Superchips Remap Question

[DrummieDave]

Hi All,

I'm not looking to open a debate on which is the best remap etc... for the RS3, I'm just surprised that there haven't been more owners sharing their experience of, for what I can work out, the best value and safest remap for the RS3? Not the best remap, just best value. I did a search on this forum and found very little. Just a few mentions in some posts/debate about all the other remaps on offer.

I've done quite a lot of research in to what products are available in the UK. I'm sure there is much I've missed though.

I recently contacted a local dealer about this remap (Claytons MOT and Service Centre, Leeds). He said there was no improvement in fuel economy and the best gains where when using sport mode. He said the maps are extremely accurate.

It's only £365inc VAT and the power gains are enough (not far off 20% gains on both HP and Torque) and you are not invalidating the warranty.

I am familiar with the superchips product because I used to own a Bluefin device. I know these are generic maps, and designed to be 'safe' but they are also, at the very least, half the price of any other maps, but not half the gains.

So, my question is, has anyone else done this remap and in what ways has it improved the car? I'm very tempted.

Maybe someone has a definitive list of known remaps and prices? (UK only please) That would also be very helpful. It'll certainly fill the gaps in my limited research.

Thanks.

D.

 

[JayA3sline]

I've also got a bluefin on my S3, pretty satisfied with the results. Had it approximately 2 years now and shifts better. I thought for £350 at the time was cheap as chips and to gain an extra 42bhp was ridiculous!

 

[DrummieDave]

Thanks for the info. Very useful.

D.

 

[JayA3sline]

I'm sure superchips do a free trial for 7 days too so if you don't like it just send it back and they'll refund you. What's not to like about that?

 

[DrummieDave]

Thanks for the info. I've just rechecked the website and yes, you're right. I can take it back within 7 days if I'm not in to it.
Good stuff

 

[T-800]

They don't do the bluefin for the RS3 do they?
Thought the ECU was locked

 

[DrummieDave]

No Bluefin, has to be done by a superchips agent/dealer.
I sold my bluefin because a lot of newer ecu's on VAG seemed to not work because they are locked.
Cheers

 

[monkeyboy_marcus]

How does remapping the ECU not invalidate the warranty?

I looked into APR EMCS and was seriously tempted but didn't fancy it whilst in warranty and to be fair, have never needed the extra power.

How are you judging this though, in terms of cheapest remap for greatest power gains? There are other benefits to more expensive 'maps that should be considered, other than pure power increase, e.g. programmable options, security lock-out etc...

 

[DrummieDave]

They provide an insurance policy whilst in manufacturer’s warranty that is for one year. My warranty runs out in October, so it's fine.

I'm judging it by looking at power gain figures published by various companies and then looking at the price. I'm not considering the other options to be honest. Anything that helps with some extra grunt out of corners on the track and safer overtaking on B roads is useful in my world.

 

[Mr_Freeze]

I think you will find not many people made it open knowledge that they had mapped the cars as they were still in warranty and there is talk of certain dealers frequenting these pages.
People will be a bit more open now as most are starting to come out of warranty.
Myself, i had a Stage 1 map from APR put on over a year ago now. The car has dynoed at 400bhp with a ton of torque (Cant remember the figure) with nothing else other than the map.
It was fast before but now its really fast, the difference is astonishing.
Cant remember the exact cost, but it was £600+ but i caught them when they were having a 30% summer sale.
The ECU does have to be removed and physically broken open. It does leave signs of tampering, no matter how good the Tech is. So if you wish to preserve the warranty dont do it.

 

[DrummieDave]

It's OK. Superchips provide an insurance policy that would cover my car for the rest of the warranty period.

And the APR price is no longer on offer. I think REVO were doing a similar thing last summer. I considered doing my old S4. I think they had 20% off ...

Thanks.

D.

 

[gwelsby]

