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How to check for tune?

otbiker57

New member
Location
Texas
Car(s)
17 GTI
Recently bought a used 17 GTI. According to the Performance Monitor, peak boost is around 28 psi??? Please bear with me and my newbie question...

How can tell if the car is tuned? I do have VCDS.

What am I looking for and where do I find it?

I've had a few tuned cars and the tune cloaked so it made it look like it didn't have a tune.
BTW, everything looks stock. Air box, exhaust, etc.

TIA
 
Last edited:

tigeo

Autocross Champion
The boost number you see includes atmosphere so take that out (will depend on your elevation but at SL that's ~14.7). Tuned you would be seeing number well into the 30s. You can't tell with VCDS (ok, there is a way to see it but it's not 100% reliable) but can call APR etc. and have them check your VIN. Using OBDEleven, you can check here under the engine control unit and "advanced identification". It's "appication 2". Mine is now 4 and has increased from the original 1 by 3 - 1 for stage 1+, 1 for stage 2 IS20, and 1 for a stage 2 IS20 revision (all Unitronic). Have a look and see.
 

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GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Call the big name tuners and ask if they have your VIN in their records.

Or try brake boosting.

Or exceed 124mph if you have somewhere to do so safely
 

chillax

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Wi
Car(s)
18 GTI SE plaid
Since you said in another thread the dealer put the CPO tag on it hopefully they checked for tunes. It "should" be a part of that process.
 

otbiker57

New member
Location
Texas
Car(s)
17 GTI
Yea, I asked about that and the service advisor said they they normally don't check??? Really, I blow up a previously tuned CPO and they warranty it???
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Yea, I asked about that and the service advisor said they they normally don't check??? Really, I blow up a previously tuned CPO and they warranty it???
Because this is probably an issue 0.0000000000% of the time. Tuned cars are v. rare in the scheme of things. I too am surprised that this isn't part of the checklist to make a CPO car CPO - I also think there are issues on the dealer end with even how to check for the tune.
 

chillax

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Wi
Car(s)
18 GTI SE plaid
Yea, I asked about that and the service advisor said they they normally don't check??? Really, I blow up a previously tuned CPO and they warranty it???

Because this is probably an issue 0.0000000000% of the time. Tuned cars are v. rare in the scheme of things. I too am surprised that this isn't part of the checklist to make a CPO car CPO - I also think there are issues on the dealer end with even how to check for the tune.

Well I got a pretty crazy deal on my GTI from Carvana, almost a year ago now. I was worried about what the previous owner may have done to it so during the 7-day return period I took it to my local VW dealer and asked for a PPI. That cost me about $50. I also asked them to check if it was tuned and to verify the warranty is still valid. They charged me $95 for a diagnostic scan which took a very long time. On the print out of my service record it clearly states they found no sign of modifications or tunes and that the car is at factory specifications. For me, the $150 combined cost was well worth it considering where I bought the car from.
 

otbiker57

New member
Location
Texas
Car(s)
17 GTI
Guess I would be more concerned if I bought without an OEM warranty. The previous owner had installed wheels, springs, and an aftermarket sub, even though it has the Fender system. I found evidence of the installation and cleaned up stray wires that were clipped by removing the rear seat bottom and unbolting the grounds. I also found an Add a Fuse at the interior fuse block and removed that. I believe that was the sub power trigger.
Driveline doesn't appear to have been tampered with as the stock intake/exhaust is in place.
IMG_0154.jpegIMG_0155.jpegAll in all, it appears it's back to stock except for aftermarket red/black VW Logo badges front and rear.
 

chillax

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Wi
Car(s)
18 GTI SE plaid
Guess I would be more concerned if I bought without an OEM warranty. The previous owner had installed wheels, springs, and an aftermarket sub, even though it has the Fender system. I found evidence of the installation and cleaned up stray wires that were clipped by removing the rear seat bottom and unbolting the grounds. I also found an Add a Fuse at the interior fuse block and removed that. I believe that was the sub power trigger.
Driveline doesn't appear to have been tampered with as the stock intake/exhaust is in place.
All in all, it appears it's back to stock except for aftermarket red/black VW Logo badges front and rear.

Did you give it the beans and see if it feels unusually fast? That may be hard to judge if you've never driven a stock GTI before.
 

Jovian

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Denver, CO
Car(s)
2016 VW GTI
Guess I would be more concerned if I bought without an OEM warranty. The previous owner had installed wheels, springs, and an aftermarket sub, even though it has the Fender system. I found evidence of the installation and cleaned up stray wires that were clipped by removing the rear seat bottom and unbolting the grounds. I also found an Add a Fuse at the interior fuse block and removed that. I believe that was the sub power trigger.
Driveline doesn't appear to have been tampered with as the stock intake/exhaust is in place.
View attachment 178442View attachment 178443All in all, it appears it's back to stock except for aftermarket red/black VW Logo badges front and rear.

Those red badges are OEM for the early performance package models. My 2016 SE performance pack came with them
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
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