Anybody have their S3 remapped using GIAC?

Does the giac update the flash counter? how many km's are on your clock ?
I really want to remap next year, but i'm waiting for a totally undetectable one, and for my car to run in properly.
what output are you getting with the revo? how does it affect the balance of your car compared to stock? i'm really interested

I have the GIAC - my car was the first S3 they remapped!
I have now done 12,000 miles with the map on and no issues.
My car produced 313PS after the remap with a peak boost of 1.6 Bar.
After fitting A Milltek Turbo back I'm up to 329PS at 1.7 Bar.
The torque is up from 312lbft to 335lbft.

Yahyar - No the GIAC does not update the flash count or alter the checksum. To an Audi dealer the filename reads the same as the stock file.

CJP80 said:

I have the GIAC - my car was the first S3 they remapped!
I have now done 12,000 miles with the map on and no issues.
My car produced 313PS after the remap with a peak boost of 1.6 Bar.
After fitting A Milltek Turbo back I'm up to 329PS at 1.7 Bar.
The torque is up from 312lbft to 335lbft.

Yahyar - No the GIAC does not update the flash count or alter the checksum. To an Audi dealer the filename reads the same as the stock file.

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Do you get the flashloader in with the cost of the remap?

Or is this an extra like the Revo SPS thingy?

Had GIAC on mine too, pretty awesome!

Super smooth, much nicer than Revo which is just BOOOOOOOST

Rabbit222 said:

Yup, thats exactly how my car feels with REVO...plenty Boost and no midrange pull.

@ JohnS3, the Dongle is an extra charge as far as I am aware.

Looks like GIAC is indeed a good option...

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I still recon you should try my car with the FRC remap before putting on this GIAC stuffs

Rabbit - why you dissing Revo my bro ?

If something is not feeling so lekker - Come round and do some logs with my VAGcom. You may well find that your car needs some new plugs as well, and she'll be as good as new.

I'm extremely happy with the Revo map.

It's boosting and pulling well on midrange in my 8P.

I'll challenge said GIAC dealer to a dyno run - my car only has Revo and the DV - so let's call it a dyno software comparison day ...

Now with the Forge DV - it's even better.:icon_thumright:

Well Rabbit - in that case I would say give it a try. I'd love to see what they're offering as well. If it's a no strings attached try-out - then, sure, that would be most excellent.

With regards to your mates DV - I'll bet Gert didn't do the install ??

Would be nice to find out the exact cause of this... sigh.

We can do a side-by-side test .....

So, to the people who have either GIAC or Revo (or anything else for that matter), do you know what the differences are between the maps?

For example (and I must say I know pretty much sod all about this!),

What are the boost settings compared between them and stock?

Rev limit changed?

Fueling increased? Does the stock fuel pump handle an increase?

Ignition, timing, airflow etc? Basically does anyone know what is changed with a remap when compared with the stock program and how do the different remaps differ?:icon_thumright:

I have had my S3 bluefinned, but im very intruiged by the GIAC map, does anyone know if it would be possible for me to go back to my standrard map, then have a trial with the GIAC to see the difference, then put the bluefin back on if i didnt like it??

Also if i was tempted to switch to GIAC after the trial would they offer me discount knowing i have already spent 500 odd quid mapping it?

Johnnyb said:

I have had my S3 bluefinned, but im very intruiged by the GIAC map, does anyone know if it would be possible for me to go back to my standrard map, then have a trial with the GIAC to see the difference, then put the bluefin back on if i didnt like it??

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Don't see why not. You should have a copy of your standard map on your PC or in the bluefin. BUT, I'd check just to make sure you don't hose your ECU.

Also if i was tempted to switch to GIAC after the trial would they offer me discount knowing i have already spent 500 odd quid mapping it?

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Who knows but we could try for a group buy.

For those of us that have remaps and are concerned about Spark Plug life. My car has done over 12K miles since remapping, total 17.7K and I decided to check the plugs tonight. They are all fine. In fact they have virtually no sign of coking or overheating.

