Vag Com alternative?

[MrOzzie5183]

I asked this before but never got a response and now the thread is buried. But is there a cheaper alternative to the Vag Com? I didn't want to spend 350 bucks, but found this guy for only 67 and sounds pretty promising, does anyone here have experience with it? http://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/s...-rosstech-vcds

[osugsxr]

go with the original ross tech vag com if you plan on keeping the car for awhile. You will be able to recoup 75-85% of your cost when you decide to sell it. I allow others to use mine for a small fee and have help a few people. Pending what you want do another option is the carista app

[cchapman123456]

FYI....carista only works on 2005 and later models

[MrOzzie5183]

Good to know, I've an 02 ;)

[NuGGet_PuFFer]

There's some kinda x-tool thing or something, there's a thread on here somewhere, PM julex he's a member on here I think he'll know. I've got the VCDS-lite version of vag-com with a blue eBay cable, I can check and clear codes and do some other stuff but that's about it, once I'm done putting my car together I'll upgrade to the full version.

[batman2.7]

I have the xtool vag 401....it works good reading/clearing codes...doing data measurements and what not....you can go through same processes as ross tech from the wiki but there are a small amount of things that are different and somethings depending on year and model that you can/can't do

[rollerton]

There is no alternative to Vag-Com. Ross-Tech has come up with an interface that's pretty intuitive and uses the OEM diagnostic protocols and is similar in alot of ways to what the dealer uses. There are a few tools that do most of what Vag Com does, but none are as easy to use and teach you about what you're doing while you're doing it.
I've been using VCDS for more than a decade and it always works, 100% of the time. No driver errors, no glitches and Ross Tech stands behind their product 100%.
It's just a tool that can't be beat when you buy a genuine version.

[02 A6 2.7T]

There is no alternative to Vag-Com. Ross-Tech has come up with an interface that's pretty intuitive and uses the OEM diagnostic protocols and is similar in alot of ways to what the dealer uses. There are a few tools that do most of what Vag Com does, but none are as easy to use and teach you about what you're doing while you're doing it.
I've been using VCDS for more than a decade and it always works, 100% of the time. No driver errors, no glitches and Ross Tech stands behind their product 100%.
It's just a tool that can't be beat when you buy a genuine version.

^^ Truth
Bought mine in 2005 after I bought my CPO 2002 A6 ... has paid for itself many times over in DIY diagnostics, not to mention the microbrews and pizza kindly donated by others who haven't bought their own VCDS yet ....

[frankwizzle]

Vag401 isn't quite the same as true vcds but its nice not having to lug a laptop around all the time.
I have vcds, vag401, torque/elm327, and an eBay cable for logging but I mostly find myself using the vag401.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=646764

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