GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Bill_the_Bear on 09 July 2013, 23:15
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So there was some talk about a month ago about software settings that can be changed and its come up a couple of times recently, does anyone have more information on this system? I understand you need a cable to interface your laptop with the car, and the software which it seems commands a hefty price tag, we're talking maybe £200.
Now in that case this is not something I'd do on a whim or to just change one or two small things. Can you get it cheaper somehow? Or, I wonder if its somehow possible for a bunch of us to make use of one system rather than each have to shell out hundreds of pounds for just one use. I've no idea how that might work mind, just thinking out loud! Seems crazy that 10 of us might individually be considering if to buy or not when we each would only need it for a day. Perhaps a group of us could buy one, make the changes we each wanted, then flog it on eBay as nearly new? Could make £200 drop to only costing a couple quid each, but we'd have to make all changes in one go, no chance to use again later.
Any thoughts, better ideas, whatever?
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Friend of mine has it. Tried it on my MK7 tonight and it didn't work - popped up some error saying no adjustments available for this ECU yet (I.e. it's too new).
Yes it's fairly expensive. Cable plugs into a socket under the dash inside the drivers door.
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So there was some talk about a month ago about software settings that can be changed and its come up a couple of times recently, does anyone have more information on this system? I understand you need a cable to interface your laptop with the car, and the software which it seems commands a hefty price tag, we're talking maybe £200.
Now in that case this is not something I'd do on a whim or to just change one or two small things. Can you get it cheaper somehow? Or, I wonder if its somehow possible for a bunch of us to make use of one system rather than each have to shell out hundreds of pounds for just one use. I've no idea how that might work mind, just thinking out loud! Seems crazy that 10 of us might individually be considering if to buy or not when we each would only need it for a day. Perhaps a group of us could buy one, make the changes we each wanted, then flog it on eBay as nearly new? Could make £200 drop to only costing a couple quid each, but we'd have to make all changes in one go, no chance to use again later.
Any thoughts, better ideas, whatever?
I have no idea what your referring to, however I'm up for your couple of quid contribution :smiley:
What is your account details to pay into? :laugh:
Just joking bear fiesta, why don't you embrace your yet to arrive GTI as a beautifully prepared lady and enjoy her as she comes :drool:
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Friend of mine has it. Tried it on my MK7 tonight and it didn't work - popped up some error saying no adjustments available for this ECU yet (I.e. it's too new).
Yes it's fairly expensive. Cable plugs into a socket under the dash inside the drivers door.
Ah, too bad. Guess those little tweaks will have to wait. Probably better that way as until you've driven for a bit you don't know what needs changing anyway. How did your mate get one? Paid the asking price or can you eat them used or anything?
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He has it for years. He's a big VAG head. He made a few tweaks to my Mk6 for me a few years ago such as needle sweep and alarm chirp. It's also very useful for diagnosing issues, you can scan the car for fault codes, etc.
have a look on http://www.ross-tech.com/
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Yeah that's the place I was looking, cheers though. Thanks for your helpful response!
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Just to be clear, VCDS (or VAGCOM as it was once known), is a cable and software partnership developed by a company called RossTech in the States. The money you pay is actually for the cable which has a dongle integrated in the OBD end of it that does a "handshake" with the free software when it's all turned on. I.e. it s the official cable that contains the license, not the software which is a free download from their site. This package mirrors the official dealers VAS tablet software that's used at all VW dealers for software interrogation and updates, and even uses the same address points (i.e. gateway 37 is the Navigation module on the RossTech software and also for the VW official VAS software).
There are ebay specials available much cheaper, however these are usually locked to an older version of the RossTech software and obviously come with absolutely no support what so ever. The genuine cable (the HEX-USB +CAN which I have), come with life time support and upgrades for RossTech as firmwares and software versions are updated. Had mine for 5 years now and it's probably paid for itself 3 times over in the "tweaks" I've been able to do on mine, the wife's and family members VAG cars (don't forget it supports the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda as well), without having to visisit a dealer and get charged an hours labour each time.
It's also well documented that a number of protocols changed with the MK7 MQB platform, and RossTech are currently working on them. There is a beta version of the software (Beta 12.10), that has limited support for MQB platform cars with more being decrypted and added each day. The existing official version (11.11.6), doesn't support the MQB platform.
When the GTD eventually turns up, it's one of the first things ill be trying to see whats available.
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I do wonder what hidden gems the GTI and GTD have that can be unlocked with VCDS in the future. For my Scirocco, enabling XDS (a £280 option at the time!), needlesweep/staging and making my sidelights DRLs instead of the dipped headlights (no dedicated DRLs fitted) were the most useful options.
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Oh ok I get what it is now, thanks for the heads up bear :smiley:
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I have the cheaper Micro Can version, which according to Ross-Tech will work using the new Beta software. It really is a great thing to have and their technical support is well worth the £200 it costs. Obviously I haven't tried it with the Mk 7 yet but the Germans are working on updates at the moment...
