As per the title, has anyone upgraded their old VCDS cable to one of the newer variants?  It states that its c.$149 to upgrade to Hex-V2 Enthusiast (10 Vin) on the Ross-Tech website; however, has anyone form the UK/EU done this yet?

 

I can only see the price for new cables on the UK sites. 

You are normally better off selling your old interface and then buying a new one outright 

I think you've misunderstood something somewhere, I can't see any upgrades that are ~$149...

 

Rosstech currently offer a trade in from a HEX-COM+CAN or HEX-USB+CAN to a HEX-NET enthusist (10 VIN) or pro (unlimited) for $249 or $399:

- https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/RetCAN

 

They also offer VIN upgrade to take a 3 VIN interface to 10 VIN or a 10 VIN to unlimited, both are $169:

- https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/upVIN

 

You can upgrade a 3 VIN twice (two payments) to make it an unlimited version.

 

As Gizmo mentioned, given the current value of older interfaces, it's probably worth selling it privately and buying a new one.

On 25/11/2018 at 20:12, Black_Sheep said:

As per the title, has anyone upgraded their old VCDS cable to one of the newer variants?  It states that its c.$149 to upgrade to Hex-V2 Enthusiast (10 Vin) on the Ross-Tech website; however, has anyone form the UK/EU done this yet?

 

I can only see the price for new cables on the UK sites. 

Did you get anywhere with the upgrade Black_Sheep?

 

I've just discovered my 2019 Karoq doesn't play on my old cable...........I can see a $149 upgrade on the Ross Tech site too.....but having recently been stung by UK customs for a hefty sum I'm reluctant to use the US based address.

 

Edited 9 March, 20197 yr by Berisford

1 hour ago, Berisford said:

Did you get anywhere with the upgrade Black_Sheep?

 

I've just discovered my 2019 Karoq doesn't play on my old cable...........I can see a $149 upgrade on the Ross Tech site too.....but having recently been stung by UK customs for a hefty sum I'm reluctant to use the US based address.

 

 

On 25/11/2018 at 20:15, Gizmo said:

You are normally better off selling your old interface and then buying a new one outright 

 

The HEX+CAN is currently still fetching stupidly high (IMO, bearing in mind it’s now an obsolete cable) prices, if you are after a 3 VIN Hex-V2 then you will actually make a little after selling your old cable, it’s certainly not worth ‘upgrading’ via RT.

13 hours ago, Gizmo said:

 

 

The HEX+CAN is currently still fetching stupidly high (IMO, bearing in mind it’s now an obsolete cable) prices, if you are after a 3 VIN Hex-V2 then you will actually make a little after selling your old cable, it’s certainly not worth ‘upgrading’ via RT.

Just make sure you buy a GENUINE HEX-V2, there are an awful lot of clones about - especially on a certain auction site.

Agreed, but TBH the price s/h ones are selling for you are better buying direct from a RT authorised distributer.

 

Their list is a little outdated as I also know that Professional Diagnostics have recently become an authorised seller of VCDS (& VCP)

 

If anyone are much cheaper than anyone in the list then they are probably cloned devices. 

50 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

If anyone are much cheaper than anyone in the list then they are probably cloned devices. 

+1

 

It's been amazing how many first time posters on the Ross-Tech wiki have bought a clone, and some have got quite upset when told so - one even questioned whether the founder of the company knew what he was doing

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

 

 

If anyone are much cheaper than anyone in the list then they are probably cloned devices. 

After you replied to my post last night I had a look around and Facebook Market Place seems to be awash with some very genuine looking cables but at such low prices they have to be fake.

I think that when I upgraded from VAG-COM to VCDS, I emailed my original VCDS reseller and he gave me what I thought was a "good" deal when I returned the old interface cable.  When I move up the next time, I'll probably see what he says first before purchasing the latest interface.

41 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I think that when I upgraded from VAG-COM to VCDS

 

VAG-COM changed to VCDS in name only the product was the same.

 

They did however have several different versions of their interfaces, which is what I guess you actually upgraded from.

