View Full Version : Upsolute in Central Scotland
Any Seat owners in the Glasgow(or surrounding) area looking to get Upsoluted???
We have got a Upsolute dealer coming up to Glasgow to chip a few cars in a month or so and the more people we can get then the cheaper we can get it :) We got 3 cars so far getting done.
1 golf tdi 115 (mine)
1 golf 1.8T
1 Seat
So if anyone interested then give me a shout. The more the better. I think the dealer is charging £295 for the chip and fitting.
Imran.
Tazkenny
21-02-2002, 20:59
Def interested but a few questions first,
Are you a dealer / RR house ?
What if things don't go to plan ? Where do we take the car to or would we be left having to send the ECU down south ? and be left without wheels for however long it takes.
Where will this be done ?
Does this include a before and after RR session ?
What's with all this Upsolute stuff being done in back yards, lock ups, other people's premises etc? Doesn't inspire much confidence or look in the least bit professional.
upsolute north
23-02-2002, 22:31
First off, hi to everyone on the board.
I shall be UPsolute's northern rep, covering York/Manchester north, and should be up in Glasgow before too long to see our very patient Scottish group!
The price is negotiable for groups, we will try to offer discounts for groups, though this depends on location and numbers. Obviously we don't take RR's round with us, (though we maybe doing something on this matter soon!), so you must arrange your own RR session at a local venue. If you are not satisfied with your power gains there is a 30day money back guarantee :) .
To address the final point, it's called customer service. If people want to drive round the country to other tuners premises they are welcome. But if they want a personal service, to come to their town, and get good value at the same time then they have the choice. At last year's Gti International UPsolute chipped 24 cars, and had 24 happy customers. This was done in a tent at the show. Where the procedure takes place really doesn't matter, as long as the customer is happy.
Jon
Have you had your own golf on a RR ? Upsolute north?
So - you're saying that in a tent you can offer good ESD coverage? moisture levels are monitored etc? you can insure that nothing can affect the ECU?
the soldering iron is kept at a constant temperature & isn't affected by wind etc.
I think that a proper workshop set up must be better than a tent - or even a borrowed work bench.
unless you like ESD damage due to poor surroundings & handling.
in your 30 day guarantee - do you offer a replacement ECU as you're bound to have damaged this alse while soldering your chip on?
Mark
Originally posted by upsolute north
At last year's Gti International UPsolute chipped 24 cars, and had 24 happy customers. This was done in a tent at the show. Where the procedure takes place really doesn't matter, as long as the customer is happy.
For my job i do a lot of SM soldering and i dont see any problems with wind affecting the temperature of the iron providing you are using a temperature controlled iron set to the correct temperature for the job in hand, and if you have the proper grounding equipment (which i carry for my field service job) i have never had a chip fail due to poor handling procedures and see no problem with any environment for soldering provided you can stay at the same potential as the equipment you are working on, and have sufficient light for the task.
I have never heard of monitoring the moisture levels just for SM soldering either!, maybe for chip manufacture and long term packaging for transport to prevent contact corrosion or oxidation maybe?
Tent? Hmm... Whatever, but still doesn't inspire confidence in the Company.
I wouldn't, "drive round the country to other tuners premises", anyway. If there were problems, I'd want an established dealer, not so far away to deal with it. I'm afraid I wouldn't be posting ECUs to God knows where for repair, or whatever. Mind, others can do as they wish of course.
Thanks for your explanation.
Air flow around the solder tip does effect quality & durability of the joint.
It cools the joint unevenly & therefore prone to cracking etc.
All good SM manufacturing premises ARE monitored for moisture etc - humidity etc. I know this from my previous work & current work for hi reliability electronics manufacturers. Also would you want 'dampness' trapped in your previously sealed ECU?
You can solder wherever you like - and joints can be good. but they may also suck.
I agree about the grounding - but there was no mention of this. I'm not sure what other tuners do either - I think that some Superpoops dealers are known to do it on a bench at the workshop with no ESD protection. Scary.
I can see you certainly know your stuff when it comes t soldering Mark!!, but the ECU in these cars isnt that well sealed anyway, thats why they had to put a plastic shield over the front of the ecu, cos water can get into them, and i cant remember the last time i saw a rework bench in the sort of conditions you described!!,
But i can see where you are comming from as i'm sure you know that most ESD damage shows itself months or even years after the damage has been done!
I'd just sound like a geek if i went on!
but you're right - a poorly formed joint will show itself later in life as it corrodes & provides a resitive joint.
(yawn)
yeah - the lack of sealing is a good one - i think that AmD had to make a cover or something (well placed under the splash [wet] tray)
I was just offering concern at location being important rather than just customer satisfaction (ignorance is bliss etc etc)
perhaps the upsolute guy might want to come to bruntingthorpe to chip cars?? just a thought. as Mic didn't reply to my emails
Tazkenny
26-02-2002, 01:06
I am a proces engineer in the SMT industry too, aware of the risks but am more anxious about warranty, come back etc as I mentioned in my first post.
If the bugger goes into limp mode a week after fitting (I'm sure it won't as I think Upsolute have proved to be good) where do I go to get my motor fixed ???? What would happen in that circumstance etc etc
Before we can start parting with cash and offering our hard earned for cars up for modification we need assurances. We need somewhere - a company premises - to fall back on.
I for one want the chip, as I can't justify the cost of the one I really want at the moment, but will no way go ahead unless these assurances can be given in bulletproof form. I know for certain that if Star had my car and it then developed a problem Jim would bend over backwards to fix it immediately, will you after chipping my car in a tent ??
