgrade cable to work well with the 2015 car, which Rose Tech did for a discount after sending the old one in.

Sure it’s limited to use on several cars, but I only have two and unless VW gets back in the diesel business it’ll be my last two.

laminated said:

def look for an older one, Vin locking is Ross techs down fall

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How old can I go?

Homerjj said:

How old can I go?

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This really depends on which cars you think you might ever want to use it on.

KII-USB, HEX-USB, and KEY-USB are all K-line only which means they only work with older VWs (Pre-2006 mostly).

MicroCAN interface only works with CAN bus cars (2005.5+). It will not work with older cars. This would be useful for 2005.5 to 2014+ VWs.

HEX+CAN interface will work with both types of cars. This will work with any VW from the 1990s to at least 2014. It will also be able to do most things on newer VWs as well.

Starting about 2015 VW started putting in controllers that use a different communications protocol. Therefore many newer VWs require a newer interface to access those controllers. These cars need a HEX-V2 or a HEX-NET interface to do everything you might want.

Have Fun!

Don

I believe I paid $349 for my unlimited VIN Hex-Can cable back around 2005.

Adjusted for inflation, and taking the additional features into account, the unlimited VIN Hex-Net Pro for $599 is still a great deal.

If you don't need unlimited VINs, and most of us don't, then you can save even more money. I see no problem with the VIN limits considering the significant discount you get along with it.

JSWTDI09 said:

I have been told that the bad part is that you have to buy "credits" for every time you want to scan a car or make any changes. Once you get past the free introductory period it will nickel and dime you to death. The good thing about VCDS is that you pay only once and then you can upgrade the software for free whenever a new version is released.


Have Fun!


Don

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Not true, if you have the Pro version. Mine works without buying any credits. It's much cheaper (I paid less than $80 a year or so ago) and is very user friendly, especially if you have a larger screen Android tablet. You can do everything with it that VCDS does, including long coding. I never used used any apps, did everything I needed by adaptations and long coding.