ODB11 - Worth It?

[DreamTFK]

Can anyone provide a few examples of mods than can be done using the ODB11 which make it worth the price tag for the device and subscription?

[oesman]

It can do a lot of one button coding, backup the config, etc.. so you can enable features you might not have like automatic high beams and similar. Their website has a list of what they can do, some of it may be car version and equipment option dependent, like mine won't do video in motion last I checked.

https://obdeleven.com/en/supported-vehicles?brand=audi

Pick the A4 and 2020+ since yours is a 2020. It's a cool little device, wish it had better IOS support, the IOS app is missing many features last I looked at it a month or two ago. If you're on Android it's less of an issue. They also have a variety of service features and ability to do long coding.

The thing is that if you're going to be working on the car yourself and need more advanced features, better data logging, etc... You'll probably outgrow OBD11 and want VCDS. VCDS has a steeper learning curve as it uses a computer application, so you'll likely need a laptop to make it practical. It's less user friendly, but it can do a lot more. That being said I don't regret having both, because OBD11 is handy in a pinch and I keep the device in my center console just in case, which has been useful.

[spacecase]

It can do a lot of one button coding, backup the config, etc.. so you can enable features you might not have like automatic high beams and similar. Their website has a list of what they can do, some of it may be car version and equipment option dependent, like mine won't do video in motion last I checked.

https://obdeleven.com/en/supported-vehicles?brand=audi

Pick the A4 and 2020+ since yours is a 2020. It's a cool little device, wish it had better IOS support, the IOS app is missing many features last I looked at it a month or two ago. If you're on Android it's less of an issue. They also have a variety of service features and ability to do long coding.

The thing is that if you're going to be working on the car yourself and need more advanced features, better data logging, etc... You'll probably outgrow OBD11 and want VCDS. VCDS has a steeper learning curve as it uses a computer application, so you'll likely need a laptop to make it practical. It's less user friendly, but it can do a lot more. That being said I don't regret having both, because OBD11 is handy in a pinch and I keep the device in my center console just in case, which has been useful.

I bought OBDEleven and VCDS. I prefer to use OBDeleven more because it's easier to live monitor but sucks because there is no logging capabilities on iOS. I use VCDS to datalog. In terms of coding, OBD11 does most of the major changes that people want. I haven't really found anything I need to use VCDS specifically for outside of logging. Both have there uses, but if cost was an issue I'd go with an OBDEleven as it doesn't require a laptop.

[oesman]

I bought OBDEleven and VCDS.

Yea I think owning both can be good if price doesn't matter. If buying just one I think it depends on what's going to work best for how you plan to use the tool.

One thing to note too is that OBD11 business model seems to change over time. This can have impact on what you spend. Today they basically have 3 things you might pay for, device, credits, plan. However things were simpler when I bought one in 2016 or 2017 (can't recall). Then in 2021 when I was back in an Audi I bought a Pro, because the old version I had wasn't included in their new IOS app. That might have been a bluetooth hardware limitation, but the app sucks on IOS anyway. There are credits to buy if you want to use their "app" based coding. Now I look and they have an Ultimate $140 subscription plan with unlimited credits and raw data. Then the long coding and and service settings are behind a $50 subscription paywall now? Just feels like you'll always be paying for something. VCDS on the other hand has much simpler licensing, but a harder to use tool if you're looking to just fire up an app on your phone and tap a few buttons.

[RickNY]

I will say it definitely used to be worth it much more in previous years than now.. I bought my original OBDEleven Pro for $79.99 back in January 2018 -- it included pro (lifetime), had the apps available if you wanted them -- and you could accrue credits for the apps if you wanted by watching ads -- although there was really no need for their apps. I was an iOS user, but ran OBDEleven when I needed it on an Android Amazon Fire tablet.. In 2020, I paid another $79.99 to order the Next Gen version that worked with iOS.. Because my original purchase was a lifetime pro subscription (which is tied to the user and not the device), I still retained everything I originally purchased -- with the exception that now, I cant earn points by watching ads, which I didnt really do anyway since I didnt use the apps.

[FromS60toB61.8t]

Very worth it. Pretty much any mods that you can do in VCDS, you can do with ODB11. I got my next gen pro (lifetime) a few years back for $65 on a sale when the free/unlimited vin VCDS was no longer supported on 2019+ cars. The apps are nice, but you can do everything the apps do through the long coding for free. All the apps are is shortcuts for the long coding.

[Sheik723]

Worth it. You can code a fair amount of features in. Auto headlights , adjust warmth of seat temp for every setting. Take off seat belt chime warnings. Etc.


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[Longtallsally]

Most folks here modify their cars in one way or another to go faster, look a certain way or whatever.

I’m replying as I’m not one of those folks. The Prestige has plenty of toys to keep me happy and I’m not close enough to tracks to worry about performance improvements, and I like mine understated and able to handle the absolutely pathetic roads around where we live.

That said, coming from someone who has kept his S4 stock for the most part, I think the OBDEleven is absolutely worth it. In owning a modern vehicle, having some form of advanced diagnostics is pretty much a prerequisite- especially if your are coming close to being out of warranty like me.

There were other little things that were nice to program in like what gear it is in all the time, balancing the lighting from the infotainment to the cluster, tail lights on all the time with the daytime lights, turning off the absolutely stupid sound aktor or whatever that ridiculousness is. But running codes has been very helpful as well. The dealer close to me is useless, so I still run codes when I take it in for Audicare service, and it has uncovered things they would not have noticed or done anything about.

I bought it very shortly after getting the car new in ‘19 and got a little Android tablet dedicated for its use and would highly recommend it. I didn’t realize there was a subscription based component and like another poster got the pro version and used to watch ads to get points for “apps” every now and then. Like the other poster, I think the apps are useless as you can find the individual coding with a little google fu.

The latest thing I want to add is going to be the kit to retrofit a true tire pressure monitoring system to the car, and there is a decent bit of coding associated with that which will be easier with the OBDEleven.

Lastly, although it is a bit slow (probably a function of my cheap tablet) I really like the UI as it is pretty intuitive (not perfect, but pretty good), and frankly attractive.

[spacecase]

Yea I think owning both can be good if price doesn't matter. If buying just one I think it depends on what's going to work best for how you plan to use the tool.
.

Agreed. Only reason I bought VCDS is when I got this S4 there really is no way to log if you're using 034 outside of VCDS. I think IE has datalogging capabilities. OBDeleven unfortunately cannot do this on ios https://datazap.me/u/zucchini/b9-s4-...=0-1-2-3-4-5-7

I hate vcds limits to 9 parameters..the cobb accessport felt like it had 20+ I could log.

[ILLITE]

I have OBD11 for my B9.5 and love it. Being able to bump up the heated steering wheel and seat temps, turn off the seat belt dinger, long code the massage seats to stay on longer, and a few others options was worth it.


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[brandonbanana]

Well worth the price. I work at a dealership and as a technologist, I use the OBD11 to change some features on my personal cars as well as some of our other employees that want to do the same changes if they wanted to.

[Fast4esT]

will it give live readings of IAT and such that a P3 gauge does?