Hi all,

 

Im in the market for a diagnostics solution. I did in the past have an old style VCDS cable, the ones with unlimited VINs, but sold it when I (stupidly) left the VAG group for a SAAB (dont ask)

Now that the Octy and Fabia are starting to show signs of old age, I thought I'd get another.

 

I have now seen that Ross-Tech are messing with the system and only allowing 3 VINs with the basic cable, which is expensive enough. Seeing as I have 2 VINs already, it means for all that money, I can only change one car on my drive and im up to the limit as the VINs cannot be changed.

 

With that, I have been told about OBDeleven, have you guys any experience of it?

I know it is probably sacrilege to mention anything other than VCDS here, but I cannot (or the wife cant) justify that outlay.

 

Cheers 

Hum, not a good situation to be in, maybe change one car back to SAAB as they seem to run and run and run, maybe the 9-5 petrol ones need a new fuel pump between 120K and 150K, but other than that - well maybe the odd DI cassette and/or crankshaft position sensor?  That would give you a bit more time with a 3 VIN VCDS?

 

I have come from VAG-COM to VCDS when my cars changed and do worry about this change - which it seems many of these licenses are nowadays, I'd hope that RossTech do evolve a slightly better system for "home users" - ie a "VIN refresh" update as time goes on as I'm sure that it was never their intention to screw "home users" - but to increase their price for "trade users" who earn their living from tools like this.

 

One final point, and it is a while since I checked up on this, are you sure that it is not only the "reprograming features/functions" that get VIN limited - ie you can use it "unlimited" to read/clear fault codes and to view live data? I'm guessing here that normal servicing/repair adaptions are excluded from VIN limitations.

 

Edit:- I do have a friend that runs SAABs and has done for maybe 43 years - only well used ones, he might end up heading across to VW Group products when the supply of well used SAABs runs out - for an old car he would be heading for A6, for a newer car it would be Yeti - at the moment!

Edited 11 April, 20188 yr by rum4mo

I don't have VCDS, but the way I understood it was $199 for 3 cars or $299 for 10.  That includes a Hex V2.

Just buy a 10 vin one and use it. If you run out of 10 vins then buy an upgrade to unlimited.

The one and only Saab I had was a 93. It was to be my last, somehow rain got in through the plenum chamber and flooded the footwell and sorted an ecu, it was a disastrous experience. 

I'd like to do adaptations, but I think vcds is too expensive for someone like me who would use it irregularly but too much for a garage to do it. 

Obdeleven seems a good deal but I always thought Ross tech was the only solution for vag