Vadis_guy on eBay

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Joe Blizzard - 15 Jun 2005 03:07 GMT

Any comments on this? Worth it?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7980878347

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Glenn Klein - 16 Jun 2005 02:51 GMT

> Any comments on this? Worth it?
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7980878347

Keep in mind that Volvo is now phasing out all vadis systems & moving to
a new system so buyer beware as to the legality of this you should also
beware

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"*-344-*Never Forgotten"
Is for the New York City Firemen who lost their lives on September 11,2001.
The official count is 343, but there was also a volunteer who lost his life
aiding in the initial rescue efforts. And I will never forget them as
long as I live,
nor should any American.

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Joe Blizzard - 16 Jun 2005 03:39 GMT

> Keep in mind that Volvo is now phasing out all vadis systems & moving to a
> new system so buyer beware

I've heard that, but I own a 2000 model, so I would assume everything about
it is reasonably well covered in any recent vadis release. A comprehensive
service manual for $185 doesn't sound like such a bad deal. I paid nearly
that much for a set of print manuals for a Subaru a few years ago. (I didn't
get rights to subsequent releases with that either.)

> as to the legality of this you should also beware

That's something I'm wondering about. The guy says he's selling a legally
purchased original, but is it legally transferable? And surely using it past
the expiration time can't be kosher. That in mind, I might be just as well
off with one of the cheap copies that are on eBay. Either way, I doubt any
jackbooted Swedish thugs would knock down my door, I'm mostly just wondering
if I'd get my money's worth out of the service information.

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Niels Bengaard - 16 Jun 2005 20:54 GMT

> That's something I'm wondering about. The guy says he's selling a legally
> purchased original, but is it legally transferable? And surely using it
> past the expiration time can't be kosher. That in mind, I might be just as
> well off with one of the cheap copies that are on eBay. Either way, I
> doubt any jackbooted Swedish thugs would knock down my door, I'm mostly
> just wondering if I'd get my money's worth out of the service information.

If you buy these DVD´s legally you pay much more than he is asking. Why
should he pay more than 1000$ and sell them for 100$ ??
Cheapest for you is to get a copy, you can change the expiration on that
too.

If you fix many things yourself and like to have deep knowledge of your car,
its well worth the money.
You dont get access to error codes etc. with the program, you cant hook up
to your car unless you buy the VCT unit Vadis Guy also sells.

Niels

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Joe Blizzard - 17 Jun 2005 02:52 GMT

> If you fix many things yourself and like to have deep knowledge of your
> car, its well worth the money.

Thanks Niels. That's pretty much all that I'm really looking for. Do you use
something similar yourself?

> You dont get access to error codes etc. with the program, you cant hook up
> to your car unless you buy the VCT unit Vadis Guy also sells.

That's another subject which I'm curious about. I assume there must be
something more to the VCT2000 than just translating protocols between the
computer's IO port and the car's OBD interface. Otherwise people would be
using the inexpensive PC/OBD interfaces that are available everywhere. I
wonder what goes on in that costly little box?

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Mike F - 17 Jun 2005 13:53 GMT

> > If you fix many things yourself and like to have deep knowledge of your
> > car, its well worth the money.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> using the inexpensive PC/OBD interfaces that are available everywhere. I
> wonder what goes on in that costly little box?

The mandated OBD-II protocols are only a small subset of what that box
will translate. OBD-II doesn't apply to the other system, like ABS,
airbag, climate control etc., these codes are also done through the
VCT2000. Also when software is loaded into various modules, it also
comes through the VCT2000 box.

Signature

Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

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Joe Blizzard - 17 Jun 2005 15:08 GMT

> The mandated OBD-II protocols are only a small subset of what that box
> will translate. OBD-II doesn't apply to the other system, like ABS,
> airbag, climate control etc., these codes are also done through the
> VCT2000. Also when software is loaded into various modules, it also
> comes through the VCT2000 box.

What's mandated is certain data that a vehicle must provide and a standard
format for providing it. To be compliant, Volvo can make anything else they
like available on the OBD bus in any format they like, as long as they
include all the mandated stuff. The job of the interface box should be to
provide a conversion between OBD interface's electrical characterisitcs,
levels, modulation, timing and so forth, and those of the computer port so
that data can pass between the two. The computer software is where the data
gets sorted out to determine whether we're passing standard or proprietary
information in any given chunk of data. At least that's how it works in most
of the tools that are available for US cars that I'm familiar with. So the
question remains: what's going on in the VCT besides signal conversion?

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Niels Bengaard - 17 Jun 2005 16:19 GMT

> What's mandated is certain data that a vehicle must provide and a standard
> format for providing it. To be compliant, Volvo can make anything else
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> that I'm familiar with. So the question remains: what's going on in the
> VCT besides signal conversion?

The VCT unit only converts signals.
It can connect to all the systems in the car and not only read error codes
like a normal OBD interface can.
If you want to code new keys you can do that with the VCT unit, if you want
to reprogram cabin lights, climate control etc. the only way is with the
VCT.

I dont think you find an interface in the aftermarket that can do the same
with a Volvo as the VCT.
The VCT is a workshop tool that works along with Vadis, an OBD interface
doesnt.

Niels

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Mike F - 17 Jun 2005 18:32 GMT

> > The mandated OBD-II protocols are only a small subset of what that box
> > will translate. OBD-II doesn't apply to the other system, like ABS,
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> of the tools that are available for US cars that I'm familiar with. So the
> question remains: what's going on in the VCT besides signal conversion?

I don't believe there's anything else. Just more signals than are
required under OBD-II. They're just charging what the market will bear,
and some to cover their development costs.

Signature

Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

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