which S3 map do you lot advice ?

Brookie-S3

Brookie-S3

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Hi Guys i am wanting my S3 mapping but am at my wits end with who to chose,
the car is std and i just want best value for money with good power x torque ( oh and no top speed limiter)

i used jabba-sport a few years ago on my 150pd golf and they did a custom map and got 210bhp but i spoke to them today and can only get 295bhp out of a S3 ?

so what map have you had, was it custom and set up on the dyno?
what power, oh and the cost

cheers

i live nr leeds:blackrs4:
 
Not got mine yet but i'm going Revo or GIAC. I have been out in both now, both are very smooth, affordable and reliable, you can't go wrong!
 
A big fan of the GIAC myself.
Have a search for threads with this......
 
i cant comment on others but i went for the GIAC Hammer map witht the handheld device so i can return to standard instantly.

Really happy with how the car drives and has a lot more torwue through the gears.

I used stattler who are based in Sheffield, excellent service.
 
Sohrob said:
i cant comment on others but i went for the GIAC Hammer map witht the handheld device so i can return to standard instantly.

Really happy with how the car drives and has a lot more torwue through the gears.

I used stattler who are based in Sheffield, excellent service.
Click to expand...

Thats something ive been meaning to ask, when you say it turns it back to standard does it actually re-load the stock map as it came off the car or does it replacement the performance map with one that is similar to standard?

The reason i ask is because when i spoke to my Audi guy he said that sometimes Audi cant get into the ECU to resolve issues because some maps lock them out so im guessing if you can revert back to the actual map that came off the car it would elimate this problem.

Any thoughts?
 
Brookie-S3 said:
48 ppl looked and no comments ?

so no1 on here have there S3 chipped? :banghead:
Click to expand...

Have some patients. Sometimes a thread can sit unanswered for ages and then suddenly everyone will start to reply. Also this board can get very busy and I think people tend to read threads they're subscribed to mostly and new ones can get moved out of sight pretty quickly. I have been on here quite a lot in the last 2 days and I never even noticed this thread!

The911SC is right though. There are plenty of chipping threads on here. Some even on the first page! Have a read through them first.

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=57435

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=59525

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=51689

Chipping S3s has been a massive ongoing discussion.
 
Think the Giac and s/chips actually goes back to standard map. The other go to there version of the standard map. Could be wrong
 
JustCharlie said:
Think the Giac and s/chips actually goes back to standard map. The other go to there version of the standard map. Could be wrong
Click to expand...

This is what i really want to know because that will sway my decision one way or another
 
GIAC is a generic stock map. Not your cars original. Thats what i was told by the chap who did mine at Statller.
 
Brookie-S3 said:
48 ppl looked and no comments ?

so no1 on here have there S3 chipped? :banghead:
Click to expand...

Perhaps no-one answered as we're a bit confused mate, you've posted in several posts relating to maps and know who has what????!!!!
In fact, it sounded like you;d already made your mind up.... :think:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=478666&postcount=46
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=599838&postcount=136
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=600197&postcount=139
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=600198&postcount=8
 
Anyone know which maps are covered by Audi's warranty (if any). I was thinking about the GIAC at the RR day in October, but not sure that I'm so keen if it's not the original Audi map that is kept on the 'stock' setting :ermm: . I'd prefer to go for something that keeps the original map, or that is approved by Audi, as I have a servicing plan with them, so don't want to invalidate that ;) .

Phil
 
Thanks very much to L60N and mitch78, thats what i wanted to know. Im now unsure about what to do again, i have put myself down for the RR day in October as well but if it doesnt give me the option to restore the actual map my car started with im not sure if GIAC is the way forward.

I dont suppose anyone knows off hand who gives you the original map alongside a performance one other than Superchips?
 
I'd drop an email to Regal or/and GIAC and ask them to clarify. I didn't get the impression a dealer could tell????
 
jamiekip said:
In fact, it sounded like you;d already made your mind up.... :think:
Click to expand...

I never noticed that! I sometimes don't realise who says what.
Highwayman said:
Anyone know which maps are covered by Audi's warranty (if any). I was thinking about the GIAC at the RR day in October, but not sure that I'm so keen if it's not the original Audi map that is kept on the 'stock' setting :ermm: . I'd prefer to go for something that keeps the original map, or that is approved by Audi, as I have a servicing plan with them, so don't want to invalidate that ;) .

