Having been in this "aftermarket scene" for roughly 6 years now......I've seen the S3 in the most mild climates improperly perform at even Stage 2 levels. I've seen it perform well in other areas at the same levels. Trust me, I've been through this game long enough (Longer than most on these boards) to see the data, to see the failures, to see the changes and without a doubt, there is no absolute definitive "area" where one could suggest a certain IC anywhere over another.
Let's take the deep south for example. We see temperatures range as high as 105F. That is WITHOUT humidity factored in. Doing so raises it to death valley levels and beyond. In doing so, you can throw out the window any design by OEM standards. Reason I say that, is because volkswagen designs for a certain temperature and anything higher than 80F is normally the cut off. Often times, these areas are considered "hot climates" but since the USA is lumped into a country specific category when doing build lots, you CANNOT assume that a certain car will go south or west or east...etc etc.
That being said, take the APR IC design. I was around for their initial design back in 2005-2006. People obviously didnt like the price point when it was initially offered (Actually people still dont....), however, think of design an IC at one of the worst conditions imaginable in the USA. This core design with built in with heat dissappation OF THE SOUTH in mind as well as accomodating the flow targets for various levels of power. Speculate all you want, go back and read their findings and their studies and you'll find totally out matched data that strongly proves their targets.
I did not pay for my IC. I won it in the raffle. If I were to drop ANY sort of money it would be their IC EVEN AT STAGE 1 LEVELS! Why? Because this is the south. If you EVER come down here with a S3 during the peak summer times, you WILL NOT have any power to justify even doing one WOT pull on the interstate. Plain and simple.
Browsing through this thread alone gives me a headache because people are over analyzing a simple fix to a common problem. People are so worried about SEEING data or having definitive proof to justify their shit purchases of crap chinese cores. Hell EVEN THE COMPANIES will say that the cores can be improved upon and that they're REDEISGNING their core to match the level of performance from the APR IC. I Had the owner of the company HIMSELF tell that to me. He's just trying to make a buck and outsell the other knockoff brands.
One thing people really must get is that APR is not out to get people. They are here to bring well designed products to the table and offer them at a good price to match the level of return that it will get you. I've crunched the numbers, I'm on the "inside" I guess you could say, and there's no other company that comes close to the engineering technical know how like they do. So much so, that my own Automotive Experience with an OEM puts me right in place with a job with APR. No, I did not accept it, but it shows the level technical knowledge that flows through that place. They know what they're doing.....I just dont understand why people constantly ridicule them when they dont even KNOW HALF OF WHAT THEY"RE TALKING ABOUT!
I've said my peace. Buy damn IC and stop this nonsense.