When I bought VAG-COM back in 2005, there was only one version and you actually got a CD with the cable back then vs.
When you start using real factory service manuals, the consumer manuals really get frustrating. Hell, I spent more on used factory service manuals for my old van that were/are dirtier (van is gone, but still have those manuals since they were so hard to get). It's a service manual, not a priceless tome. My Bentley manuals have grease prints on them.
I tend to over think things, and feel I might be doing the same here.Īdditionally, GOOD GRIEF, is the Bentley manual expensive! The Haynes option provides no TDI info, so it's a $$$ DVD or Book.
If I've got to pay $99 to use VDCS-Lite at all, and still buy a decent dongle, I might as well get one of their other options, or at least a VAG capable scan tool. The other option is an eBay/Amazon dongle and VDCS-Lite, looks like this would be a lot cheaper than the other options from Ross-Tech, but I know it's going to be more limited in features.Īnother question, if I go VDCS-Lite, do I have to pay $99 to activate the software, or is that just if I want Ross-Tech's technical support? I'm not 100% on the answer to that. If I go with Ross-Tech, I'm looking at spending at least $250 for the Micro-CAN (which only works on the MkV) or $350 for the HEX-USB+CAN that "does it all." Dad's got an '04 Passat wagon, so if I got the HEX-USB+CAN I could use it on his car too, could possibly get him to chip in on the purchase too, so I'd probably go that route. I still don't know what the code is, won't be able to take the car to Autozone for a free scan until tomorrow, if they can read it, so I may not need better than a standard CAN-BUS scan tool at this point. I've found a lot of scan tools that state they work with VW/Audi for a lot less money than any of Ross-Tech's stuff, but I understand that they aren't as fully featured as Ross-Tech's. The Jetta is a different story.Ģ009 TDI DSG Jetta, flawless performance for almost 70K miles now, still no noticeable issue other than the little light on the dash. The Jeep, you just turn the key a few times and it gives you the code on the odometer. The Volvo is OBDI, so you just plug a jumper wire into a port, push a button, and count the blinks. It finally happened, the CEL came on, on the Jetta.