Demo of Revo Software

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dbm

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Hello all,

just had the most sureal conversation. A guy in overalls just comes into our office and asks for me by name. I've no idea who he is but we chat. Turns out he's seen my car in the car park. He has a tuning company which shares it, and this Wednesday he's got a man from Revo coming to visit. So he asks would I like a demonstration. You bet!

The engineer I spoke to reconned that a Revo chip wouldn't invalidate my warranty. What do you guys think? How much do you think it should cost for an upgrade to ~250bhp? Will my insurance cover me for a test drive, or do I need his insurance to cover me?

All thoughts from people more experienced with chipping than me appreciated!

Cheers,
Dan

S3(210bhp)
 
Well the new Revo software is not in a chip, but instead they flash the ECU chip while still in the car, so the ECU does not need to be removed and the chip replaced.

With this plug and play (so to speak) version it is apparently invisible to dealers, so no worries on the warranty front. The demo they have lasts for 5 hours before disappearing, so they plug into your car download, you go play and 5 hours later there is no trace....this is the demonstration.

Check the Revo website for the full details, if it's the 5 hour demo version, then it's in your own car not somebody else's, and why would the insurance company need to know? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

Just do it, you know you want too! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

www.revotechnik.com

Think the current price is around 500-600 GBP, not overly sure on this though, check with Revo. Remember they are not the only tuner out there, and from what I hear their program may be a bit spiky, and the plots seem to confirm this.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Dan,

I just had the demo on my Golf 1.8T. My 5 hours are up and I am gutted. The difference it made was incredible, so much pull in every gear. Needless to say I must have it. Don't get the trial if you can't then afford the software /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. It costs £499 exc VAT for the software and then £149 exc VAT upwards for a switch that allows you to flick the car back to stock and alter the boost settings. It's necessary to change back to stock when you take the car to the dealers because although they can't detect the software if they drive it they'll know you've had something done /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.

The Revo software is invisible to VAG diagnostic tools and insurance companies, Revo don't advocate not declaring it to your insurers though, it's up to your own conscience /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif.

Cheers,

Christian
 

I did wonder about the demo and whether it really is undetectable once the normal program is resumed. It must be getting very hard for insurance companies to tell if a vehicle has a chipping style modification these days. Getting to the point where they'd need to put it on rollers and check the output. Not very likely if it's parked in a tree though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked2.gif

Hmmm, presumably though Revo can tell if your car is chipped and an SPS dongle in the car might be a bit of a give-away. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Good point about the dongle Mark. Probably best to leave it at home /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

Christian
 
The Revo SPS switch that you plug into the cars serial port to flick the software back to stock.

There's a photo of one on the Revo website.

Cheers,

Christian
 
[ QUOTE ]
The engineer I spoke to reconned that a Revo chip wouldn't invalidate my warranty

[/ QUOTE ]
So you crash and you can't change out of stock mode as you're in hospital with two broken legs...... Insurance won't find out then?
You're car has an electrical failure and is taken to the dealer..... you're warranty is ok even though you couldn't flash it cause there's no power there?
Engineer or Salesman was he?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Arson Panda said:
So you crash and you can't change out of stock mode as you're in hospital with two broken legs...... Insurance won't find out then?
You're car has an electrical failure and is taken to the dealer..... you're warranty is ok even though you couldn't flash it cause there's no power there? Engineer or Salesman was he?

[/ QUOTE ]

Listen you take a calculated risk everytime you turn off the ESP, open the throttle and head for the APEX. Maybe you're unlucky and you picked the day when daisy the cat was chasing guinea pigs across the road, or maybe it was the other way round and the guinea pig was flying after the cat. Sh*t. Who cares. Maybe you manage to miss them both and run over the Blue Cow.

What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.

I have a Revo chip and a dongle and they both give me lots of pleasure, mostly in combination. The Revo - or any other chip for that matter - gives you what your S3 is crying out for - to express its true power and potential in a world which has restricted it, without just cause or reason, to a shadow of its true self.

A stranger walks off the street and offers you an invisible disappearing gift...

Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.

But to what purpose
Disturbing the dust on a bowl full of rose-leaves
I do not know.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/snore.gif



 

Golf Bygone, your in a poetic mood tonight. I like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

I can see the panda of fires (mmm, fire!) point though, it is a risk. You pays yer money, you makes your choice. If it all goes horribly wrong, there's only No. 1 to blame.

Actually, I'd like a chip that makes the ESP work like it does in the A4. Switch it off, but when you hit the brake it springs back into action.
 
