MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: white91 on November 15, 2015, 11:26:01 am

Title: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: white91 on November 15, 2015, 11:26:01 am
Has anybody got a link to a cheap VCDS?

Load on eBay or Amazon, can't really tell if they all do the same thing or not?




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Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: irish_ram on November 15, 2015, 11:32:28 am
Don't think it is allowed to post up knock off ebay cables on here.

However the cable I use works but it is not an original cable and as far as I am aware does everything a genuine cable does.

But I have read posts where you are taking a risk because it could mess up your settings not being genuine. But you would expect any risk with something that is not genuine whatever it may be  :confused:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: jacobrownoly on November 15, 2015, 06:30:16 pm
I bought one of Amazon for £30. It's great! Came with the Ross tech cable too. I only use it to scan and log car.
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: white91 on November 15, 2015, 09:15:08 pm
I'm only going to use it to do a few comfort mods, like beep with the alarm, one button locking etc. Might take a punt for £30


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Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: r5gtt on November 15, 2015, 09:28:41 pm
It's not allowed in certain forums but I can tell you I bought one from Australia and it's a 14.10 version original ross tech cable and does everything  :laugh:
Amazon one works the same as members of the tt forum use the same and even ebay ones with the correct software works to as I have one of those also  :grin:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: patpong_pete on November 15, 2015, 10:45:41 pm
It's not allowed in certain forums but I can tell you I bought one from Australia and it's a 14.10 version original ross tech cable and does everything  :laugh:
Amazon one works the same as members of the tt forum use the same and even ebay ones with the correct software works to as I have one of those also  :grin:
any one got a link to the 30 pound ones
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: john87 on November 16, 2015, 12:24:13 pm
Come on folks, don't be tight!

If it wasn't for people buying the genuine cable and supporting the team who developed this extremely useful tool, then it wouldn't exist.

I bought the original HEX-CAN cable and have probably made the money back on the amount of people I've done scans and changes for.

Anyway, I'm not sure I'd be happy plugging an unsupported cable into my cars' ECU  :confused:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Ditto on November 16, 2015, 11:36:50 pm
I'm only going to use it to do a few comfort mods, like beep with the alarm, one button locking etc. Might take a punt for £30

Have you seen the Carista app? For the price of a Bluetooth dongle and a £15 app you can configure all the comfort settings via your phone as well as read off fault codes. Works a treat
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: white91 on November 17, 2015, 01:04:51 am
Come on folks, don't be tight!

If it wasn't for people buying the genuine cable and supporting the team who developed this extremely useful tool, then it wouldn't exist.

I bought the original HEX-CAN cable and have probably made the money back on the amount of people I've done scans and changes for.

Anyway, I'm not sure I'd be happy plugging an unsupported cable into my cars' ECU  :confused:

I think around £300 for the cable is pretty steep for the average home user, however if I was charging then maybe I could make it pay.
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: r5gtt on November 17, 2015, 01:28:55 am
We can only pay what we can afford to with wages being cak and prices always rising.

I'm happy with my £47 14.10 version  :jumping:

Sorry to the guys who pay the full amount  :ashamed:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Rossimac on November 17, 2015, 09:15:11 am
We can only pay what we can afford to with wages being cak and prices always rising.

I'm happy with my £47 14.10 version  :jumping:

Sorry to the guys who pay the full amount  :ashamed:

Meh - that's a crap reason.

The price on gendan.co.uk has remained the same for 2 years (as long as I've been around anyway) at £265.

If your wages are cak, maybe a GTI with mods isn't for you?
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: john87 on November 17, 2015, 10:03:27 am
Come on folks, don't be tight!

If it wasn't for people buying the genuine cable and supporting the team who developed this extremely useful tool, then it wouldn't exist.

I bought the original HEX-CAN cable and have probably made the money back on the amount of people I've done scans and changes for.

Anyway, I'm not sure I'd be happy plugging an unsupported cable into my cars' ECU  :confused:

I think around £300 for the cable is pretty steep for the average home user, however if I was charging then maybe I could make it pay.

