Do I buy a VAG-COM link?

[john from Staffs]

Yesterday I followed the link given by A8tech to the US firm that supplies the hardware and software to let you see what's going on with the car's internals.

I'm handy enough with the spanners in an amateurish way, even down to being able, successfully, to hand scrape white metal crankshaft bearings, and produce an engine that runs well. I also have a lap top that's powerful enough to handle the software so my expenditure would be limited to say 4 or 5 hundred quid.

I was trained as a (very bad) programmer in the days when computers had valves and water cooling so hexadecimal is not a complete mystery.

Therefore the question seems to revolve around "Do I intend to keep with VAG group cars for a reasonable length of time and is my B7 going to prove unreliable in any way?"

Assuming that the above is the case, do you experts think that I would be wasting money, and also, are the bits of hardware generic and could therefore be used on other manufacturer's vehicles, since we have in the family an amorphous collection of transport from everywhere?

with best regards to those who have had the patience to read this rubbish,
john from Staffs

[Roley140]

I have a similar question also, I would like to get VAGCOM, but I now understand that the newer VW's and Audis (05 on) have a different interface to previous models. Someting like a 'micro-CAN' bus interface. The cable for this cannot at the moment be obtained for a reasonable price as the OEM producers havent started making them yet.
Can anybody confirm whether my ramblings are right or wrong.

[a8 tech]

I have full vag com and payed £250 and have used it on all k wire and can networks,also i use the obd for the two mercs i service.Vag com is superb value but only if you use it and understand it otherwise i guess it will soon wear off as a hobbie but the shareware will only cost a fraction so its worth it for inqisitive types you two fine chaps are.

[T-sport]

You can download it for free from rosstech !! Ross-Tech: VAG-COM: Downloads: Current Release and Manual

You can buy the lead on the net. one example -- Sell OBDII CAN-USB V704.1 Full (China Manufacturer) - Auto Maintenance - Car Accessories Trade Leads - DIYTrade China manufacturers