After using the search button, I've found threads like these:

http://www.briskoda....remap-for-dsg7/

http://www.briskoda....rbox-remapping/

I think I first heard about it when reading a thread on SCN about the Ibiza Cupra. http://www.seatcupra...ad.php?t=271220

Oh, The Search Button . Good pointer, thanks .

I was more after any specific info you were referring to/thinking off. I've seen some movement dating back quite a while then a big gap (how many boxes were minced in the meantime due to "research and development" nobody will know) and still nothing. Others offer them DSG remaps happily enough.

I personally see no point in doing anything to DSG-7 transverse box. The longitudes wet clutch version yes please:).

There is a tunner in my area that have modified a Seat Ibiza Cupra and one of those mods is removal of kickdown. Pretty fast machine too.

On most vw's the kickdown switch is much firmer making pressing it by accident less of a problem.

On most BMW's with the 8 speed auto you can buy a £120 option that, amongst other things, disables kickdown in manual mode.

On the 8 speed auto kickdown can be quite severe as it can block down change in 200ms and can go 8th to 2nd in one shift if required.

Cheers

Lee

I'm glad the OP asked this question, i've only had mine a few weeks and had the old kickdown after manual shift from 7th to 5th for an overtake. I was wondering why it did it but was too embarrased to ask the question

Never be embarassed to ask a question! If you do not get a kind answer then person answering you doesn't understand nor deserve any respect.

On most vw's the kickdown switch is much firmer making pressing it by accident less of a problem.

On most BMW's with the 8 speed auto you can buy a £120 option that, amongst other things, disables kickdown in manual mode.

On the 8 speed auto kickdown can be quite severe as it can block down change in 200ms and can go 8th to 2nd in one shift if required.

Cheers

Lee

That's very useful to know. I'm very tempted to swap the vRS for a Beemer with 8spd auto. Have you got a 116i with the auto? How does this suit the car?

That's very useful to know. I'm very tempted to swap the vRS for a Beemer with 8spd auto. Have you got a 116i with the auto? How does this suit the car?

Yep, the 116i my wife has is great to drive. It's the same basic engine as the mini cooper S adapted for longitudinal layout and RWD. The dual scroll turbo gives maximum torque from 1350-4300rpm and maximum power available from 4400-5500rpm. There's also an overboost feature that gives an extra 20NM for short periods. It's exactly the same engine as in the 118i but has the top end power capped in sowftware and the top speed capped to 130mph to give it some space to the 118i's 140mph top speed.

The very flat torque curve suits the 8 speed auto very well, it always feels alot stronger than the output figures suggest. Dyno figures for standard cars are showing around 160bhp and BMW tuners like AC Shnitzer are doing 200bhp upgrades for the new 116i.

Even as standard 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds isn't bad performance and with RWD traction and the auto box you can repeat that figure every time.

Economy wise we are getting high 30's knocking about and high 40's on a run.

Here's a good review of a 116i with the new auto, it's a very wierd "Urban" spec and the reviewer isn't too keen on the looks but obviously the engine and box are the same for SE, Sport and M-Sport.

Cheers

Lee

Edited 17 April, 201313 yr by logiclee

Yep, the 116i my wife has is great to drive. It's the same basic engine as the mini cooper S adapted for longitudinal layout and RWD. The dual scroll turbo gives maximum torque from 1350-4300rpm and maximum power available from 4400-5500rpm. There's also an overboost feature that gives an extra 20NM for short periods. It's exactly the same engine as in the 118i but has the top end power capped in sowftware and the top speed capped to 130mph to give it some space to the 118i's 140mph top speed.

The very flat torque curve suits the 8 speed auto very well, it always feels alot stronger than the output figures suggest. Dyno figures for standard cars are showing around 160bhp and BMW tuners like AC Shnitzer are doing 200bhp upgrades for the new 116i.

Even as standard 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds isn't bad performance and with RWD traction and the auto box you can repeat that figure every time.

Economy wise we are getting high 30's knocking about and high 40's on a run.

Here's a good review of a 116i with the new auto, it's a very wierd "Urban" spec and the reviewer isn't too keen on the looks but obviously the engine and box are the same for SE, Sport and M-Sport.

Cheers

Lee

Cheers for that, have driven a 116i manual and it was great but was thinking it might not suit the auto so well with relatively little torque. Looks promising tho!

Its more of a safety mechanism if anything; it is quite easy to fluff manual changes with DSG if youre not careful and for road use actually probably quite a good thing it has it; if you do just stamp on the loud pedel and you have max acceleration....supposedly. kickdown does work quite well on the Fabia it would just be better if the cars electronics changed gear as soon as the engibe reached peak power rather than running to the red, found on mine as soon as it got to 6.5k the show was completely over and would have been better changing up at 6.2 and just getting max velocity from the next gear.

