Concerning FS used APR dongles

Just going to start with I'm not mad and I should've researched this more. I'm more posting this as a reference to others (a PSA of sorts).

Either way, word to the wise: Don't buy a used APR Bluetooth Dongle as APR will not allow you to reassign to a different vehicle. Though in the past they seemed to have made exceptions, they are now very stringent about it and don't seem interested in working with potential customers. That's funny since you'd think they would allow it more, especially for new customers, to promote their high margin ECU software.

Anyway, you've been warned.

Update: Please read this post for at least my resolution of this issue.

Update 2: Sean clarified some here.

Do they have any plans to make this service available in the future did they say? It really sucks that they did it for some and now won't for others.

One dealer I talked to thought APR was looking into a way to transfer those dongles from one vehicle to another, but the last time they'd heard of that was about a year ago. Basically dealers can't do much about it: it's just APR policy (business getting in the way of customer service if you ask me).

Anyway, let me know how the Eurodyne software works for you. Considering my options...

Same shit different day

Um, the whole point of this thing was to basically marry itself to the ecu so you can't just go around with it like a vag-com cable. They said it was like that when they announced it, so there's no surprise at all

They used to un-marry the dongle for a price...I guess not anymore? Kinda dumb we should be able to sell if we wanted. I can't imagine many people would sell their dongle so APR wouldn't losing many sales and still make a few dollars if anybody did want to have theirs un-married.

GreasyGinzo said:

They used to un-marry the dongle for a price...I guess not anymore? Kinda dumb we should be able to sell if we wanted. I can't imagine many people would sell their dongle so APR wouldn't losing many sales and still make a few dollars if anybody did want to have theirs un-married.

Click to expand...

That's what I thought would be the case. It's just a bit annoying that a piece of hardware, an accessory, is associated with an ECU irreversibly (enforced by APR policy). That's like saying your Carbonio intake will only work on a single car, and you can't sell it (there go all those part out posts). I understand the reasoning with software, but to do that with hardware too, especially an accessory like this, stands against the spirit of tuning and tinkering in a way.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

They made this rule clear when they first announced Mobile. It's against APR policy for a dealer to unbind it for customer use.

stop buying shit used and you wont get shafted. Boom Problem Solved.

I'm the one who sold it to the OP. I originally bought it used and it was unmarried. I've read of tons of other people selling/buying them used and had no problems unmarrying them. It figures the one I sell is a problem when trying to get it unmarried.

This doesn't add up. *****2.0t sells an APR dongle that was unmarried from the previous owner and the buyer is saying it doesn't work?

So there are a couple scenarios here. The original owner didn't get the dongle unmarried as he said he did. Or he did, but *****2.0t used the dongle which re-married it, then sold it. Or, the procedure for un-marrying the dongle didn't work properly.

How is APR supporting you on this, OP? Have you reached out to them? "They don't seem interested in working with potential customers" could mean anything. A missed call. An unreturned email. Hell, you could have sent them a smoke signal they happened to have missed. Deets!

XGC75 said:

This doesn't add up. *****2.0t sells an APR dongle that was unmarried from the previous owner and the buyer is saying it doesn't work?

So there are a couple scenarios here. The original owner didn't get the dongle unmarried as he said he did. Or he did, but *****2.0t used the dongle which re-married it, then sold it. Or, the procedure for un-marrying the dongle didn't work properly.

How is APR supporting you on this, OP? Have you reached out to them? "They don't seem interested in working with potential customers" could mean anything. A missed call. An unreturned email. Hell, you could have sent them a smoke signal they happened to have missed. Deets!

Click to expand...

My understanding of the series of events in this dongle's life:

1. OG owner buys and uses dongle
2. OG owner unmarries dongle and sells it to *****2.0t
3. *****2.0t uses it and marries it to his car
4. *****2.0t sells it to me (without ANY malicious intent to be clear)
5. I can't use it

So with regards to reaching out to APR, I did. I communicated with Arin and tried to communicate with Sean (haven't heard back yet). I also talked directly to their customer service and sales guys. They pretty much told me I'm SOL for the moment. My only way of using this is for them to change their policy (which btw almost sounds like it's associated to one car AT A TIME) since they are no longer making exceptions...

Also let me say this again: I'm just trying to make this clear to the community, as I believe there were contradicting claims here and there, on this forum and others. I am NOT super butthurt over this (it was only 100 bucks...) and NOT trying to be an :attention_whore:. I made a mistake not communicating with APR more thoroughly (I had pm'd Sean, but he didn't get back to me in time) before I actually pulled the trigger. I am not trying to troll APR (again it was 100 bucks and I have better things to do, like strip and repaint the USED K&N CAI box that I got for a good deal :thumbup:, or you know, work :thumbdown:...

Anyway I get the whole buying new vs used. It's partly why I bought my car new.

Wait what if *****2.0t reached out to APR to get it unmarried?

XGC75 said:

Wait what if *****2.0t reached out to APR to get it unmarried?

Click to expand...

Maybe he should contact a divorce lawyer?

XGC75 said:

Wait what if *****2.0t reached out to APR to get it unmarried?

Click to expand...

I'm not exactly on good terms with APR for good reason (on their part). I would love reaching out to them, but there is a 99% chance they will tell me to pound sound even worse than the OP.

The sequence of event by the OP is correct. I sold it fully thinking it could be unmarried. I bought it used, the previous owner had it unmarried. I married it to my ECU. I sold it noting in the for sale thread that the new owner would have to go about figuring out how to get it unmarried. Sean had mentioned in the APR Mobile thread that if you sent it to him he would unmarry them months ago, even saying that some dealers could do it. Now it seems that is not the case.

So basically what we are down to is.... I sold it, and couldnt even use it anymore if I tried since I now have Eurodyne. And the new owner can't use it at all since it's married to my ECU. It really sucks.

You would think that if a potential customer calls and says "I'm looking to get your tune on my car, and I also have a used dongle that I need unmarried so I can use it," that they would be inclined to do it for him. But I don't own a performance business, so maybe they have their reasons.