TMC Tuning Box Review - 1.4 TSI Engine

[VRS-Powered]

I thought it was about time I put a proper review of this up as a lot of people have asked me questions and I thought this would help answer them.

Website : http://www.tmcmotorsport.com/

Price : £299.00 ex VAT (£360.00 INC)

Time To Deliver : Next Working Day

What you'll recieve :

TMC Tuning Box

Sensor Connection Kit

TMC Stickers

Cable Ties

Fitting Guide

I ended up making my own Installation guide :

http://www.briskoda....-vrs-tsi-guide/

First Impressions :

After fitting the box and taking it for an easy drive to warm up it felt little different, the gear changes were still smooth and the power was pretty much the same as before. Going through a couple of towns it was still hitting 38-42MPG with ease and made no difference to the sound of the engine.

The real difference came when I put my foot down!

The car felt so much more alive, the midrange was so much better than before that it pushed me back into my seat the first time I floored the go faster pedal. The power delivery was very noticeable and increased giving the car the extra power a lot of people think it should have from the factory.

Stats Before & After TMC :

0-60 Before : 6.58 secs (Timed at GTI International 11')

0-60 After : 5.9 secs (Timed via Torque app)

BHP Before : 178bhp (Guesstimate as didn't go on the RR before)

BHP After : 202.bhp **

LB.FT Torque Before : 185 (Guesstimate as didn't go on the RR before)

LB.FT Torque After : 212.4**

NM Torque Before : 250 (Guesstimate as didn't go on the RR before)

NM Toque After : 288**

**Please note these figures were calculated as less than the RR graph due to having the ITG Maxogen CAI fitted at the time of obtaining them**

Original Figures W/ITG Kit Installed :

BHP : 211.6

LB.FT : 235

NM : 318.6

RR Graphs (TMC & ITG Installed) :

Living With It :

The TMC box really is a good product if you want a removable solution in tuning. Day to day the car performs just as well as standard with the extra kick when you want to have a little fun. MPG is still a respectable 38-42 MPG if driving normally, only dropping if you have a lead foot.

So am I happy with it? ABSOLUTELY!

Edited 19 April, 2012 by VRS-Powered

[apmaman]

Gotta say +1 to this.

I own one as well and if you are after a stage 1 solution this matches the Revo BHP and Torque values. With the adjustable settings from 1-9 you can dial in your preferred increase. I've found 6 and 7 to be the best, and 7 being the better of those two imo.

Installation takes about 10mins with the only real fiddly bit being the turbo boost sensor.

The increases to my car will similar so its well worth it if you are just wanting to make your car, that little bit meaner.

[Kermit82]

Good review couldn't have put it better myself. It's not for everyone by any means but for me it's perfect as it's where I want to be for now and gives good performance with decent Economy. It really does transform the car and gives it that extra edge.

It's very easy to install too +1 on the turbo boost pressure sensor it is a bit fiddly but there's your excellent guide VRS-powered and a video too which I found useful.

[Wilko251088]

So it reads some information the engine is outputting to adjust itself surely?

[Wilko251088]

Curious!! What if a tmc tuning box is used on a remapped ecu! Lolz

[dirty hari]

Curious!! What if a tmc tuning box is used on a remapped ecu! Lolz

Booom!!!!

on a serious note i really rate TMC and am very happy with mine

Edited 19 April, 2012 by dirty hari

[apmaman]

apparently nothing. i was talking to a guy who remapped his diesel vectra and tried a tuning box too but nothing changed.

could do something with our cars like but whos gonna test it?

[vRSy]

Booom!!!!

on a serious note i really rate TMC and am very happy with mine

OId agree with that tbh. The TMC box intercepts sensor signals before they get to the ECU and alters them so that the ECU works the engine harder as a result which gives you more power.

A remap will also make the ECU work harder, albeit instead of intercepting/altering a signal it does it by changing the map. But if this remap has moved the settings closer to the upper limits of the car, then using a TMC box ontop will fool the ECU into thinking the the Sensor signals are still low, thus potentially making the ECU work the engine above the the safe limits of the engine.