Phil
Click to expand...

I don't know if any are covered by Audi but I know Superchips will cover anything that Audi refuse to pay for because you have had a remap. And of course you can put your original map back on before it goes back in.

A generic map wouldn't have really put me off but I do wonder now after Iggu posted this:

Iggu said:
Not tried it out mate - here's the thing. Spoke to Joe at SC and he looked carefully at the two maps and said if I switched to your map I'd be down on power throughout the rev range from what I currently have.

I think the big thing with SC which we are experiencing is that they apply the map to each individual car whereas GIAC etc. use their standard map. SuperChips is more bespoke in that sense. As Joe said your standard map will be different to mine. He reckons this is why the "Iggu" map wasn't great on your car and why the "Staz" map would leave mine under-powered.

So I'm sticking with mine. He did invite me down to the SC HQ for a full dyno custom map and offered to take me through the whole process. Unreal service.
Click to expand...

I think there's a lot more to the standard map and how the ECU works than we realise if every one is different.
 
audi upgrades
jamiekip said:
I'd drop an email to Regal or/and GIAC and ask them to clarify. I didn't get the impression a dealer could tell????
Click to expand...

I think i will because im looking forward to the RR day now and would still like to go ahead if they can do it.

As such they cant but from what my guy said if the car develops a fault and they need to plug into the ECU some maps block them from getting in and that deems it useless, which obviously none of us want.

If they really wanted to find out im guessing they could datalog boost values and things anyway so that isnt so much an issue for me, its just whether it will physically stop them being able to fix it ahead of them choosing not to fix it.
 
Why is life so difficult, lol. I had pretty much made my mind up and now im thinking Superchips is the way to go but then a lot of people have been complaining about the final result. :shrug:
 
RichC said:
Why is life so difficult, lol. I had pretty much made my mind up and now im thinking Superchips is the way to go but then a lot of people have been complaining about the final result. :shrug:
Click to expand...

Yeah I can imagine lol I was quite suprised by the complaints myself though.

Don't forget you get a 7 day money back offer with SC, and maybe others offer the same also. It's worthwhile just trying. It'll only cost you some postage!
 
Yeah your right in what you say. If the other companies cant offer the stock map then i will go for Superchips but i think i will go to the HQ and get it all done there. I would like to think they have a dyno so i can actually see the results on paper as well as feeling the difference.
 
Rich - If you find out any more details from Regal, can you let me know ;) . No point in both of us asking them the same question :D !

I've just been reading through the Bluefin thread and have a question... How can Superchips just send a new map to suit particular cars without getting the car on a RR and seeing what it is actually doing? I guess that the ECU records have something to do with it, but my experience from previous cars is not to trust a generic map, and always to have a car properly mapped on a rolling road to ensure safe fuelling throughout the rev range. Personally, I'm not keen on risking my engine by pushoing boundaries based upon educated guesses :ohmy:!

Phil
 
RichC said:
I think i will because im looking forward to the RR day now and would still like to go ahead if they can do it.

As such they cant but from what my guy said if the car develops a fault and they need to plug into the ECU some maps block them from getting in and that deems it useless, which obviously none of us want.

If they really wanted to find out im guessing they could datalog boost values and things anyway so that isnt so much an issue for me, its just whether it will physically stop them being able to fix it ahead of them choosing not to fix it.
Click to expand...

I've just sent a message to GIAC in the USA (might get a reply tonight depending on whether they are east or west coast...)

Anyway, when I was looking in to this I spoke with several forum members as well as Regal and was pretty clear in wanting to understand a dealers ability to detect the map.
I was told, that a dealer could never tell, unless they drove the car and measured specific boost readings whilst the map was installed. Other than that it is undetectable - especially if put back to standard.
I was told that if Audi flashed my ECU that the GIAC flash loader would not let the map download as it would recognise a change and a safety measure would trigger. Any GIAC dealer would then need to check the update and request a revised map from GIAC (not 100% on this detail though).

