Just bought a 2012 Polo GTI :)

[gavs]

Acko, you're not quite right there. Try getting a service manager to convince me that if i have an ecu tune, that my warranty no longer covers a flogged out rear shock absorber in 25,000kms.

The only part of your warranty it will void... aw hell, use search. It has been covered to death so many times it's not funny, but in short, the above statement is incorrect.

And in regards to engine failures and not being a good idea, every tuner around the world will tell you how badly the motor is mapped from the factory and not only because they want to sell you their tune, most will recommend any tuner over the stock mapping, it really is that badly written. Bore wash, fried spark plugs and coilpacks, potentially related to oil issues (so far, no tuner that I know of has a car that shows the same level, if any level of major oil consumption). In my opinion, a tune is a great idea and if you're pushing your car that hard on a 40 degree day anyway, there's nothing wrong with the car, more likely the driver is to blame.

[RandomX]

Acko, you're not quite right there. Try getting a service manager to convince me that if i have an ecu tune, that my warranty no longer covers a flogged out rear shock absorber in 25,000kms.

The only part of your warranty it will void... aw hell, use search. It has been covered to death so many times it's not funny, but in short, the above statement is incorrect.

And in regards to engine failures and not being a good idea, every tuner around the world will tell you how badly the motor is mapped from the factory and not only because they want to sell you their tune, most will recommend any tuner over the stock mapping, it really is that badly written. Bore wash, fried spark plugs and coilpacks, potentially related to oil issues (so far, no tuner that I know of has a car that shows the same level, if any level of major oil consumption). In my opinion, a tune is a great idea and if you're pushing your car that hard on a 40 degree day anyway, there's nothing wrong with the car, more likely the driver is to blame.

it was a bit stupid to thrash my 77TSI on a boiling hot day hahaha i'm booking with John from DNA to send my ECU to him to modify directly... can't wait to feel the difference...

[Acko1991]

I was on about the warranty on the engine.....and it was just my opinion.

[RandomX]

As far as I can see they can't decline a warranty repair on something that wasn't directly affected by the modification. For example, If I got my ecu reflashed by apr or DNA and turbo blew or the supercharger died then they'd have a leg to stand on. But if the rear right window motor died they wouldn't have a chance. Even then they have to prove the tune is there... Especially with the APR tune...

[Buller_Scott]

guys, im not trying to take anything away from apr or any other tuner, HOWEVER...

it's not as if the tuners have access to equipment that VW doesnt. yes, tuners are excellent code writers and all of that, but there IS a flash increment counter on your car's computer that will alert any VW technician with diagnostics equipment as to whether or not the car has been flashed. if VWA is in doubt, and they want to find out whether or not your car has been tuned, they WILL be able to.

as far as i could recall from my research, it was something like you've got 2 or 3 flash counter increments (for things like factory updates or whatever), and any more than that and VW will know that this little turbo car hasnt been stock its whole life.

yes, upping the boost on a car that eventually blows its turbo within the warranty period is going to net you no love at the VW warranty claims department, but at the same time, these tuners arent backyard tuners, they're experts who have established themselves by providing great gains that work within the engine components' capabilities, WHILST NOT jeopardising the car's components.

yes, chipping your car and then thrashing it on a 40 degree day is not going to be good for the car, but i wouldnt thrash a stock car in that kind of heat anyway, and besides, any car that goes into limp mode under those conditions, is nothing to be too concerned with - it's gone into limp mode to PROTECT the engine (after picking up too-high boost, egt's etc). just look at troy's car (vw thunder, in the 9n3 section) - with his tune AND a manual boost controller, he's gone into limp mode on so many cruises that i've lost count, and yet he never blew his turbo - limp mode is a protective measure.

same thing happened to josh's (golfman) tdi - his car went into limp mode after he advanced the timing too far - he wound it back a bit, and as far as i know, not a problem since (car must have been going pretty well, for him to lose his license for a couple of months haha).

apr, revo technik, evolve technik, dna tuning, viezu, custom code, superchips, giac, malone tuning, jabbasport, etc etc - they're all experienced experts who will be able to provide you with a tune that WONT make your car explode.

prior to getting my tune (which is quite aggressive), i was worried that if i pushed it on too regular a basis, i'd just be asking for my turbo seals to go, which would result in my car blowing up and me being projected 100m into the sky. nope. 2 years later, i thrash the thing, and i've never had an issue. dont be worried, folks - just do it!

