VAGCOM

[Bill_the_Bear]

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?

[JoeGTI]

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.

[Running Man]

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 

What is your account details to pay into? 

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 

[Bill_the_Bear]

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?

[JoeGTI]

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/

[Bill_the_Bear]

Yeah that's the place I was looking, cheers though.  Thanks for your helpful response!

[Sootchucker]

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.

[monkeyhanger]

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.

[Running Man]

Oh ok I get what it is now, thanks for the heads up bear 

[DougL]

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...