Re: [gti-vr6] VWTool vs OBDtool (was: Airbag light came on!)

[deecee@exit109.com]

At 05:48 PM 2/24/98 -0500, you wrote:
>A corollary to Uwe's strategy: I spoke with John Grable (of
www.carcomp.com) and he assured me
>that if I bought the $250 OBDtool now, I could upgrade to the VWtool later
for the difference
>of $250.  So you don't have to choose now; try the OBDtool and if you find
you need the VWtool
>you can upgrade without any $$$ penalty.  So far, for what I've wanted,
the OBDtool has been
>more than sufficient.
>
>Cheers,
>- Bob T.
>
Bob,  I am A Master VW/Audi technician working ina VW/Audi/Porsche
dealership. I use the VAG 1551 many times during the day. I went to the
CarComp web site and read about their tool.  To me it looks like it will
only ready OBDII codes. There is some misstatements about what their
software does.  For one there is no system adaption that can be changed.
The readiness code is set by following a series of instructions which
involve driving the car. The 1551 has the ability to read 47 channels in
the individual settings screen.  IT doesn't look like the tool can access
the other control units in the car. ABS,Auto trans, Air Bag. With the
Federal Government intervention in 1996 making all cars accessible to any
scan tool in our 1551 there is an Gerneric scan tool channel. It sounds
like the CarComp tool accesses this channel in the ECM. There is one good
feature in this channel that has helped me many times and that is Freeze
frame channel.  Right before the check engine light comes on this channel
records all data at that moment.  

Don