Is it worth while to go to the shop to have a chip installed?
07-12-2002, 08:52 AM
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Is it worth while to go to the shop to have a chip installed?
I'm looking into buying an APR chip for my 1999.5 1.8T and looking on the website I saw that adrenaline motorsports is about 2 hrs away. Any suggestions?
07-12-2002, 08:54 AM
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Only if you'd save a significant amount of $
After you factor in driving costs etc.
But once you see how easy and fast it is to install you'll feel like a chump for paying someone to do it for you.
But once you see how easy and fast it is to install you'll feel like a chump for paying someone to do it for you.
07-12-2002, 09:04 AM
#4
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Are you buying a spare ECU or chipping your stock ECU?
If you are buying a spare ECU, then don't bother going down there, unless you want to meet the people who are taking your money. Swapping ECUs is a piece of cake.
However if you are having your stock ECU modified, you will have to send it to the shop, they will chip it, and then they will have to send it back to you. So your car will be lobotomized (hence un drivable) for at least three days.
If you cannot wait three days, then go down to the shop, and they can install the chip in about 10 minutes.
The charge for the chip should be pretty much the same either way. Removing the ECU is so simple that shops don't bother to charge any labor for the task.
In fact, when I bought my chip, it was CHEAPER to have it sent to me-- because I am in a different state from AWE, and hence I did not pay sales tax. But if I went to AWE to have it done, I would have had to pay sales tax.
Have fun,
Peter
However if you are having your stock ECU modified, you will have to send it to the shop, they will chip it, and then they will have to send it back to you. So your car will be lobotomized (hence un drivable) for at least three days.
If you cannot wait three days, then go down to the shop, and they can install the chip in about 10 minutes.
The charge for the chip should be pretty much the same either way. Removing the ECU is so simple that shops don't bother to charge any labor for the task.
In fact, when I bought my chip, it was CHEAPER to have it sent to me-- because I am in a different state from AWE, and hence I did not pay sales tax. But if I went to AWE to have it done, I would have had to pay sales tax.
Have fun,
Peter
07-12-2002, 09:53 AM
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It's really a question of convenience.
Shipping the ECU out to APR means you have to be without your car for a few days. If you drive in to a local tuner, they pop the hood, pull the ECU, do their work, and replace the ECU in under an hour, and you're off.
07-12-2002, 10:10 AM
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Depends if you can get around w/o your car for a couple of days
It takes a few days to get back your ecu
Unless you buy a spare ecu for about $600
Ecu swap is very easy: don't pay someone more than $100 bucks to do this, unless you are rich
Unless you buy a spare ecu for about $600
Ecu swap is very easy: don't pay someone more than $100 bucks to do this, unless you are rich
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