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Tuning/Chip FAQ Thread: Which One Do I choose?

lilonespaz

Drag Race Newbie
I'll go on record here and say a DSG tune is all but required if you do the ECU.

(I have APR v2.4, btw)
i will disagree with you.
 

avni

Ready to race!
I have APR Stage 2+ v2.4, apr intake, APR testpipe

I can vouch for APR. i drive a 2013 GTI bought used at 30k miles

this car is sweet. loud enough. My 50 yr old dad says its too loud (def not too loud, hes old)

If speed is your thing..DO IT because I'm quicker then stock 335i's and for me thats good enough :))))))
 

Robble85

New member
With GIAC Software for stage 1 or 2, you do not need to remove the ECU. The software flash is done thru the OBDII Port and takes anywhere from 20 minutes - 1 hour. I am currently running Stage 2 software from GIAC on my 2012 VW GTI and cannot say enough good things about it. After driving GTIs with Cobb, APR, and other software supplied by other companies, I decided to go with GIAC. Garrett and the guys at GIAC specialize in VW, Audi, and Porsche, and they know their stuff. I have a carbonio carbon intake, APR downpipe, high flow cat, and cat back exhaust. The amount of power I got from the stage 2 software is unbelievable, it doesn't even feel like the same car. The torque is just under 300 ft/lbs, and the HP is high 200's. In my opinion, GIAC is the only choice when it comes to your VW, Audi, or Porsche. I can't wait to get it out on the track this season. If you want to talk about bang for your buck, don't pass on the GIAC. Their customer service is top notch, and I couldn't be happier! If anyone has any questions about GIAC software or installs don't hesitate to shoot me a message. Also, if you are in the Columbus Ohio area and want to go for a ride along if you are on the fence about it, let me know. Id be more than happy to make the decision a little easier for you! Huge shout out to all the guys at GIAC! Thanks for helping me turn my GTI into a little rocketship!
 
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jcevans0627

Passed Driver's Ed
Late to this party. Finally getting here have a GTI 2013 with about 75k on the odo. It's bone stock. Want to don't he stage one just want to clearify if the Cobb is also a ecu programmer. Or does it just track car stats? Trying to figure out where to put my money. If I buy a used programmer do I have to worry about the programmer being married to the first car/Vin it was used on?

Thanks for the read guys. Lots of good info here. I should have been studying and took a trip down a rabbit hole on a study break.


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smanierre

Autocross Champion
Late to this party. Finally getting here have a GTI 2013 with about 75k on the odo. It's bone stock. Want to don't he stage one just want to clearify if the Cobb is also a ecu programmer. Or does it just track car stats? Trying to figure out where to put my money. If I buy a used programmer do I have to worry about the programmer being married to the first car/Vin it was used on?

Thanks for the read guys. Lots of good info here. I should have been studying and took a trip down a rabbit hole on a study break.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

The Cobb Accessport can tune your car in addition to just track stats. The tunes are free from Cobbs website. The tunes themselves are ok, you can definitely feel a difference from stock, but the Accessport really shines when you get a custom tune for it. Stratified is what I have and the difference between the stage 2 Cobb tune and the Stratified is huge. For just wanting to go stage 1 though, the stock tunes will be adequate. You do have to make sure that the previous owner unmarries the accessport from their car before selling. There really is nothing you can to to guarantee that, besides the seller not being a POS, but just verify it so if it isn't you can use that as evidence in a paypal claim or something. You can get it fixed by Cobb I believe if that happens, just will cost extra.
 

jcevans0627

Passed Driver's Ed
The Cobb Accessport can tune your car in addition to just track stats. The tunes are free from Cobbs website. The tunes themselves are ok, you can definitely feel a difference from stock, but the Accessport really shines when you get a custom tune for it. Stratified is what I have and the difference between the stage 2 Cobb tune and the Stratified is huge. For just wanting to go stage 1 though, the stock tunes will be adequate. You do have to make sure that the previous owner unmarries the accessport from their car before selling. There really is nothing you can to to guarantee that, besides the seller not being a POS, but just verify it so if it isn't you can use that as evidence in a paypal claim or something. You can get it fixed by Cobb I believe if that happens, just will cost extra.
So to be clear the stratified tune is a Cobb tune just not generic? Do they track you driving habits etc and tune from that? Trying to figure best route. If it's worth APR tune now than a Cobb if I go crazy?? Or just get a Cobb.

Thanks for the info on weather or not they have to be in married or not. What do you recommend. I finish school in august. Pretty sure I will keep this car for 2 years. Maybe more. Don't know if I'll be better to save my $$ for a straight to stg 2. Or nickel an dime myself to do these mods.