This may suggest that others are having issues with overfuelling on their maps.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Any issues with the Forge DV just let us know

Forge said:

Any issues with the Forge DV just let us know

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I've have a modified Forge induction and a forge DV on my S3 now for approx 10 000km - no problems so far.

I have however had to change my plugs twice - we're still trying to determine the cause of this. I can't see how the Forge products can be causing the plugs to die.

We are suspecting the quality of the fuel or the octane additive used. Fueling could also be playing a role here.

Hey Guys, If any of u are not happy with ur REVO Just drop me a e mail /PM.

Iam not on here to shout about the if's and the buts.. Just here to help !!

We always put the flash counter back to what it was befor. There is no point putting it back to 0 is the car is on 2 from Audi...etc

If you think that REVO is to full on and running too much boost then check ur settings and let me know what there at...

And as for the Guy in SA selling GIAC he would say what he sells is better than what he used to sell... He's a sales man and wants ur money.. As for the 12kw in more power who is to say that the settings he was running were not right ?

Like i said here to help.

If u ever need anything drop me a e mail.

Mike.Hodder@REVOtechnik.com

Thanks guys

Hi Mike,

Welcome to AS.net. Can I ask what your views are on a group buy? There may be a few on here that would like to participate. Many thanks.

Would love to .. But if we do it for one site then we have to do it for all.

Sorry Guys.. Try do get a Group buy from one of our dealers tho...

Thanks

I would be interested in in a group buy for the GIAC kit John

The GIAC remap is £525 and the flash loader is £100 if purchased at the same time. I'm sure there's a deal to be had out there....

What are GIAC / GIAC dealers like if Audi reflash your ECU ? I know that revo and Bluefin are pretty good in this sense.
And do they recommend swapping the dump valve ?


Richard

Rabbit222 said:

I chatted to the SA dealer for GIAC this weekend and he really punted the product. He claimed that the map was really aggressive. He used to be a REVO dealer too and claims that the GIAC maps make quite abit more power than REVO. Now I know that salesman would sell anything they could including their soiled undies but could GIAC be this good? He claims that he loaded GIAC as well as REVO on a 8P S3 and the GIAC made 12kw more than REVO...that is quite substantial to say the least. I currently have REVO on my car and to be honest I feel the car could make more power...the said GIAC dealer has offered to load the GIAC software onto my car as well provide me with their Dongle so that I could have different maps for the car at no cost...basically a tune for free I have been a die hard REVO boy but am so tempted to change to something new....

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I haven´t modded my S3 yet but will definately go for GIAC.
Their technique seems to be light years ahead of every other VAG tuner.
And a friend of mine who works at the MTM dealer (and could give me a 40% discount on MTM) told me to go for GIAC even though it´s far more expensive.
As far as he knows they´re the only tuner that flash on a level undetectable by the flashcounter.
The Swedish GIAC dealer also have the 30-day money back guarantee - so if I´m not satisfied I´ll go for MTM instead.

I have Revo on my S3 (8P), and there is a long story to this.

Initially when I bought my car it was a pre-order and I couldn't test the S3 as none were available to test.

When I finally got to test one at a dealers I was gutted about how slow it felt. Part of this was because the car is such a civilised animal (its actually not slow at all - there is just so little drama). Also the dealer was running the car on 95RON which is never the best policy. Initially I wanted to cancel the order and go and buy something else, but it was too advanced so I couldn't without taking a significant hit.

I was running a Leon Cupra R with Revo Stage 2 pack (Full Milltek with race cats, Forge FMIC and 007P DV, Dynatwist, uprated mounts, silicone hose kit), and my immediate thought was to get Revo put onto the S3 in order to salvage the best from the situation. My dealer however said that they knew Glasgow Audi used MTM maps, so would rather I go the MTM route if I was going to remap.

At 198 miles I did exactly this, and paid up the money for an MTM map. I waited for the car to adapt and run in a bit, and at around 750 miles I was left scratching my head. The car didn't really feel that different.