Golf Bygone,

You have a way with words mate, well maybe T S Eliot does! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Which ever happy pills you are on, send some this way. Yer mad, absolutely mad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

AL
 
whose been smelling petrol fumes then? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif
 
Cheers for the thoughts guys. I've decided not to try it. I do 20k miles a year, so the risk of having an accident or something going pop is a greater factor for me than most people. I can't afford to invalidate my warranty or insurance, and Arson Panda has a very good point. If I try it I know I'll want it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif so I can't afford to try it. Not yet anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif. Maybe at the end of the year when my Audi warranty expires.

Cheers,
Dan
 
Just out of curiousity though but not tryin to stoke any fires... If you had a crash, would that be a warranty issue as stated, or an insurance issue?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.. And when Revo says 5 hr trial period.. Is that 5 hrs real time or drive time?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Or Both Tony?
and the question also to ask is if once the trial has finished is there any reidual left that may be detected upon reading the ECU's chips?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Arson Panda said:
Or Both Tony?
and the question also to ask is if once the trial has finished is there any reidual left that may be detected upon reading the ECU's chips?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I was concerned about.

"Oh, your ECUs been modified sir" Eeek.
 
I think Christian was told on Sunday that a "flag" is left on the chip so that you can't have the Demo software installed again. Whether that flag is detectable or not is anyones guess.

I'd also read, on one of the numerous sites, that the SPS dongle doesn't store any code i.e. the performance programs. If that is true, then the only place for the performance program to be stored is on the ECU chip itself. How is that stored? Presumably its encrypted? Would that block of encrypted data be detectable, if someone looked hard enough?

AL
 
Al i dont think any of the dealers have the technology to investigate EPROMS on the ECU. The only people i think would have the know how would be the software engineers at Audi HQ back in Germany. And i very much doubt they would see any ECU from a car and be asked to investigate it.
The dealers have only got the basic VAG pcs and those are definatley NOT sophisticated interrogation pcs. !!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile_smoking.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
MO-S3 said:
Al i dont think any of the dealers have the technology to investigate EPROMS on the ECU. The only people i think would have the know how would be the software engineers at Audi HQ back in Germany. And i very much doubt they would see any ECU from a car and be asked to investigate it.
The dealers have only got the basic VAG pcs and those are definatley NOT sophisticated interrogation pcs. !!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile_smoking.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
But an Insurance company looking to get out of a huge payout might look more closely!
 
Hi Al yepmine is revo'd and ive just got the SPS 3 dongle the other day and all i can say is that it ROCKS !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

The rolling road meet... nope sorry gonna have to let u down (again i think) ive got quite a few traing coarses coming up and some exams to follow. so i'll be swottingup a bit.
Sowweey /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Hiya John,

Regarding being able to detect any traces of the 5 - hour trial. You could say that you used it for a track day if worst came to worst but then the dealers wouldn't be too impressed! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Mine is in at Audi as the turbo light came on so we will have to see what they find as I didn't get the chance to change to stock mode.
 
John,

Are there any cases of individuals having a Revo chip and it was detected either by the dealer or an insurance underwriter. I rather suspect that the answer is no because if there had been, it will certainly have got to this Forum. So what does that say?

I understand the air of caution - but if you go too far the other way you'll never go out of your front door for fear of the muggers, sex-perverts, road ragists and social workers.

So I say let the sphincter out to play and live a lot...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancing.gif

 
I didnt get the chance because I did not buy an SPS dongle, otherwise it would have been a case of plugging it in and changing programs.
 
Hi guys

I don't think that dealers have the ability to detect the chip electronically. They might "detect" the chip by driving the car but they will not be able to prove it.
Audi is not allowed to open the ECU cos it is under a Bosch warranty. So the only way that they can prove the car is chipped is by sending the ecu to Bosch.Bosch will then see that the chip has been remapped by reading the EPROM.But Audi will either need to get your permission or get a court order to send your ECU to Bosch.
Either way I don't see it happening unless the whole car has exploded /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
But keep us updated Veracocha .

Later
Joe
 
[ QUOTE ]
Veracocha said:
I didnt get the chance because I did not buy an SPS dongle, otherwise it would have been a case of plugging it in and changing programs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I certainly think you were taking a risk not getting the dongle. I know it cost £149 but it also buys considerable piece of mind, which is why it is presumeably so expensive for what it essentially is, i.e. a simple switch. That said, I wish you luck and hopefully they won't spot anything. Keep us informed won't you.

Question though - would somebody else's dongle work with your car - has anybody tried this?