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smanierre

Autocross Champion
So Cobb is who makes the accessport. Stratified is a totally different company, that just uses the accessport as a platform to tune the car. It doesn't track your driving habits, but they do have you do data logs which is where you'll start collecting a bunch of parameters they tell you to and do some 3rd or 4th gear pulls. Then send that in and they refine the tune off of that. I haven't done mine yet but the tune already runs great without them. I would say go Cobb from the start and just run the stock tunes, then when you're ready get a stratified tune. Are you 6mt or dsg? If 6mt then you'll need a clutch if you wan't the most out of the car.
 

jcevans0627

Passed Driver's Ed
Thanks for keeping up with this answering some FNG questions. It's DSG which I don't mind because im in a lot of City traffic daily. Trolling through the sales on forums looks like Cobb's are going around $550 - $500 used. Anything specific to look out for other than it being unmarried?

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smanierre

Autocross Champion
Thanks for keeping up with this answering some FNG questions. It's DSG which I don't mind because im in a lot of City traffic daily. Trolling through the sales on forums looks like Cobb's are going around $550 - $500 used. Anything specific to look out for other than it being unmarried?

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Make sure it's the right model, they make them for usdm and wm. If looking within the us they should be all usdm. I would look into a dsg tune also once you get tuned. A lot of people go with APRs and I think IE may have one too

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hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
Make sure it's the right model, they make them for usdm and wm. If looking within the us they should be all usdm. I would look into a dsg tune also once you get tuned. A lot of people go with APRs and I think IE may have one too

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Correct, IE does have a DSG tune as well.


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tristanvdub

New member
looks like im even later to the party lmao. anyways, about 3 months ago bought my mk6 with a whopping 135k on the odo (bear with me). 1 previous owner, all maintenance done religiously, and the car appears to be mint besides a small gash on the front bumper (its low), and a finicky fuse that likes to turn off half my lights at random. however, after having owned it a little while im considering a stage 1 APR tune, but i have obvious concerns given the mileage. should i worry about accelerated wear on an already aging engine? this is my daily and its the only one ill have for a while, but im looking for a reliable way to squeeze some extra fun out of it
 

411big

Ready to race!
Don’t go with a tune if your concerned. I can tell you please don’t go with APR they have a very odd history with ownership and the way the company is or was ran. The advertising they do is what makes them “popular” but if your just wanting stage 1 others are much superior. Don’t make the same mistake I did lol
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
Don’t go with a tune if your concerned. I can tell you please don’t go with APR they have a very odd history with ownership and the way the company is or was ran. The advertising they do is what makes them “popular” but if your just wanting stage 1 others are much superior. Don’t make the same mistake I did lol

Had APR on 3 cars over 8 years, never had anything but stellar customer service from APR direct and multiple tuners in their network. Only issue I ever had was with the E85 tune triggering an over torque in the DSG on the TTRS when I was in CO. It was an issue only at that high altitude and they got it updated and corrected.

YMMV
 

ShrekC

New member
This guide is to hopefully help newcomers to the VAG world ECU tuning, or even the veteran members to ask questions and chat friendly with people needing help about their software modifications. There is much debate as to what is preferred or even, which is the best but ultimately, its up for you to decide. We will hopefully be able to provide information that will objectively help you make your decision.

What is Chipping/Tuning and why wasnt it provided from the factory?
That's an awesome question. Chipping was more of the type back in the day, where people would break open their ECUs and solder on chips to help their performance gains. Even though the term is still used, the methods are much more advanced and evolved. Tuning is the common term used in today's world where most vendors will hook up to your OBDII port and rewrite your stock software with their proprietary work.

As for factory offerings, there are literally endless amounts of reason. Some say safety and reliability factor was a concern during development. Others point to under powering the engine to not upstage other engines in OEM lineups. Nevertheless, the power is THERE and can be unlocked through various tuners.

What do I need for tuning?

Stage 1
Stage 1 requires NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. Its as simple as swiping your credit card to pay for the tune, hooking up to the vendor's computer, and rewriting your software. Normally this takes a few minutes, but you're back on the road in no time. People often say an intake is needed, but it is NOT. It will increase throttle response and give minor gains up top, making it a beneficial modification.

Currently, with the MK6, the ECU must be pulled from the vehicle and opened to flash. No soldering is done, but with the encryption, there are extra steps needed. Afterwards, it can be flashed subsequently through the OBDII

Stage 2
A high flow downpipe is REQUIRED for Stage 2 software. Although an intake is not needed, it is highly recommended to allow the engine to be running at its most optimal conditions. Plus, added gas mileage never hurts any one.

NOTE: You'll see a lot of places say Stage 2+ tuning. This is NOT relevant to TSI engines. The older (06-08.5) engines had high pressure fuel pump issues that would need to be replaced at this stage. A tune with this new HPFP was considered to be Stage 2+

K04
K04 is an OEM solution for an aftermarket special. The K04 turbocharger (Developed and Made by Borg Warner) is a completely OEM replacement for your Factory IHI turbo. Not all vendors provide this upgrade, but those who do, offer a very simple and easy replacement for the factory turbo and provides excellent power across the rev band. This turbocharger was/and still is included on many of the performance variants throughout the VAG lineup. (IE: Golf R, S3, etc. etc.) At this point, if you do not have a full Downpipe/Intake/Intercooler setup, you would be VERY highly reccomended to get one to ultimately enhance the experience. Never hurts to get everything out of your engine!