In the end my frustrations built up and I went to see if Revo could help the situation. I had the car dyno'd and the figures with the MTM map were not what I was expecting. More than stock, but less than I had hoped for. I am not going down the road of quoting the actual figures becuase of the Dyno lottery scenario. Revo's map immediately showed significantly more power gains than the MTM map. The midrange surge improved significantly, and there was far more surge right to the end of the pedal. It has made the S3 into what I wanted, so I have had to find out the hard way. I am also running a Carbonia intake and panel filter with a Forge FSIT DV.

I've tested the car a couple of times at Bruntingthorpe (GTi International), and on a damp track with a boot full of camping stuff I got 0-60mph in 5.44s and standing 1/4 mile time of 14s. I then went to Audi Driver International at Castle Combe and the car held its own very well against more exotic machinery. On the day at Castle Combe I gave another S3 owner a demo in my car and he had previously owned a Mitsi Evo. He, like me had been slightly disappointed with the S3's OE power, but I can confirm our 3 mile run was enough to convince him that Revo was a good investment.

Onto the spark plug issue. I have suffered this. I live 0.9 miles from my place of work. The short journeys too and from work had meant my car was never seeing standard operating temps. I can't speak for the others on here, but a change of plugs has resolved the issue, and I am now not using it for the shourt journeys.

I know we could argue all day and night about suppliers of remaps. personally I think if you do your research, and you spend a responsible amount of money then you should end up with a fair product from an established dealer. My personal opinion of Revo is that of all the company's I have purchased maps from (AmD, Oettinger, Revo, MTM to date), they have always given me the best service and aftercare. They are very approachable and welcome customer feedback (and actually integrate the feedback into their product where appropriate). I had 2 Leon Cupra R's (one on a 53 plate, the other on an 05 plate), the first was AmD mapped, the second was Revo'd. The Revo car was a much more drivable car, and I could overtake with far more confidence. As apoint of note, on UK LCR's there was a issue with the stock map where the ECU could trip into safe mode when ambient air temps dropped below 4 degrees centigrade. Revo actually fixed this coding issue as part of their map. I spoke to AmD about it and got no joy at all.

I also rate the staged products Revo offer (Stage 1 / 2/ 3). I am pondering a stage 2 pack when it becomes available (with uprated fuel pump etc...), as if the Leon kit was anything to go by it will be a stormer. The packs always seem to be intelligently specced, well priced, an provide a great upgrade path for those looking to take their car to the next level.

People have mentioned the boost being high on Revo. With my select plus I can adjust the boost in steps from 1 through 9. I have never noticed the boost being excessive. During this cold spell I have been running boost 9 on occasions as the inlet temps are only running at 18 degrees centigrade so there doesn't seem to be excessive heat soak, and the car is not pulling back.

I can't comment on GIAC product as I have never owned it, and therefore don't feel in a position to pass judgment without qualified experience. I know the Volkwagen community seem to rate them quite highly so they must be pretty good.

I am a picky b@$t@rd and a ****** demanding customer, and I can say I am very happy with this Revo product / package on the S3. This is my 3rd Revo'd car and I haven't had a bad one yet.

Do your research and take your pick, but make sure its on qualified experience rather than conjecture or hearsay!

cheers & best of luck

Warren

Rabbit222 said:

I took the plunge and all i can say is WOW!

The car was remapped on Monday and I wasn't happy with the version of the software they loaded as it seemed to be holding the car back. It turned out that the map they loaded was for a decat S3. Yesterday, the GIAC guys decided to try a different version of the map and I must say the power or delivery thereof is absolutely stunning! Now coming from a S3 that was remapped with REVO I can tell you that the GIAC map is way different. Where REVO boosts aggressively, the GIAC map has a very linear power delivery which can be felt from the start of the rev range right through to end. I took her for a highway cruise and she feels so much more smoother and more purposeful through the gears that it just brought a smile to my face. I doubt that GIAC is more aggressive than REVO but I can assure you that the map is alot smoother and is enjoyable for everyday driving. The Flash Loader is another plus! What an awesome little device that allows you to switch between stock, pump and race maps just by depressing the button and on the fly too. The Race map is really aggressive to the point where I found my car detonating,this could be because of the lack of higher octane fuel.