 

As I say people are still paying £250+ for s/h HEX+CAN interfaces (some idiots are even paying well over £300  ) which is crazy money when you consider the latest HEX-V2 can be bought for:

£225 (3 VIN) 

£298 (10 VIN)

£444 (unlimited VIN)

 

Don’t forget that scans alone do not use ‘a VIN up’ so for most people the 3 or 10 VIN will be ample.

 

The bubble will burst pretty soon IMO on s/h HEX+CAN interfaces and the prices will fall to a more realistic price when more and more people realise that the HEX+CAN is limited in what it can do / read on 2015 onwards cars.

10 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

 

VAG-COM changed to VCDS in name only the product was the same.

 

They did however have several different versions of their interfaces, which is what I guess you actually upgraded from.

 

As I say people are still paying £250+ for s/h HEX+CAN interfaces (some idiots are even paying well over £300  ) which is crazy money when you consider the latest HEX-V2 can be bought for:

£225 (3 VIN) 

£298 (10 VIN)

£444 (unlimited VIN)

 

Don’t forget that scans alone do not use ‘a VIN up’ so for most people the 3 or 10 VIN will be ample.

 

The bubble will burst pretty soon IMO on s/h HEX+CAN interfaces and the prices will fall to a more realistic price when more and more people realise that the HEX+CAN is limited in what it can do / read on 2015 onwards cars.

 

The issue was that VAG-COM adaptors originally did not contain the licence - that was sent out separately, the change in name to VCDS came at the time that the adaptor leads started containing the licence and there was a point in car model build time that if you stayed using your old VAG-COM adaptor with its separate licence, that you would run out of coverage as VAG-COM stopped being undated round about version 410 or so, so the only way to keep up was to upgrade, which I only did as I needed to as I started owning newer cars. Probably the same thing this time! There was also the inconvenience of needing to request a new/replacement licence if your laptop went U/S - been there needed that, thankfully VCDS adaptors don't have that problem.

 

Edit:- handy that you clarified that scans don't use up VINs.

Edited 10 March, 20197 yr by rum4mo

When I bought the newly introduced HEX+CAN back in 2004 it was still VAG-COM and the licence was built in the interface (I certainly didn’t need to register it as it was done automatically, it has also been used on far too many laptops, netbooks, tablets and now a MBP than I care to remember and I never had to re-register it or anything... however both my HEX+CAN and current HEX-NET were bought directly from RT so that may be the difference?)

 

The name changed to VCDS in 2008 (one very easy to spot some of the clones is when they still call it VAG-COM!)

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

 

The name changed to VCDS in 2008 (one very easy to spot some of the clones is when they still call it VAG-COM!)

 

Not just the clone manufacturers. Still get many members on forums etc. asking if Vag Com can be used on **** cars etc. despite that name being out of existence for over 10 years.

I'd think that I bought my original VAG-COM lead and licence back in 2001 after being told by my VW dealer that the only reason that my 2000 B5 Passat 4Motion, which I bought new from Intercar at Brunssum - was not fitted with UK sourced parts, only German parts, so that was why I did not get low washer fluid warnings - they could supply a new dash pod of much money, program it for much money and fit it for much more money - no other way to solve that problem!

 

So, armed with "knowledge" about this tool called VAG-COM, I told them that they were a joke - and bought VAG-COM, recoded the dash pod and found that the brake warnings were also not enabled, so sorted that out easily and quickly, idiots!

On 10/03/2019 at 09:16, Gizmo said:

When I bought the newly introduced HEX+CAN back in 2004 it was still VAG-COM and the license was built in the interface (I certainly didn’t need to register it as it was done automatically, it has also been used on far too many laptops, netbooks, tablets and now a MBP than I care to remember and I never had to re-register it or anything... however both my HEX+CAN and current HEX-NET were bought directly from RT so that may be the difference?)

 

The name changed to VCDS in 2008 (one very easy to spot some of the clones is when they still call it VAG-COM!)

 

Gizmo your recollection is spot on.  2004 we introduced the HEX+CAN - the second  generation of dongle interfaces.  The KEY series and the HEX series prior to +CAN series were also dongle interfaces where the license is embedded in the units.  The dongle style interface allows one to install the software to as many PCs as one chooses.  Only the device to which the cable is connected can be used at that moment.  It makes it easy for users to stay current because they do not need to register and play games to get / keep things working. 

