Anyone have any feedback?

I am leaning Unitronic since they're almost next door to me...Anyone heard bad things about their stage 1?

 

I would go with Unitronic too, since :

1- They are local
2- Have less cpu crashes then APR
3- They are local

dominic@unitronic.ca

 

APR all the way. Uni has been shown to be a bit too aggressive, and at times not as effective. Frankly, I wouldn't bother looking at Uni since for $600 you can get a fully loaded, proven APR ECU with switchability etc.

Keep your 2.0T safe. Boost is where you'll see gains from these cookie cutter tuning companies like APR, GIAC, UNI, REVO etc. They're all going to be very similar, so stick with the company that has the most breadth and support, and the best interface.

If you had a 4.2 S4/RS4/S5, you'd need to find a real tune, someone who knows how to program for power, like JHM does, however since you have a 2.0T with a K03 on it, add some boost via an APR OTS tune, and you'll be happy.

 

Saki, I've refrained from commenting on a lot of your wildly incorrect statements, but this is ridiculous. Tuning an FI engine is more difficult than an NA engine. Insinuating that non-JHM tunes are not "real" tuners, and that their makers don't know how to program for power is just plain insulting, especially coming from someone with little knowledge of tuning. There isn't a single prominent FI VAG tuner that does nothing but cranks up the boost, as your post infers. Note that I didn't say anything negative about JHM - so don't start there - I'm happy to see someone cranking out mods for the 4.2 guys like the 3.2 guys already have, especially since I think I'm going to buy an S4

I really don't get why your posts often reek of underlying hatred for the 1.8T/2.0T, and fanboyism for the 4.2 Are you insecure about your car, or something? Is it because there are so many 21 year olds in POS Jettas that could walk your car like it's not moving?

 

Cheeba you're just completely out of line with that. Really?

I warned him away from Uni, based on things shared with me about their tuning.
I mentioned that the biggest factor in an FI tune (he asked about uni vs. APR) will be the boost, and it will. The grand majority of the performance from an FI tune vs. stock tune will come from boost.
I mentioned that the NA car owners have to be very picky about their tune choice since 99% of the options ****ING SUCK...and only 1 really works.

This was never about 4cyl vs. 8 cyl at all. It was making a point that if the 2.0T tunes are all very similar (within 9/10ths of each other) get the most convenient tune from the strongest company that has a reputation of protecting your car. It's a no brainer. NOWHERE did I say 'all they change is boost'. However, everyone knows that the majority of the gains on a stage 1 1.8 or 2.0 OTS tune will be from boost.

You turning it into me hating 1.8T and 2.0T cars is just making you look stupid because nothing in my post even goes anywhere near that. I own a 2.0T B8 A4 Avant. Before it I owned a 1.8T B6 A4 Avant. EVERYTHING I saw for each platform regarding a stage 1 tune was that it was really no massive difference no matter what you bought. I've seen the races, I've seen the dynos. If there's a little tiny bit left on the table, that's fine...OP wants his car safe.

As for saying it's easier to tune an FI car for gains than it is an NA car, you may want to rethink that. Just about nobody in the automotive world agrees with you. You're showing the forum that you don't know what you don't know. Be careful. APR, GIAC, REVO, UNI...they all proved to the 4.2 and 3.2 guys that they really aren't that great at tuning NA cars. The results speak for themselves.

As for this insecurity ****...I think you just shone a big spotlight on yourself. You have this insecurity that puts the idea in your head that S/RS and 4.2 owners feel superior to 1.8 and 2.0 owners...then project that insecurity into your analysis of people's posts. Fact is I/WE don't give a **** what the engine is. We all have owned the 1.8 and 2.0 cars, and many of us own them concurrently with our 4.2 cars. So do we hate ourselves? Are we insecure about our own 2.0T car being potentially faster? Again, I said nothing about that and nothing remotely similar to your ASININE accusation.

