Remap Dilemma

[nicks3]

Ok so I know there are probably loads of posts on this but I am confused, who do I use to remap my 2009 S3 Stronic:

GIAC
REVO
Superchips

Any advice would be welcomed.

 

[KRL]

All the big companies are good, have tried and tested products and have spent a lot of money on R&D. My choice ended boiling down to APR or REVO after doing a lot of research. I am the kind of person who likes to tinker so REVO suites me perfectly with the SPS+. I also like the "safety first" tuning philosophy of APR and the ease with which maps can be switched via the cruise control stalk. I am sure I would be happy with either of these.

Anyway I have decided to go for wherever I can get the best deal on either REVO or APR. To that end AMD have offered 20% off REVO remaps in a group buy if we can get a minimum of 10 people so I have put myself down on that, we have 8 or 9 people at the moment so are nearly there

Link to the thread is here:
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=78544

 

[Boydie]

I went for revo basically because I was at the Edition 38 show and they were offering such a good deal!

Also, there are no superchips or giac reps here in Northern Ireland for when I want to go for stage 2.

 

[just017]

Yeah as said above, i think most companies you will be satisfied with the gains that you get, alot of the maps are generic, but big names do spend alot of money developing maps. Id say go with revo, as they seem to be very popular on here, and with a discount coming up at the end of the month, then its a good deal.

And also you then have the option to put the OEM map back on the car when it goes into Audi.

 

[s4marsh]

where are you or how far can you travel? a generic remap is tried+tested a custom map is slightly tweaked on top of that to suit so just as safe in the right hands. a lot of remaps come from the same place really just different names there is a big italian company that deciphers the ecu data and builds the maps from there then sells them to independant companys i'm sure revo is one of their customers

 

[S3Alex]

I went for Revo for mine,as that was what my local tuners(AMD) use,but there would be no reason not to use GIAC.

I would not use Superchips as the service is not as bespoke as that from the others,but more of an off-the-shelf service.

One other point....don't try to cut corners,or to keep the engine looking stock,if you are going to higher boost levels.....get the exhaust,induction kit and DV done as well as the HPFP.

I tried to keep things looking stock and ended up with airflow problems and a misfire.

 

[mikep]

where are you or how far can you travel? a generic remap is tried+tested a custom map is slightly tweaked on top of that to suit so just as safe in the right hands. a lot of remaps come from the same place really just different names there is a big italian company that deciphers the ecu data and builds the maps from there then sells them to independant companys i'm sure revo is one of their customers

WRONG! Revo develop all their maps in-house.

Apology accepted.

 

[DeckedS3]

One word of warning.... I had Revo stage 1 and it created a misfire on my facelift S3, this was down to a redesigned exhaust or relocated lambda probe. As soon as I got a Milltek on there it was fine.... Obviously I don't know how true this is but that's what I was told and as soon as the Milltek went on it was fine! Since then I've been Revo all the way, and the map has been fine on lots of pre facelift S3's. Of course they may of cured this problem by now.... someone else may be able to chime in!

 

[s4marsh]

WRONG! Revo develop all their maps in-house.

Apology accepted.

i've spoke to people who have designed the maps for revo in the past and parted company as he didnt like the limitations imposed for their liability/reliability hence me knowing about the italian company that originally cracks the data and lists what areas of the e-prom chip to modify this could have been a while ago now and things may have changed so apology witheld.
revo seems very popular with s3's but the s4's owners dont seem to rate them i guess a lot of it depends on where you live in relation to the tuners

 

[dc240969]

Right, lve got the extreme map from GIAC. The latest map. Total train but warmed up the car goes kangaroo. Fueling and timing etc lve been told. GIACs getting punted, REVO is on the cards.

 

[s4marsh]

can you get a refund from the installer?

 

[Jamiekip]

Right, lve got the extreme map from GIAC. The latest map. Total train but warmed up the car goes kangaroo. Fueling and timing etc lve been told. GIACs getting punted, REVO is on the cards.

