Car tuning chips

[allantheboss]

I'm planning a road trip with some friends using my Hyundai Terracan (2006). I'm seeing a lot of "tuning chips" online, which boast more bhp, more torque, and most importantly for me, better fuel economy.

There are lots of brands, prices, models. Do they generally work? Worth spending £250-300 on? Any names I should favour/avoid?

Thanks!

[KobayashiMaru]

A proper remap by someone like AMD, Shark, etc is best but a few on the Skoda forum are using tuning boxes from these http://www.tmcmotorsport.com/

Easy to fit and remove and you turn the dial depending on how much power you want.

[Sid Squid]

What engine do you have?

[unclepoo]

I was told to keep clear of the cheep tuning boxs...the just increase fuel pressure in the pump and can lead to pump failure...this is TDI engines.

[Sid Squid]

I was told to keep clear of the cheep tuning boxs...the just increase fuel pressure in the pump and can lead to pump failure...this is TDI engines.
'Zackly - hence my question.

[NTECUK]

Avoid the box .caught out two of our customers .New pump on one .Snapped rod and a piston on other (both K9K.)

re map it.better mpg and more power on a K9K.
So it logicaly follows a Hyundai be same.

[DJ123]

The biggest way you can affect your MPG is the way you drive. A box can't make as much difference as you!

[a_monkey_hint]

The biggest way you can affect your MPG is the way you drive. A box can't make as much difference as you!

Actually the best way to improve mpg is by the way you drive with a remap/box.

I had a DTUK tuning box on my 1.9cdti astra 150bhp. Massive difference in bhp & torque. I also got an extra 5-10mpg!

I bought the box second hand for £100 and sold it when I sold the car for £100 - so cost me nothing (except the added insurance)

[allantheboss]

What engine do you have?

2.9 CRDi

If I don't get a new chip, who can or how can I "remap"?

[svrich]

I've been thinking about something like this for our Passat (06 1.9td). There are a lot of option advertised but know nothing about them.

[Sid Squid]

Don't just buy a 'tuning box', some engines respond better than others to them, but they're all sledgehammers, get a proper remap done and make sure you ask whoever does it to put the original on a USB stick or similar.

[DJ123]

Actually the best way to improve mpg is by the way you drive with a remap/box.


The point i was making is that if you drive like a clown, you will still get the MPG of a clown. The box can only enhance your input, it can't make you drive any more economical it can only *try* to make the engine more economical and efficient.

Personally, i think a remap is the way to go. Rather than having an inbetween module to interpret signals.

[otaylor38]

I heard a few months back that insurance companies are checking specifically for chips etc lately. I dont know how true it was. However if you do get one, and dont tell your insurance company, they wont pay out in the event of an accident.

I know a guy thats got his 2.0tdi vw passat chipped from 140 to 170bhp (not sure why because vw actually make the same engine in 170bhp form as standard anyway lol) and he swears by it.

[allantheboss]

Don't just buy a 'tuning box', some engines respond better than others to them, but they're all sledgehammers, get a proper remap done and make sure you ask whoever does it to put the original on a USB stick or similar.

Do I just google for "car remapper" and go to wherever pops up? (Unless there are pics of naked men on the website, then I won't go regardless of what they advertise themselves as)

[allantheboss]

The point i was making is that if you drive like a clown, you will still get the MPG of a clown. The box can only enhance your input, it can't make you drive any more economical it can only *try* to make the engine more economical and efficient.

Personally, i think a remap is the way to go. Rather than having an inbetween module to interpret signals.

I'm already considerate of that principle, but thanks for the idea. I know how much of a difference it makes! I get 100 miles out of a tank on my XJR1300, but closer to 150 if I'm smooth. It's amazing what difference it makes! On my road-trip, however, there will be a lot of long-distance driving where acceleration isn't important, and I think a remap would be a good idea, no?


What's the difference between a remap and getting a new chip? Is it just that if I get a chip, I'm paying for the console as well (so it's in fact not much different besides me getting something physical as well)?

[allantheboss]

Sid Squid, I tried to send you a PM but your message box is full, so I'll do you the honours of putting the message here:

"I'd just like to say thanks for all your help; generally, not just on this current car-chipping thread! Some members' replies are sarcastic, some are pretentious, some know the answer but aren't so good at explaining it and end up saying something I don't understand. Your responses are always respectful, prompt, and concise. It's not often that someone is able to convincingly portray themselves as humble and intelligent just via the internet, but you're one of the few examples.

Everything I learn from yourself and the kind people on this forum you're helping to run will be passed on by myself. Your knowledge is being made infinite, and so on behalf of everyone I have or will teach, thank you!

Keep up the good work, skipper!"

