Why Don't You Mod?....

[k4ith]

wahey 1st post.

I didn't start modding till later in life 30ish, In November i take delivery of an Edition 30 and i have plans for it already, the exterior will remain largley OEM as i think the car looks good enough as it is, exhaust will more than likely to be a return to Milltek having had one on my mk4 gti, non resonated mind as the prev non resonated one had a rather annoying boom when passing the 80mph mark.Induction will probably be a Carbonio or Forge, i will utilise my Forge short shifter currently fitted to my MKII Leon staying with Forge it could see the addition of the new FMFSITV and then look for a suitable 'switchable' map poss GIAC.All this will after 1500 miles.I will also have a Koni FSD suspension kit that is again fitted to the Leon, but the Eibach springs will not fit the Golf but if the ride is ok then thats going to be sold.

Red Robin your GTi looks good  as do a good few others on here, while i dont like the max power brigade cars its each to their own i say, but there does seem to be some good advice on here and some varied opinions.but those crazy yanks they are into modding in a big way not like us more reserved Brits.

[RedRobin]

A Warm Welcome to this forum, k4ith .

I didn't start modding until I was 58yo! I'd approach the idea of GIAC with great caution - Probably more suitable for the American cars. Also, I haven't heard much good said about their sole UK distributors. Revo, for example, are far more established with their tuning of UK GTI's.

[k4ith]

Thanks R/R
reason i mentioned GIAC is that i have used Star Performance for both my last cars and they sell GIAC plus another tuner/maper who i cant remember of the top of my head but they were TUV approved and they did the maps for my MK4 GTi, I looked at Revo but the only dealer was Drivers in Glasgow and when i called about mapping the MK4 they weren't exactly forthcoming and cust serv/attitude plays a big part with me that and the fact they didn't have a rolling road to compare before and after with.I also here good things about Custom Code but again its the lack of quality tuners up in Scotland.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Thanks R/R
reason i mentioned GIAC is that i have used Star Performance for both my last cars and they sell GIAC plus another tuner/maper who i cant remember of the top of my head but they were TUV approved and they did the maps for my MK4 GTi, I looked at Revo but the only dealer was Drivers in Glasgow and when i called about mapping the MK4 they weren't exactly forthcoming and cust serv/attitude plays a big part with me that and the fact they didn't have a rolling road to compare before and after with.I also here good things about Custom Code but again its the lack of quality tuners up in Scotland.

GIAC certainly wont be TuV approved, as they are an American company, and TuV is a German standard.  AFAIK, the only TuV approved VAG tuner is Oettinger http://www.rsdcars-uk.co.uk/Oettinger.htm.

Do NOT go with ANY American chip, as their engine management is completely different to European set-ups.  They don't have the stratified mode of FSI enabled in US/Cdn, because they have shyte fuel.  There are also concerns that "tuned" FSI engines in the states are now suffering from excessive engine wear, due to overfuelling and washing the oil off the cylinder bores (concrete evidence that the stratified mode is disabled). 

I would also strongly recommend against any kind of "custom" re-map - too many pitfalls.  Ask, if you want to know more, but I'll reply later, as I'm hungry, and SWMBO calls! 

[RedRobin]

GIAC certainly wont be TuV approved, as they are an American company, and TuV is a German standard.  AFAIK, the only TuV approved VAG tuner is Oettinger http://www.rsdcars-uk.co.uk/Oettinger.htm.

Do NOT go with ANY American chip, as their engine management is completely different to European set-ups.  They don't have the stratified mode of FSI enabled in US/Cdn, because they have shyte fuel.  There are also concerns that "tuned" FSI engines in the states are now suffering from excessive engine wear, due to overfuelling and washing the oil off the cylinder bores (concrete evidence that the stratified mode is disabled). 

I would also strongly recommend against any kind of "custom" re-map - too many pitfalls.  Ask, if you want to know more, but I'll reply later, as I'm hungry, and SWMBO calls! 

....I agree with T_T (yet again! But we don't always agree ).

Regal Autosport, Southampton are GIAC agents in England. I've yet to hear good things about them and I certainly have been very unimpressed by their poor customer service.

Those American boys have leapt straight into very extensive modding and remapping, so it sounds as if they might be in for some nasty surprises.

T_T, I've got to ask you: What does "SWMBO" stand for? I can't work it out but expect it's very obvious!

[k4ith]

she who must be obeyed

so who do you recommend?
i have heard some bad stuff about superchips and have noticed from your posts TT that your not their No1 fan LOL
some folks advise their bluefin corrupts if a dealer flashes the ECU while in on a service.
The reason i mentioned TUV was that as a standard for Germany i expect it to be high, could be wrong? 

[djhorace]

she who must be obeyed

so who do you recommend?
i have heard some bad stuff about superchips and have noticed from your posts TT that your not their No1 fan LOL
some folks advise their bluefin corrupts if a dealer flashes the ECU while in on a service.
The reason i mentioned TUV was that as a standard for Germany i expect it to be high, could be wrong? 

Hi,

New on here and don't have a Golf GTi, but do have a MK2 Leon Cupra. I was also planning to have a GIAC map done by Star Performance in Fife. However this has worried me somewhat. I may well hold off tuning until a few more of these have been done.

I guess it would be worth asking Star if the GIAC maps are TUV approved Keith and to see if the stratified mode is enabled on the maps they provide.

One thing I do know about remaps are that as time goes on, better code is developed, hence the reason my AUQ 1.8T with an exhaust managed over 240bhp and earlier remapped 1.8T's with the same mods managed only 220 or 230 odd.

[k4ith]

you would think GIAC would realise this and alter it for the European market.
a lot of the MKII Cupra guys seem to be leaning to Revo at the moment.my car will not arrive till Nov so looking to wait till Jan/Feb 2008 so hopefully there will be more info buy then. 

[djhorace]

you would think GIAC would realise this and alter it for the European market.

Exactly what I thought.

[JonK]

TT - Think your services may be required on cupra.net!

www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=137823