MK7 TSI 1.8 APR Stage 1 - Scheduled

[tigeo]

OP, get the tune, YOLO...seriously. The amount of paranoia/bad info regarding this subject on forums is biblical. What's the worst thing that could happen? You have an issue. The likely cost will be a grand. That's the math. If a non-covered repair for a grand will ruin your day/year/mos, don't do this. The numbers will show that far and away that those with a Stage 1 tune (87, 93, whatever) will have a similar amount of issues when compared to the background non-tuned folks. At this point your factory warranty is up and you have an extended. The likelihood that the third party warranty company would ask/know/etc. re a tune is low. And if they do and deny your claim, see my comment above about absorbing a grand. Remember, your warranty isn't "voided", the claims made against it *may* be stressed now as the tune can be blamed for some issues and that goes for third party or VW even if you car is flagged TD1. Do it. It's fun and really will liven up your 1.8 and don't listen to all the negative nellies around here that sound like the warranty is the only reason to own a vehicle. Get a flash tune, stick with Unitronic or APR for a set-and-forget experience that allows the ECU to control the car properly/maintain safety/etc. vs. all the messing with the other options (which for some is fun..I get that and I get that the JB4 crowd gets great results). The 1.8 has been shown to be reliable on Stage 1, 2, and even adding an IS20 turbo. You can kill a stock car running it WOT/racing it all the time. I have ~5K miles on mine/3 mos. so far with no drama and drive it ~100 miles/day commuting on the highway.

A few videos of my impressions of my Uni Stage 1+ tuned 1.8 in my 2018 GSW (APR and Unitronic will be similar...APR uses more boost to achieve higher power and Unitronic uses more timing advance but to me, they are v. close):

https://youtu.be/LGAEhNytNog

https://youtu.be/dE9bgh6A-xQ

https://youtu.be/faag8fapzHc

 

[Mrc5z]

How aggressive do you drive it? Floor it daily? Or more casual driving?

I wouldn’t say I floor it often more like quick 3/4 throttle bursts in 2nd and 3rd when going onto the highway sometimes. I maybe tried to launch the car 3-4x just messing around and did 2 HPDE days with it but it stayed in 3rd the whole track and never slipped then

 

[JC_451]

I only brought up the Warranty cause it seemed like there was a misunderstanding about VW and the proof they need to deny a Warranty claim.

Wasn't saying don't tune, just saying it's not risk free.

Also saying the worst you might face is a $1000 repair is disingenuous. You could easily face several thousands in repairs if you're unlucky.

Just food for thought.

Make your own decisions, don't get surly if someone mentions being cautious, it's not that serious.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Rockstar08]

OP, get the tune, YOLO...seriously. The amount of paranoia/bad info regarding this subject on forums is biblical. What's the worst thing that could happen? You have an issue. The likely cost will be a grand. That's the math. If a non-covered repair for a grand will ruin your day/year/mos, don't do this. The numbers will show that far and away that those with a Stage 1 tune (87, 93, whatever) will have a similar amount of issues when compared to the background non-tuned folks. At this point your factory warranty is up and you have an extended. The likelihood that the third party warranty company would ask/know/etc. re a tune is low. And if they do and deny your claim, see my comment above about absorbing a grand. Remember, your warranty isn't "voided", the claims made against it *may* be stressed now as the tune can be blamed for some issues and that goes for third party or VW even if you car is flagged TD1. Do it. It's fun and really will liven up your 1.8 and don't listen to all the negative nellies around here that sound like the warranty is the only reason to own a vehicle. Get a flash tune, stick with Unitronic or APR for a set-and-forget experience that allows the ECU to control the car properly/maintain safety/etc. vs. all the messing with the other options (which for some is fun..I get that and I get that the JB4 crowd gets great results). The 1.8 has been shown to be reliable on Stage 1, 2, and even adding an IS20 turbo. You can kill a stock car running it WOT/racing it all the time. I have ~5K miles on mine/3 mos. so far with no drama and drive it ~100 miles/day commuting on the highway.