 
I had the same scenario recently... had the Revo remap but didnt get the dongle at the time. My car went in for its service with the program still on !! The dealer didnt say anything,although he has mentioned to me that they dont mind customers cuipping their cars as long as they are from a reputable company. Excellent garage if u ask me.
AL B knows of them.. U know LINKS Macclesfield. By the way what happened about ur exhuast and your scratched alloy ??

Ive recently bought the SPS3 dongle and tried the high boost with a setting of 4 for the timing and WOW what an difference !! Even though i wasnt running on optimax at the time and used a lower ignition setting the improvement in performance was still incredibely better. Cant wait to try setting 7 with optimax !!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancing.gif
 
MO

RE: Links.

They are a very good dealer. They have recently been a lot more helpful regarding the alloy. The next time the car is in, they will get it repaired for me Free-of-charge. They are also quite happy about me upgrading my brakes (yet to be purchased).

I'm basically waiting until the new coil packs arrive before booking the car in. I'd rather get the whole lot done in one visit, as its a bit akward for me to get to.

Jobs that need doing are: Drivers seat cushion creak; Wet weather exhaust vibration; Coil pack upgrade; Glovebox creak.

AL
 
[ QUOTE ]
MO-S3 said:
Ive recently bought the SPS3 dongle and tried the high boost with a setting of 4 for the timing and WOW what an difference !! Even though i wasnt running on optimax at the time and used a lower ignition setting the improvement in performance was still incredibely better. Cant wait to try setting 7 with optimax !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancing.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Any chance you can bring the SPS3 dongle along to the Buxton meet and make a few adjustments to my settings!!!

 
AL, glad u got the wheel sorted mate. The seat cushion squeak eh ... ?? My backrest lumber had a mild squeak in it and the replaced the section on it but didnt do a very good job of refitting the leather and has been back in again and this they had been sent the wrong parts from Milton Keynes.Now i have wait another 10 days fir them to retry it, although he did say that he is going to retrim my seatback from a specialist so that it looks like new again. Reckons a half retrim should be in the region of £400 !!

'IF' i come to the Buxton Meet then yes i will definatley let u have a play with my 'dongle' ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancing.gif
 
Any chip is ultimately detectable, but some are a lot less detectable than others. Some dealers just don't care.
The service manager at the dealers i take my car to told me about chipping. He's driven the car many times. The chief tech has a revo pd190. Vag don't have enough chip related warentee claims to care less. It's all coilpacks, rear washers, and rattleing seat rails. Find a post that says vag invalidated my powertrain warentee cos i've got a chip on any forum and you win a prize.
Being stealty just helps protect you.
Insurance underwriters don't have the time or the equipment to check. They'd pay any 3rd party claim even if you're ******, so a chip would not stop a 3rd party payout. So they's be saving the price of repairing your car. Now if you had other obvious complementary mods they might start to look, but I doubt it.
I declared all my mods, but then it's a company insurance. Make your own cost vs risk vs concience decision.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Golf Bygone said:
[ QUOTE ]
Arson Panda said:
If they drive it up the road and log boost it will be detected!

[/ QUOTE ]
To be honest you'll find it is protection you don't need, so many dealers out there are doing it themself anyway, and they always prefer the honest customer!
You're better off protecting yourself and choosing your dealer and remap carefully and telling your insurance company, then you'll have alot more piece of mind than will they find out/won't they!

But they can't do this if you use the dongle and switch to stock beforehand.

Come on John - you have to admit that, in a world of probabilities, the Revo chip provides a decent level of protection against the likelihood of detection.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
I can't really see why dealers would make so much of it these days, especially when your friendly Audi dealer does it for you in Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium, along with probably many other countries.
 
[ QUOTE ]
So ECU get's sent to Audi then Bosch, you really think Bosch cannot read there own ECU's?

[/ QUOTE ]

I said that Bosch WOULD read the ECU and see that the car was remapped , but I didn't think it would get that far.
 
Hi Guys

Funny that this subject should come up...

I have just had my 5hrs trial on my S3...its the dogs B's.
Just saving for the upgrade!!

You guys wanna know how I came to find out about this wonderful toy....My dealer gave me a leaflet.

I went in to see what my car was worth against a 225 S3 with less miles. When they wanted an extra 5500 for it I exclaimed. "I'd be better of getting it chipped". Ther reply was ....Revo! And as I live only 15mins away I got straight on the case.

Apparently this dealer is actually selling cars with the software already installed. Rather than be haggled by a grand in price they offer their customer the Revo option.

When questioned about Warranty. Their attitude was "We won't tell if you don't??" They put a claim in to Audi UK, they get paid for the work from Audi no worries, everyones a happy bunny. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
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