vag com

[s4 osh]

hi guys what vag com will i need for my 1999 t reg audi s4, mine is not working and im gutted .....

 

[Fraser]

do you mean the lead or the car?

for the lead you have 2 main choices if you get the proper ross tech lead

KII-USB - Cheaper but won't work with newer cars
http://www.ross-tech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VCKII&Category_Code=VAGCOM

HEX+USB+CAN - fully forwards compatible
http://www.ross-tech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VCHUC&Category_Code=VAGCOM

I bought the full lead as it can be sold on easier if ever needed

I used gendan.co.uk who are an authorised distributor for rosstech

http://www.gendan.co.uk/category_145.html

KII-USB = £199
HEX-USB (CAN)= £268

 

[s4 osh]

both lol.... cheers good info buddy... by the way ouch thats expensive for a cable, but it does come in very handy, do you get any software with it or just get the cable and download it off the rosstech site???

cheers in advance

 

[Fraser]

dl off the internet and use

others have used the ebay cable to do basic stuff and then top up with a 99 license.

or find someone near you who has the lead

 

[aragorn]

the ebay option is pretty good value in my view, 15 quid for a lead, which gets you the shareware version and lets you pull and clear the fault codes, then if you want to get all the features you can pay £70ish for a licence to unlock all the features.

 

[jcb]

how do you upgrade?
I thought you were stuck with the basic option.
I have a ebay special and use v409 of the rosstech software (don't even come close to using all of the limited features it has) but would be interested in having the full kit for £70

 

[aragorn]

http://www.ross-tech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VSWR&Category_Code=VAGCOM

Basically you get the serial number from the about page (after ensuring it doesnt change) pay the $99 and they send you an activation code.

Plus, should you ever decide to buy the proper kit, they give you the $99 as a credit against it, so your not really losing out.

 

[Fraser]

the ebay lead will only run vagcom version 409.1

full software version is presently 805.3

 

[aragorn]

yep, but for most of the functions on a B5 409 is just fine.

Its only when your getting into the CAN equipped cars, or some of the more specialist modules like trying to recode an RNS-E or somthing that you might have problems with the older version...

 

[Fraser]

more info on the differences at

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vag-functions.html

 

[aragorn]

Not quite, becuase thats comparing a shareware 409.1 with a full version of 8xx, not the Full 409.1 with a full 8xx

So things like output tests and basic settings are available, as are adaptions datalogging and graphing...

 

[jcb]

pretty sure I can produce logs on the shareware 409 now. although to be fair I have never used it in anger.
3rd gear pulls on the edinburgh bypass whilst leaning across to the laptop on the passenger seat are frowned upon by the local traffic cops!