TMC Tuning Box Review - 1.4 TSI Engine

[Th3Grinch]

Is it through tmc?

[Wibb]

This is what a new TMC box should look like (07/2013)

 

 

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??

 

[Th3Grinch]

Tmc are now selling black ones that are labelled 1.4tsi on them . See ebay. But they still have all the same plugs.

[Ally_bassman]

Is it through tmc?

Yeah through TMC themselves.

[Ally_bassman]

TMC have been in contact and have advised that the unit I have bought is different to the unit for the 1.4 TSI TMC you get on the website.

Although this is not mentioned on the eBay advert.

I am getting a full refund. It is not going anywhere near my car.

[mrburdon123]

Good job on checking this one out! A unquestionable fake which luckily has not gone one your car. These are the sort of boxes that just trick a fuel temp sensor or something daft like that.

I fell into the same trap and like you pulled it open before I fitted as I wasn't convinced of the build quality - didn't get a refund due to me not thinking they'd accept it back after I obviously had opened it up. I hope you with the price I'm assuming you paid get a full refund!

A vrs saved me reckons

[Furbytom]

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??

OMG. That does look just like a cheapo "resistor in a box". Is that thing controlling boost and fuel or us it just overfuelling the car? I wouldn't touch that tbh. Seek a refund mate!

[Ally_bassman]

I know! TMC tried to parm me off and say it the same innards as the normal device.

Sent it back this morning and I'm getting a refund.

[Th3Grinch]

So are tmc selling these for our cars? If so, why? Why have they changed it? Im glad ive seen this as I was about to order one!

[Ally_bassman]

I've been in contact with TMC;

The devices on eBay are not the same as the ones on their website. The device I bought is a generic device used for 1.4tsi engines. Apparently it has the same 64bit processor and adjustability.

You can still purchase the more expensive bespoke 1.4tsi twincharged 180bhp kit. But only from the TMC website.

I hope this clears things up. I was confused too! It's a shame because I have lost faith in the company and the product.

[Th3Grinch]

Yeah it does kind of. So they dont sell the exact one for our car in ebay. Only a general one for the tsi engine. Surely though its like a tmc 'lite' as without the other sensors it cant do its jos as well. So wouldnt give same result.

[Sparkly]

Near miss there Ally, bet you're glad you are on Brisky now.

Imagine the poor sods that have bought these with little knowledge of the engine and it's 'issues' and no knowledge of what the proper TMC unit should look like etc.

Very shady this by TMC

[Ally_bassman]

It is very shady. I have a long email conversation with them, at first they tried to palm me off with the usual "we have hundreds of satisfied customers" but once I started to explain that I have seen what the normal TMC box looks like, they then went on to admit that it is a unit they had made to order for a dealer in Brazil. Something to do with fuel in Brazil being rich in Ethanol!?! To be fair to them they quite happily accepted my request for a refund in the end, but really it is shame on them for trying to sell something different under the guise of the full product.

I love this community. I've been a member for a few years now and have learnt a hell of a lot and had some laughs along the way. As soon as I opened the parcel I knew something wasn't right. It wasn't going on my car regardless, I just wanted my fears confirmed by bringing it on here.

Buyers beware! If it's too good to be true, it normally is!

Edited 18 April, 2014 by Ally_bassman

[Th3Grinch]

Could you post a link to the item you bought please. The one listed o ebay looks like the proper one but black?

[Ally_bassman]

There you go; :-)

http://bit.ly/1lcOVsK

[Ootohere]

http://tmcmotorsport.com

The proper thing.

 

So did those you dealt with actually check or did you tell them it was a 1.4 TSI 132kW-136 kW engine 2009-2012 ?

& not requiring some generic tuning box for any version of the 1.4 TSI/TFSI.

 

*They are not 180 BHP & 185 BHP, they are 180 PS & 185 PS.

 

Not much difference, 'BHP' is a slightly lower figure than 'PS',

but when someone that supposedly knows about Tuning is selling,

it is the kind of thing they should get right.

 

I really would be interesting to see the damage one of the boxes supplied in this thread from post #23

could do.

 

?????

What about the one from post #19

Was it a proper TMC Tuning box that arrived and is it on the car.

Or is it the same as the Hooky one from #23?

[Ally_bassman]

The scary thing is George I was dealing with TMC themselves. They are selling these TMC 'lite' boxes through eBay only.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 2

[Furbytom]

That's crazy. I hope TMC are reading this thread and feel suitably embarrassed.

The nasty Brazilian eBay version is only £32 cheaper than the proper unit too!

[Th3Grinch]

I shall keep my wallet shut for now. Think Ally should email them the link to this thread. So they can try and claw back some custom.

[Binzie]

Phone him he is very nice !

 

Best regards,

Daron Brown - International Sales,

 

TMC Motorsport

11 Grangewood Manor, Dundonald, BT16 1GJ, Northern Ireland, UK

www.tmcmotorsport.com | Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/TMC-Motorsport/104185996286170 | Blog http://wwwtmcmotorsport.blogspot.co.uk/

Tel. 02890 507999 / 07967 565582

Intl +44 2890 507999

[Wibb]

I had forwarded a link to this thread to TMC and had the following response:

 

Hi Wibb, would you be kind enough to post a reply to this for me tomorrow?
This is utterly ridiculous, the unit on EBay price includes vat whereas our website unit is plus vat so there is a full £100 difference between them. We also do not state on eBay that this unit is the same as the unit sold on our website, there is no conning being done here, the technology on the EBay unit is as good a quality as our website unit with the same 64 bit processor. This is not some cheap resistor box.

I will reply in more detail when I have time but there has been no resistance with the customer to upgrade or refund so I don't understand the attitude.

We will gladly exchange the unit for our website unit or refund in full there is no need for him to rubbish our name on forums when we have complied with every request and explained fully any questions he asked.

Kind Regards
Daron

TMC Motorsport

[Th3Grinch]

That confuses me though. I dont believe they have been slated/rubbished.

Just a bit of confusion as to why they sell 2 items for one engine. That are different from each other yet apparently do the same job even though one has less sensors. I personally dont understand it. Waiting to order one but im not doing anything yet.

[Ally_bassman]

I can't fault them on customer service, Daron has indeed answered every question and I have sent the device back for a refund.

I still think it needs to be made clearer on the eBay ad what you are actually purchasing. If it was advertised that it wasn't the same unit as from TMC direct I wouldn't have bothered ordering and wasting his time and mine.

I'm offended that he is accusing me of Rubbishing their name. I'm not, I'm just reporting my experience so other members know what they are buying.

Edited 18 April, 2014 by Ally_bassman

[Ootohere]

Plenty here have used the TMC Box as was previously sold, and had no issues.

In fact good results.

 

This one is a step too far as something of an unknown quantity.

a £3,000 plus gamble to plug that in.

 

Connectors not labelled.    Too risky.   

[Ally_bassman]

Exactly George! Hence why I wanted to purchase one, It just wasn't clear that the device I bought was different to the other one. I still want to buy one eventually, just been off slightly.

Edited 18 April, 2014 by Ally_bassman