I'm seriously considering the purchase of a VCDs lead, but it would have to be a second hand one because of cost. I have been looking at some on-line I can spot some that could be possibly be fakes and as Ross Tech provide the software for free as a download, I assume that those advertised with a CD containing software may be considered as possible fakes.

 

I assume that the leads labelled as HEX-V2 with the ROSS TECH logo moulded into the body to be genuine and those that don't have the logo, but stickers instead are fakes, would that be correct or am I missing something here?

 

I attach a couple of photos I have downloaded from some adverts I have found on the internet, showing the features I describe, I would appreciate your comments / suggestions.

1st is very clearly fake

2nd is to my eyes a good try, but serial number and screw heads are wrong

 

3rd looks like a winner, but if the price seems too good... that's another clue

Price is an almost infallible guide. Real ones don't get sold cheaply.

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/510650-sold-genuine-ross-tech-hex-v2-usb-vcds-interface-for-vwaudiseatskoda-cars-1996-onwards/

 

They do appear in the sales section from time to time, be patient and you'll have one soon enough.

46 minutes ago, varooom said:

1st is very clearly fake

2nd is to my eyes a good try, but serial number and screw heads are wrong

 

3rd looks like a winner, but if the price seems too good... that's another clue

That is my conclusion as well, and for the record, the last one I downloaded directly from Ross Tech and closer inspection, they have blurred out the serial number, the 2nd one I have seen the same photo being used by loads of sellers, so I came to the same conclusion, fake and the first one, is a fake.

Yes top 2 are 100% fake. 

Edited 27 March, 20233 yr by Gizmo

Given the tooling cost to make an exact copy of the original you can see that the first is a fake, the second one may have actually come from the original moulds, when you have stuff made in China that can happen a lot, the circuit board inside is another think, likely to be a cheap clone but once again it could actually have come off the same production line or be rejects being recycled.

 

Critically though its the lack of a serial number, Rosstech control the issue of these and that is how they are renumerated, without a genuine serial number and genuine dongle you are not going to be able to register the device and obtain support from Rosstech and having the security of knowing that what you will be plugging into your vehicle is the real deal and not going to cause mayhem with the vehicles control modules.

 

Very interesting to see the photos, I like the way you slipped the genuine one in without giving the game away.

 

Good luck with finding a genuine one.

I notice that the one I posted earlier, along with many of the others, all had the identical serial number H10-000000, it seems I have found another load, this time with H11-025771, I'm not sure about the H11-002336

 

Are they even upto H11 numbers yet?

 

32 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

Are they even upto H11 numbers yet?

Best way is to ask Ross-Tech by email to support (at) ross-tech.com

Edited 22 March, 20233 yr by PetrolDave

Black pozi drive screw heads = clone. 
 

Unless you know the seller you are better off buying new from an authorised Ross-Tech distributor, second hand interfaces sell for almost new money anyway. 
 

99% on eBay, Amazon, AliExpress, Facebook Marketplace etc will be clones. 

Ok, thanks for the replies, can someone please clear up a question I have about the VINS, there are 3 options, 3, 10 or unlimited VINS. I understand that certain functions use up a VIN so how does this work in practise, I only have the 1 car to use it on, so I was thinking that the best one for me is the one that has 3 VINS. So if I use it as a code reader on the basic error messages, I don't use a VIN for those, I get that, but if I was to try and modify or use one of the various test functions that I would use a VIN for that. Am I correct in saying that I have to enter the car's VIN number to unlock that function? Once I have done that, and I want to do some other tweaking or forcing something into a test mode etc on the same car, do I use another of the VINS or is it that once I have registered the car to the VCDS, I can then use it freely for anything on my car and I only use up another of my 3 VINS if wish to use it in another VAG car for something other than basic code reading and resetting?

1 VIN per car, so you can do whatever you want as often as you like and it will only use up 1 VIN. 

 

Depends how much fiddling about with the factory settings on the car you want to do but there are alternatives to VCDS which are much better presented and much easier to use without having to learn the built up legacy system - unless that's your sort of thing, made it more exclusive and rewarding.

