whats the diff?
 

im a new A8 owner and just wondering what the difference is between these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3512840918...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.vag-diagnostics.com/

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/

one at 6 75 AND 270 quid all cliaming to do the same thing. is the software an older or lite version maybe?

the top two are fake and wont work. dont even...
the bottom one is legit and will work reliably.

Yeah stay clear of copy stuff
 

There has been no end of problems mentioned in different forums with dodgy cables not working , screwing the car up etc.

Yes the proper VCDS cable seems expensive but consider that Audi will charge £100 each time for a "diagnostic" fee then it makes perfect sense to buy the right tools.

i got mine from here

Plus, genuine cables hold their value very well - Buy 2nd hand and resell it 2nd hand and you often don't lose much, if anything.... +++

The ebay cable will never work, not only is it supplied with such an antique version of the software. Version 409.1 was released in 2004 and has no support for the A8 D3.

The second one is a fake cable, which may or may not work, and you'll be forever stuck on the hacked software supplied. Another headache is that the PC with the software installed must never go on the internet again, because VCDS will fail a license check and the cable could be erased by VCDS. VCDS has a background update process that checks back to base for known hacked cables and invalidates any found.

I've had a fake cable before, keeping it working was a lot of hassle. The cable came with instructions on how to fix it when it failed, but you must be very proficient in computers and IT and soldering to follow the instructions.

Buy the proper cable from a UK distributor (Genden, Ilexa etc.) or direct from Ross-tech.

I have to be honest, when i 1st started out 'recreationally' with Audis i did buy a cloned lead or whatever you want to call it, but quickly invested in a legit cable as my involvement became vocational, so would certainly recommend getting an honest version as in the early days you will be learning a fair bit about the software / the car and that process will not be helped with tech glitches and not knowing whats at fault - the lead or you doing something wrong etc and only having half the codes because the free version doesnt 'unlock them'.