[Audi A3/S3] 170 TDI ECU remap?

[Cattlerustler]

As my car is now just on a year old I decided it was time for a power increase, my car is a 60 plate 2011 model year 170hp TDI S-Tronic A3, so here is my dilemma....

I have no experience of any of the offered remaps so which to choose, AMD at Lakeside are my local tuning company, but to add to the confusion they do 2, their own AMD remap or the Revo one, price wise there is not much in it, does anyone have any good advice for me please?

[Mook]

Revo is an off the shelf remap and IIRC the AmD one is tweaked for each car, but I could be wrong. What have they said is the difference?

Personally, if I had to use AmD, I'd go with their remap, because of the knowledge I have of Revo.

Best option for you though would be to speak to Ben at Shark Performance - Volkswagen Audi Seat Skoda Mercedes BMW Porsche Tuning - they're based just north of Nottingham, but they've got a clever box called at STS, which allows them to remap your car specific to your car, and then you use the STS to upload the remap to it - plus you can take it off when you want to.

HTH

[shark_90]

Thanks for the recommendation Mook

Unfortunately for the OP, if the car is just a year old then the STS isn't compatible as it'll be a "protected" ECU which will need to be removed to be remapped.

If AMD are the local tuner then we may be too far away.. having said that we have customers from all over the UK who drive to have their car remapped by us, and some that drive from even further, Kosovo being the current record!

[Cattlerustler]

Thanks for the recommendation Mook

Unfortunately for the OP, if the car is just a year old then the STS isn't compatible as it'll be a "protected" ECU which will need to be removed to be remapped.

If AMD are the local tuner then we may be too far away.. having said that we have customers from all over the UK who drive to have their car remapped by us, and some that drive from even further, Kosovo being the current record!

Thanks for the recommendation Mook

Unfortunately for the OP, if the car is just a year old then the STS isn't compatible as it'll be a "protected" ECU which will need to be removed to be remapped.

If AMD are the local tuner then we may be too far away.. having said that we have customers from all over the UK who drive to have their car remapped by us, and some that drive from even further, Kosovo being the current record!

Ben, thank you for the time in responding, you have now worried me somewhat, if they have to remove the ECU as it is "protected" to remap it then I presume Audi can tell? I am worried as I bought a 5 year warranty with the car and do not want to risk it just for 30 or 40hp.

[Mook]

Yes, Audi can tell. It's not from the removal of the ECU - that's a five minute job - the remap overwrites the existing software on the ECU, so when it's next plugged into the diagnostics, they'll be able to tell. Any remap invalidates the manufacturer's warranty, but there are main dealers who sell remapped cars.

[stooH]

That's a bit scaremongering isn't it Mook? My understanding is It doesn't invalidate the entire warranty, if you have a component failure which is related to the remap then that wouldn't be covered by the warranty.

[Cattlerustler]

Well I think that puts the final nail in the coffin for my remap, I wanted to use one of the systems that could remove the performance map as well if possible but this also looks unlikely, I am just going to have to resign myself to only having 170hp

[Mook]

That's a bit scaremongering isn't it Mook? My understanding is It doesn't invalidate the entire warranty, if you have a component failure which is related to the remap then that wouldn't be covered by the warranty.

A lot of it depends on your dealer, tbh, and yes, you could argue that if it's a component failure due to the software being modified on the ECU, but putting out more power will (argues the manufacturer) put more strain on the engine, gearbox, drive-train etc.

You have to ask yourself whether you can argue with the dealer whether it affects stuff, but it's definitely a case of buyer beware. Dealers can and will try very heard to get out of warranty repairs, unless you know a good one (as many people on here have successfully proved). Our local VW garage sits hard and fast to the rules. The local Audi garage is "flexible". Approach them like a cnut and you'll get them working to the letter. Do it like a normal person should, and they're fine. Hence me getting a complete engine rebuild costing over £6k on my S4, and two new ECUs on my Allroad.

Personally it's not bothered me, but then I've modified every car I've ever had

[Mook]

Well I think that puts the final nail in the coffin for my remap, I wanted to use one of the systems that could remove the performance map as well if possible but this also looks unlikely, I am just going to have to resign myself to only having 170hp

Just so you're aware, regardless of whether the map can be removed or not (which is what the Shark STS can do, as well as others) does NOT mean that your original ECU map is restored. You've got to check very, very carefully, especially with the likes of Revo. Returning a car to the "standard manufacturers ECU map" is not what it always appears to be.