I did find on mine that occasionally under full acceleration in manual when in 3rd or 4th it would sometimes change up a gear of its own accord, often when trying to get past someone (and yes was in full manual mode and not just on the paddles in D), on those occasions was glad the kickdown was there and on one occasion I think it actually saved my life.

Same thing in the diesels, fortunately the CR 170 doesnt seem to really run out of puff until 4.5k but still leaves you with a 500rpm window of next to no go. Still its about as near as perfect as a dual clutch gearbox gets; dont think anyone outside of the VAG group have quite caught up yet.

Cheers for that, have driven a 116i manual and it was great but was thinking it might not suit the auto so well with relatively little torque. Looks promising tho!

The new 116i is a 1.6 turbo and actually pretty torquey, in the BMs the 8 speed auto generally improves the performance of the car over the manual rather than impeding it as its shift times are supposedly v good.

A 118i probably isnt a great deal slower than the Fabia vRS

The new 116i is a 1.6 turbo and actually pretty torquey, in the BMs the 8 speed auto generally improves the performance of the car over the manual rather than impeding it as its shift times are supposedly v good.

The shift times are 200ms which is slower than a DSG but feels just as instant in the car, the torque converter can be locked from 1200rpm in 2nd gear which is about 8mph so after that you can have direct drive and it drives like a DSG and not a slushbox.

Here's a Chris Harris review of the ZF8HP Box.

http://www.pistonhea...p?storyId=26917

A 118i probably isn't a great deal slower than the Fabia vRS

On paper the 118i is a tenth quicker to 62mph at 7.2seconds, very easy to achieve with RWD traction too, even in the wet there's little to no wheel spin off the line. All models get ABD-Sport E Diff as well as DSC/DTC and you can select three different levels of intervention.

Biggest difference for me is the ride, the vRS and Monty can feel hard and crashy on poor roads but have a fair amount of body roll. The new f20/f21 1 series is supple and compliant but has minimal body roll. We did look at both the vRS and Monty but my wife didn't need the power of the vRS and the Monty is not available with DSG.

Hardly a fair comparison though as the new 1 series is a new chassis with 50/50 weight distribution and even a 116i auto with a few toys will be pushing twenty five grand. The Fabia is on a chassis at the end of it's current life span and significantly cheaper.

There have been excellent pcp deals on the 1 series though, should be able to obtain a 10% discount if haggling hard enough and the high residuals give a high GFV. Interest rates have been down at 3.9% too.

Cheers

Lee

Edited 18 April, 201313 yr by logiclee

All well And good with far superior handling of the beemers. Unfortunately exorbitant servicing costs and 10k price hike makes it no brainer in my book... To justify 10k price difference it would have to pump 300bhp

All well And good with far superior handling of the beemers. Unfortunately exorbitant servicing costs and 10k price hike makes it no brainer in my book... To justify 10k price difference it would have to pump 300bhp

Not as expensive as you think though, the pcp and lease deals can be very competitive and the service pack was £300 for 5 years or 60k miles servicing.

The price is bigger but it is a bigger car with a more advanced chassis and higher quality interior.

The new 116i is a 1.6 turbo and actually pretty torquey, in the BMs the 8 speed auto generally improves the performance of the car over the manual rather than impeding it as its shift times are supposedly v good.

A 118i probably isnt a great deal slower than the Fabia vRS

I know it's a turbo, but its down on torque compared to the vRS. The 118i would be good but not sure it's good value at £2000 more than the 116i.

I have a feeling that when I last looked at the brochure the 116i was the only engine in the range that actually loses abit of performance and economy when mated to the auto..... Could be wrong tho. Just got me thinking one of the diesels might suit the 8 speeder better.

Not as expensive as you think though, the pcp and lease deals can be very competitive and the service pack was £300 for 5 years or 60k miles servicing.

The price is bigger but it is a bigger car with a more advanced chassis and higher quality interior.

Spot on. If using finance (pcp) the monthly payments on beemers are very competitive indeed thanks to low finance rates at strong residuals. :-)

I know it's a turbo, but its down on torque compared to the vRS. The 118i would be good but not sure it's good value at £2000 more than the 116i.

I have a feeling that when I last looked at the brochure the 116i was the only engine in the range that actually loses abit of performance and economy when mated to the auto..... Could be wrong tho. Just got me thinking one of the diesels might suit the 8 speeder better.

Hardly any difference in torque between the 116i and 118i.

116i has 220NM between 1350-4300rpm with 240NM for upto 30 seconds of overboost.

118i has 250NM between 1500-4500rpm no overboost.

You can't notice the 10NM difference but the 118i feels stronger as the revs pass 5000rpm where the 116i has it's output capped. Mechanically the 116i and 118i are identical the only difference is software.