 

The software name change came when in 2006 we tried to trademark VAG-COM.  We wanted to protect the product name.  The suits at VAG objected to our use of "VAG", a trademark they had let expire.  We figured we were in the clear.  Au contraire...  They argued that their claim to VAG was grandfathered and it was obvious the courts would go along with them.  VW of America threatened a lawsuit against Ross-Tech's use and in an out of court settlement agreed we could change the name to VCDS (VAG-COM Diagnostic Software).  By 2007, we launched a worldwide advertising campaign - Ross-Tech style - to let the world know that nothing had changed beyond the name. 

 

In 2007 we feared that the HEX+CAN would not carry us forever and we also began dealing with all the illegal clones of VCDS.  We began a project to implement a secure interface that would stop all the hacks.  We also began locking down the files associated with VCDS owing to the fact that the big box scan tool companies were taking our files  (which take effort to sort, organize, and properly label - read that cost),  placing those files directly in their tools.  Their support staffs, not knowing how to use this info, started sending their customers to Ross-Tech for support.  We were being inundated with non-customers asking for our help.  We didn't think that was very proper or fair. 

 

The problems just mentioned resulted in the HEX-NET which we launched quietly in 2014.  We didn't release it to the world for we knew we still had work to do but we needed people testing it.  By Sept 2016, the product was robust and was launched at the Automechanika in Frankfurt.  We realized there was a need for a lower cost enthusiast product that still covered all VAG from 1990 to current year.  But how to have such a product and establish different price levels.  Enter the VIN limits and the HEX-V2 interface. 

 

I saw in another thread here yesterday that some feel we did all this for "commercial" purposes - ie to rip our users off and cost them their coin so we could get rich and fat.  Well I speak for myself, I am fat.  But as to rich?  I'm a long way from that.  Sure we need to make money but we keep an eye toward our users and we are famously loyal to our enthusiast customers.  Our goal is to provide the most comprehensive VAG diagnostic tool we can provide without violating ethics, morals or laws.  We will provide this along with the best service we can manage at a price that is fair and equitable, that is justifiable, that does not keep costing our user year after year after year as is the model for virtually every other product sold to support and diagnose vehicles. 

 

I have advocated higher prices and Uwe Ross beats me up every time I open my mouth.  Uwe does not have a "commercial" bone in his body.  He is an enthusiast.  He launched VAG-COM and Ross-Tech to fill a need for the enthusiast community.  That the product became good enough with the help of the user community to be a near factory level tool is gravy.  We never targeted the professional market and most pro technicians still think Ross-Tech's business model is nuts.   They are so used to having to pay annual fees they can't understand how we stay in business delivering a quality product. 

 

Another subject I wish to touch on.  Some have been comparing VCDS to VCP and OBDEleven.  Those products also have their place..  But do remember, while their initial price is low, they either have annual fees or they have fees you must pay to add features.  When did Ross-Tech ever ask our user base to pay for features or to pay for updates?  We have had to change hardware to keep up with VAG changes.  We have never asked users to pay to have the latest software.

 

And now I should get off my soap box and get back to the thread title - Upgrading.  Any registered user can upgrade through Ross-Tech. The program is outlined on this page:

https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/cat/IntUp

 

New with the HEX-NET and HEX-V2 introduction, our distribution network can also do upgrades for you.  They are not required to offer the upgrades and their prices may be a bit different than ours.  Many of our partners do offer the upgrades.  Why?  They know as we know that the cost of shipping the interface to the USA is pricey.  So, they are authorized to help users. 

 

In closing,  we too find the prices people will pay for the older interfaces incredible.  In several cases, sales were listed for a price higher than we offered the interface originally.  Now that is a product that holds value!

 

Folks, the support of our user community has been nothing less than stellar.  We appreciate each and every one.  We will keep working to give you the ability to work on the rides you love and do so with a tool that keeps giving you value year on year. 

 

Thanks for allowing my soap box and for listening.  Thanks for the dialog that happens in this forum.  While we have our own forum, we do still read these.  We just could not keep participating in so many different forums.  We had to concentrate things in one place. 

 

Remember, don't leave home without your VCDS! 

 

Later,

Excellent posting there, very informative thanks!

Massively helpful response. Thank you