[a_monkey_hint]

I'm already considerate of that principle, but thanks for the idea. I know how much of a difference it makes! I get 100 miles out of a tank on my XJR1300, but closer to 150 if I'm smooth. It's amazing what difference it makes! On my road-trip, however, there will be a lot of long-distance driving where acceleration isn't important, and I think a remap would be a good idea, no?


What's the difference between a remap and getting a new chip? Is it just that if I get a chip, I'm paying for the console as well (so it's in fact not much different besides me getting something physical as well)?

This is going off my experience of a remap/boxing an astra. I used to be part of an astra forum.

The community was split 50/50 maps/boxes. I've also included IPF remaps (handheld device that allowed you to download and map your own car).

Remaps - generally are tailored to your car, on astras they often allowed a different map on and off the sport button (say 170bhp with sport off and 210 with sport on). However if you take your car to the main dealer and they update the ECU then you'll need to take your car back to get it re-mapped (often a charge with this). Also if you wanted to remove the map - you'd need to take it to a main dealer or back to the mapping company.

Boxes - plug into the common rail, and generally just increases the fuel pressure on the car. Alot of box critiques claim this will damage the engine in the long run, however many astra users had boxes installed for 100k+ trouble free miles. On the rollers a box was seen to get anywhere from 190-205bhp (as said above, engines are different and react to maps and boxes in different ways). The box I had installed had about 15 different settings to choose from, which was a case of trial and error - keep increasing until it starts smoking too much - then turn down a notch of two to find the perfect setting for your car.

I loved my box, the torque increase was incredible and made the car significantly faster and significantly increase my mpg (I'm not a particularly fast or aggressive driver so definitely appreciated the added mpg). It also removed the most of the turbo lag.

It is based on personal preference which you choose. I don't think anyone will argue that a remap (if done properly) is the best route for your car. But given the cost of a box and the resell value - they're a very close second.

I heard a few months back that insurance companies are checking specifically for chips etc lately. I dont know how true it was. However if you do get one, and dont tell your insurance company, they wont pay out in the event of an accident.

I declared my box to the insurance but knew of some people that didn't. It takes about 20seconds to remove the box, you've got to be quite stupid to be involved in an accident and not remove the box (unless its quite serious or you physically can't open the bonnet).

[otaylor38]

I agree. However cars are designed to crumple and absorb impact. Doesnt take alot to crunch the bonnet in and make it a pain to open. Maybe carry a crow bar to? Just incase? Haha ;)

[otaylor38]

And thinking about it. What about the witness' that are watching you change it, and the police dont take long to turn up any how.

Always best to declare these things i find. Not worth risking having your insurance company refusing to pay out i think.

[Sid Squid]

Do I just google for "car remapper" and go to wherever pops up?
The big problem is that there are so many people who provide this service nowadays, some good, some not so good, unless you can find someone in your area that comes recommended it can be difficult to be certain what you're getting.
Some things to ask, all absolute prerequisites:

1. Exactly what are you offering?
2. What can I expect, and how will you demonstrate this?
3. Are there any reasonably foreseeable downsides I may experience?
4. If I don't feel there's be an improvement - bearing in mind a realistic expectation of what's being offered of course - will you undo the remap, set it back like it was and give me my money back?

Point 1; Lots of places will offer a variety of settings, for example; loadsa welly/scroogey economy/bit of both. Be clear about what you want, and be certain they understand exactly what your expectations are, and that they're reasonable expectations - it's in their interests to be sure you're going to be a satisfied customer, so ask all your questions first.
Point 2. Ideally you'd find someone with a dyno, they'd do a custom, individually written map. Have you got deep pockets? It's expensive. But far and away the best option. If not that it can be harder to accurately gauge what changes have been made, what options did they offer? If a big wedge more torque, than how does it feel? Should be possible to get an idea just by wielding the loud pedal, hardly accurate it's true, but if it don't feel the way you expected talk to them. If you were looking for better economy you're going to need to get a bit anal with the fuel receipts for a little while to see what happened, you'll also need to try and drive as consistently as possible over the test period.
3. Unless the answer is 'none at all', with the obvious exception of your exhaust emissions may not be legit anymore, (dependant on fuel type and exact engine etc etc) take your money elsewhere. But temper that with the knowledge that, if you asked for more power for instance, and if you habitually use it, overall the car will wear faster, that isn't usually a consideration for very new cars, but there is no shortage of 150,000+ mile cars out there nowadays, some would be a better bet than others - go find an owner's forum and ask the relevant newb questions.
4. Unless they offer this, I'd simply go somewhere else - I think it would be fair to say everyone established and worth doing business with offers exactly that promise.

(Unless there are pics of naked men on the website, then I won't go regardless of what they advertise themselves as)
Hey - it's your money and your time - you can spend it however you like, it's a free country.


PS. The other thing wot you wrote - very flattering - thank you, and you're welcome.