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I'm with you here Bear. Really up for a joint enterprise on this if we can make that work...and I really want my DRLs and foglights on at coming/leaving home and I really want to turn off the auto sweep on the rear wiper.
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Rear wiper auto sweep can be turned off via the car settings in the media screen.
Fogs coming on for coming/leaving home would be nice though and an alarm chirp on locking.
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Norbreck has summed it perfectly :cool:
End of the car you are paying 25-30k or so for a car; why skimp on some software for it :wink:
Ross Tech have excellent support and always respond quickly to any questions :nerd:
Equally think that each diagnostic session will set you back £80 then 3 trips would have paid for it :whistle:
Thats the way I sold it to myself a few years back :grin: plus you can then help out local peeps for beer tokens so it will quickly pay for itself :afro:
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Rear wiper auto sweep can be turned off via the car settings in the media screen.
Fogs coming on for coming/leaving home would be nice though and an alarm chirp on locking.
Thanks Joe...v helpful :smiley:
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Norbreck has summed it perfectly :cool:
End of the car you are paying 25-30k or so for a car; why skimp on some software for it :wink:
Ross Tech have excellent support and always respond quickly to any questions :nerd:
Equally think that each diagnostic session will set you back £80 then 3 trips would have paid for it :whistle:
Thats the way I sold it to myself a few years back :grin: plus you can then help out local peeps for beer tokens so it will quickly pay for itself :afro:
Think I'm more worried about the fact I will have no idea what I'm doing to be honest :embarrassed:
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Norbreck has summed it perfectly :cool:
End of the car you are paying 25-30k or so for a car; why skimp on some software for it :wink:
Ross Tech have excellent support and always respond quickly to any questions :nerd:
Equally think that each diagnostic session will set you back £80 then 3 trips would have paid for it :whistle:
Thats the way I sold it to myself a few years back :grin: plus you can then help out local peeps for beer tokens so it will quickly pay for itself :afro:
Think I'm more worried about the fact I will have no idea what I'm doing to be honest :embarrassed:
If you can operate a mouse then you can work this :wink: you really cant screw it up; if you try something that isnt possible the software tells you and doesnt make the changes :nerd:
Equally if you change anything always write down the original coding or simply change one item at a time :smiley:
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Would be better off starting a vagcom thread for owners to put on and then people who don't have vagcom can contact them to see about doing things. if they still want to order a new cable then at least they'll know someone from the next street or town didn't already have one. I'm in Sunderland and have the full rosstech cable etc :wink:
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Probably a good idea as I'm sure our German cousins will be finding out a few tweaks before us, and there should be somewhere for all the successful tweaks to be collated for others to use.
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Would be better off starting a vagcom thread for owners to put on and then people who don't have vagcom can contact them to see about doing things. if they still want to order a new cable then at least they'll know someone from the next street or town didn't already have one. I'm in Sunderland and have the full rosstech cable etc ;)
You lot should get out of the mk7 section more! ;)
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0)
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Would be better off starting a vagcom thread for owners to put on and then people who don't have vagcom can contact them to see about doing things. if they still want to order a new cable then at least they'll know someone from the next street or town didn't already have one. I'm in Sunderland and have the full rosstech cable etc ;)
You lot should get out of the mk7 section more! ;)
True but if just Mk7 owners are staying on the Mk7 board then no harm in having a Mk7 Vag owners thread?
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0)
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Would be better off starting a vagcom thread for owners to put on and then people who don't have vagcom can contact them to see about doing things. if they still want to order a new cable then at least they'll know someone from the next street or town didn't already have one. I'm in Sunderland and have the full rosstech cable etc ;)
You lot should get out of the mk7 section more! ;)
True but if just Mk7 owners are staying on the Mk7 board then no harm in having a Mk7 Vag owners thread?
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=87936.0)
That thread would only have about 3 names on though, even the list in the link i posted isn't massive and thats people from all mk's.
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.... and it would get merged with the one Jimble pointed out.
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Norbreck has summed it perfectly :cool:
End of the car you are paying 25-30k or so for a car; why skimp on some software for it :wink:
Ross Tech have excellent support and always respond quickly to any questions :nerd:
Equally think that each diagnostic session will set you back £80 then 3 trips would have paid for it :whistle:
Thats the way I sold it to myself a few years back :grin: plus you can then help out local peeps for beer tokens so it will quickly pay for itself :afro:
Think I'm more worried about the fact I will have no idea what I'm doing to be honest :embarrassed:
If you can operate a mouse then you can work this :wink: you really cant screw it up; if you try something that isnt possible the software tells you and doesnt make the changes :nerd:
Equally if you change anything always write down the original coding or simply change one item at a time :smiley:
Cheers Rhyso, that is a real confidence boost...I'll be getting on board with it now :smiley: