Mercedes VCI C6, Original or Clone?

[Fotom]

Since C4 will be banned (or already is) in the latest versions of Xentry, and most new laptops no longer have LAN/Ethernet ports, I decided to switch from a LAN-connected C4 to a USB-connected VCI.

You can use a WLAN or USB-LAN converter, but it's still a C4. As for WLAN, I know that new devices and computers have fast WLAN, but in this case I'm very old-fashioned, I always use a wired connection. If you've ever seen a control unit that failed due to a WLAN flashing process, this will forever be etched in your memory.

Of course, you can modify Xentry, or more accurately the toolkit, in such a way that you can still use C4, but at least in the long term I don't see that as a choice.

Which model to choose? Alternatives to C4:

1. New Mercedes VCI C6 (i.e. Bosch MTS6532 with special Mercedes firmware and modified housing with Mercedes branding)
2. Used or refurbished Mercedes VCI C6
3. Cloned Mercedes VCI C6
4. VXDIAG VCI C6 or SE
5. Any J2534 device like Openport, Scanmatik 2 PRO or MDI
6. Super MB PRO M6

There are still a few multiplexers on the market, but some of them are C4 clones in other housings (eg C5) and are out of production again or replaced by VXDIAG devices or J2534 dongles.

My requirements for the multiplexer are as follows:

• Can be used with XDOS
• VCI should work without additional software or drivers
• Administration must be performed in the Xentry system configurator, so in this case it should be done using the VCI Manager

So, with these requirements, I settled on a VCI C6 clone. The original VCI is too expensive (3000 euros and up) and at least here in my country, it is not easy to get. Some of the used or refurbished C6s are in an affordable price range (1600 euros and up), but still very expensive, and some without warranty or return options. The VCI C6 clone (around $450) is still a risk, since it is almost impossible to return the device to China, but the loss of money is much less.

Why did I abandon VXDIAG, Openport and other options?

I had the VXDIAG kit, and it wasn't cheaper than the other options, but it was more difficult to use. If you forgot to renew your license and you're somewhere without an Internet connection, but you need to do something with the car, it's a real pain in the ass. So I skipped all those options. VXDIAG never worked with Vediamo anyway, or at least I didn't have the brains to make it work. So that was another argument against any VXDIAG options.

Some ultra-low-cost systems come with Openport, but it's a J2534 device that only works with the PassThru version of Xentry. Maybe I'm old-fashioned too, but I decided to use the XDOS version, so J2534 devices weren't an option at all. I also avoided MDI or Scanmatik devices.

But I have a clone of the Opel MDI device, and it works fine with GDSII on a separate laptop. It is connected to the Internet, and I also installed MBTools on it. With this combination (Dell laptop, MDI device, MBTools) I can use MBTools on any Mercedes, at least for now.

I also have a Super MB PRO M6, it shows that it is something different than C4 but in the end it is just a clone of C4. The new versions seem to be modified but I haven't checked them anymore because of the brick I bought from them in the past.

My experience with VCI C6 clone so far.

The clone has been running for some time now (3 months) with Xentry OpenShell version 09.2023 and compared to the C4 it is significantly faster and more stable than a regular MUX. The original VCI C6 comes with a separate WLAN USB stick. In my case the clone came without a separate stick. It is administered in the VCI Manager in Xentry, no separate drivers or software are required. When my C6 arrived it did not work at first, but the seller provided a new firmware via TeamViewer and it has been working stable since then. The only cables that come in the box are a 3m USB cable and an OBD connection cable. There are no other cables for connecting to the old 38-pin connector or for Sprinters. There are no cars in my range that need these connections. I'm not sure if there is an adapter or other solution to connect to older cars with C6. As far as I understand, the original version supports older cars, so I expect the clone to support them too.

The price of the VCI C6 clone is almost the same as the C4 and I believe most users will eventually choose this device if they have the same requirements as me.
At the moment I can recommend the VCI C6 clone. For any questions, please contact me or write comments.

 

[Bigovic]

Hello, Rade1978. I applaud your decision, finally someone sees the truth. VCX has been available as a fake in original cases for a long time, like VCI C6. Same as GM Tech, Volvo, Mazda, Toyota, Tech2Win and so on.

These are all emulators, not real electronics, and you will encounter many glitches such as actuator connection, DPF regeneration, variant coding, etc.

VCX SE is no better than VCX NANO, yes it is better, you don't need to assemble the original case as before, but for it to work as well as the original or a good clone is just a dream. This is a mega fake from China.

This is good for VCX SE makers, there is a license channel and you always need to update the driver.

We all understand that the guys who say that VCX SE works great are just resellers from China. At this point, you shouldn't trust everyone.
This famous VCX SE is crap, like SM2Pro, Tactrix, Allscanner and all fakes in original cases.

 

[Fotom]

Hello and thank you all for any point of view.

I think we all agree that the original and genuine multiplexer is the best choice to avoid problems when reading fault codes or when coding or flashing any control unit in very expensive cars like Mercedes.

But there are also working options, which, of course, are cheaper than the original.

I had a real C4 and several clones or OEM C4 devices before. I could not find any difference in diagnostics, coding or flashing. It was only a question of quality of OEM devices or clones. The cheaper, the worse the speed and stability.

The same problem can arise with new devices. But if we consider different devices, they are available at almost the same prices (excluding special offers). Everyone has their favorite device, and so do I. Of course. Maybe it's a matter of personal experience.

So I can correct my statement in the first post and would like to say that the best experience I had was with the C4 and C6 clones that I got from VXDAS. And my favorite device in terms of speed and stability is the TabScan T6 Xentry, which I also ordered from VXDAS.

 

[Bigovic]

I have been working with Star Diagnosis for 17 years now. I have lived through the "HHT" time, then the RS232 multiplexer, C3, then C4, and now we have reached a crossroads, where do we go from here? All these interfaces, clones or originals, had one important thing in common. They used ONLY the ORIGINAL Xentry interface driver (and not the Openport 2.0 driver that emulated the C6, for example).

Now in more detail, so that everyone understands. Differences between VXDAS, Passthru, Original XDOS, VCI C6 clone.

The real XENTRY/DAS is XENTRY OpenShell (XDOS).

The actual Xentry interface drivers are only implemented via the installation as "XDOS" for passenger cars (since 2024). This is necessary to ensure maximum access to all control units or modules. Unfortunately, this is increasingly limited by the required certificates and DOIP vehicles. Currently only the C4/SDconnect multiplexer or the original XENTRY VCI is available for this purpose!

XENTRY PassThru is a lightweight version of XENTRY.

Passthru (protocol J2534) has been around for 15 years. It is a standard that allows simple workshops to "do something" with vehicles, not just Mercedes but all other vehicles. It was first used in the US in 2000 with the CarDAQ interface, in Germany with Multidiag Access, and then other manufacturers such as Bosch followed. The big problem is that it does not allow access to all actuators, all control units and programming. You can think of it as a light version. If you compare the XENTRY OpenShell and PassThru functions on the same vehicle, you will be very surprised at how stripped down the PassThru version is!

Now Chinese Openport 2.0 (VCX NANO, VXDAS, VCX SE, Tactrix, Allscanner).

Here is a typical Chinese manipulation of fakes! Porsche PIWIS, VAS6150, Tech2, Volvo VCADS, Mercedes C6 VCI with two fake models, none of them are genuine interfaces, but just similar cases with electronics from the Allscanner family, such as VCX NANO, to make people believe that they are real interfaces. The specificity of the fake is that Allscanner (family of VCX fakes) installs a driver and a program, for example, Openport 2.0 for Mercedes Star Diagnosis, which imitates C4 or C6! This tricks the software into believing it is a C4 or C6 VCI. And here is where the problem lies. When this happens, only half of the programs work, not all actuators can be controlled, coding and diagnostics are limited, not all vehicles are recognized, problems with modules occur, etc.

Many also forget that these fake interfaces that require Openport 2.0 now also require money or they will be shut down!
Many people confuse this with clones. A clone is something different. Here we cloned the interface 1:1, which was C3 and C4, because they used the real Xentry interface driver, and that is CORRECT.
Allscanner with Openport 2.0 is not a clone, this is a fake of many interfaces.
The new Mercedes VCI C6 is not a clone, but an eCOM clone in a VCI C6 case. This is already the second fake, with a fake license and it cannot perform DOIP.

I hope everyone understands this now. And if you don't believe me, just try it and keep thinking you've found a cheap way to cheat Mercedes. There are very smart minds working on solutions. Mathematicians and programmers, but today they only have conditional solutions.

The only real solution is still a good C4 and the commercial version of Xentry from here. Anything else will require you to buy it twice!

 

[waxxx]

Yes, I can emphasize this. And if you need the full range, from old to new cars, then choose C4 devices with DOIP support (mandatory for new cars), also for fast and stable flashing/programming/reflashing of ECUs via DOIP connections, also for some old car models.

 

[Maxtester]

TabScan T6 Xentry also works with the new Xentry.

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[Bigovic]

Hello, Maxtester. I don't understand why some people still don't understand that there is no real clone of VCI C6! The only way I can explain it is that it is Chinese sellers trying to sell something that does not work. I wrote a detailed post about it above!

I make this clear because you obviously don't know, don't want to know, or are trying to sell something to people who don't know. So if you are going to show a video, show how your VCI C6 can diagnose W223, W214, W206 DOIP cars. Or let's start again with a fake Openport emulator like VCI C6.

For your information, what you or people here are selling is an eCOM in a VCI C6 case. It is an eCOM because original eCOMs with original serial numbers can still be installed with new versions of Xentry. But since they are Chinese knockoffs, they have a fake serial number, and they did not work then and do not work now with Xentry DOIP vehicles! Also, you can't make DAS cars with them, no HHT, etc.

The second model VCI C6 is a Chinese fake eCOM in a VCI C6 case with an invalid serial number!

 

[Fotom]

What exactly are you worried about? The TabScan T6 works on cars like my W205 or W213. As I mentioned above, I don't have DAS/HHT or DOIP cars and I'm not too worried about it at this point.

TabScan works pretty well for me, I've coded IHC, Last Mode and a few other things on my W205, and it also reads and clears fault codes via Xentry. I can relearn everything I need, so what else do you think I should buy to make it even better than Tab?

Yes, eCOM is still available and you can use eCOM with Xentry, but why buy it for that much money when I can get the same thing for less than half the price?

And by the way, I tested Openport with Xentry PassThru and guess what. It works... for about 10 euros you can read data from cars and encode it with Vediamo. I am disappointed.

 

[R00TR0w]

It all starts with the device. If you really make money on it, have the decency to buy the original.

 

[Fotom]

Sorry, if I were selling any services I would of course use the original equipment, but I use my equipment for myself.

 

[john]

As far as I know, there is no real C6 clone at this time.