It's not a dealership problem. If that was a case, you just find another dealer. It's a VAG problem (from what I've heard anyway). Any ECU tampering goes straight to VAG. Your car gets flagged in the system and no warranty work for you, regardless of what dealership you go to. It's not even up to the dealership.

 

I'd be somewhat surprised if it's quite that automatic. I know many, many people are running tunes on their BMWs (myself included) that have not been detected by the dealership service departments. Is it conceivable that BMW's software is that much less secure than VW's? I suppose it's possible, but not sure how likely.

 

It IS up to which dealership you go to. Some dealers are mod friendly. These dealerships will still do the warranty work for you regardless of people having the tune on the cars.

I'm 95% sure that the dealers can detect it if they try. But dealers don't do this for some minor issue with the car. If you blow up your engine with a bad aftermarket tune and want the dealership to replace the engine, they will run the full diagnosis and can possibly detect that you had a tune on the car.

 

Well, I know they can detect it if it's still on there. However, if someone is using a tune like mine (ESS) that has software where I can switch back and forth between my stock and aftermarket tunes, I'm not sure they can detect it having ever been changed.

I should have been more clear.

 

That's how most of the tuning devices are these days. You can always install the stock map back on before going in for the dealer visit.

However, the dealership can still detect if the ECU has been messed with.

 

I'll have to do some searching, but I've not yet heard of BMW catching these...I could be wrong...or their software could just be that bad.

 

She may never know cuz she never revs it past 2.5k rpms lol. We will probably space the mods out so we don't get bored with it too quickly.

WOT isn't recommended until you hit at least 40mph

With the tune it'll probably be a bitch to handle but right now the torque steer isn't bad at all. My 6mt TL had more torque steer.

Thank you! Sad to see your Porsche go but I know you'll replace it with another badass vehicle!

Not sure how much PSI, I'd have to poke around the forum to find out. So far a few people have blown turbo's but that because

I have 3 dealerships around me who are mod friendly. They look out for the tuners and actually repaired 2 MK7 GTi's with blown turbo's under warranty.

Interior is very nice but a bitch to keep clean! The dash and center console show every little speck of dust. If I could, I'd have a tan interior

Wifey absolutely loved the white and so did I.

VW will detect the tune but again having mod friendly dealerships really helps. Not exactly sure how they detect it each and every time but there is no way around it.

 

I thought the dealers can't find it out if people change back to the stock map before too. But I guess it leaves the mark on the ECU. Well, 95% of the time, the dealers don't even run the diagnosis because it's not needed. That's why people don't get caught putting a tune on the cars.

 

Yep! haha

Good idea on modding it slowly.

 

Hey, if that's the case, then hell yeah! I'd be getting that chip rather quickly

 

My understanding about the current plug/play tunes (Like JB4, Cobb..) is the dealer cannot detect anything as the way the car sits right now after the tune is removed and back to factory settings, which is what most of the dealers do anyways unless they are suspicious about something.

Then they can run some kind of back log on the ECU to see if the car was abused, that is when they could see the powerband or whatnot was not the same as stock.

Even cars without FI can be traced. Honda did that on my S2000 when the engine was seized.

 

Yeah.. unless you blow up your engine for some reason with the tune... the dealers don't care for minor jobs like oil changes..

The forums usually have the white/blacklist of dealerships. Check the list before visiting the dealer..

 

I was excited when I first got the ST and couldn't hold out long until I started modding. I first tuned it at 380 miles and have been trouble-free since. Every time I take it in to the dealer for routine maintenance I just flash it back to stock anyway.

I have heard stories from members on forums, and some claim to be Ford dealer employees and such, that a Ford dealer must have a $10k tool to read the ECU and detect if it has been adjusted (flash counter, different tune map, etc.) and that most dealers do not have this technology.

Let's face it, we're (mostly) all car enthusiasts here and enjoy modding our cars. We all understand the inherit risks from modifying them, and we can claim things such as the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act to protect ourselves from threats from the dealer, but in the end we know if a modification has caused an issue or problem with the car, it can very well be our own liability in the end.

With that said, screw it all and have fun because life is short. It's not worth the sweat and stress to worry about it. If you want an intact warranty 100% without worry, simply don't modify your car. But more often than not you are going to be just fine.

 

Getting bored with the car wifey needs to make up her mind about getting an APR tune or HRE wheels




OR





Thoughts, suggestions, which wheel??

Thanks

 

Are you set on getting HRE? You can get some really good wheel brands that look like wheel option 1 that cost you less and you could then get the tune still as well. Just a thought.

I think wheel 1 will look better.

 

The wheels in pic #1 for sure.

 

No, just looking around for now. I think I was quoted $2100 for a set of 19s for wheel 1 but I know if I do a little more digging I can find something cheaper.

 

$2100 for a set of HRE in 19s? Have they started making some cheaper wheels now or have their prices just gone down? I am really shocked at that price. I figured they would be around $4000 for a set of 19s.

 

Yup, shipped to my door. The other set is around $2300 in 19s

but...

They're not forged like the rest of their lineup, cast wheels.

 

Get the tune. Wheels look great but tune makes it go faster.

 

^ Agreed. Depends on what you want...

If looks, go with the first set of wheels.

If speed, go with the tune.

 

I vote for speed.

You already have wheels

 

I want speed, wife wants looks but I wouldn't mind having a nice set of wheels too look at

 

Just drive faster, you can't see the wheels when you're in motion anyway.

 

Those wheels in photo 1 are sick!!!

 

The wheels just grab my attention here....curious if it'll have the same affect with our white GTi? Anyone with photoshop willing to try it?

 

That design is so common you could get VMR, Neuspeed, etc and still get good wheels ... and they'd be FAR less money.

For example, the VMR V718 - V718

 

The car will look fantastic with those wheels, but it'll all be ruined once your ugly ass is seen driving it

 

Want those style on our Avant. Looks epic!

 

Not as ugly or old looking as you driving your Taco

 

 

Oh nice, thank you!

 

Anytime. Of course those wheels look much better with a drop.

 

that blue color really fits the GTI perfectly!

 

If the HRE are cast then you are just paying for the name. charliemike mentioned the wheels I couldn't think of in VMR. I also agree the wheels look so good because of the drop. If you are staying stock height definitely go for the tune first or maybe tune and VMR wheels since I think you could do that for the price of the HRE wheels.

 

I have a 2008 AUDI B7A4 2.0T FSI. I went with APR Tune first. It was a great call on my part.

Then I put a test pipe on..(No cat)...

Shes wicked quick now.

 

Decisions decisions lol I'm just happy she wants to mod the car a little bit!

 

The MK7 GTi runs very hot and the APR tune helps cool the temperature down quite a bit. Not sure how yet need to do research! With summer around the corner I'd love to keep it cool

 

I too say do the tune, instead of the wheels. It'll look more like a sleeper!

Also, like others said, don't pay that much for cast wheels. Not worth it.

 

There are so many mods for this motor...the tune is the best bang for the buck.