OT: sportwagen

[thirdgenbird]

I'm now two weeks into ownership of a used 2014 sportwagen and I love it. Most people don't seem to get it (the wagon bit) but I figured you guys would so I decided to share.

For a base model, the car is nicely equipped, comfortable, my greyhound fits in the back, and I've already got a roof rack picked out for spring.

So far I've replaced all of the interior lights with LEDs, added a rear cargo liner, a bumper protector (dog claws) and used vag-com to turn on some of the nifty features we don't normally get here in North America.

Next on the list, window tint, whispbars, rocky mount pitch forks, and some OEM 17s. I will put snow tires on the stock wheels.

[znfdl]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

used vag-com to turn on some of the nifty features we don't normally get here in North America.

What did you turn on, as I also have a 2014 sportwagen

[carpediemracing]

Originally Posted by znfdl

what did you turn on, as i also have a 2014 sportwagen

+1

[notsew]

Can you tell me some more about the vag-com? I did a little googling, but I'm not putting all the pieces together. For accessing those features, did you just buy an adapter and use the shareware? Do you need the expensive software to do useful things? Is this really a $20 endeavor?

Finally, is it difficult? Is there a high risk of mucking things up, or are you just picking menus in the software?

Thanks

[echelon_john]

Waiting for the holy grail combo that is, apparently, the 2015 Sportwagen: Diesel, Manual, AWD!

[palincss]

Originally Posted by echelon_john

Waiting for the holy grail combo that is, apparently, the 2015 Sportwagen: Diesel, Manual, AWD!

No AWD in 2015 for the Golf SportWagen, sorry you have been misinformed.

[tv_vt]

What is the point of changing interior lights to LEDs? And if you tell me something compelling, where did you get the LEDs and how did you do it?

PS, my sportwagen is a 2009.

[buck-50]

I've had mine for 2 years now and it's been pretty awesome- I was surprised that my FWD sportwagen handled better in wisconsin snow than the AWD subaru it replaced.

Also, it's face looks like Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch." At least, that's what my daughter thinks.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by echelon_john

Waiting for the holy grail combo that is, apparently, the 2015 Sportwagen: Diesel, Manual, AWD!

I heard we may not get awd in the North America right away. Apparently the Mexican assembly line needs updated to support it.

Originally Posted by tv_vt

What is the point of changing interior lights to LEDs? And if you tell me something compelling, where did you get the LEDs and how did you do it?

PS, my sportwagen is a 2009.

I got this kit:
http://deautokey.com/product/10pc-co...ortswagen-2011

It isn't the cheapest option, but it is trouble free and has great reviews. I am happy so far. You can get a similar kit (for more money) through vw or you can peice together individual bulbs and save money. I went this route to make it easy and ensure they are all color matched.

The point? I did it because it had a burnt out bulb I couldn't find locally and I had always heard it was nice to have the extra light. The lighting is much more crisp. It's a small thing but seems to class it up. The whole cargo area lights up nicely at night.

[thirdgenbird]

I by no mean an expert, but I had a friend use Ross-tech vag-com. They are about $250. You can get cheaper knockoffs, but I've heard it is worth the $250 to get the real thing.

I guess there is a slim chance of messing things up, but it is slim. It basically jsit gives you an interface to tun on and off factory features. Everything we did was a a simple check or uncheck in a fairly easy to navigate menu. It's like changing system configuration settings in windows. Short descriptions and check boxes.

Here is what I did:
-Turned on the ability to roll the windows up and down with the key fob
-Turned off the cold diagnostics on the interior lights (for LED use) hot diagnostics still functions.
-added the daytime running lamp selection to the dash display (I can now turn the feature on and off using the dash display)

You also also do things like:
-Turn off the auto rear wiper when in reverse
-change the number of flashes when you bump the stalk
-turn on the "teardrop" feature (wiper goes one more after a delay when you spray)

There are also many more things you can do depending on how your car was equipped. It will also allow you do add options that were not on your car from the factory. Gps, satalite radio, fog lamps, puddle lights... Lots of these things will plug right into your car and then vag-com will let you turn the function on.


I was also able to run a full diagnostic record on the car. The only "fault" we found was the cargo light burning out. We could see the date, time, milage, amd outdoor temp when it went out. Not a big deal for a light bulb, but important if you were troubleshooting an actuall issue.

[bcroslin]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

I by no mean an expert, but I had a friend use Ross-tech vag-com. They are about $250. You can get cheaper knockoffs, but I've heard it is worth the $250 to get the real thing.

I've been dying to program our 2010 to roll all the windows down with the key fob. I wonder if I could find someone local with the ross-tec software and pay them to do it.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by bcroslin

I've been dying to program our 2010 to roll all the windows down with the key fob. I wonder if I could find someone local with the ross-tec software and pay them to do it.

In sure you could. I've been to a few euro car shows in the past and it seems like someone always has a laptop. $15-30 seems like the private rate in these settings. Only takes a few minutes.

Some dealers apparently will activate it as well but you likely have to pay at least an hour shop rate.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

Here is what I did:
-Turned on the ability to roll the windows up and down with the key fob
-Turned off the cold diagnostics on the interior lights (for LED use) hot diagnostics still functions.
-added the daytime running lamp selection to the dash display (I can now turn the feature on and off using the dash display)

Took eight years for me to get around to enabling the key fob windows, now 4-5 months later I just disabled them because, as you said, "snow tires". I'm always getting the windows open just a notch (or all the way) without realizing it as I unlock, so now that everything is covered with snow I thought it best that we not let that into the car. Next spring it'll be set again!

Oh, and VAG-COM is handy for things like noticing that one of my doors has an intermittent lock malfunction so I need to double check it. Yay for extensive computer diagnostics.

[goonster]

Originally Posted by notsew

Can you tell me some more about the vag-com? I did a little googling, but I'm not putting all the pieces together. For accessing those features, did you just buy an adapter and use the shareware? Do you need the expensive software to do useful things? Is this really a $20 endeavor?

Finally, is it difficult? Is there a high risk of mucking things up, or are you just picking menus in the software?

The cable is expensive because it is essentially the license for the software. The Ross-Tech cable enables all functions of the freely distributed program.

It is not cheap, but pays for itself if it saves you two or three trips to the shop. In my case, it helped me diagnose and reset the fault codes triggering a check engine light ('twas a bad glow plug relay).

As I recall, on the car I had, the software would have allowed me to modify things like fuel supply mapping, and similarly important things, but you'd have to drill down through several menus, and it would have been very difficult to do accidentally.

[Nooch]

so many sportwagen threads are making me feel like I'm back at vwvortex.com... (if you've never met me, which many haven't, I've got a big VW tattoo and two vw rabbit tattoos on my chest... JSW is on my short list for sure!)