For comparison the vRS has 250NM between 2000rpm-4500rpm so doesn't pull as hard from lower down even with the supercharger but the Fabia is lighter.

240NM is peak figures from a 1.9TDi VAG or Ford 2.5V6 from a decade ago so hardly week.

116i is 0.2 seconds slower than the manual and 1.9mpg worse economy. The 116i manual has taller gearing than the rest of the manual petrols meaning only 1 gear change to 62mph and better economy. Does impact on drivability though as you only have 3 gears when pushing on at legal speeds.

All the auto petrols have the same gearing from 116i to M135i. From 8mph the torque convertor is locked so you have effectively 7 close ratio direct drive ratios, there's not the losses as in the old slush boxes.

Cheers

Lee

Edited 18 April, 201313 yr by logiclee

I think I read somewhere the 118i has a larger bore downpipe compared to the 116i. Loved the 116i that I drove, was expecting to hate it but very impressed. Quite tempted to get the wife a 116i m-sport auto as a vRS replacement. Having said that the diesels have better residuals so have to factor that in. Currently playing the long-game to convince her the m135i is what re really need lol

I think I read somewhere the 118i has a larger bore downpipe compared to the 116i. Loved the 116i that I drove, was expecting to hate it but very impressed. Quite tempted to get the wife a 116i m-sport auto as a vRS replacement. Having said that the diesels have better residuals so have to factor that in. Currently playing the long-game to convince her the m135i is what re really need lol

It's not a downpipe it's a small front exhaust section, £290 genuine BMW part. It doesn't make much difference though, with the AC Shnitzer ECU the 116i make 200bhp and the 118i 204bhp.

Although the diesels have better residuals they are still more expensive if you are going for pcp due to the higher list price. On paper the 118D and 116i are very close on performance but on the road I found the 116i felt quicker and far more sporty to drive, far more refined too.

Cheers

Lee

It's not a downpipe it's a small front exhaust section, £290 genuine BMW part. It doesn't make much difference though, with the AC Shnitzer ECU the 116i make 200bhp and the 118i

Although the diesels have better residuals they are still more expensive if you are going for pcp due to the higher list price. On paper the 118D and 116i are very close on performance but on the road I found the 116i felt quicker and far more sporty to drive, far more refined too.

Cheers

Lee

That's interesting re the the outputs of the ac remap. Hartge also do maps for these (very expensive!) and they feel the 116i will only map to 170bhp and the 118i will go up to 205bhp.

http://www.birdsauto.com/parts?s=10983

Had a drive in the 118d too and like you wasn't impressed. Got better mpg from the 116i too!

Edited 19 April, 201313 yr by Furbytom

Of course they offer you £300 servicing pack when you take the car on credit, where they get all that back from you and plenty more - forgetting total price you pay . In my 3 years of 520d ownership (bought it 3 years old no problems with anything just standard servicing and parts like brakes etc) I already made my local dealer richer to the tune of £1500 - utterly bonkers! Hence me getting rid of the barge as soon as I will be able to. Brake fluid change light just came on - another £300???

As for the torque values - vRS produces circa 175Nm at idle... then within 750rpms (1750 rpm) pumps its max 250Nm. I have not seen the curves for the above mentioned beemers.

However good the turbo, its always going have a working range that is a compromise; start too early and run out of puff at the top; size it for top end and have a hole at the bottom of the rev range.

I like the DSG but with such a quick changing box, you could not need the supercharger; just drop 2 or 3 gears instead? That said, I like the instant grunt from anywhere in the rev range!

They solved that problem with VVT (variable vane turbo) or VGT (variabel geometry turbo), whic is basicaly the same thing where the corss section of the intake changes limiting the gas flow at higher end of reve range. The problem was in materials as those movable parts were burning out as well as actuation mechanism were getting stuck.

Of course they offer you £300 servicing pack when you take the car on credit,

Packs are available at the same price if you pay cash as well. You can usually get the service pack thrown in as a deal sealer when haggling.

Cheers

Lee

However good the turbo, its always going have a working range that is a compromise; start too early and run out of puff at the top; size it for top end and have a hole at the bottom of the rev range.

Technology has moved on a lot in recent years though even BMW have dropped the twin sequential turbo setup in favour of a single turbo on the new Petrol units. With dual scroll turbos, direct injection, variable valve timing, variable valve lift and no throttle you can achieve a very wide spread of torque.

The N55 engine in the 1 series produces 450NM from 1300-4500rpm and 320bhp from 5800rpm to 6200rpm with a 7000rpm red line. It produces 350NM at 1000rpm.

All from a single turbo.

That's a wider spread of torque and power than the old twin turbo N54 engine from just a few years ago.

Maximum torque at 1300rpm but look at what it's like at 7200rpm.

Cheers

Lee

Wow, nice stats, my fav motor is v10 from M5 .