So far its looking like saving up and going for APR.......
Icecavern
26-02-2002, 08:29
Calm down, calm down....
Just because they aren't fitting them from a central base doesn't mean the Customer service is going to be crap.
I'm guessing they use a portable solder station which would shield from the wind etc... It wouldn't bother me where they did it if I could see it being done properly...
Pete
Originally posted by MarkP
All good SM manufacturing premises ARE monitored for moisture etc - humidity etc. I know this from my previous work & current work for hi reliability electronics manufacturers. Also would you want 'dampness' trapped in your previously sealed ECU?
You can solder wherever you like - and joints can be good. but they may also suck.
I agree about the grounding - but there was no mention of this. I'm not sure what other tuners do either - I think that some Superpoops dealers are known to do it on a bench at the workshop with no ESD protection. Scary.
Mark
The ECU has a breather plug in it to allow air movement and probably stop condensation forming on temp. changes as it may be at vastly differing temps dependent on climate etc.
As for soldering, most repair work in industry etc, as Mosser says, is done on the job or in workshops. I have never had problems repairing stuff and some equipment is in areas where vibration may effect it.
Granted a base is good to be able to take things back to, but I've tried a couple of different chips, changing them myself, as there is a chip holder soldered on the board in my case. 10 mins to swap.
Not necesarily the best chip but good value and are the others basically the same, one program suits all. I know Jabbasport do chips to suit the car at a little more and have a reputable history, therefore are they not the best value with before and after RR sessions with all the conforts of knowing where they are if problems occur.
Thanks Tazkenny - my point exactly. Whilst I'm aware premises are no guarantee of quality, or long term business survival, having them does give a certain degree of confidence over dealings in a tent!
You can always fall back on Upsolute HQ, i have spoken to Valios and Alex there and they are both extremely helpfull, i emailed them data logs from my vag-com to check over and they even helped me with my problems that werent even related to the chip!!,
Not that you should have any problems with the UK dealer unless they decided to stop trading for some reason, which is unlikely as these chips are pretty populad due to their price!, and i still havent had any problems with my chip though and dont expect to either
upsolute north
27-02-2002, 21:41
Ohh, I wish I never mentioned the word ‘tent’!
The ‘tent’ in question was the size of a football pitch, and UPsolute set up a large workshop in one of the stalls.
I and the central rep have premises which customers can and will visit, our homes! UPsolute operates with a mixture of companies (such as Impossible) and individuals in most countries in which they do business. This enables a ‘come to you’ service and keeps the costs down (and the savings are passed on to you).
Regarding the soldering, well our equipment is high spec and works will be usually be undertaken in either our homes/customers homes or in hotels (NOT in tents!). We will have ESD protection and take good care of your pride and joy! Customers will receive our phone numbers and addresses, and in the unlikely event that chip/solder problems occur then we will make every effort to remedy the problem. And if a new ECU is required than that is what the customer will get.
Regarding confidence and ‘come back’ for after sales service – well there will be three ‘premises’ in the UK, and the worldwide assistance of other reps, not to mention Alex/Valois, HQ support from Austria and the UPsolute Forum. Nothing is ever perfect, but how many unhappy UPsolute customers do you know?
Mosser, not had the current chip on the rollers, waiting till I get the Pipercross Viper and customised chip, then I’ll have a day on it :D
How about offering a competition przie then to our Northern friends, let a lucky punter try and win an upgrade ?
Cool
Thanks for the reply
Glad you offer a replacement ECU if you make a mistake (even if it's twice the cost of your chip)
That's something that some chippers can't/don't offer.
M
I don't know ANY UPsolute customers... Thanks for you post though, it explains a few things a little better.
What about me toonman? I'm an upsolute customer!
Sorry Mosser, I didn't want to be presumptuous as we've never actually met.
Okay, I'll rephrase to:
I know one UPsolute customer and he's happy...
Any idea when you might be passing through Mosser?
I have no idea at the moment!, we seem to have stopped doing repair work up that side of the country at the moment!, we still have a few contracts up there , but the customers havent booked any calls for ages now!
No probs; I'm sure we'll sort something one day.
:cheers:
Mike
Originally posted by Mosser
I have no idea at the moment!, we seem to have stopped doing repair work up that side of the country at the moment!, we still have a few contracts up there , but the customers havent booked any calls for ages now!
But he does do a grand service via PM if you ask nicley - cheers mosser.
No probs!, glad you've got it sorted now!
Well Mr Upsolute North, I'm not a happy customer and wish I had known about the 30 day money back guarantee.
I kept getting told that my problems were down to a faulty dump valve (as were my friends who enquired about getting their cars done). Shame it turned out to be Skoda having changed the wastegate actuation from how the other VAG cars do theirs.
At the time I thought well, you get what you pay for. Guess I was right.
TaviaRS, just wondering what they have changed on the wastegate actuation?, different part?, or have they reset N75 to a different position on its adjuster?, cos i have heard of people with Octavia RS's getting boost spikes up to 21psi without a chip!?, i am still getting a slight overboost on my car which might help me with fixing my fault!
Cheers!
HI
just booked my cupra in for sat to have the upsolute chip installed. cant wait.
has anyone else got one in a beeza and what were the power gains like
Originally posted by DOH
HI
just booked my cupra in for sat to have the upsolute chip installed. cant wait.
has anyone else got one in a beeza and what were the power gains like
Mines been done a few months now. See DYNO PLOTS and POWER CLAIMS section and there is a dyno plot of my car in Upsolute Ibiza RR Dyno thread. http://www.seatcars.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=3474