Don't you need the exhaust for use with the 'extreme' map dc?

 

[S3Alex]

Don't you need the exhaust for use with the 'extreme' map dc?

Certainly for the Revo 2+,and I can't imagine it would be different for the equivalent GIAC.

 

[lsw s3]

Ok so I know there are probably loads of posts on this but I am confused, who do I use to remap my 2009 S3 Stronic:

GIAC
REVO
Superchips

Any advice would be welcomed.

sorry to add another spanner into the works , ,,,, ive had the superchips remap again , this being my second time of using them ,my first being on my cupra 07 , if poss to take the car upto them at buckingham ,its better cus they will do power runs, and make any needed adjustments & put it on the rolling road as well ,ive honstly never had any probs with the bluefin. the on & off is so so easy .....lol

hope this helps !!!!!!

lsw s3

 

[johnnythepie]

I had my A4 remapped on monday.Differant car or what! So smooth and the power comes in sooner.Each remap is individual to the car, no generic stuff.Im absolutely chuffed, and colin will visit you if you want.Cant recommend him enough.CNL rocks!

 

[baz1985]

If I had an 8P S3, it'd have the MTM map.

 

[Carl.S]

i've spoke to people who have designed the maps for revo in the past and parted company as he didnt like the limitations imposed for their liability/reliability hence me knowing about the italian company that originally cracks the data and lists what areas of the e-prom chip to modify this could have been a while ago now and things may have changed so apology witheld.
revo seems very popular with s3's but the s4's owners dont seem to rate them i guess a lot of it depends on where you live in relation to the tuners

As Mike says;

You couldn't be more wrong! All our software is created by ourselves; obviously this Italian company is trying to get a reputation by using our name!

 

[andykn]

I had my A4 remapped on monday.Differant car or what! So smooth and the power comes in sooner.Each remap is individual to the car, no generic stuff.Im absolutely chuffed, and colin will visit you if you want.Cant recommend him enough.CNL rocks!

How much was it?

 

[johnnythepie]

340.He keeps the code in case it gets wiped by a dealer.Im still smiling!!!

 

[s4marsh]

As Mike says;

You couldn't be more wrong! All our software is created by ourselves; obviously this Italian company is trying to get a reputation by using our name!

right then apology issued...lol
alothough the person i've spoke to has written programs for revo in the past and has been in the business for 20 years.
when i was looking for a remap last year the look on the faces of some of the top tuners in the country when i mentioned revo was like i'd stood in dog s**t and walked across their new carpet

 

[S3Alex]

right then apology issued...lol
alothough the person i've spoke to has written programs for revo in the past and has been in the business for 20 years.
when i was looking for a remap last year the look on the faces of some of the top tuners in the country when i mentioned revo was like i'd stood in dog s**t and walked across their new carpet

That's an interesting reaction.....possibly born out of business being lost in the direction of serial port based software systems,from the more "traditional" tuners.

One of the things is that many of those haven't moved in step with developing electronics,and are stuck with what's left.

Obviously there will always be business around for engine builders and the likes,but as a Revo customer,I've been pleased with the solutions,and also with the back-up when things aren't working perfectly,thanks to Carl,and also Shaun at AMD.

 

[s4marsh]

just before i really upset people here i was originally on about the company that builds the software to allow tuning companys to to read the ecu data not build the remap programmes,when i was shown the data as it appears on the chip its just computer speak..just a list of numbers like an excel spreadsheet that means absolutley nothing to the human eye hence the software that picks out the relevant strings of data to be adjusted so i wasnt slating revo as such originally just pointing out that generic/and custom remaps are based from the data identified by the software they use and they adjusted from that point to suit the vehicle by the tuner so yes they're built in house but as no two engines are identical a custom reamp is better i was gonna go down the revo route with total blind faith but some of the people who install it dont know very much about tuning its the technical equivelant of putting an album on an ipod where as a custom remap is like writing an album and then putting that on an ipod

 

[S3Alex]

yes they're built in house but as no two engines are identical a custom reamp is better i was gonna go down the revo route with total blind faith but some of the people who install it dont know very much about tuning its the technical equivelant of putting an album on an ipod where as a custom remap is like writing an album and then putting that on an ipod

Also true,but you could say that Revo and GIAC remaps are a whole lot closer to custom remaps than many of the off-the-shelf options,without mentioning names,and do also offer the ability to fine tune the map via a laptop.