Hi Dave. You don't want the best remap? Just the best value? Best value without being a better remap is just not to remap - it will cost you nothing<g>. I tried a couple. First was Greentune.com (or .co.uk). All they did was to fry my ECU, ask me to get Audi to fix it under warranty and then stop answering my calls. Avoid them at all costs. Second was AwesomeGTI in Irlam, Greater Manchester. They are a well solid bunch. You can watch while they do the dynos pre and post mapping. They give you, (AFAIR) 30 days to make up your mind and then flip it back (sort of) for nothing. The problem there is that once you are remapped, you are remapped. I wasn't quite happy so I took the reverse out option. I then took it to Rick at Unicorn Motor Developments. Contact him at rick@unicornmotordevelopments.com. Based in Stockport, the man is a genius and will do whatever you want. AwesomeGTI do one of the standard remaps so you get what you get. Unfortunately my RS3 was on new winter tyres when Rick did mine so it would spin its wheels on his dyno. However, he got 350 bhp before the remap and 420 after. That's at the crank, or clutch or whatever. The point is (apart from the fact that that's a lot more oomph) that I have that selectable. I drive a "normal<g>" RS3 most of the time but when I press the "S" button all hell breaks loose. I was going to ask him to change it over to the S setting on the gear stick but I hope to be getting an 8V this year so I'll wait until then. He also did me a map for snow (it WAS winter!) selectable via the cruise control lever. As it never snowed I never needed it, nor the winter tyres. Mine was the first RS3 he did. He had to do a lot of work to unlock the "standard" setting left by AwesomeGTI and then did me the two new maps and I considered the cost cheap. Now he has the map on file I'm sure he'll beat any price given by the bigger players, and let you have a standard RS3 except when you need something more at the press of a button or a shift from D to S...

All the best,
Gerald.

Hi All,

I'm not looking to open a debate on which is the best remap etc... for the RS3, I'm just surprised that there haven't been more owners sharing their experience of, for what I can work out, the best value and safest remap for the RS3? Not the best remap, just best value. I did a search on this forum and found very little. Just a few mentions in some posts/debate about all the other remaps on offer.

I've done quite a lot of research in to what products are available in the UK. I'm sure there is much I've missed though.

I recently contacted a local dealer about this remap (Claytons MOT and Service Centre, Leeds). He said there was no improvement in fuel economy and the best gains where when using sport mode. He said the maps are extremely accurate.

It's only £365inc VAT and the power gains are enough (not far off 20% gains on both HP and Torque) and you are not invalidating the warranty.

I am familiar with the superchips product because I used to own a Bluefin device. I know these are generic maps, and designed to be 'safe' but they are also, at the very least, half the price of any other maps, but not half the gains.

So, my question is, has anyone else done this remap and in what ways has it improved the car? I'm very tempted.

Maybe someone has a definitive list of known remaps and prices? (UK only please) That would also be very helpful. It'll certainly fill the gaps in my limited research.

Thanks.

D.

 

[DrummieDave]

Thanks for this Gerard. This is very helpful information.

I'm not wanting to be misunderstood here. I'm looking for the best all-round solution. I've used Superchips products before (and owned a bluefin device). I like the guys there. Very helpful on the phone and I like there connection to VAG motorsport development in the recent past. I know that partnership is now over, but it wasn't when this car and map came out.

I do like the sound of a 'genius' independent though that comes recommended. What I want is what you describe. The chap who does the Superchips says that their maps best gains work also on the sport button. I just love the car when in S mode on the autobox, and with the sport button on & ESP off. It's like a totally different car.

Was the map from the guy in Stockport expensive?

I know the guys at awesome gti in Trafford. They did quite a lot of work on an old VR6 golf that I had a few years ago. The cost of the remap though is quite expensive and is only a few hp higher than the Superchips. I think paying nearly three times the price for those kind of gains, plus no insurance/warranty cover is simply not great value.

Again, Superchips give you a certificate of insurance and they are a (relatively) big and established company. I can't see them being able to trade without honouring their promises. Trading standards would shut them down in 5 minutes.

I also keep thinking about the 8V coming very soon and thinking, actaully, save the cash and wait a year for a low mileage used model.

Thanks,

D.

 

[gwelsby]

Dave,
it's Gerald actually. First, let me say that I have absolutely no axe to grind here. My relationship with Unicorn is that of a customer who happened to chance on them via a google search. You won't be getting any certificate of insurance from Rick. He flies out to Brunei and fettles Maseratis and Ferraris for the chaps out there. I genuinely believe he does it here just for the intellectual challenge (of cracking ECUs blocked by other chippers, and producing the best maps possible). He's a one man operation. When I said that I press the "S" button and all hell breaks loose, that's because that's what I asked for. When I said that I was going to ask him to swap it to the "S" position on the gear change it was because I have to look for the "S" button on the fascia whereas the gear change is at hand and I would not want the 420 ponies without the S gear position anyway. If you want him to, Rick will let you select the remap by changing your mirrors from heated to not. (And I jest not). I told him I wanted as much more power as possible but I'm sure he could do you a selectable map to do max economy. And another to do max power <g>. The only thing is that you have to switch off the ignition to switch between maps.
Look him up and give him a ring. He's a really genuine guy. If you're into engineering and coding you'll have a great time<g>.
All the best,
Gerald.

 

[DrummieDave]

Sorry Gerald. Bloomin MAC autospell correction on this site.

I'll drop him a line. I've had a look at the website.

Cheers for the recommendation.

D.