 

There's a whole very wide range of scan tools that can cover VW products (and much, much more) with a wide variety of what you get on the machine and want contracted with them, also offering help, updates and even community.

 

For deepest widest range of fiddling with just VWs, if that's your thing, then probably the VCDS is the most cost effective otherwise just look at the scan tools (or code readers if that's all you're after), obviously being a tiny island the costs in the UK are higher than elsewhere but they don't get the very interesting weather we do.

 

I'll get me coat   .   .   .

Edited 27 March, 20233 yr by nta16

Many generic code readers will not show up DTC's that VCDS will show.

 

Yes there are other 'easier to use' ie '1 click function' coding interfaces out there... but be warned these also change things that are totally unnecessary and WILL cause you a world of pain when something totally unconnected now no longer works! It is ALWAYS better to physically change the coding yourself rather than to rely on the 'easiness' of their '1 click' options.

 

There are also more in depth (and harder to use) interfaces... these will allow you to do more, but also have the potential to screw everything right up (as you are uploading whole new files to the controllers.

Totally agree, you need to do your research and decide to what level and depth you will want to go to interfere with things.

 

We are know the joys or otherwise of computer programs, not even the great VAG always get the stuff right, first few attempts, I think Ross Tech have updates, any machine you'd want to keep up to date in the hope the latest updates sort things previously not sorted.

 

The Yanks have decades of experience but I expect the Chinese were 'given' the programs from VAG and some possibly improved on them others shoddy and don't care as is the way with the Chinese 'borrowing' and manufacturing.

 

As I put it depends on the level and width of what you want to do.

 

As always buyer beware, if you want security go with what's considered best at the time.

 

ETA: the machines, including VCDS, can be use to see information for diagnostics, without necessarily interfering with anything, bit like look but don't touch, other than perhaps clear DTCs.

 

Edited 27 March, 20233 yr by nta16
ETA:

Thanks for your replies, I expected that it was 1 VIN per car, so the 3 option is fine for me, I'm the only person in the family with VAG product.

I already have a Carista OBDII BT device with an annual subscription but it is a 1 click job and there is no way of drilling down deeper into the data etc, for instance coding the battery change does seem to work very well unless you have one of the batteries for which they have the data preprogrammed in for. I suspect it is overcharging my new battery as a result. The Carista measure battery voltage as being 14.8V, which is what I would expect the alternator to kick out to the battery when its nearing the end of its life, but this battery is about 4 months old, so I would like to resolve that issue properly. Also 3 years ago when the alternator belt shredded itself and the battery depleted itself, RAC fitted a temporary battery without any coding and since that day, the solar panel in the sunroof has not been driving the cooling fan to the interior cool whilst the car is parked in the sun. So I'm asking Ross Tech if their system will talk to the solar sunroof or not as my local dealer has not been able to get the fan working via the panel despite me changing the air fan motor which had seized up a year later.        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

for instance coding the battery change does seem to work very well unless you have one of the batteries for which they have the data preprogrammed in for.

Can't you input the data manually (or wotever the correct word is) as you can with VCDS and I presume (always dangerous) other, as  varooom explains, for VCDS as an example. - VCDS How to adapt a new battery.pdf

 

 

17 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

RAC fitted a temporary battery without any coding and since that day, the solar panel in the sunroof has not been driving the cooling fan to the interior cool whilst the car is parked in the sun.

If it stopped when battery wasn't 'coded' perhaps it might start again when your present battery is 'coded' correctly but of course it might have been just a coincidence that it stopped operating at that time or something in the programming of Carista or VW so you would need a scan tool with the capability to deal with this specific item.

 

I don't know, is Carista one of the 1-click coding machines that @Gizmo says can "also change things that are totally unnecessary and WILL cause you a world of pain when something totally unconnected now no longer works!" ?

 

Having learnt to drive in the 1970s I don't expect to be able to press one button to sort things, I prepare the car to drive it before I even get into the car let alone turn the ignition or engine on, I don't expect a button(s) in the car to do everything for me (as some modern drivers seem to believe), same with diagnostic tools, I expect you're the same.

