Tuning On A Tight Budget

[Andy.B1971]

This has been discussed a few time but I thought a refresh for new members that don't know on tuning on a tight budget........ Controversial........ tuning box V remap..

So without question a PROPER remap is the way to go if money allows but what if your on a tight budget ? Tuning boxes are they any good , There are hundreds of boxes about from different countries claiming different figures on the web ,

I know Hassen on here is happy with his Race Chip box he bought has anyone else tried any with good or bad results ????

Can or do these boxes have any detrimental affects on parts of the engine with their jiggery pokery tricks ?

Now you can phone a friend, ask the audience or sit on the fence and go 50/50

[Fusion_Driver72]

Hello,

I can give you one advice, if you buy a cheap tuningbox it will cost you lots of money on maintenance and repairs.

It's better to buy one that costs a bit more, but you will get some warranty on it.

Good luck on your search :)

[Andy.B1971]

personally for me I would remap but house comes before such luxury's , deep VERY deep research before any purchase this way....

[barbast]

I've been using CR TECH tuning boxes for years on my Octavia, Insignia and now on my Mondeo, great mpg improvement, and better performance. They don't increase pressure on the fuel system if left on the recommended setting. They're very safe, never had an issue with drivability. They've got discount deals at about £80 on eBay. And money back guarantee which I never used since they worked.

[FOCA]

Tuning boxes are not always a poor mans remap -

They have advantages over regulat remaps -

For example, they can be easily removed, and are usually untraceable so are popular with lease/ company cars etc, or if the car is under warrantee - the tuning box cannot be ereased via a firmware update (like a regular remap can)

The ease of removal can be useful for other reasons, like if you have to drive in the middle of winter on icy, snowy unsalted roads, or you want to reduce the power to teach someone to drive, or put the car in for a service, valet etc, or lend the car to the wife, etc

A regular remap is stuck on the car, cannot be easily removed, and has no resale value, a tuning box can be resold, so althoug a high-end tuning box may be expensive (approx £250-£400) they have a resale value, so in reality are a better investment

A proper high-end tuning box is a serious alternative to a remap, they may have digital microprocessors, multiple cannels and multi-maps, some are fully configurable, some have direct microprossesor control over boost pressure

Comparing a £7 eBay "resistor special" tuning box (connects to the cars IAT to fool the ECU into thinking the car is colder, thus sqirting more fuel in) to a £400 high end tuning box is like comparing a red Corsa to a red Ferrari (eg tuning boxes are rubbish because my mate bought one off eBay for £7 and it was crap/ all red cars are crap- ridiculus - right? but tuning boxes get a bad rep because of the cheapo fake boxes)

I had a DTUK box (sold for £400, but now sells for about £320) fitted to my Mondeo diesel, it made a big difference to the power/ torque, it was custom modified with a remote adjust (so i could turn it up/ down easily/ quickly) this was carefully tested/ set for maximum acceleration (alongside other mods)

With the tuning box/ other mods the car was very fast and had incredible torque from very low revs, it would pull away easily in 2nd, and junctions etc that you would expect to take in 2nd, you could take in 3rd, floor it in almost any gear, the car would leap forward (even from low revs)

I reconed i could get a bit more out of a remap so ordered a Superchips Bluefin, after fitting it i found the engine had more topend power/ revs but a lot less bottom end grunt than the tuning box, Superchips made a revised map for me, it was a bit better but still not as much grunt as the tuning box, i talked to them and they revised the map for a second time, to get the optimum grunt/ and to match the other modifications (drag racing intercooler with waterspray, 100psi 2 stage digital boost controller, straight through 2-1/4" exhaust etc ) - even then the Bluefin still did not have quite as much low-down grunt as the tuning box

the top end power is very good though and the car "flies" - i dont mean really flies

i can run the tuning box and blufin remap together for track days, drag racing dyno shootouts etc but im runni9ng it with just the Bluefin so i dont push the injectors/ turbo tioo much untill i get a spare engine so i can really "push" it i need to get an ATB/LSD for drag racing and i have to live in the real world like getting the car MOTd and i have other plans too

Nothing wrong with a good tuning box and i would recommend one (DTUK, roverron, other quality ones etc etc)