A3 chip reliability

[RSAudi]

Hi

I have an A3 1.8T (2001) and am considering having it tuned. Most likely to be REVO as they don't change components in ECU.

Can anyone with chipped A3 tell me about reliability of their chipped cars? Gearboxes or engines damaged or becoming more noisy?

Ta

 

[RichA3Turbo]

[ QUOTE ]
Rob_A3 said:
Hi

I have an A3 1.8T (2001) and am considering having it tuned. Most likely to be REVO as they don't change components in ECU.

Can anyone with chipped A3 tell me about reliability of their chipped cars? Gearboxes or engines damaged or becoming more noisy?

Ta

[/ QUOTE ]

Reliability really isnt an issue when it comes to chip tuning... wont really make much difference to engine life either (well not in the time most people would own the car for anyway). It is hoewever worth shopping around and seeing whats on the market... There are quite a few companies offering good upgrades, and no mater what chip you go for, all are ultimately detectable whether is be a physical chip or not... So dont let the thought of the ECU being opened up put you off!

Rich

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[Gambba]

I have no problems with my Oettinger chip over about 2000 miles now, and do not expect to get any. I have heard of relatively few complaints about Revo, especially when you consider the amount of cars running Revo software these days!! There have been a few stories floating around about catastrophic failures due to software, but I am yet to here anything substantial that links the tuning directly to the failure.

As for engine noise, the only change you'll hear will be the turbo, and it just becomes enjoyably audible, not too intrusive, but it's nice when the windows are down
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/1luvu.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/1luvu.gif

There are quite a few on the boards that have been running REVO trouble free for many many miles. As Rich said, don't go on the whole serial port programming bit until you've studied all the other tuners that are out there.

The only part that will noticeably suffer will be the clutch, but this is when doing the old traffic light grand prix. You may consider changing your brakes as well, as you'll obviously be tempted to go a hell of a lot faster everywhere, and it's advisable to stop....something that you don't do with the STD A3 brakes!!

Many times I have posted this list, but anyway just to save you a bit of time ploughing through the search engines I've put my choice of top/recognised tuners for Audi's;

APR - www.goapr.co.uk/dealer/index.html
Revo - www.revotechnik.com/uk/ukrevo.html
Oettinger - www.oettinger.de or www.roadandsport.co.uk
AMD - www.auto-amd.com
ABT - www.abtsportsline.co.uk/location.php3
Jabbasport -www.jabbasport.com/Audi/Jabbachips/Contact/contact.html These are what would be classed as the VAG specialists, but from what I hear Superchip don't do a bad job on the A3 1.8T.!

Isn't cut and paste great!!

 

[RSAudi]

[ QUOTE ]
RichA3Turbo said:

all are ultimately detectable whether is be a physical chip or not... So dont let the thought of the ECU being opened up put you off!

Rich

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[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the advice. To be honest I am moving on in years (39) and my insurance company only want a little extra cash for chipped car. Modifications will be declared and insured for peace of mind should the worst happen.
My area of expertise is embedded microprocessors/microcontrollers (as used in ECUs) and REVO appeals as I do not see the need to change a chip when there is a flash programmable ROM in the ECU and all we are really talking about is a re-map of parameters.

 

[RSAudi]

Thanks Gammba

 

[MushroomMan]

Also when you come to sell the car, you simply revert to stock and they'll never know that you thrashed it to a lb/ft of its engine life. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[AL_B]

[ QUOTE ]
Gambba said:

Many times I have posted this list, but anyway just to save you a bit of time ploughing through the search engines I've put my choice of top/recognised tuners for Audi's;

APR - www.goapr.co.uk/dealer/index.html
Revo - www.revotechnik.com/uk/ukrevo.html
Oettinger - www.oettinger.de or www.roadandsport.co.uk
AMD - www.auto-amd.com
ABT - www.abtsportsline.co.uk/location.php3
Jabbasport -www.jabbasport.com/Audi/Jabbachips/Contact/contact.html These are what would be classed as the VAG specialists, but from what I hear Superchip don't do a bad job on the A3 1.8T.!



[/ QUOTE ]

Folk may not know it, but there is a pretty decent links page system located on Audi-sport.net, simply hover over Resources and click Links.

AL

 

[audi_girl]

We are not biased towards any tuner - if there are links missing from the list, please feel free to add them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[mramage]

[ QUOTE ]
Gambba said:
You are also missing many other tuners such as Wettrauer, DBM, Bullpower, superchips, sportec (Even though covered by AmD), Powerchips amognst many others.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wey hey, someone aside from me mentioned Wetterauer! I thought I was a one horse race there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Gambba's quite right though. Everyone has there own priorities and preferences when chipping. I know I did. We're not biased on here, but you will hear the bigger names banded about more often, like AMD, APR, Revo, Otteinger (SP??), etc. As I said, it's not a site bias or anything, just the preferences of people on the site. It's only natural for people to promote tuners they've used and had no problems with.

You pays your money.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

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