 

Have you checked the 'Owner's Manual' (if it's in there) about the solar panel in the sunroof not driving the interior cooling fan or opening a thread about it not working as it could be a totally separate issue to the battery non-'coding'.

 

Edited 20 May20 May by nta16

10 hours ago, nta16 said:

Can't you input the data manually (or wotever the correct word is) as you can with VCDS and I presume (always dangerous) other, as  varooom explains, for VCDS as an example. - VCDS How to adapt a new battery.pdf

 

 

If it stopped when battery wasn't 'coded' perhaps it might start again when your present battery is 'coded' correctly but of course it might have been just a coincidence that it stopped operating at that time or something in the programming of Carista or VW so you would need a scan tool with the capability to deal with this specific item.

 

I don't know, is Carista one of the 1-click coding machines that @Gizmo says can "also change things that are totally unnecessary and WILL cause you a world of pain when something totally unconnected now no longer works!" ?

 

Having learnt to drive in the 1970s I don't expect to be able to press one button to sort things, I prepare the car to drive it before I even get into the car let alone turn the ignition or engine on, I don't expect a button(s) in the car to do everything for me (as some modern drivers seem to believe), same with diagnostic tools, I expect you're the same.

 

Have you checked the 'Owner's Manual' (if it's in there) about the solar panel in the sunroof not driving the interior cooling fan or opening a thread about it not working as it could be a totally separate issue to the battery non-'coding'.

 

I did indeed raise the question about the solar sunroof here a couple of years ago and never got a satisfactory answer, it is that rare, and I have never seen it offered on any other car apart the L&K Superb in 2013, out of 301 sold, only 272 are still on the road, so the question is how many of them were optioned with the solar sunroof?

 

The owner's manual nor the workshop manual mentions the option, and so I can only surmise that it was offered once only on selected L&K models in 2013 as a possible test bed before including it on the Bentley Continental, I may be wrong on that, however. I know that the Superb has a umbrella in its door as a standard fitment, just as a Rolls-Royce does, and I don't think it is available on any other cars. Ross-Tech have confirmed tonight that after checking my VIN number, their VCDS will talk to the Solar Sunroof, so now I need to locate a VCDS for sale, without costing an arm and a leg.

10 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

I did indeed raise the question about the solar sunroof here a couple of years ago and never got a satisfactory answer, it is that rare, and I have never seen it offered on any other car apart the L&K Superb in 2013,

 

Ross-Tech have confirmed tonight that after checking my VIN number, their VCDS will talk to the Solar Sunroof, so now I need to locate a VCDS for sale, without costing an arm and a leg.

The solar sunroof was also offered on the B6/B7 Audi A4/S4/RS4 - I nearly ordered one as a factory option until I realised that you don't get light coming through it like a normal sunroof.

 

Just make sure the VCDS cable you buy IS genuine not a clone, if it's too cheap then 99.999999999% it's a clone!

31 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

The solar sunroof was also offered on the B6/B7 Audi A4/S4/RS4 - I nearly ordered one as a factory option until I realised that you don't get light coming through it like a normal sunroof.

 

Just make sure the VCDS cable you buy IS genuine not a clone, if it's too cheap then 99.999999999% it's a clone!

Many thanks for the clarification, I just had another look in the drivers manual, and for the first time I have seen it mentioned in the section about the air con and heating, WTF, no mention of sunroof at all in the index, how odd.

Good news, so you are two steps closer.

 

The VWSkoda 'Owner's Manual' aren't the best but it does make sense to have the aeration in the bit about air-con.  My wife would say you had a "man-look". 😉  In your working life were you never told to RtFM, or like the electricians we employed had no experience of doing so, in the 'Index' 'Sliding/tilting roof' which takes you to 'Electric sliding/tilting roof', on to 'Electric sliding/tilting roof with solar cells', on to 'Climatronic (automatic air conditioning system)'.  As with many things not a push one button and it's done and good practice for VCDS use. 😄

 

More good news for you, I know nothing with VCDS so can't help(?) with it's use but there are plenty here that do and are happy to help so do check with them before using the system for guidance.

 

As always, and for viewers that don't understand old men's' banter, I hope you get things sorted to your satisfaction (or better), cheers.