A few videos of my impressions of my Uni Stage 1+ tuned 1.8 in my 2018 GSW (APR and Unitronic will be similar...APR uses more boost to achieve higher power and Unitronic uses more timing advance but to me, they are v. close):

https://youtu.be/LGAEhNytNog

https://youtu.be/dE9bgh6A-xQ

https://youtu.be/faag8fapzHc

Just curious but do you have dyno charts or some place you could point me that compares Unitronic to APR? I have read this elsewhere also someone saying APR uses more boost and their EGT levels are higher also? I am curious how using more timing with less boost can produce almost the same HP numbers as APR? If that is more advantages and safer then why would APR do this as they are the #1 VW, Audi tuner in the world it seems?

 

[Woody_in_MN]

I only brought up the Warranty cause it seemed like there was a misunderstanding about VW and the proof they need to deny a Warranty claim.

Wasn't saying don't tune, just saying it's not risk free.

Also saying the worst you might face is a $1000 repair is disingenuous. You could easily face several thousands in repairs if you're unlucky.

Just food for thought.

Make your own decisions, don't get surly if someone mentions being cautious, it's not that serious.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I think blowing the turbo would be the biggy. I think that could run about $2,000 . But I appreciate everyone's feedback.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

UPDATE - I called my tuning shop talked with a 2nd mechanic/techy. I actually think I am going ahead with the tune. It can be possible that the shop is not being truthful, but my shop told me specific VW dealer I work with are tuner savvy, and don't expect the tune would outright deny warranty issues. I tend to trust my tuner as they only work with Audi and VW, and have been doing performance work for over 20 years. I personally had them do performance work on a 1998 Audi A4 I had. No guarantee, but I tend to trust them. I think the tune is on for Wed.

 

[tigeo]

I only brought up the Warranty cause it seemed like there was a misunderstanding about VW and the proof they need to deny a Warranty claim.

Wasn't saying don't tune, just saying it's not risk free.

Also saying the worst you might face is a $1000 repair is disingenuous. You could easily face several thousands in repairs if you're unlucky.

Just food for thought.

Make your own decisions, don't get surly if someone mentions being cautious, it's not that serious.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Understand your position but mine is just providing the counter point to these threads that go on about the warranty. It isn't really a big risk at Stage 1. Sure a few grand but you could have that if you aren't tuned was my point. A grand covers lots of "large" repairs. When is the last time you had a repair more than that? For me over the last 20 years...maybe once and it was a ps rack on a 12 yo Honda Odyssey. This is the reason I don't buy extended warranties. The data won't support that this is a super risky endeavor is all I'm saying...not being surly. Yes...to each their own on mods based on your personal risk profile and wealth.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Woody_in_MN]

^^^

I recognize there is some risk here. For me it's around warranty/extended warranty. But I also do think we tend to hear more about problems in forums/internet, than success almost regardless of the topic. Again, I welcome feedback from all. That was why I posted on this topic.

 

[tigeo]

^^^

I recognize there is some risk here. For me it's around warranty/extended warranty. But I also do think we tend to hear more about problems in forums/internet, than success almost regardless of the topic. Again, I welcome feedback from all. That was why I posted on this topic.

Right on! And I agree 100%...have a problem? Go online and tell everyone. I drove mine today 100 miles without an issue and killed some kid in a riced-out Civic Si; didn't blow up. ahhahahahaah. You will really like it.

 

[tigeo]

UPDATE - I called my tuning shop talked with a 2nd mechanic/techy. I actually think I am going ahead with the tune. It can be possible that the shop is not being truthful, but my shop told me specific VW dealer I work with are tuner savvy, and don't expect the tune would outright deny warranty issues. I tend to trust my tuner as they only work with Audi and VW, and have been doing performance work for over 20 years. I personally had them do performance work on a 1998 Audi A4 I had. No guarantee, but I tend to trust them. I think the tune is on for Wed.

The thing that is a truth on this is no matter what a shop/dealer/tech/service writer says, VW makes the final call "tune-friendly" or not. Just use common sense...water pump? Tune-friendly dealer? Probably good. Turbo? Tune-friendly dealer? Unlikely.

