So I got my Octavia Mk III a while ago, used from the dealer, and it has an APR Stage 1 badge on the back of it.

 

Is there any way to confirm whether it still has the stage 1 ECU tune? I have an OBDEleven but I don't think that will do it.

I don't think that the dealer can legally sell a retuned car. 

It more than obvious that they reset the ECU to stock but the only way is to dyno the car.

7 minutes ago, nickytheshaft said:

I don't think that the dealer can legally sell a retuned car. 

Of course they can. There's currently over 600 cars on AutoTrader with a "Stage 1" tune.

Edit: just realised OP is in Austraila, may be different there.

 

7 minutes ago, nickytheshaft said:

It more than obvious that they reset the ECU to stock

No it isn't. They may not have even realised it had been remapped.

 

7 minutes ago, nickytheshaft said:

the only way is to dyno the car.

That's one way but as I understand it - though I am happy to be corrected by more knowledgable people - there is a bit set in the ECU when it's remapped. It may also be possible to interrogate this.

Edited 15 September, 20223 yr by HappySam

Certainly with VCDS there is a way to see how many times the ECU has been flashed, but AFAIK it's not possible to tell if those are official dealer updates or a tune.

Seat of the pants is often enough if you know what a standard car feels like, or do timing maybe with a Draggy, or get on a Dyno.

 

In the UK if you are not declaring a mod because you are playing ignorant and making out you have no idea that used car was mapped then you remove badges like APR with slashes behind. 

Not that that means if the Loss Adjuster or Police / Crash examiner cares, they can and might well have the ECU checked, as VW Group or other with a Warranty claim have done on occasions.

 

With Insurance Loss adjusters they might well check your social media posts and with Insurance Loss Adjusters ask to check your debit / credit card account.

That is them looking for that purchase of a Remap from a 'Tuning company' after you had bought the car. 

Edited 15 September, 20223 yr by roottoot

VCDS Can show how many times it has been flashed by OBD port, if the ECU was bench flashed, the counter can be defeated and rolled back to look like it hasn't.

 

If the car is scanned by ODIS diagnostic then checksums are sent off to the mothership, and if they don't match, then it set's a new PR Code flag for the car TD1 for example.  I don't think tuner's can fool this, could be wrong.

Alright the consensus seems to be that there's no easy way. Unfortunately this was the first and only Octy RS I have ever driven - it was a great price and liked it so much that I got it on the spot!

 

I got curious because I am considering OEM+ Stage 1.5 for it (basically upgrading all intake parts but skipping the expensive intercooler and exhaust needed for a true stage 2). Parts themselves are $AU1.5k and the stage 2 chiptune is $AU1.3k on top... so that's a big saving if I can go with the tune I (might) have.

 

17 hours ago, HappySam said:

Edit: just realised OP is in Austraila, may be different there.

Yep, in the nanny state of Aus no less. Having said that it doesn't seem like anyone cares unless you're hooning (or look/sound like you're about to hoon), and its not a stretch to think the dealer pleaded ignorance or didn't care enough to check.

Where in Aus are you, I have the APR 1.5, if local im sure we could sort it out.