Remap - to do, or not to do... The answer :-)

[c21vhpd]

Been a while since I posted anything on here, but thought I'd pass on my recent experience of having a remap.

 

Car is a 60 plate 170 CR 4x4, and I had 100k miles on  the clock when it was remapped.  I'd dithered for a long time in getting it done, not sure it would make a real difference.  In the end, I decided to do it based on wanting more torque when lugging the caravan about...

 

And the result has been transformational.  The throttle response feels like you're at least 1 gear lower than you really are; it'll happily tootle about town in 5th at 30 (whereas it used to the deep unhappy grumbly thing...).  In 4th at 50, the car feels like it leaps forward when you floor it (whereas it would simply 'gain speed moderately quickly' before).  The red-line isn't higher (I don't think), but is reached without running out of puff.

I wouldn't say the fuel economy is significantly better, but that's probably because I'm more likely to indulge myself with the happy pedal than before...  Still, seeing an indicated 60mpg on trips where I was seeing mid 50's before - but I haven't kept proper records, so it's not conclusive.

 

With the caravan: I usually try to drive so as not to keep people behind me waiting, and I haven't really noticed a great improvement when (for example) accelerating off a round-about; but I have noticed on my recent trip down the M5 that I didn't have to change out of 6th once, whereas on previous trips some of the hills required 5th to maintain speed or even 4th to accelerate round a lorry.

Problems:  the chassis and brakes haven't, of course, been upgraded to suit.  Whilst I don't generally speed so I'm not arriving at corners any faster than usual, I do drive enthusiastically and there's something about having much greater punch coming out of corners that encourages you to maintain speed on twisties that can soon get too much for the car.

I'm not sure forum rules allow me to name the company which did the remap, but I'm happy to answer PMs.  The remap was through the OBDII port, rather than an add-on module, and took the technician about 45 minutes to do; so short of a proper map on a rolling road I reckon its about as good as you can get.  The company claims a final output of 227 BHP, which I must say I took largely with a pinch of salt (because that's a BIG change, and certainly bigger than many of the others I researched), but it was a bit cheaper and I figured it couldn't be worse than the others - but whatever the actual number it's definitely noticeable.

 

So overall - very happy I did it, and if you are on the fence then let me encourage you to go for it   

[valv1866]

I've been looking into this for my 1.8 TSi, the specialist I use offers a REVO system, the Stage 1 is costed at £499, it should add around 60 bhp to take it to 220 but the torque increase is limited to 310-320nm due to the DSG 7 transmission.

 

I have also had a quote from Hyperchips who are quoting an increase in BHP to 210 and torque from 250 to 310nm for £250

 

https://hyperchips.co.uk/ecu-vehicles/skoda-superb-1-8-160-bhp-ecu-remap/

 

I guess the question will be is the REVO system twice as good as Hyperchips?

[TasMan]

I am on the fence, and would climb over it so to speak but having had 'the fix' just before I got my car last November I am not going to do anything until I am well past the two years 'good will' being offered to cover EGR failures etc....(hopefully I won't need it !)

 

Your MPG seems very good for the 4x4, I typically only get 42 - 45 with the 140 which is fine, and that is driving conservatively.  I have just tried a fill of BP Ultimate as opposed to Shell V Power so will see how that does.  I wonder if the MPG will improve as my car fully loosens up as I have only done about 26K....?

 

If I do eventually go for a remap I would plan to go for a rolling road session on a 4x4 dyno to give live mapping.

Meantime, I am thinking of a brake upgrade as and when finances allow....

[timrevill]

Hi I've got a 60 plate 140 cr with a six speed dsg box and had it mapped about six month's ago  it's made a big difference like c21vhpd as said I can agree with him on all aspects. I travel 12 mile to work and if I stick to the speed limits and don't accelerate to quick I can get 60mpg over the last 3000 miles of work ,shopping and general running I am getting 51 mpg which I think is good for a car of this size , I don't know what power it's running but I had the gearbox oil and filter changed last week and the technician could tell straight away hope this help's

[S00perb]

My greenline 1.6 is now a caravan puller and better fuel - but my choice was a big exhaust fix or remap - so it was a no-brainer

[c21vhpd]

@TasMan that's an indicated 60, so about 54 real, and only on long journeys, 6th gear, cruise control, 71mph.  Round town an indicated 45 is more usual, but I don't do much of that. That's what the wife's MINI is for :-) 

 

However, she's just bought a Kodiaq, so my car will become the little one quite soon!

[Greenline3Matt]

I had my 1.6tdi Greenline re-mapped by Superchips. I had a before and after dyno to get proven results. I paid about £325 from memory.

 

The difference is amazing, you'll wish you did it sooner. 

[penguin17]

Can't beat a remap from a reputable tuner. 

 

I had my Leon FR 184 remapped by a local REVO agent and the results were truly astonishing.  It had 232bhp and 500Nm of torque but the in gear acceleration was just on another level.  The satisfaction of leaving high performance car drivers with a 'what the f*ck just happened?' face was quite addictive.  Data logging on the same engine, done by REVO and a SCN forum member showed 30-50 and 50-70 times that would top trump most V8 super saloons.  

 

60k trouble free miles, no clutch slip and a consistent (tank-to-tank calculation) of 55mpg just made it all the better.  Despite the very questionable interior quality and sub-standard CS from the SEAT dealer network, I do miss that car.  

