# OBDEleven vs VCDS - What CAN'T it do?



## JayDotEllOh (Feb 17, 2021)

Getting my new-to-me 2018 Atlas SEL Premium today, and I'm looking at doing some tweaks via either OBDEleven or VCDS.

I've done a bit of searching in this forum and others, and I haven't found a clear answer to what exactly OBDEleven CAN'T do compared to VCDS? Regardless of the ease-of-use of either of them, or the "credits" needed for the apps on OBDEleven, is there any HARD limitations to the OBDEleven tool that VCDS can do?


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## Reihenmotor5 (Dec 1, 2006)

Having used both VCDS is more robust but you need a Windows laptop. OBD11 is great for quick changes. Credits are nice if you want to use their pre-built “apps”, but I recommend get OBD11 Pro to do long coding yourself. I haven’t had issues using OBD11 and have done coding with OBD11 that I have done previously with VCDS. 

Side note the ability to search is better in VCDS. Sometimes in OBD11 you have to find the top level first to then find what you want to try and search for when making changes. 


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## JayDotEllOh (Feb 17, 2021)

Reihenmotor5 said:


> Having used both VCDS is more robust but you need a Windows laptop. OBD11 is great for quick changes. Credits are nice if you want to use their pre-built “apps”, but I recommend get OBD11 Pro to do long coding yourself. I haven’t had issues using OBD11 and have done coding with OBD11 that I have done previously with VCDS.
> 
> Side note the ability to search is better in VCDS. Sometimes in OBD11 you have to find the top level first to then find what you want to try and search for when making changes.
> 
> ...


Thanks, this is the gist I get from all the other posts. VCDS seems to be more robust and better support for sure.

I'm more looking for what VCDS can do functionally that OBDeleven can't? Are their modules that aren't available in OBDeleven that vcds can get to?


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## Reihenmotor5 (Dec 1, 2006)

Haven’t had issues getting to modules whether it’s Adaptation or Long Coding. I do like how VCDS presents Long Coding. There are times where OBD11 only shows hex values, while I know VCDS in the same module will show the actually language of the function. 

Saving admaps is better with VCDS as they’re CSV files so easier to review with excel. Granted there are sites that have admaps from clean/non-coded vehicles if you need to double check your coding. 


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## JayDotEllOh (Feb 17, 2021)

Reihenmotor5 said:


> Haven’t had issues getting to modules whether it’s Adaptation or Long Coding. I do like how VCDS presents Long Coding. There are times where OBD11 only shows hex values, while I know VCDS in the same module will show the actually language of the function.
> 
> Saving admaps is better with VCDS as they’re CSV files so easier to review with excel. Granted there are sites that have admaps from clean/non-coded vehicles if you need to double check your coding.
> 
> ...


Awesome, sounds like I should be good with the much cheaper more convenient OBDEleven then. I don't plan on doing much feature discovery with the long coding and mostly just plan to follow directions from others that have been brave enough to try it before me!


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## Reihenmotor5 (Dec 1, 2006)

Here’s a start, I’m converting to OBD11 steps from my mod doc I built for my 2019 Tiguan SEL-P before I traded it in for a 2019 Atlas SEL. Anything with a check has been coded on my Atlas, other items without a check haven’t been performed or tested as I expect potential changes coming from the Tiguan. Hope it helps. 

OBD11 Mods Atlas.docx


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## JayDotEllOh (Feb 17, 2021)

Reihenmotor5 said:


> Here’s a start, I’m converting to OBD11 steps from my mod doc I built for my 2019 Tiguan SEL-P before I traded it in for a 2019 Atlas SEL. Anything with a check has been coded on my Atlas, other items without a check haven’t been performed or tested as I expect potential changes coming from the Tiguan. Hope it helps.
> 
> OBD11 Mods Atlas.docx
> 
> ...


This is pretty cool! So the First one in your doc is ACC Automatic resume. Mentions something about needing VCP to flash camera firmware for "NAR" models. Is this a limitation of something OBDeleven can't do than?


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## Reihenmotor5 (Dec 1, 2006)

I need to strip that out as I don’t know if a file is available for the Atlas to flash the A5 module for true TJA. The coding available is like a pseudo TJA. 


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