On the whole, I am really chuffed with GIAC and think I'll be sticking to their software for a while to come:icon_thumright:

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Looks like your the first person to compare Revo and GIAC on the same car :icon_thumright:

Out of interest do you know if your GIAC map is the same map that is available for the S3 in the UK? I would've thought it was but you mention that GIAC also do a decat map so they've obviously released more than one version?

Don't worry boys !

I'm looking forward to driving Rabbit's GIAC S3 - will be a really excellent opportunity to test out another product for our cars.

I'll be taking my VAG cable with me and will do some logs of the important blocks and compare against my best available Revo log data.

Having said that - a new Revo version 2 map for South Africa is available and I will be having this loaded next week for an additional comparison.

After the recent change in plugs and Forge DV upgrade - my Revo S3 has been running like a banshee, and feels stronger than ever. I have a feeling that, with Revo running quite a high level of boost on their map, the Forge DV controls any surges that exist and helps to smooth things out. It's addicitve. Love it. Never want to be without it.

Cheers for now ... we'll post results and data soon.:icon_thumright:

Rabbit222 said:

The one they loaded initially seemed to be really aggro hence they went for a slightly less aggro map which I feel is giving me better results.

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The fuel pump would struggle to deliver too much more than the power you have already. Under heavy load in high gears (going up hill), if you accelerate from low revs the fuel pump struggles to keep up with delivery. The OE pump is delivering around 50psi of pressure, but this is not enough under full load.

With a decent fuel pump, a full exhaust system, CAI and uprated DV 340+bhp should be quite achievable. Add an uprated Haldex controller and it will be one hell of a package.

One final note on the spark plugs, the fitted ones are a Bosch/VAG hybrid plug, and they look.....well a bit ropey to be honest. I'm sure they are passable for an OE car, but I am definitely going to switch to NGK platinum plugs when I change over as I have always found they are more resiliant. I bought my replacements from the dealer prior to getting the others out, and assumed they may be NGK's like were fitted as standard in my LCR. Rumour has it if you run any max speed runs the plugs may not last too long, but this is 3rd hand information so I can't be 100% on this.

Rabbit222 said:

:icon_thumright:
On a side note, how much would an uprated Haldex controller cost? I currently have the Oettinger Intake aka Carbonio fitted as well....honestly seems more cosmetic than a power gain mod

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Hmmm. you're not too far from the truth. I guess the carbonia intake duct is 40% bigger and all that air gets forced into the engine (rather than losing 50% of it into the engine bay like the OE part), but I struggle to tell much difference. I also get an annoying whistle from it, but it adds to the effect I guess

I wanted a full cold air intake, but didnt want to remove the engine cover as the dealers already twitchy about my current mods.

I'm currently running the OE filter and intake as my dealer asked me to revert when I had the spark plug issue, and where I have noticed a difference is at high speeds it can't accelerate so hard and consistently and it feels like the car is being held back. But for daily driving not really much difference.

Uprated Haldex should be about £650 / $1200 / €950. Puts 60% of drive constantly at rear wheels and 40% at front. Means when you launch you don't have to wait for the power to be thrown to the back if you over cook the take off. Spoke to a guy on the Haldex forums about it and supposedly it improves take off times significantly (but then they would say that!)

:thumbsup:

I've had GIAC on mine from 750km and now coming up to 3000 without any issues - have been very pleased with the results. Was also one of the more affordable tunes in Aus.

Thanks to CJP80 for answering all my questions – was the first in Aus to try it on the 8P S3 and was very pleased with the results. Heaps of torque in the mid range and unrelenting pull to the reds ..

Added the BMC CAI just last month and it made a nice difference in throttle response and a bit more up top. Taking off that engine cover was another story .....

Finally got some pics of the BMC CAI – Sorry about the delay...