As i understand it, when you have a remap, such as custom code, they simply hook your car up to to a laptop via OBD port and load new software onto the ECU. If thats the case, why cant people do it for themselves???? I would imagine that the reason is that people are unable to obtain the software - but if you could get a copy, would it be possible????

I am almost certain that the software is 'locked' to the ECU to which it has been downloaded.

If you mean get the software to read the stock map, software (and mad skillz) to actually remap the stock map, then software and hardware to burn the remapped map back to the ecu, then good luck!

I think the hardest part is knowing what you're doing when you remap the base map. This is what we all pay our money for... Knowing that whoever wrote the map knows what they're up to!

If, on the other hand, you are on about getting a copy of a map for the Fabia and some burning software and the correct cable, then yeah, that's what all these eBay "tuners" have done (in my opinion).

The downside of this is you don't know who wrote the map, how good their skills are and whether it's actually very good.

Just my 2p.

Imagine, hypothetically, that you happened upon the REVO Flash software for the Fabia, and you had a full working copy of Vag-Com and a laptop and a vag cable would it be possible? I dont think VAG-COM can be used to flash the ECU, so what software do these remappers do such as JBS etc????

Im just interested, and thinking about having JBS put CC1 on my car next week.

You'd have to have a hacked copy of the Revo burning software to get around the cable/credit system (which I doubt anyone's done!) and the correct file for your specific ECU and Code Revision, but even then, I'm not sure whether a Vag-Com lead would work.

Either way, it's big-time piracy and all of the big-name tuners will have very good lawyers!!

Custom Code use their own proprietry software and hardware to write their maps to cars.

Basically you'd have to steal a laptop with the software installed on it then figure out what to do.

The companies that offer remaps will quite rightly guard their software very closely and you'd soon find yourself being tracked down if you did somehow get a copy.

Even if someone did steal a Revo Dealer's laptop and cable, they'd only be able to burn as many ECU's as the Dealer's credit allowed.

Most dealers don't usually carry many credits "in stock" though as it's not good for cash flow, so you'd only get a couple of remaps out of the gear anyway!

Revo have obviously thought about this potential situation when developing their kit...

Basically, it's not really worth considering IMHO - if you want a cheap option, go for a resistor mod. Not the best, but it works and if you don't overdo it it probably won't even cause errors.

Personally I intend to get a customised remap, from one of the respected tuning companies. They have experience with these things, and I'd trust their judgement more than an ebay seller. Doesn't mean that every ebay seller who sells this type of product is bad by any stretch, just wouldn't trust them as much.

A good way of finding out if a map is any good is to check out forums like this one and other VW-type sites. If it's rubbish, someone will have posted about it

You can purchase the equipment to write a map to your car pretty cheaply to be honest. If you are that way inclined you can also build your own interface fairly cheaply. Again if that way inclined the software to customise your own map isn't difficult to come by but you will have to know what you are doing.

Some tuning companies will sell you maps to upload, that's why you see so many of these sub £150 boys fighting it out on Ebay. They buy the kit for less than a grand then buy the maps from the company, it's normally a case of them emailing your standard map to the tuner who will modifiy it and send it back for upload.

If you are seriously interested then I have the schematics to build your own device.

VAG-COM will not allow you to map your car although I believe JBS CC can be turned on or off using the interface.

Yeah the CC stuff can be switched between 2 or 3 maps depending on the ECU, using VagCom. (just waiting till next year :( )