Revo

Hickery1995

Active Member
Oct 23, 2018
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So, I've had my 2019 Cupra 290 for 18 months now and absolutely love it, but want more power, i'm completely all for the revo stage 1, is it worth doing, or am i better off waiting for the 3 years warrenty to be over? Thanks

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Charliessmith

Active Member
Jun 16, 2017
494
51
So, I've had my 2019 Cupra 290 for 18 months now and absolutely love it, but want more power, i'm completely all for the revo stage 1, is it worth doing, or am i better off waiting for the 3 years warrenty to be over? Thanks

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It is 100% worth it but it will void your warranty but only for the ecu, I did a stage 1 remap within the 1st year of having my Cupra 290 2016 and loved it. Be careful though because if it goes for a service with Seat and they update your system it can wipe the map off, I've been told.

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Damo H

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Stage 1 is another animal and well worth it.

I know a lot of people, especially on the Facebook groups, will go on about getting a custom map for your car. But remember their custom map will be run on a dyno on a specific day, if you’re lucky they may do a bit of testing on the road.

To me a proper custom remap will be one where the car is logged on the Dyno and in multiple conditions, cold start, cold day, warm start, warm day. Long distances. Multiple short runs etc etc.

The likes of Revo and Racingline will do this on multiple cars and come up with a calibrated map that works safest on multiple cars in all conditions.

Not sure how Revo do it, but Racingline will get your chassis info and ECU code to make sure you get the right calibration and version for your engine. As I found out, there are multiple different types of ECU for these cars, and they work differently. In fact it appears the Cupra ST 4Drive and Golf R Estate have a unique ECU to the other Golf R’s and S3s

Now these maps/calibrations won’t give you ultimate power, but it will give you safe reliable power.

And then there is the follow up you get with these companies. Helps if you go to a good garage in the first place too. If you read my build thread you’ll read about my experience with Racingline and Progressive Parts/VAG Manchester, one of the site sponsors. You only really know how good a company is, when something goes wrong. My experience, Mark at PP and the guys at Racingline are the reasons I’m massive advocates of Racingline :)
 
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motty225

Polestar 2
Sep 11, 2008
953
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Ashby De-La Zouch
It is 100% worth it but it will void your warranty but only for the ecu, I did a stage 1 remap within the 1st year of having my Cupra 290 2016 and loved it. Be careful though because if it goes for a service with Seat and they update your system it can wipe the map off, I've been told.

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And the engine and the gearbox and drivetrain
 
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Damo H

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They told me it was only the ecu at my local Seat.

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No, it’ll be the whole engine and drivetrain.

If you blow a piston or turbo it can be blamed on the ECUs software. If the gearbox breaks it can be blamed on the extra torque.

Hence going to a larger tuner, so rather than peak numbers, you get all the safety stuff. For example Revo don’t give you full power until the oil is above 70 degrees. Etc etc :)
 
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R45HU

Active Member
Jan 10, 2020
108
36
West Yorkshire
Stage 1 is another animal and well worth it.

I know a lot of people, especially on the Facebook groups, will go on about getting a custom map for your car. But remember their custom map will be run on a dyno on a specific day, if you’re lucky they may do a bit of testing on the road.

To me a proper custom remap will be one where the car is logged on the Dyno and in multiple conditions, cold start, cold day, warm start, warm day. Long distances. Multiple short runs etc etc.

The likes of Revo and Racingline will do this on multiple cars and come up with a calibrated map that works safest on multiple cars in all conditions.

Not sure how Revo do it, but Racingline will get your chassis info and ECU code to make sure you get the right calibration and version for your engine. As I found out, there are multiple different types of ECU for these cars, and they work differently. In fact it appears the Cupra ST 4Drive and Golf R Estate have a unique ECU to the other Golf R’s and S3s

Now these maps/calibrations won’t give you ultimate power, but it will give you safe reliable power.

And then there is the follow up you get with these companies. Helps if you go to a good garage in the first place too. If you read my build thread you’ll read about my experience with Racingline and Progressive Parts/VAG Manchester, one of the site sponsors. You only really know how good a company is, when something goes wrong. My experience, Mark at PP and the guys at Racingline are the reasons I’m massive advocates of Racingline :)
I was Contemplating getting a stage 1 done on my 300 in the coming months as my warranty has just expired . I was actually thinking about going to Unicorn to get it done. Do you think Revo is the way to go? @Damo H
 
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kgp280

Active Member
Apr 19, 2018
52
22
Revo stage 1 map is defo worth it. Transforms the car from fast to seriously fast.

