Sausage Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 I have a couple of diagnostic leads, one of them reads VW and can clear codes etc, but I'd like dealer level stuff tbh.I'll stump up for genuine vagcom if there are big enough advantages.What do you use and what limitations are there if any? I dont want to buy a clone and find I cant do stuff with it (i know you cant update the software).Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Just get a fake vag com off eBay. Easily enough to do anything you'll need to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 They run a cracked older version of VCDS i think, any restrictions on what it can do? Is the software fully functional?Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Yes, it's fully functional Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 I think the newer ones are for newer cars. But the eBay ones are all good. The drivers always suck though so try to source them from the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 I think the newer ones are for newer cars. But the eBay ones are all good. The drivers always suck though so try to source them from the internet.The drivers are fine so long as you have a 32bit system. I've had VAGCOM running on Windows 7 and 8. Where it gets awkward is when you load them onto a 64bit system.For that reason alone, my diagnostics laptop is a £30 Netbook. Old laptop, no real value, perfect for this job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) i run 64 bit, but can run a virtual machine at a push i suppose, or as you say get an old laptop, problem is all my old laptops have dead batteries so not much use in the car, plus i'd rather have it all on my main laptop tbh.I looked yesterday on ebay and there arent any clones on there like there was a few weeks back that run full vcds, i was wondering if there been a clamp down on ebay or something as it was odd there was none except one £50 one, there was several £30 a couple of weeks ago, but it might just be poor timing on my part.Edit: ok, just found this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Seat-Audi-Volkswagen-USB-CAN-BUS-DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL-/321852263471?hash=item4aefe3cc2fI'll read up some more, but unless i can see 64 bit drivers I'll probably just buy a genuine one.What version vcds are you running? Edited September 16, 2015 by Sausage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 i run 64 bit, but can run a virtual machine at a push i suppose, or as you say get an old laptop, problem is all my old laptops have dead batteries so not much use in the car, plus i'd rather have it all on my main laptop tbh.I looked yesterday on ebay and there arent any clones on there like there was a few weeks back that run full vcds, i was wondering if there been a clamp down on ebay or something as it was odd there was none except one £50 one, there was several £30 a couple of weeks ago, but it might just be poor timing on my part.Edit: ok, just found this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Seat-Audi-Volkswagen-USB-CAN-BUS-DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL-/321852263471?hash=item4aefe3cc2fI'll read up some more, but unless i can see 64 bit drivers I'll probably just buy a genuine one.What version vcds are you running?I've explained in the other thread why you shouldn't buy this one. It may work with the Lupo, but I aren't convinced. It's a HEX-CAN lead designed for modern CANBUS vehicles, and they've backward ported the K-Line functionality. Very best case, it surprises me and works. Not so good case, nothing happens. Worst case, it shorts on your aftermarket radio and burns out.Buy a 309.1 cable, I assure you. Expensive does not mean better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Arent you limited to using VCDS Lite with your lead though?I assumed k line support meant exactly that, k line support.Here's the blurb on the genuine vagcom lead: Compatible with the latest cars that require a direct CAN connectionIntelligent Dual-K plus CAN to PC USB VCDS (VAG-COM) InterfaceWorks reliably even with difficult control modules such as the 1991-1994 1Z Audi TDIsInstantly alerts the user if either the K/K1 line or the L/K2 line is shorted to Ground or VbattFull support for dual-K lines found in new B6/8E chassis Audi A4 and 2002+ Audi A6Fully backwards compatible with older cars using a single K-line or K plus LBi-Color (red/green) status/activity LED12 month guarantee against defectsProtocol timing indistinguishable from a real VAG/VAS toolActs as a dongle for VCDS (VAG-COM) software - no software activation required. Use on any PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) Editing went to **** after that list LOL, so carry on here...H'mmm choices choices, i'm not in a rush as my lead can read and erase codes and may even work with VCDS lite anyway (not tried that yet) in which case I already have a cheap lead LOL. Mines an ELM 327 type.Will read some more, thanks. Edited September 16, 2015 by Sausage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Arent you limited to using VCDS Lite with your lead though?I assumed k line support meant exactly that, k line support.Here's the blurb on the genuine vagcom lead: Compatible with the latest cars that require a direct CAN connectionIntelligent