There will always be tuners who know nothing much about what they are doing....I remember my last visit to what was at the time one of the best known Cosworth tuners around the London area,and what did it for me was finding some fool rebuilding a Cosworth head on a piece of cardboard on the workshop floor.

The next chap I went to had a proper clean room purely for building engines.

 

[johnnythepie]

Quite.Every engine is differant and with them bieng so precise electronically, I cant see a 'one size fits all' to be suitable.A fu**ed engine in my new a4 is how much?I dread to think...so having confidence in the firm doing it is paramount.My ECU is a PPD170 which apparantly is a ****** to sort, and at the time phoned revo who to their credit stated they couldnt do it as they were still working on the code.Fair play to them and i respect their honesty.Differant ball game if some joker released a plug in for just the one ECU.Doing a remap is like buying a suit...off the peg will fit, but not in all the right places.A tailor made will.Going in blind aint the way, and is best off decided on by recommendation.Too much at stake.

 

[S3Alex]

Quite.Every engine is differant and with them bieng so precise electronically, I cant see a 'one size fits all' to be suitable.A fu**ed engine in my new a4 is how much?I dread to think...so having confidence in the firm doing it is paramount.My ECU is a PPD170 which apparantly is a ****** to sort, and at the time phoned revo who to their credit stated they couldnt do it as they were still working on the code.Fair play to them and i respect their honesty.Differant ball game if some joker released a plug in for just the one ECU.Doing a remap is like buying a suit...off the peg will fit, but not in all the right places.A tailor made will.Going in blind aint the way, and is best off decided on by recommendation.Too much at stake.

I have a lot of the guys here to thank for pointing me in the right direction for both remaps,and the right people to install them and to sort the car.

I am sure that has saved me a lot of time and money,and I am very grateful for places such as this.

Having got several recommendations,I went to AMD and have found them,and in particular Shaun,to be sensible,as well as knowledgeable about what they do.

A good engineer is worth their weight in gold......the chap who looked after my Cosworths was both a racer and an engineer and knew the engines inside out,plus every possible failure.....that's what we all need.

 

[s4marsh]

I have a lot of the guys here to thank for pointing me in the right direction for both remaps,and the right people to install them and to sort the car.

I am sure that has saved me a lot of time and money,and I am very grateful for places such as this.

Having got several recommendations,I went to AMD and have found them,and in particular Shaun,to be sensible,as well as knowledgeable about what they do.

A good engineer is worth their weight in gold......the chap who looked after my Cosworths was both a racer and an engineer and knew the engines inside out,plus every possible failure.....that's what we all need.

exactly, there is a vw/audi specialist 20 mins away from me, he has a excellent reputation for all sorts of conversions and modifiying v.a.g group cars i wont name him, he is also a revo dealer...word on the street says he's ruined more cars than i've had hot dinners. I'm not for one minute suggesting its anything to do with revo but there is a problem somewhere, the tuner i use gets asked to travel to europe and further to work his magic, the week before mine was done he was in spain working on an engine for a racing team so things like this speak volumes about the persons skills. as a result his opinion to me is priceless he's already stopped me wasting money on pointless mods and reccomended other peoples work if i didnt use him, if i was in the south of the country MRC would be my no1 choice from reccomendation by their customers and tuners but as i'm in the north and have in my opinion one of the best/impartial tuners in the country on my doorstep i used him

 

[johnnythepie]

Glad youre sorted