Vag-com: Getting started

Can anyone offer any advice on what kit to buy for a first delve into the world of vag-com?
I've read various things on numerous forums and i've got information overload....

I know i can buy the top-drawer kit from ross-tech, but what if i want to try vag-com out on a budget?

The choice of cables is confusing; what do I need - what will a £20 cable of ebay get me?
Will i just be £20 worse off and still no nearer to getting started?
Am I better off waiting for my next bonus and buying the ross-tech kit?
Is there a "basic" ross-tech kit which can be added to at a later date?

HELP....

[Oli18]

Hi Mate,

I'd just buy an ebay dongle - it comes with the vag-com software on cd and gives you access to their freeware.

Freeware gives you basic access to a lot of things but not all. YOu can scan things like the engine, brakes (ABS), parking sensors and many other electricals.

If you feel happy about it, you can purchase the license for 99USD which gives you access to all modules. It not the same as the vag-com cable as using an original cable means you don't need the license and it works on any laptop. Using the license, you can only use it on 1 laptop.

Hope that helps.

Oli

[PsYcHe]

I've 'burned' two ebay leads with VAG-Com and ended up buying the proper one. If you want to give it a go, then 20 quid isn't much to lose, but I'd save for the official kit.

I'm sure someone nearby would be happy to help you out if you need something specific done in the mean time.

So have i got this right....
A £20 ebay lead has limited functionality but would get me going with the freeware off ross-tech website.
This ebay lead could then be used with a $99 license from Ross-Tech but the lead might be unreliable and i'd end up going to ross-tech for a genuine lead?

Does the $99 license give access to better software or does it just unlock more functions of the freeware?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks for the replies so far

[PsYcHe]

the $99 licence gives full functionality of the software (as long as your lead supports it).

Not all leads will work correctly, especially the pirate ones.

[B@fink]

Theres a company that sell all kinds of diagnostic do-dads called Gendan that do all the leads for vag com (£20 cheapies with links to ross tech freeware, through to the full on real deal ross tech approved/supplied stuff) They advertise in magazines and i used them a couple of years back for a fault code reader and it might be better than an ebay wonder? it was a while ago but the service then was first rate, took a couple of days by signed for royal mail.

A chap in the trade has pointed me to gendan.co.uk too, I'll have a good look through their website tomorrow, cheers.

[Mkoneman]

I Have the Ross tech kit well worth the dosh faultless so far

I've ordered a £20 lead from gendan.co.uk, think i'll see how i get along with it. If I find i'm getting good use out of it and master the basic functions i'll upgrade to a proper ross-tech kit in the future.

[B@fink]

as i have just discovered, the freeware software only works on non vista laptops so it'll have to be an older XP one :C

the new shiny paid for software is vista compatable though. Damn.