MJKoolio - in a nutshell, the increased power and torque of a tune are only half the story - a tune will make your car much more drivable, it will be more effortless to shuffle along with traffic in town, it will (provided you drive as such) enable to you achieve greater fuel economy, it will make highway driving easier due to greater overtaking ability, and it will also put a smile on your face when you feel like a punt.

as gavs said, the tuners are really good at improving a car's drivability compared to how it feels from the factory (and not just by upping the power). look at the renaultsport clio guys - tunes for their cars result in pretty much negligible gains, and yet they all speak of how much more drivable/useful the car's power and torque are across the rev range, compared to stock.

[gavs]

scott, as always, the wise words of wisdom

[Bassik]

guys, im not trying to take anything away from apr or any other tuner, HOWEVER...

it's not as if the tuners have access to equipment that VW doesnt. yes, tuners are excellent code writers and all of that, but there IS a flash increment counter on your car's computer that will alert any VW technician with diagnostics equipment as to whether or not the car has been flashed. if VWA is in doubt, and they want to find out whether or not your car has been tuned, they WILL be able to.

as far as i could recall from my research, it was something like you've got 2 or 3 flash counter increments (for things like factory updates or whatever), and any more than that and VW will know that this little turbo car hasnt been stock its whole life.

yes, upping the boost on a car that eventually blows its turbo within the warranty period is going to net you no love at the VW warranty claims department, but at the same time, these tuners arent backyard tuners, they're experts who have established themselves by providing great gains that work within the engine components' capabilities, WHILST NOT jeopardising the car's components.

yes, chipping your car and then thrashing it on a 40 degree day is not going to be good for the car, but i wouldnt thrash a stock car in that kind of heat anyway, and besides, any car that goes into limp mode under those conditions, is nothing to be too concerned with - it's gone into limp mode to PROTECT the engine (after picking up too-high boost, egt's etc). just look at troy's car (vw thunder, in the 9n3 section) - with his tune AND a manual boost controller, he's gone into limp mode on so many cruises that i've lost count, and yet he never blew his turbo - limp mode is a protective measure.

same thing happened to josh's (golfman) tdi - his car went into limp mode after he advanced the timing too far - he wound it back a bit, and as far as i know, not a problem since (car must have been going pretty well, for him to lose his license for a couple of months haha).

apr, revo technik, evolve technik, dna tuning, viezu, custom code, superchips, giac, malone tuning, jabbasport, etc etc - they're all experienced experts who will be able to provide you with a tune that WONT make your car explode.

prior to getting my tune (which is quite aggressive), i was worried that if i pushed it on too regular a basis, i'd just be asking for my turbo seals to go, which would result in my car blowing up and me being projected 100m into the sky. nope. 2 years later, i thrash the thing, and i've never had an issue. dont be worried, folks - just do it!

MJKoolio - in a nutshell, the increased power and torque of a tune are only half the story - a tune will make your car much more drivable, it will be more effortless to shuffle along with traffic in town, it will (provided you drive as such) enable to you achieve greater fuel economy, it will make highway driving easier due to greater overtaking ability, and it will also put a smile on your face when you feel like a punt.

as gavs said, the tuners are really good at improving a car's drivability compared to how it feels from the factory (and not just by upping the power). look at the renaultsport clio guys - tunes for their cars result in pretty much negligible gains, and yet they all speak of how much more drivable/useful the car's power and torque are across the rev range, compared to stock.

It's a pitty this thread stopped. Some great words there!!!!