Cheap alternative to VAG-COM diagnostics?

[Bubu]

I was just came across some diagnostics software on ebay which is quite cheap. I imagine that this would work with VAG cars being OBDII but would it give access to all the features that VAG-COM does? Can you still change central locking options, alarm option etc. using this software?



http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PROFESSIONAL-...QQcmdZViewItem

At the moment I dont see the point of spending a few hundred to get VAG-COM if I dont really need it. But if this works the same then it would be a cheap alternative.

[Treza360]

Why not spend $115 or whatever it is and buy a V-Checker off of Fuzion. It's small and fits in your glovebox or boot, has all the VAG-Coms features plus a few more. A neat solution at a good price, plus you know it's going to work.
http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...ad.php?t=12457
Cheers,
Trent

[h100vw]

VAG-COM software is actually free, the cable costs you. I have used a cheap ebay cable and version 409.1. It'll do a fair bit of stuff but isn't a patch on the real thing.

Gavin

[Golf Houso]

I was just came across some diagnostics software on ebay which is quite cheap. I imagine that this would work with VAG cars being OBDII but would it give access to all the features that VAG-COM does? Can you still change central locking options, alarm option etc. using this software?



http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PROFESSIONAL-...QQcmdZViewItem

At the moment I dont see the point of spending a few hundred to get VAG-COM if I dont really need it. But if this works the same then it would be a cheap alternative.

Fail fail fail Epic fail... they don't work, I tried and so have other people... please save yourself the effort and don't bother with it. they don't give you the right drivers for the hardware and good like trying to find them, and although the software may work there won't any compatibility between the cable and the laptop. Just fork out the $225 from Rosstec for one, which you could sell back for close to what you paid for in the end anyway.

[Bubu]

I wonder if its possible to make the cable! The drivers may be an issue but is its possible to find a schimatic for the cable then I could probably make one.

A few years ago I had an ICOM IC400Pro cb radio which was programmable, at the time I couldnt find any cheap cables, so I made one with parts sourced from **** Smith.

[Bubu]

It appears that I was on the wrong track in my previous post. VAG-COM is good if you want data logging and access to full features.

I have seen the cheap Ebay cable Gavin is referring to and that would probably be the cheapest way to do this. The cable can be had for under $25 on Ebay and the software is apparently free.

So what features could you not access using the cheap Ebay cable?