The comments about the Superchips maps are a bit misleading I think. I'm no pro in all of this, but the Superchips maps will be 'generic' to a degree as they don't put each car on a rolling road and custom map it... they can only go on assumptions, and I'm guessing that is the same as what GIAC do - they look at the copy of the stndard map, and send the most appropriate one for the firmware currently in your ECU OR they look at specific readings within the ECU and provide a map appropriate.

Every map sent from GIAC is 'specific' to the copy of your ECU that they receive... look at the prosport rolling road day results - even the GIAC cars had quite a big difference between there peak bhp and torque readings. My understanding in the generic map was that they we're copies from Audi, it will also recognise if your car has the latest upgraded version of the standard ECU settings and if not will update your ECU with the latest version (in a bid to stop a delaer flashing over it I believe!).

I'm not 100% on this, just what I understood from my conversations.

Either way, I don't think dealers go looking for maps unless there is significant failure and they want to worm there way out of doing the warranty work..... even then i've heard of people getting engine rebuilds under warranty, because the delaer gets paid by the manufacturer for doignt his work.... why would they turn the work away?????

Phew... hopw that makes sense!
:blahblah1:
Will wait and see what GIAC say
 
Thanks Jamie, it will be interesting to hear what GIAC say, and I might just give Regal a call to see what they have to say on the matter as well ;) .

Phil
 
Hmm yes there're a lot of things there to think about.

One thing I'd like to throw into the mix though:

We have already experienced that standard S3s put of different reading on RRs. A lot of this is down to the RR itself and all the other factors`etc etc. Some of it will actually be differences in each car, for whatever reason. Maybe Superchips read your standard map and then only give a certain increase based on that. For instance a car with more power should show a different map to one with lower power. Maybe they don't give a full map if you had a lower powered car.

I'd like to know how it's all done really, but Superchips have been doing this for a while so I reckon they know what they're doing. So when it seems like they're doing things in a crude way, which it does look like to me also (especially considering the recent email I got from them http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=600270&postcount=103) maybe it's just something we don't have a clue about!

I remember when chipping a car was literally just a chip! It's all got so complex now with their new fangled ways...
 
Nice one mate, appreciate all of the hard work you are putting into this. My main concern is that the maps do not block Audi from getting into my ECU, other than that as long as i have to option to put it back to standard one way or another for the dealer visits im not too bothered who i use if they are well known.
 
audi upgrades
staz1000 said:
Hmm yes there're a lot of things there to think about.

One thing I'd like to throw into the mix though:

We have already experienced that standard S3s put of different reading on RRs. A lot of this is down to the RR itself and all the other factors`etc etc. Some of it will actually be differences in each car, for whatever reason. Maybe Superchips read your standard map and then only give a certain increase based on that. For instance a car with more power should show a different map to one with lower power. Maybe they don't give a full map if you had a lower powered car.
Click to expand...

I bet all the reputabler places do that - they don;t want to put something on that makes it go bang... not good for business!

staz1000 said:
I'd like to know how it's all done really, but Superchips have been doing this for a while so I reckon they know what they're doing. So when it seems like they're doing things in a crude way, which it does look like to me also (especially considering the recent email I got from them http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showpost.php?p=600270&postcount=103) maybe it's just something we don't have a clue about!
Click to expand...

Me too - it get's quite intriguing when you think about it! I'm betting all the big names like Superchips, Revo, GIAC (remember they've been doing this for donkeys in the states!) etc will never over stress their maps. They aren't hunting for the absolute max out of the engine - more safe manageable gains for the engine.


staz1000 said:
I remember when chipping a car was literally just a chip! It's all got so complex now with their new fangled ways...
Click to expand...

You showing your age now mate :p
 
jamiekip said:
I bet all the reputabler places do that - they don;t want to put something on that makes it go bang... not good for business!
Click to expand...

Well exactly!

You showing your age now mate :p
Click to expand...

lol I'm 28 mate! But I remember seeing the superchips logo stamped on a microchip in the magazine adverts not so long ago.

In fact:
superchipsperformancechip.jpg
 
Ha ha ha, you're younger than me!
My last 8L S3 was superchip'd and that was flashed in by a computer... that was about 5 years ago!
Non of this flash loader technology then so you can set it back to the original map.... and they never spotted the re-map even when they had to do a full diagnostics check for an electric failure in the wiring loom....
 