Use one or the other, definitely not both. I also really wouldnt compare a remap for a diesel vectra with a petrol remap as they both work in very different ways. Its also on a completely different make of ECU probably with alot less sensors and parameters to cause the car to 'react' etc

[Moist Von Lipwig]

I have looked at their website and going through the payment process it appears to be £299 including vat. Although as I have not actually bought one I am. Happy to be corrected by those having purchased one.

For the price it seems a very good option to getting a quick power gain without fear of a dealer overwriting the remap with an ecu update.

[VRS-Powered]

Mine was purchased at £360.00 but could of changed by now which would be nice

[vRSy]

For the price it seems a very good option to getting a quick power gain without fear of a dealer overwriting the remap with an ecu update.

Think PTorque charge about the same as that for a remap.

As said above earlier. It doesnt matter if the dealer overwrites it as you own that map on your car so you wont have to pay again for a remap.

[starskybell]

Looks like an ideal solution for mine as it's a company car..I assume Skoda techies would not be able to detect it has been fitted if I remove it prior to a service ?? My only problem i guess would be removing it quickly in the event of a breakdown...or worst case the engine blowing :think: ..not sure of insurance implications either if i had an accident..mmm

VRS-Powered..do you think it would be as quick to remove as to fit ?? tempted to take the risk for a bit of extra ooomph..lol

[vRSy]

What your saying is your tempted to drive around in a car with void insurance?

[apmaman]

I'd inform your insurance company for sure. Warranty work you might be able to wing but driving with out insurance (which is what it would be as its invalid) is a **** move.

[starskybell]

What your saying is your tempted to drive around in a car with void insurance?

Might be more trouble than it is worth I guess..the car is leased by my employers..the insurance is a policy obtained by my employer for "Any motor vehicle the property of the policyholder or in their care custody or control" We have our "own" cars but can drive any of the other company cars if the need arises...I could always ask about driving the car modified but I suspect I know the answer already !!

[Guest George512]

Cool review mate, thanks for taking the time to write it. I've been waiting for someone to sum up the TMC box. I think I may invest in one, but going to wait until my insurance renewal in August. I'm pretty sure with Admiral/Elephant if you declare these kinds of things mid policy, they like to slap you with a stupid fee. A previous quote I had only added about £40 to my premium for an up to 10% performance increase

[Alejo]

Hi guys, it has been a while since i have writen here. Today i bought two "items" lol... That i hope in conjuction will light up my Favia vrs a bit; first the TMC tuning box and a pipercross filter replacement. I have read the topics and posts here, almost all of them, but since i'm in Chile i actually don't have a point to compare with. I think theres not more than 30 Favia Vrs in Chile, i just hope this engine tunning will help.

Any comment will be apreciated.

Regards

AleX

[antbVRS88]

Mine was purchased at £360.00 but could of changed by now which would be nice http://www.briskoda.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/emoticon-0100-smile.gif

I managed to get one off TMC via eBay for £250

Although their website stated the price stated above.

[Ally_bassman]

I managed to get one off TMC via eBay for £250

Although their website stated the price stated above.

Was it on recently? I was looking to buy it but you must have beat me to it!!

[Th3Grinch]

Theres one on at 299 now. Through tmc.

[antbVRS88]

Was it on recently? I was looking to buy it but you must have beat me to it!!

It's was on tmc's eBay account they say £300 (I think) or make an offer. I made an offer of £250 and it was accepted surprisingly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ally_bassman]

Bought one from the TMC eBay store and mine seems different. It has no cam sensor and no adjustable setting?? None of the connectors are labelled which I contacted them about, they said it didn't matter for boost and manifold air sensor.

Little confused. Opened it up to find it's just a chip board??

Anyone else bought a TMC off eBay and found it to be like this??

[Ootohere]

Please do not plug that in or use it.   Get a full refund.

[Ally_bassman]

That's what I'm thinking. This is not what a TMC should be. This Is like those resistor boxes people got for PD130's.

What on earth is this? I have contacted the seller to explain themselves before I get eBay and paypal involved for a full refund.

Please be aware of TMC on eBay!

[Ally_bassman]

I'm properly annoyed.