Correct, the initial purchase price is lower for VCP, but after a year you need to purchase an annual subscription in order to continue to receive software updates.

 

It isn't expensive, about 28 Euro, but that makes the 5 year ownership cost about the same as VCDS.

 

Of course, if you are only ever going to use it on your own car then you won't need any updates past the point your car is fully supported, which makes it cheaper.

 

I think the best way of explaining it is that VCP users post VCDS auto-scans and adaptation maps on the VCP forum when they are asking for assistance. If VCP was as user friendly as VCDS they wouldn't need to do that

 

It is a much more powerful tool, but too powerful for most hobbyists.

I must stress again that I condone piracy and that the original cable is what everyone should use.

 

Mate, you might want to proof-read that again ;)

If you buy and admit to having bought a copy / clone you will get some snide comments - and so will I probably for writing this now. I have seen this happen in some posts here.

 

On some forums some people refuse to help users with a cloned cable - and I hope they never throw the first stone.

I bought a VCP - not a clone. I thought they are from Poland rather than Germany....

If you consider what the dealer will charge you for a DTC scan and what you can save buy "activating" functions yourself, you will probably save money, but hey, is this not stealing from VAG, if I activate a function, the car did not have, myself? Now I am getting really hypocritical.

 

Care to elaborate what the differences are??

What's the layout like of the software ??/

 

The VCDS interface is a little more user friendly with more clear text than the VCP one - I used a proper VCDS and a borrowed clone briefly. If you are after the coding, that you pick up from the internet, the VCP works as well as the VCDS.

 

With regards to the forum mentioned, 2/3 is German speaking, 1/3 is English and a handful of russians post.
 

I would say less than 10% of anything useful is in English - the rest is people asking questions and not getting many answers.

 

And the forum is owned and run by a customer who was frustrated with the lack of official support.

 

VCP is a wonderful tool if you have the patience to persevere with it, plus you can do some seriously expensive damage if you don't know what you are doing ........