 

[tigeo]

Just curious but do you have dyno charts or some place you could point me that compares Unitronic to APR? I have read this elsewhere also someone saying APR uses more boost and their EGT levels are higher also? I am curious how using more timing with less boost can produce almost the same HP numbers as APR? If that is more advantages and safer then why would APR do this as they are the #1 VW, Audi tuner in the world it seems?

Spend some time on APR and Uni's sites...all the graphs are there to look at. APR's Stage 1 93 tune produces more power than Unitronic's b/c they are using more boost. Advance timing also adds power don't forget. It's also the reason APR offers an 87 octane Stage 1...less timing advance. Just different tuning philosophies.

 

[Litespeedgti]

I also care about longevity on my tuned engine so I do 3 things:
(1) Change oil/filter every 5 thousand miles.
(2) Minimum oil temp at 180 before pushing.
(3) Every 5 thousand miles add VW fuel additive.

Try not to hammer it too much!

 

[Woody_in_MN]

I also care about longevity on my tuned engine so I do 3 things:
(1) Change oil/filter every 5 thousand miles.
(2) Minimum oil temp at 180 before pushing.
(3) Every 5 thousand miles add VW fuel additive.

Try not to hammer it too much!

Makes sense to have a warm engine before reving past 3,000 rpm. I do that now. I will probably switch to oil changed every 7,000 miles.

 

[cb1111]

UPDATE - I called my tuning shop talked with a 2nd mechanic/techy. I actually think I am going ahead with the tune. It can be possible that the shop is not being truthful, but my shop told me specific VW dealer I work with are tuner savvy, and don't expect the tune would outright deny warranty issues. I tend to trust my tuner as they only work with Audi and VW, and have been doing performance work for over 20 years. I personally had them do performance work on a 1998 Audi A4 I had. No guarantee, but I tend to trust them. I think the tune is on for Wed.

Tuner savvy/tuner friendly/tuner unfriendly means little. If you have a claim that requires them to connect your car to the mothership in Germany, then your tune will be detected and your car flagged.

Tuner friendly merely means that they won't go out of their way to find a reason to deny warranty coverage. Tuner unfriendly means that they'll try to document any mods and actively look for evidence of a prior piggyback tune.

The only way to stay sane when tuning your ECU is to consider your powertrain warranty as history and be pleasantly surprised when VW does cover something.

Nobody can tell you what may, or may not, be denied unless they have the identical car, with the identical mods, going to the same service advisor at the same time (did he/she argue with their spouse that morning and are in a bad mood?) and have the identical complaint.

In short, if a repair requires them to hook up the car to the computer for authorization then they have no choice if they want to get paid.

A flag in the system (TD1/TD4) won't affect recall work - but depending on the work that needs to be done, it may result in a future flag if the car is scanned.

You won't know if your car is flagged unless you go in for warranty that gets denied because of the flag.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

Tuner savvy/tuner friendly/tuner unfriendly means little. If you have a claim that requires them to connect your car to the mothership in Germany, then your tune will be detected and your car flagged.

Tuner friendly merely means that they won't go out of their way to find a reason to deny warranty coverage. Tuner unfriendly means that they'll try to document any mods and actively look for evidence of a prior piggyback tune.

The only way to stay sane when tuning your ECU is to consider your powertrain warranty as history and be pleasantly surprised when VW does cover something.

Nobody can tell you what may, or may not, be denied unless they have the identical car, with the identical mods, going to the same service advisor at the same time (did he/she argue with their spouse that morning and are in a bad mood?) and have the identical complaint.

In short, if a repair requires them to hook up the car to the computer for authorization then they have no choice if they want to get paid.

A flag in the system (TD1/TD4) won't affect recall work - but depending on the work that needs to be done, it may result in a future flag if the car is scanned.

You won't know if your car is flagged unless you go in for warranty that gets denied because of the flag.

Well that's what I assumed. If the dealer taps into the ecu, thanks to the interwebs, my cars data gets stored in VW database. Time on my powertrain warranty will expire June 2020. It will expire on time as my Golf is low mileage. So the risk is potentially loosing 15 months of power train warranty. I could get APRs power train warranty. And I am thinking of this. But if effectively it's $400 for 15 months. IDK.