:iagree: 100%
If they are looking for it they will see it - there are lot's of giveaways - as mentioned before, recorded boost pressures would be the obvious one.
 
staz1000 said:
Superchips will cover anything that Audi refuse to pay for because you have had a remap
Click to expand...

Are you 100% sure about that?? Never heard of any remapper making a claim like that. If you have it in writing that's great as it could potentially be worth £000's

As I understand it the only one that puts the actual standard map back on is bluefin. The GIAC and Revo puts a GIAC/Revo standard bhp map back on. Any non-Audi code can be found if they look hard enough, they can tell it apart from standard Audi code.

Flashcounters show that the ecu has been flashed (obviously) They are an indication that the ecu has been messed with. GIAC and Bluefin keep the Flash counter at either 0 or 1 by adding some sort of a patch to the code. You would think this could be found if they really tried hard to find it. The other issue is keeping the flash counter at 1 may be a give away in itself as if they have it on record they have made 2 software updates and therefore flashed your ecu twice, having a flash count of 1 would give away that something had been messed with.
 
S3-N said:
As I understand it the only one that puts the actual standard map back on is bluefin. The GIAC and Revo puts a GIAC/Revo standard bhp map back on. Any non-Audi code can be found if they look hard enough, they can tell it apart from standard Audi code.
Click to expand...

As said before, I belive the GIAC standard map they put on is the latest version of the Audi aoftware for your car - I've emailed GIAC to get clarification on this, but Regal pointed out to me that the Audi file going back on is the latest relaesed version. I might be wrong, but my understadning was that it wasn't GIAC's version, just the latest Audi released version.

S3-N said:
Flashcounters show that the ecu has been flashed (obviously) They are an indication that the ecu has been messed with. GIAC and Bluefin keep the Flash counter at either 0 or 1 by adding some sort of a patch to the code. You would think this could be found if they really tried hard to find it. The other issue is keeping the flash counter at 1 may be a give away in itself as if they have it on record they have made 2 software updates and therefore flashed your ecu twice, having a flash count of 1 would give away that something had been messed with.
Click to expand...

I thought both Superchips and GIAC had a programme that saw the flash counter go up 1, but then immediately apply -1, so the flash count on the car stays as it was before. ie, if you car has had to ECU updates from Audi, it would still show as having had 2 flashes.
I was told they do this, so if your car is in for a service and they are checking if your ECU has the latest version. If GIAC and Superchips had a progamme that kept it at 0 or 1, every time your car was in at Audi they would try and update it.
Again, that was my understanding. :think:
 
jamiekip said:
As said before, I belive the GIAC standard map they put on is the latest version of the Audi aoftware for your car - I've emailed GIAC to get clarification on this, but Regal pointed out to me that the Audi file going back on is the latest relaesed version. I might be wrong, but my understadning was that it wasn't GIAC's version, just the latest Audi released version.



I thought both Superchips and GIAC had a programme that saw the flash counter go up 1, but then immediately apply -1, so the flash count on the car stays as it was before. ie, if you car has had to ECU updates from Audi, it would still show as having had 2 flashes.
I was told they do this, so if your car is in for a service and they are checking if your ECU has the latest version. If GIAC and Superchips had a progamme that kept it at 0 or 1, every time your car was in at Audi they would try and update it.
Again, that was my understanding. :think:
Click to expand...

Some clarification from GIAC and Superchips to clear the matter up would be good. :uhm:
 
staz1000 said:
I found this:

http://www.superchips.co.uk/warranty.php

It's not 100% as clear cut as I thought though, but better than nothing.
Click to expand...


Definitely better than nothing but it is only for 12mths/30000/until the end of your warranty - whichever is the smallest.

From reading that I reckon the problem is Audi could void your warranty if they could prove the remap could have affected the part you want repaired under warranty and caused it to fail. Superchips will only pay if you can prove the remap did affect the part and cause it to fail - much harder to do :shrug:

Personally I think the difference the remap makes is definitely worth the money and risk regardless. I just think people need to be aware that there is an element of risk involved and even these warrantys don't take that away
 
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