Big Turbo and Beyond
Big turbo software is for those extreme people who want tones of power. Normally, people are running GT28 or GT30 turbochargers made by Garret and are seeing some extrodinary gains (~500hp+!) Some companies offer tun key solutions, while others take a more custom approach. Its up to you to decide what you want to do at this point because it is certainly water that is not traveled often!

Vendors and Their Claims
This section just lists the TOP vendors that support the forums and offer stageing software to suit your power needs. Although, there are many more tuners out there who can probably chip your car. These are just the few that support the community and are backed by threads all over the net.

APR
Stage 1 (Crank Numbers):
91OCT: 250hp 294TQ
93OCT: 254HP 303TQ
100OCT: 273HP 337TQ



Stage 2 (Crank Numbers. Exhaust and Intake)
274BHP 313TQ


K04 (Crank Numbers, Intercooler, Exhaust, Intake)
366BHP 380TQ


Stage 3
405BHP 403TQ


Stage 3+
451BHP 391TQ 93OCT
501BHP 432TQ 100OCT


GIAC (Offered Through AWE as well)
Stage 1
+41HP +48TQ Gains


Stage 1+ (Stage 1 + Intake)


Stage 2 (Intake, TBE, S3 Intercooler)
+74HP +80TQ Gains


K04 (Intake, TBE, S3 Intercooler)
360BHP 370BTQ


REVO

http://www.revotechnik.com/index.php?mod=volkswagen#stage1

Stage 1
2.0TFSi +35-60 bhp gain +50-80 lbft torque gain



Stage 2
"Typically you can see another 10-15% on top of the gain from stock to stage1 when using the recommended hardware upgrades." -Website

Stage 3
"Revo Stage 3 software has been developed to compliment cars running more extensive engine modifications. Revo Stage 3 software is tuned to suit proven hardware upgrade packages. Tuning is adjustable and can be tailored to suit your needs; depending on your chosen specification you can yield up to a 200% gain over standard horsepower figures. For this software to run efficiently and reliably, a strict hardware build list must be adhered to. Furthermore, a Revo SPS is highly recommended to guarantee optimal performance gains. Contact your nearest Revo dealer for further information."


Unitronic

Stage 1 (91 Oct)
245BHP 280TQ


Stage 1+ (93 OCT)
260BHP 295TQ


Stage 2
280BHP 325TQ


Stage 2+ (K04)
355BHP 355TQ


Which Chip Do I Use?
Well, thats tough. You will have to weigh your options by the following:
  1. Location: Pick a dealer that you feel comfortable driving to. Understand their tuning practices and locate a local shop that flahses the vendor's proprietary software.
  2. Customer Service: Always, ALWAYS pick someone you can trust to get the job done and will answer ANY questions you have regarding their products.
  3. Proven Claims: Check for independent dynos and figure out if everyone is ACTUALLY making the established gains
  4. Product Support: Use a company that will cater to your modification needs. If you choose one company, normally you'll need to use their products. Some vendors actually have the flexibility of running other hardware.
  5. Market Quality: Obviously go with the tuner that has fewer issues. Normally on the web, you'll see many threads about certain tunes not working and such, but take it with a grain of salt. The more you see, the more customer base that company probably has. Meaning, the more troubleshooting they have experienced.

How does the Software Switch Tunes?
APR ECMS Tutorial:


REVO SPS Switching:


GIAC Flashloader Switching


Price (Stage 1 Only)
APR: $600 + Addons
GIAC: $550 + Addons
REVO: $500 (Includes stock + 3 Programs and switching) + Addons
UNI: $550 (91oct), $600 (93oct)

APR Add Ons:
APR addons:
2 programs (i.e. stock, 91, 93, Valet, etc.) $150
3 programs $220
4 programs $290
Fault Code Erase/Throttle Body Alignment (FCE/TBA) $100
Security Lock-out $60
Anti-Theft System $200

GIAC Addons:
Stock $50
Race 100-104 octane $100
Kill $50
Valet $50
Security Firewall $100
Handheld Flashloader (to allow switching) $150

REVO Addons:
Revo SPS Controller $200

Forum Contact
http://www.goapr.com (Arin@APR or Evan@APR)
http://www.revotechnik.com/ (Chris@RevoTechnik or RevoTechnik-GM)
http://www.unitronic-chipped.com/ (sales@unitronic.ca)
http://www.awe-tuning.com/products/vw-1/mk6-g-j-2010/gti-20t/awe-gj2-0t-tsichip.html (Todd@AWE or Joe@AWE)
http://www.giacusa.com (Austin@GIAC)

3rd Party/Independent Tune Logging
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58269
https://www.unichipeurope.com/ are my go to.
 
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