Why do manufacturers not remap?

[Andy B]

Just been reading some of the remapping threads... it makes me wonder why the manufacturers aren't getting the most out of their engines?

If something like the edition 30 can easily be given another 60-70 horsepower, shouldn't the manufacturers be doing this sort of thing anyway, giving cars smaller engines, especially further down the range?

Just seems a bit odd, that's all.

[Rhyso]

protect engine lifespan; engine has to get to the end of the 3 year warranty period so are mapped well within its limits

[08micsta]

Why does it matter? You not allowed to go fast with all the bl@ddy speed cameras....

Anyhow. Since many of us disregard the camera's   ...

I think the reason is mainly because they dont want to go out of business. Think about it. If Volkswagen produced a Golf GTi that was getting the most out of its engine standard then:

1. What happens to the countless people that go remap that engine further and damage it? (VW dealers will turn into a parts store and not a dealer)
2. What will we have to look forward to for the next generation of that vehicle. People wont buy it becasue it looks a bit different. They buy it because its got a improved and faster engine.

Look at BMW. We bought one of the first 3 series to come out. It was useless. Engine was pathetic. Car was pathetic. 3 years later they are still stocking the same car same shape but when we got the exact same vehicle on loan it was like a differant car.  

A car manufacturer wants to keep its buyers on its feet. It launches the GTI.. WOW then people start getting bored and whoops... They R32 is launched  

3. Also because with vehicles there are rivals. Example. Volswagen produces a GTi with a V8 engine   so what will ford do? They will launch a ST with a V8 that will be mapped too and it will tear the GTI apart sort of thing... Then what? What can Volswagen produce to entertain us?

4. Buyer market. Think of what market the GTi is aimed at... (not slating Phil) but look at the Passat sport. Its aimed at the man that has a family to big to accomodate the GTi. They gave it that power through whatever engine and map so that it would appeal to him.

I think in general the main reason for Manufacturers not overpowering there cars are also laws. Certain countries have certain guidelines for certain engines.... I.E: A 2 litre FSI engine is only allowed to produce so many of this carbon and this fume blah blah. So if they manufacture the car with a 2 litre engine they have to comply with the laws with regards to 2 litre engines else they end up upgrading the engine top something better (V8) and then as said perviously the target market, rivals ect all goes out the window.

I may be wrong so I stand to be corrected.

Mike

[R32UK]

I have alway thought that a remap must take away from other parts of the power delivery. I have no evidence of this, but everyone is happy to show you peak performance graphs taken from a rolling road. But what happens when your going up/down hills?? or have a full load?? Feel free to fill me in on this.

The manufacturers know the engines better than anyone, and if they felt it were entirly safe then they would do it. As they can not be comprehensively sure, they leave it to the people who feel they need to... and save themselves thousands in repairs and recalls. It doesnt mean that your engine is going to fall out... just that VW feel they need a level of safety. They are a business after all.. money is the reason and probably the only reason why!!

[joesgti]

nice write up micsta   

[theBatch]

Manufacturers do quite often remap. They did it with the mk4 gti. 180bhp (originally in anni then extended to gti) from 150bhp.

Im sure a huge part of it is due to marketing but also 'safe' limits are key. This is a very rough explaination but if an engine part breaks at 400bhp then a safe limit is 200bhp. Sure it can handle 300+ but then you move closer and closer to the maximum, and for a manufacturer that producers hundreds of thousands this is not sustainable in the long run.

[topher]

Reliability and economy. You force twice as much boost out of a turbo, it'll last half as long. Obviously you don't drive everywhere on full boost though so there are no black and white figures stating 'Your turbo will need replacing after XX miles', same goes for fuel consumption.

R32UK - you can see an old plot from my mk4 here Click

First graph is torque, second is bhp. That's the results from my car on the day it was mapped, before and after (already had full exhaust fitted making it 17bhp over stock). As you can see the torque is massively increased all the way up the range.. so driving with a full load or up a hill doesn't hurt it, still rips away from unmapped 1.8T's! I've had more done to it since though so you can add a few more ponies for the current figure.

[john_o]

as stated by all the others its many reasons but for the mkv its clear its an image and relative hierachy issue.

std GTI 200 bhp
ED30 GTI 230 bhp
R32 260 bhp?

they couldnt remap the std GTI to make an edition 30 probably because it took the components past VW low safety/reliability limit OR it proved much easier and cost effective to fit the S3 engine (detuned)

Notice I didnt say that its not safe to remap a std GTI as it plainly is , but the bean counters at VW reckoned the S3 engine was a better choice

Whatever it had to come in below the R32 'range topper'

The fact it can be remapped so high is 'lucky' , compare with the R32 which has very little remap 'headroom' , this is also due to the fact its N/A

The new modern turbo car era certainly changes the tuning landscape.

now go remap your car 

JohnO

[Andy B]

Thanks for all the answers!

[Manu_R32]

Micsta's gotten really into it....