[TasMan]

After mentioning the 'goodwill' being offered by Skoda in my earlier post, it was a bit of a coincidence that when I got home last night I have now received an official letter confirming the 2 years good will !! Funny how things crop up when you mention them....!?  Anyway, nice to have that piece of paper and it confirms that I won't be doing anything along the lines of a remap till at least the tail end of next year.  Interesting to read all the good feedback on here though.... 

[Ootohere]

^^^ 

Nothing 'Goodwill' about what the VW Group / Skoda are offering in the way of a Warranty / Guarantee sort of thing with T&C's and at their discretion after 'The Fix' is applied.

Some sort of legally binding type thing that you need to read that Documents T&C's that they give you. Or not worth the paper it is written on....

[superbdreams]

OP- how much did it cost?

[Sune]

And is it possible to do it your self if you own a OBD11? 

[c21vhpd]

@superbdreams it was £295 from Celtic Tuning.  Price was in-between the others that I looked at, and I figured that even if the power claim was on the high side, it probably wouldn't be worse than the others.

 

@Sune not this one - a mobile technician showed up and did it.  There is one on the market which has a self install option; called something like Bluefin, IIRC.

[Sune]

Thanks for the reply and the Bluefin tip. I found that it would cost me £416 for my Superb 2011 engine code CFGB to gain 28 BHP and 59 NM. I better close that page fast before wifie sees it....she says im spending way to much money on that car...lol

Best regards

Sune 

[Sune]

Oh BTW, the reason im very interested in this is that next Tuesday my car is going for the dieselgate update and im hoping to erase some of that nasty update with a remap of the engine after that. Is there no way to remap the engine yourself with some pre written map available to download for  for a fee? I have both OBD11 and VCDS.

Thanks in advance!

Sune

[jafo]

@Sune - why would you want/agree to do the fix ?? 

Avoid at all costs. 

Edited 23 August, 2017 by jafo

[Sune]

My car wont be amiddet to drive on our roads here in DK if its not "fixed" wont pass the next syn (danish way to admit cars to continue to drive the streets and done every second year) So i am forced to.....Tuesday will feel like going to the vet to get my dog put down

[jafo]

Oh, right :(

 

I'd request dyno before and after - or even paid for it myself. 

[TheRobinK]

If NOx emissions stay in the news and the other manufacturers (i.e. Mercedes and their "voluntary" recall...) are all doing updates to reduce NOx, I wouldn't be surprised if many other jurisdictions follow suit.  We will either have to show that all emissions software releases/recalls are up to date OR they will start testing that we are compliant with EU4 / 5 / 6 regulations depending on what the car should have complied with when manufactured.  That could screw up some remapped cars at test time perhaps? 

Edited 23 August, 2017 by TheRobinK
typo

[terrytowelling]

Ive got the tour de France 140 4x4 , it went like " constipation with clogs on" before the remap to coin an old school joke, it was transformed after a remap, don't know how many HP or KG/m but it really  shifts

[TasMan]

On ‎23‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 16:01, Sune said:

Oh BTW, the reason im very interested in this is that next Tuesday my car is going for the dieselgate update and im hoping to erase some of that nasty update with a remap of the engine after that.

 

I read somewhere recently (but wish I had kept a copy/link to it!!) that a remap won't necessary wipe the full coding of 'the fix'....  I will try to find the info, may have been outwith Briskoda, but basically it was saying the tuner needs to take the car back to factory settings/factory map first, before then applying a remap to your car, otherwise things like EGR management won't necessarily change from 'the fix' remap, to your new remap.  Seems logical to me but hopefully someone who knows the process will chip in here to confirm.  Anyway, my car has already been 'fixed' before purchase by the dealer, so I am waiting until my two years is clear, should in the event I require to call on any goodwill from Skoda.  You may wish to look into that yourself before jumping in for a remap straight away....

[TasMan]

On ‎25‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 11:01, terrytowelling said:

Ive got the tour de France 140 4x4 , it went like " constipation with clogs on" before the remap to coin an old school joke, it was transformed after a remap, don't know how many HP or KG/m but it really  shifts

 

I have the same car as yours terrytowelling, interesting to hear your feedback...!!  Going from a 1.6 Focus to my 'fixed' 140 4x4 has been like night and day, so at the moment I am none the wiser lol...!   Only thing that disappoints me a little is the fuel consumption, no better than my Focus, typically 42 - 44 MPG.  I am trying a different fuel at present to see if that makes any hint of a difference.....oh aye, and the brakes are not impressive, always felt lacking and not very sharp, so I may upgrade the brakes instead of doing the remap meantime...

Edited 28 August, 2017 by TasMan

[terrytowelling]

The brakes were also hopeless on mine, they were a lot better once I changed the pads. Fuel consumption is mid 40s , the 4wd doesn't help, the gearing is a bit lower as well.  

[c21vhpd]

Reading various comments about MPG in the mid-40s, I recall that mine was like that until I changed the wheels and tyres.  I quickly got fed up of the crashy ride of the original 18" wheels, so swapped to some 16" ones.  The cornering became vaguer, and ultimate grip was reduced too (mostly because I fitted all-season tyres instead of the lovely grippy Goodyear F1s fitted to the 18" wheels) - but the ride comfort was massively improved, and MPG increased to mid-50s.

 

Having done 60k miles with the smaller wheels, a quick back of the envelope calculation shows 1000 litres saved - wow   I feel rich!

[TasMan]

3 hours ago, terrytowelling said:

The brakes were also hopeless on mine, they were a lot better once I changed the pads. Fuel consumption is mid 40s , the 4wd doesn't help, the gearing is a bit lower as well.  

 

Glad am not alone ! (although not a good thing to be glad about)...  Did you go for any particular make of pad ?  Cheers