I don't race kids in jettas...and I don't measure my self worth, or my car's worth, by what can or can't 'walk' it. Grow the *** up bud.

p.s. this forum is struggling enough as it is, that it doesn't need moderators acting like jackasses and discouraging people from bothering to post on it

 

Haha, go ahead and report this post too! :whiny:

I probably shouldn't comment sometimes on things like this, but I let a lot of erroneous advice go by, and there's a point when it's doing a disservice to the community. You speak very authoritatively about many subjects, but it's often quite obvious that you're just drawing conclusions based on your experience, without any kind of technical knowledge about the subject. Obviously it's easier to get gains on an FI car, but I didn't say that –*I said that it's easier to tune NA cars. That was in response to you making some underhanded comments that FI tunes weren't "real" tunes, and that their software guys didn't know how to make power. If you meant something else, go ahead and say it, but I just noticed that you spend a lot of your time comparing the 1.8T/2.0T engines to the 4.2, always refer negatively to the former and positively to the latter. Again, I'm not basing this on that one post, but from several threads of yours I've read on a few forums.

Whatever, we're just bickering at this point; I think it's safe to say that we just don't get along. I've tried to let it go since we got off to a rocky start (I went so far as to ask you to keep an eye out for a car for me), but it just irks me when guys speak authoritatively on things they're obviously not out there doing in the real world, e.g., tuning and building cars, racing BT 1.8Ts instead of talking about it on the internet, etc.

See ya' – since I just fabricated some parts for my engine, I'm off to run some logs and tweak my cookie-cutter, non-real tune made by someone who has no idea how to make power (not like JHM does!)

 

I used the report button just so it was clear to the site admin that one of his moderators is a big mouth jackass who is talking **** and has a serious inferiority complex that is manifesting itself in threads. I'll happily report this post that you just made as well...that's why there is a report button. It's not whining...it's making sure Rick and whomever know just what a **** job you're doing.

Now, try reading what I wrote, then get back to me. We're not bickering...you're misconstruing what I post, in order to placate your own weird inferiority complex that frankly makes you look kinda sad.

1. I never said anything about custom or private tunes so why are you going on about that? Try to stay on topic...the OP asked about 2 very specific OTS tuning options. Unitronic and APR. Both of which change boost, timing, throttle response, rev limiter and speed limiter, and very little else. The timing map on the Uni 1.8 and 2.0 tunes that a proper tuner reviewed wasn't exactly awesome, and he advised passing (again...dont' forget that I have a 2.0T). Since he's looking at OTS tunes, I advised him to go apr. I then clarified that the OTS tunes for his motor are so similar, you really don't need to worry too much about the choice...just make sure it's a safe one from a strong company. I explained that if it were a 3.2 , 3.0 or 4.2 NA car, he'd have to think real hard, because just about every tune is ineffective except one. Since he's not, he doesn't need to worry too much and can go apr.

2. go show me where I talk negatively about the 2.0t or 1.8T engines. If you really knew me, you'd know that I have owned a bunch of Audis with a bunch of these engines, and I don't **** talk a platform or an engine. They all have their merits. Again, show me some examples. Don't just make douchebag comments like 'I notice you said this' but offer no proof. That proves you're talking *****.

3. Why don't you go drive your car? You spend way too much time telling everyone what a tuning genius you are and writing about your build. Go drive the ****ing thing. Go take it to a track day and then go take it to a dragstrip. Post some video from the track day and post the timeslips from the dragstrip. Show us you're doing something other than flapping your gums and playing with textbooks in your garage. You're always telling me your car could walk my S4, and now you'll tell me it could walk my RS4. CONGRATULATIONS! I don't want your car. I want my car. I don't care if you're faster. I really don't. Get that yet? Just about NOBODY cares about your car except you. Telling me what it can do compared to my car just shows you're self-obsessed and have a serious ego-centric attitude.

I'll be waiting to hear your examples of what you claim I did, and I'll be waiting to see some proof of how great your car is because franklyl your build thread is a snooze. Inject some life into it already.

 

p.s. it's funny how you don't address ANY of the points I made. You just make up some more sad ****. Fail. Try to FOCYS.

 

That was one spirited discussion!

 

I had both.. Unitronic and APR on 2 differents GTI and honestly, I don't know the scientific numbers BUT UNITRONIC was more...fun..I felt more kick *** in it and never had any issues with both... My brother tried REVO and now has Unitronic..He told me that next time he will go with Revo..
So as you can see they are all very similar (unitornic, revo, APR ..)..some difference but the biggest one is which one is the closest from you. If you have a problem..need a re-flash because the dealer done an update on your car etc... You will appreciate to have a reflash done faster...