Gold A4

I'm thinking of chipping my 2001.5 A4 1.8T, Q,Tip,ESP. I don't really drive "spirited" that much but the extra "fun factor" is intriguing. With a APR or GIAC chip, will I notice the extra power and pull that much in normal daily, commuting type driving? Or, do I really need to push it to enjoy the difference? Tell me about your experiences with a chipped car. Thanks all.

Skene @ PES Tuning

you will feel it as soon as you press the accelerator... regardless on spirted driving or not

Vince L.

Big difference, when you step on it that is.

ReyHey

well said "fun factor" Chip it!!! you'll feel like a Kid again!! 8-)

slacker

I am leaning toward the Autothority .8 bar chip because it has been developed with mid-throttle response in mind. I don't need or want peak hp in an rpm range I would not normally use in daily driving. The lower boost is attractive in that one would think there would be less stress on the engine over time.

My $.02

Robert F

Fun+=3;

Evan (Vogon)

oh you'll notice it. Now, with the tip, you will still get the slow off the line feeling, but after it revs up to 2 or 3k you can tell the difference, the acceleration feels much more 'effortless' and when you do stomp it, you really know.
also, its been said if you don't drive it any harder (full boost) then you'll get better gas milage with a chip. although, this is completely untested, since no one has ever gotten a chip and drove the same way as before.

Poethius

it may not be such a great idea. In "normal daily, commuting type driving", it is hardly noticeable. In fact, initially I thought the chip wasn't working right, or I had a boost leak somewhere, until I got it checked out by a mechanic with a boost gauge. And the difference should have been even more noticeable with my 98, rated at 150 hp stock, than with your 01, at 170 hp.

You will definitely notice a major increase in power when you step on it above 3000 RPM -- and stay on the gas long enough to get past the turbo lag. This certainly adds to the fun factor and can be quite useful when passing, merging into high-speed traffic, etc. You will also notice a major increase in hill-climbing power. And power is addictive!

Against that, however, there is the risk of losing warranty coverage at some dealerships. AoA has made strong statements against engine mods. Denying warranty work arbitrarily because of a chip may not be strictly legal (unless the chip can be shown to have caused the problem), but the dealership can simply stonewall you, and then it's up to you to take them to court. It has also happened that a dealership can decide that your ECU is faulty and will simply replace it with a new one -- and there goes your chip.

Aside from warranty work, even some independent mechanics refuse to service a car that has been chipped. To them it is an unknown factor that changes the behavior of the engine from that described in the service manual; how do they know what diagnostic tests will be affected?

Another problem: when you sell your car, you may run into resistance because of the engine mod. Most buyers will shy away from a car that has been chipped, because they will suspect that it has been abused by some boy racer. Being an old man may not protect you from this suspicion!

Not trying to scare you off, because it really is a bargain in terms of the increased performance, but you have to look at your own driving habits and whether it will make a real difference to you.

RickM

I won't repeat what Poethius has already said, virtually all of which I agree with. But let me add:

1. Insofar as warranty coverage is concerned, if you aren't going to be tromping heavily on the gas at every stop light, or racing someone on every empty stretch of highway, and instead will be using that extra chip boost only occasionally, I see little or no risk of any chip-related problems emerging during the warranty period. In fact there are precious few reports of chip-related problems at all.

2. If you buy a spare ECU and chip that, then selling the car in OEM condition remains an option. Sell the chipped ECU separately once you sell the car. You'll always find a buyer for the chip+ECU on this forum! I bought mine used exactly that way.

3. Buying a spare ECU also enables you to swap the OEM ECU back in when it comes time to bring the car in for service.

Bottom line: The "fun factor" alone makes the chip well worth the price. Better passing power, better acceleration on highway entrance ramps...these make for a better and safer driving experience too. You can't help but think that once chipped, the car drives the way it should have when it left the factory. The chip is mostly unnoticeable "around town". It's just really nice knowing that the additional boost is there when you want it.