VAG COM?? any thoughts??

goatcheese

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Location
georgina, ontario, canada
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
Hello all, just a thought.....was looking around e-bay, and you can purchase a USB dual-k line vag-com compatible cable for under $10. Then you can go to ross tech and buy his full version for $99. So in my eyes, looks like you can get set up for about $110?? does anyone see a problem with this? It is only going to be for my personal use only, so i dont really want to spend the $300.


 

milehighassassin

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
There is no promise this cable will work properly. You get full support as well.

Pony up and pay the money, you won't regret it.
 

Gil

Veteran Member
Joined
May 16, 2004
Location
Wallingford CT
TDI
2002 auto wagon and 2004 stick
My VW stealer wants $85 just to look at a car.
If you work on your car at all, you will need a VAG COM.

.
 

goatcheese

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Location
georgina, ontario, canada
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
true, very true. i know ross tech fully supports you, i was just wondering if anybody has done this, i probably will break down and buy from ross tech. Well worth it though!
 

Birdman

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Near Hagerstown MD.
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Plenty of people have bought the cheap cable only to find out it will not work or will only work with the older programs. Ross tech will not offer support for a cable that is not theirs. At 85$ a shot it does not take long to pay for the proper cable.
 

slpopp

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2005
Location
Central Minnesota
TDI
2005 NB GLS TDI DSG
Wait if you can, and spend the money on the Ross-Tech cable. The guys from Ross-Tech frequent this site and you can get in touch with them usually just by posting something in the OBD section here. They will bend over backwards to do what ever they can to help you.

As a side note, my dealer has no problem relying on the data I get for them using the Ross-Tech cable and Vag-Com software when my car has troubles (which has been quite frequently).
 

milehighassassin

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
slpopp said:
Wait if you can, and spend the money on the Ross-Tech cable. The guys from Ross-Tech frequent this site and you can get in touch with them usually just by posting something in the OBD section here. They will bend over backwards to do what ever they can to help you.

As a side note, my dealer has no problem relying on the data I get for them using the Ross-Tech cable and Vag-Com software when my car has troubles (which has been quite frequently).
While I agree with you about Ewe and the Ross-tech guys, they have helped me out plenty of times. I don't think you are going to hear them saying you can try that other cable for obvious reasons.

Most of those cables are junk, have slow connection speeds, and just don't work that well.

Vag-Com is one of the first things you should buy if you plan on doing any work yourself.
 

goatcheese

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Location
georgina, ontario, canada
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
well thanks for the input guys. I am going to buy the one from rosstech, as i have read on here that he has helped many many members out, i assume he will do the same here. besides 90% of the ones on e-bay are listed in hong kong, how would you ever return it, if it didnt work, right??
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Location
Central Illinois
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01 Jetta
Goatcheese I have the cheap cable from ebay and registered it. I have used it to check timing and adjust egr flow on my 01 jetta with no problems. If you do have trouble i believe once you have paid ross tech the 99 dollars you get a discount to upgrade to a ross tech cable. I dont see any reason not to give it a try!
 

otbBlaine

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Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Location
Orange County, Ca
TDI
2002 Golf
Get the real thing from the start. I cannot tell you how helpful even my limited use of the software has been, except to tell you that by using it I have saved hundreds of dollars by making adjustments myself that I could not before.
 

darkscout

Grammar Scout
Joined
May 28, 2006
Location
Michigan
TDI
2003 Golf
TDIinTexas said:
I have never heard anyone on any thread here say they wished they didn't spend all that money on vag-com!
I'm glad I didn't waste the money on the full VAG-COM. I have a Mk3. I have exactly 2 modules available to me. Engine and Airbag. Nothing more, nothing less. I clear codes and logged (before I got my ScanGauge II). It took a driver hunt, but it wasn't brain surgery.
 
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milehighassassin

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Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
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2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
darkscout said:
I'm glad I didn't waste the money on the full VAG-COM. I have a Mk3. I have exactly 2 modules available to me. Engine and Airbag. Nothing more, nothing less. I clear codes and logged (before I got my ScanGauge II). It took a driver hunt, but it wasn't brain surgery.
For you it is a little different.



For being a registered user here are your upgrade prices:
http://www.ross-tech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Outright

Also, unless you plan on buying a MK V soon, or will use the cable on a MK V, then don't pay the money for the +CAN feature, it won't do you much good.
 

gern_blanston

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Dec 3, 2002
Location
PNW
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Golf, '03, Silver
TDIinTexas said:
I have never heard anyone on any thread here say they wished they didn't spend all that money on vag-com!David
Amen. Put up the bucks and go Ross-Tech.
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
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Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
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'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
I bought one from ross-tech over a year ago, then I bought two from the ebay people... I've stopped returning them... one worked for about 15 minutes...

just go with the "Original" not the knock off...
 

slpopp

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2005
Location
Central Minnesota
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2005 NB GLS TDI DSG
milehighassassin said:
While I agree with you about Ewe and the Ross-tech guys, they have helped me out plenty of times. I don't think you are going to hear them saying you can try that other cable for obvious reasons.
Maybe I am miss understanding your reply, or maybe you miss understood mine. I never said they would bend over backwards to help out with "that other cable". They have helped numerous people out with new label files, getting new modules to work with the software and other issues. They have always done it in a relativley short time frame also.
 

milehighassassin

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
slpopp said:
Maybe I am miss understanding your reply, or maybe you miss understood mine. I never said they would bend over backwards to help out with "that other cable". They have helped numerous people out with new label files, getting new modules to work with the software and other issues. They have always done it in a relativley short time frame also.
I was simply saying that they are not going to tell you to try the other cable. They are selling a product, and I respect that. I don't see why they should be getting other cables to work with their software, and I don't expect them to. They have done a lot of R&D.
 
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