Dual-K plus CAN to PC USB VCDS (VAG-COM) InterfaceWorks reliably even with difficult control modules such as the 1991-1994 1Z Audi TDIsInstantly alerts the user if either the K/K1 line or the L/K2 line is shorted to Ground or VbattFull support for dual-K lines found in new B6/8E chassis Audi A4 and 2002+ Audi A6Fully backwards compatible with older cars using a single K-line or K plus LBi-Color (red/green) status/activity LED12 month guarantee against defectsProtocol timing indistinguishable from a real VAG/VAS toolActs as a dongle for VCDS (VAG-COM) software - no software activation required. Use on any PC.Have you ever actually used VCDS-Lite?Quote from the Ross-Tech website:VCDS-Lite is our low cost solution for older (pre-2006) VW-Audi Group cars that do not require a direct CAN diagnostic connection. The fully registered version does pretty much everything the older dealers' tools could do on those cars, but even when fully registered, it will not have quite all of the functions that the full (non-lite) version of VCDS would provide. So basically, VCDS-Lite is as useful as the tools that dealers used to use. The two important words there are 'used to'..... just like Volkswagen 'used to' to make the Lupo. There's very little in the newer VCDS offers that is even compatible with Lupo's. There's no CANBUS support, all the useful features you might want like 'Transport Mode' are strictly CAN+HEX cars only. The only things that are actually compatible with a modern VCDS are pretty much useless anyway like SRI (service reset interval) and graphical measuring blocks. Realistically, unless you're going to spending lots of time on it, I would just stick with a cheap cable. If you decide to move on from the Loop to a CANBUS vehicle, then fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 If you want to go genuine then buy it from Ross tech. It's your money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Yes, but, (yeah but, no but) there's vcds lite free and there's vcds lite paid for, which would be the "almost vcds full version".I.e there's lite and lite+ which you have to pay for as indicated in your copy pasteI'm sceptical about the clones anyway, and you're not helping reduce it LOL.All the hookey vcds lite downloads i've looked at today have virus and dont unlock to full lite version according to the comments, so all the common scams are played out, download this, but turn off virus protection 1st, yeah right, give me a break, bloody key loggers and bot net stuff most likely.So, are you using vcds lite free, or something else?I have not tried vcds in any flavour no, i used scantool i think it was to read and clear codes.And from you are saying a genuine lead with full vcds wont do much more on a lupo than the lead i already have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Just tried VCDS lite and it doesnt work with my ELM327 lead. The software i can use is EasyOBD2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Just tried VCDS lite and it doesnt work with my ELM327 lead. The software i can use is EasyOBD2.OBD2 is nothing like VAGCOM whatsoever. ELM327 is a great bit of kit, but it's a universal tool. VAGCOM is VAG specific. You can't blag one for the other, but both are ultra useful in their own right.Yes, but, (yeah but, no but) there's vcds lite free and there's vcds lite paid for, which would be the "almost vcds full version".I.e there's lite and lite+ which you have to pay for as indicated in your copy pasteI'm sceptical about the clones anyway, and you're not helping reduce it LOL.All the hookey vcds lite downloads i've looked at today have virus and dont unlock to full lite version according to the comments, so all the common scams are played out, download this, but turn off virus protection 1st, yeah right, give me a break, bloody key loggers and bot net stuff most likely.So, are you using vcds lite free, or something else?I have not tried vcds in any flavour no, i used scantool i think it was to read and clear codes.And from you are saying a genuine lead with full vcds wont do much more on a lupo than the lead i already have? VCDS-Lite free is very useful. VCDS-Lite paid is ultra useful. Talk to me after you buy a cable . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Will do.What cable do you specifically have? I dont mind paying more for some quality control... If yours is the £5 lead and you are happy with it, i'll get me one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted September 16, 2015 Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 If it's a £5er it's worth a punt. I use clone cables for most things like my gellato and mpps and they work fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 Just bought the £5 lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 My lead is a £5 lead. It's been battered and bruised and I've had it for years. I still use it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sausage Posted September 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2015 lead arrived. It kept losing the driver each time it was unplugged, until i ran the driver install as admin from the hard drive instead of the CD.Seems to be working ok now on Windows7 X64. A pm is winging its way to you now sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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