Can some please help with the following questions relating to a VAG COM

Is this an expensive bit of kit?

Is it just a cable with software?

Where can i buy one?

Is it simple to use?

Will it run on an old laptop on win 98 platform.

Thanks.

You should find most if not all your questions answered in Ross-Tech's FAQs in the link below:

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vag-com-faq.html

Can some please help with the following questions relating to a VAG COM

Is this an expensive bit of kit?

Is it just a cable with software?

Where can i buy one?

Is it simple to use?

Will it run on an old laptop on win 98 platform.

Thanks.

1) Can be if you get the proffesional kit. My lead was

I have the cable and drivers software for sale @£25. PM me if youre interested

There are some genuine s/hand hex-com leads here:

http://www.onboarddiagnostics.co.uk/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,25/category_id,6/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,39/

I got a lead for £10 and a program from 'somewhere'.

Run it on my Dell laptop, very handy.

The "problem" with all 3rd party leads is that they do not and will never work with any VAG-COM version 500.0 and above. Even most of the 3rd party ones don't even work with a 400.0 and above, so this means you are stuck with a 3 year old version of the software.

Yes, this makes a difference, alot of newer functions especially diagnostics via CAN (new Octavia) are not supported, also bug fixes and improvements will never work for you then. Of course spending the money for a real genuine kit is a bit more than just taking sth. directly from china but personally I havn't seen any customer who regretted his decision for the real deal yet.

If you don't have a lead with a dongle in it (one that works) you'll have to register the software (and pay the registration fee) for every laptop you want to use it with, which may be a problem if for example one lead is shared between several people, or your laptop is one of a pool and you don't always get the same one.

A genuine lead is the only solution that is truly portable across different laptops, and is future-proof (the Octy2 already uses CAN-bus; the Fabia 2 probably will also).