If you look after your cable though, good chance you'll be able to sell it on for no less than £200.. so if you pay £270, it's not really cost you very much at all, even if you make no money doing favours for other VAG owners   :drinking:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: ephemeross on November 17, 2015, 10:27:52 am
Making your money back is easy, it pays for its-self. Plus like John said, you can resell it for pretty much the same price.
You also get full support from Ross-Tech if anything goes wrong and free updates.
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Kam88 on November 17, 2015, 12:10:07 pm
i got one from Amazon works perfectly  :happy2:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: mvb12 on November 17, 2015, 01:02:52 pm
These fake cables do not do everything.

When you need security passwords you will find out that you will be locked out if you do not have the genuine cable.

Do you really think a £30 cable can do exactly the same them as a cable 10 x the price?  :confused:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Dan_FR on November 17, 2015, 01:54:22 pm
Yes i do, as the cable is just an interface to connect to the car, the rest is in the software. The Rosstech cable probably doesn't cost much more to make (components wise) than the china ones.

I've used both clones and genuine of the same version of VCDS (not comparing latest VCDS with version 11.11, 12.12 or whatever the common clone version is now)

When using them there was absolutely no difference
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: mvb12 on November 17, 2015, 01:57:41 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Dan_FR on November 17, 2015, 02:01:15 pm
You got a link to the Rosstech Wiki for the car and procedure in question? You've got me interested now.....
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: PT82 on November 17, 2015, 02:08:46 pm
Don't most just want to read fault codes or code a few little things? Amazon cable is good just for that shirley?
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: white91 on November 17, 2015, 03:33:37 pm
Does anybody categorically know the limitations of a clone cable then? Most who use them seem pretty happy?


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Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Kam88 on November 17, 2015, 05:23:41 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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I can clearly see you are happy with your genuine one and good for you  :grin: don't blame you i am happy with my cheap one and does exactly what i wanted it to do that means i am happy  :signLOL: never had a problem with mine so all in all one happy customer
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: andyR43 on November 17, 2015, 05:30:32 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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I can clearly see you are happy with your genuine one and good for you  :grin: don't blame you i am happy with my cheap one and does exactly what i wanted it to do that means i am happy  :signLOL: never had a problem with mine so all in all one happy customer


Of course you are happy Kam. Anybody who genuinely believes that they got a genuine Ross-Tech cable from Amazon for £30 will ALWAYS be happy!!!!!! :signLOL:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: r5gtt on November 17, 2015, 07:14:38 pm
I love my cheapo ross tech cable and it works with everything including recoding.
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Rossimac on November 17, 2015, 07:16:50 pm
Buy cable for £265 and get all updates and zero hassle with any functionality.

Sell cable for £220 when no longer needed.

I know which option I'd choose (and did)!
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: r5gtt on November 17, 2015, 07:28:13 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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Sorry mate but your 100% wrong as mine does everything a clone does, even my cheapo ebay cable with thr correct software did adaptions   :laugh:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Bignod00 on November 17, 2015, 07:28:41 pm
Some people are happy with cheap (eBay/Amazon).......some people are happy with expensive (genuine).......

Either way, everyone seems happy......

Let's just all chill! :laugh:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: r5gtt on November 17, 2015, 07:35:34 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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I don't agree as ive been using a Chinese clone for 5 years on my tt for adapting lat sensors and programming door locks alarm etc and have no issues with it.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on November 17, 2015, 08:12:52 pm

I don't agree with counterfeit cables out of principle.  The cable pays for itself in my opinion.

There are clearly people on both side of the fence, each to their own.

Any links to counterfeit leads will be deleted though!
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Kam88 on November 17, 2015, 08:16:35 pm
If your using the cables for normal codin where will be no difference but if you need to do things like steering wheel adaptation it will not work.


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I can clearly see you are happy with your genuine one and good for you  :grin: don't blame you i am happy with my cheap one and does exactly what i wanted it to do that means i am happy  :signLOL: never had a problem with mine so all in all one happy customer


Of course you are happy Kam. Anybody who genuinely believes that they got a genuine Ross-Tech cable from Amazon for £30 will ALWAYS be happy!!!!!! :signLOL:

I don't believe i got a genuine cable and i don't really care if it is was or its biggest pile of sh*t once stops working i throw it in the bin i got my use out of it anything else is a bonus  :signLOL:
Title: Re: Can't justify genuine VCDS, cheap one then!
Post by: Washout on November 17, 2015, 08:56:00 pm
Just out of interest does anyone have any evidence of a clone cable damaging a car. Been on this forum for a while and I can't say I've seen any posts about it. Just playing devils advocate chaps.