WoollyBugger

yah, yah, yah...more chip stuff, but here goes:

goals: smoothness, reliability, more power but 200-215 is adequate (for now), hassle free (ie no thrown codes etc).

from what I've read over the last two years MTM fits the bill, just more bills. I really don't want to have to deal with any fault codes, misfires, dealer vag incompatabilities. So far I've seen Zero complaints about MTM anywhere. eg no cold start issues, surging, misfires, blown turbos/engines, etc. Whatdayathink, worth the extra dough? APR is my second choice. TIA.

Jet Jockey/A4 Pilot

I'm bias so my opinion does not count! The best always cost more.

RikiTik

Hey Jet..Can you comment on the differences you found going from stock to MTM 1/1+

1/4 scale

There was an uneven spot under acceleration at 3000 rpm, but it smooth out after switching to BRK6E copper plugs. The car's been great ever since. No codes thrown, no dealer questions. With the exhaust, it's one of the most comfortable power upgrades for everyday use, it doesn't wear you out or give you a headache.

MTM seems well engineered, but IMHO not really cost effective for what you get compared to others (and I'm the kind of person who believes that you get what you pay for).

2000se

how many billz you talking about?

1/4 scale

what do you think d.h.? are you willing to drop this kind of cash?<ul><li><a href="http://www.hoppenmotorsport.com/a402tuning.htm">$$$</a></li></ul>

WoollyBugger

yah, not cheap....

2000se

Is Dalhback and MTM about the same? is it a reliable 195hp though.. I would be willing to drop 7 billz on it if it were like comparing car amps.....off brand = 1000watts vs JL audio = 400watts...JL wins hands down every time. Is that the same when comparing MTM / Dalhback vs. Revo / Neuspeed / Wett? MTM has 195 "RMS" hp where the others have 205 "peak" hp???

What do you think??

1/4 scale

I thought Dahlback distributed MTM products, but I'm not certain. You may want to compare their upgrades, the mods and numbers look very much the same. Are the prices similar as well?

As far as quality is concerned, I agree that an apple vs. oranges senario may be at play here. However I think the tuning on the drive-by-wire 1.8T has been a software challenge to many of these tuners, and therefore all of them are working with the same narrow constraints. Frankly, it seems that people with the more radical programming (GIAC, Revo, etc.) experience more problems while the more conservative tuners (Neuspeed, APR, MTM, Wett, etc.) have a more reliable product. And yes, peak hp is always deceiving.

scott02

I am looking at MTM for similar reasons. So far I see MTM as the choice when it comes to reliability, solid engineering and smooth power delivery. These are more important to me then peak power or cost.

If cost and power were my first criteria I would not own an A4 as it certainly is not the fastest car for the money. The A4 appealed to me for its overall balance and feel. I felt and saw the quality engineering everywhere. While I feel the car needs more power, I do not want aftermarket additions to compromise the qualities the brought me to the car in the first place.

That said, I am leaning toward MTM stage 2 with a non-MTM downpipe (downpipe from here: http://www.tantrumwerks.com/html/dp.html). As much as I am willing to pay for quality, I can't begin to justify the price of the MTM downpipe. I am convinced of the benefits of a downpipe that adds a sport cat and moves the heat of the cat away from the turbo. The above option does both for less then 1/3 of the cost of the MTM. Still planning to go with the MTM muffler though.

Good luck with your tuning.. Scott02