Best value for money tuning box for Cupra TDi?

[chopper-lew]

I was planning to take advantage of the REVO offer that's on until the end of the month and spend £299 on a stage 1 remap for my Cupra TDi.

However...

Being not too flush as its January, and having a load of other unexpected bills turn up, I may have to delay the remap until the summer, which of course is disappointing.

Im also a bit worried that if I do get the remap and the clutch starts to slip, im not gonna have the spare £700ish for a new clutch/flywheel straight away so will be driving it around constantly worried about smoking whats left of the clutch!

So, as an interim measure, I'm considering a tuning box.

Now I know folk will say REMAP, REMAP, REMAP! but hear me out....



I only have around £150 to spend, so that instantly excludes the upper end of the more well known tuning box market, but there are quite a few in this price bracket.

Also, If the clutch does start to slip, I can take it off/turn it down.

When I have the cash to go for the 'proper' route (remap/egr delete/clutch/poss hybrid turbo), I can simply take it off and sell it and recoup at least half of my outlay, so I'm not loosing much cash.


Now I know the lower end of the market are a crappy resistor in a box, but I have previously bought a digital unit before for around £150 from tuning-diesels.com and fitted it to a Jeep Cherokee TDi and I was really impressed with it.

They also sell a dedicated 1.9 tdi PD engine box for a similar price which I am tempted buy, but before I commit, I was wondering if anyone else could recommend anything similar in the same sort of price bracket that's worth considering?

Cheers.

 

[BrettBlade]

Plenty of places that will you do you a custom remap for around that figure, and they'll be able to take into account your concerns about the clutch too. I would actually say a remap would be better than a tuning box to alleviate your concerns as it's specific to your car and not "one size fits all".

So, in short... REMAP REMAP REMAP haha!

 

[chopper-lew]

Plenty of places that will you do you a custom remap for around that figure, and they'll be able to take into account your concerns about the clutch too. I would actually say a remap would be better than a tuning box to alleviate your concerns as it's specific to your car and not "one size fits all".

So, in short... REMAP REMAP REMAP haha!

Im gonna get a Remap, I promise, Just not yet!

I don't want to hold back because my clutch cant handle it, so I'm planning to do the map/egr/clutch at the same time when I have the cash. The box is only temporary, and like I said im only gonna loose a few quid when I sell it so its not a bad compromise.

Just having a browse and there is a fair few between £70 - £150 on tinternet. Just wondering if anyone has any experience they would like to share.

 

[posterboy]

That's false economy, what's worth having is worth paying for.

 

[Badger]

An increase of power whether it's a 'tuning box' or remap will always put strain on components such as clutch, flywheel etc...

Tuning Boxes are just resistors that fool the injectors to increase fueling making power.

Proper remaps take into account turbo pressure, correct fueling and other variables.

Whatever you do, you'll have to end up getting a clutch and flywheel if there is an issue.

Wait and get a proper remap!

 

[Toby Davis]

People have such a basic and narrow minded outlook on tuning boxes, really annoys me

True, but not true with the more expensive ones that plug into the engine.

Ive had my tuning box on for at least 20,000 miles with amazing results, 4 main maps to choose from and best of all I haven't paid hundreds for a map to go with the car when I sell it.

People say its just a box, but im not paying hundreds just for someone to spend 30 minutes on a laptop

 

[chopper-lew]

Yeah, thinking back over the last few years, I have previously bought 7 different remaps from 3 different suppliers for different cars and 2 tuning boxes.

For 'proper' tuning a remap is a must. No argument there, but for a (normally) cheaper alternative that you can take off and sell when you get sell the car (or want to progress into more serious tuning) then I don't see why boxes are so evil?

 

[Badger]

People have such a basic and narrow minded outlook on tuning boxes, really annoys me

True, but not true with the more expensive ones that plug into the engine.

Ive had my tuning box on for at least 20,000 miles with amazing results, 4 main maps to choose from and best of all I haven't paid hundreds for a map to go with the car when I sell it.

People say its just a box, but im not paying hundreds just for someone to spend 30 minutes on a laptop

I don't want to start a p*ssing match but at the end of the day, read all the reviews, facts and testimonials and make a decision based on how you interpret them.

I've looked and researched both remaps and tuning boxes since I started modifying my first diesel a few years ago. Granted things have moved on from the good old "turn up the fuel, spool and plant it" days however, the principles behind a "tuning box" have not really changed.

Yes I agree, they may not be as simple as a "box of resistors" anymore, they take signals from various sensors, modify their meaning and release them to the ECU which then takes the modified values and turns up the fueling to match.

I would prefer an experienced "someone to spend 30 minutes on a laptop" and review the boost logs, injection quantity and change the map to suit the car to both my needs and what's safe and tolerable for my engine. It's all about choosing the right re-mapper!

So, take my "basic and narrow minded outlook" and do what you wish...

 

[Seal_LCR]

If 30mins on a laptop was what I was getting I wouldn't bother. You want a diagnostic check first, followed by smoke tests, rolling road, map, tweek then a final run. That's what you are paying for a proper map suited to YOUR needs and YOUR car not just a plug and play box fooling things

 

[Toby Davis]

Agree with most of the above. Do feel people are completly against tuning boxes and refuse to accept just like people at first refused top accept a hot hatch diseal, and now everyone wants one for power and economy blend.

All I know, is I have massive noticeable gains, no smoke, cars runs fine and has done for over 20,000 with the box, 4 maps I can switch between and I can take the box of any time or sell to get some money back.

Agree I don't want to get into the boring remap vs tuning box argument

Just expressing my opinion

peace out

 

[posterboy]

Custom map>generic map>"tuning box"

As said above, you'll strain the car regardless, so do it once and do it proper.

 

[cupra.al]

i think if tuning boxes were that bad people wouldnt get them and use them for several years/miles which is kind of the same as a generic stage one map between the two what really is the difference, as with a box a map is i suppose just loaded into it and with a generic stage one map its loaded on to the ecu.
so both are mass produced and pretty much the same as they are designed for the desired engine.

where as going custom is designed for that exact engine taking in different paramters for that exact engine.
so really imo there is no real difference between a generic map and a tuning box.

i must add ive not used a tuning box ever but have had a custom map and a stage one generic map.