I've stumbled across 409.1 software is that up to date??

Is it worth me gettin a cable I'm guessin there about a tenner from ebay??

I've seen the Single door unlock mod and the Power steering weight mod from fabiavrs.com which look pretty cool.

Is it right that all I have to do is install the software plug the cable in to my port on the right side of my steering wheel and into my computer and hey presto or is it an advanced job I should stay away from as I may mess up alot of settings?????

The shareware version does not do a lot, IIRC - You can get the proper cable (not 100% if there is still a group buy out here), or ask another Brisky member near where you are to change the setting(s) for a few beer tokens for example.

VAGCOM has been very handy to me personally, but I did use it on a lot of cars so it paid for itself in no time

As above, you will not be able to activate chirps etc with the free version of the software and an ebay lead, this will allow you to view and IIRC clear fault codes but essentially not much more than that.

It will cost you $99 for a licence to run with the ebay lead so you really have to ask yourself if you will get more than £70 worth of use out of it or whatever the exchange rate is at the moment.

to echo what WW says above most owners of the software are happy to assist and although not charging usually a couple of beers or joining www.briskoda.net/freedom keeps them sweet

Nah, dude, get the real version of Vag Com. I just bought the ebay cable and it totally blows. I spent more time troubleshooting the data connection than the car.

You'll start wasting time on latency issues, processor speeds, which USB port, drivers, maybe a different laptop or a different version of Windows, etc.

I thought "a cable's a cable". But apparently it isn't. Ross-tech does a bunch of voodoo wizardry that makes you able to talk to the dang VAG operating system. Friggin' absurd there is one even to begin with. I wish old cars were just as crash safe as new ones. Or they sold new cars without operating systems.

Regardless, I spent 10 times more to buy the real deal.

slightly OT, but does the Rosstech version allow you to reset the mileage on the car? (I am just about to replace the speedo head on the wife's 56 plate Ibiza and wanted to adjust the mileage so it remains correct)