As Damo H has said any of the tried and tested mapping companies for a stage 1 map imo is initially the way to go. Safe and reliable for me was a must and of course a little more BHP

I had mine done as soon as the warranty expired, to be on the safe side. Didn’t want to void the warranty or having to justify that a fault I may of had, was caused by the map. But to be honest have had no issues with the Revo map.

I’ve always also taken the car to a main Seat dealer to have all the servicing done ie Haldex front diff, Brake & DSG oil change and all the other regular major and minor servicing stuff. I’m lucky to have a main dealer that I can trust and they know how anal I’am about the car.

They did installed an update on the mib2 unit, because of the indicator fault recall last year. Which I hadn’t known about until I drop the car off. An advantage or using a main dealer.

In all that times it’s been in the map hasn’t been wiped. I just ask that if they are going to do anything with the ecu then I want to know what.
 

kgp280

Active Member
Apr 19, 2018
52
22
I was Contemplating getting a stage 1 done on my 300 in the coming months as my warranty has just expired . I was actually thinking about going to Unicorn to get it done. Do you think Revo is the way to go? @Damo H
Don’t know much about Unicorn. But would defo recommend Revo. Not cheap but worth it, bhp figures pretty much as advertised. Can vouch for that as had the car on 2 different set of rollers.
One of them being an independent garage with no affiliation to Revo.
The oil temp protection software etc within the map is also something that some of the other maps etc don’t come with.
 
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Terrym

Active Member
Oct 21, 2017
3
1
I’ve been considering the Revo stage 1 on my 290, as mine is a dsg would I have to have the dsg tune also?
 
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Hickery1995

Active Member
Oct 23, 2018
167
89
I’ve been considering the Revo stage 1 on my 290, as mine is a dsg would I have to have the dsg tune also?
Im pretty sure having the DSG done is a bonus and helps but not a must.. i could be wrong though..?

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kgp280

Active Member
Apr 19, 2018
52
22
I’ve been considering the Revo stage 1 on my 290, as mine is a dsg would I have to have the dsg tune also?
I didnt have the Revo DSG map done. Read that some had reported it being abit clunky on downshifting.
Yet others have said it does make a big difference to power delivery.
But in my case have always been happy with the way the standard gearbox map has worked with the extra power so couldn’t really justify spending the extra money.
 
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Damo H

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Revo stage 1 map is defo worth it. Transforms the car from fast to seriously fast.

As Damo H has said any of the tried and tested mapping companies for a stage 1 map imo is initially the way to go. Safe and reliable for me was a must and of course a little more BHP

I had mine done as soon as the warranty expired, to be on the safe side. Didn’t want to void the warranty or having to justify that a fault I may of had, was caused by the map. But to be honest have had no issues with the Revo map.

I’ve always also taken the car to a main Seat dealer to have all the servicing done ie Haldex front diff, Brake & DSG oil change and all the other regular major and minor servicing stuff. I’m lucky to have a main dealer that I can trust and they know how anal I’am about the car.

They did installed an update on the mib2 unit, because of the indicator fault recall last year. Which I hadn’t known about until I drop the car off. An advantage or using a main dealer.

In all that times it’s been in the map hasn’t been wiped. I just ask that if they are going to do anything with the ecu then I want to know what.
If you look at the Leon Cupra FB groups, Unicorn is very highly rated. However, the Golf groups not so much. I can't comment from personal experience with them though, so wouldn't be right for me to say either way.

Personally I think the likes of Revo and Racingline are the better choice, but you'll get the custom tune fans who will hark on about it not being a proper map. Even thought their maps have a lot more R&D than any 'custom' map they go on about..

If you want a custom map, you go to somewhere like West tuning and pay £1,000+ where they'll likely have the car for a few days. Back in my MINI days that is exactly what my friend Graham did. They're the kind of places that develop maps for manufacturers road cars. His car was run on numerous Dyno days, and was always used a reference point because of how reliable it was at pumping out the numbers. His car would always show between 260-270. Where cars who had come to the same Dyno days would come out with wildly different figures on their 'custom' tunes. Yeah could be bad fuel on the day, but most of them would fill up at the same Shell Garage lol Anyway back on to Leons...

Racingline used to work with VW and their race cars. So you can imagine they're very good when it comes to VAG stuff.

Revo however are a big organisation and likely on a par with Racingline.

Again these companies won't give you all out HP. But they will give you real reliable derivable power.

As for the warranty front. People wait till after warranty to get these things done and I understand why. ANd then when things go wrong the map can get blamed. Of course it could be the map, or it could be wear and tear because the car is already 30,000 miles and 3 years old. So swings and roundabouts.

As for the DSG map.

Its not 'needed', but as the torque is limiter on the DSG is already set lower to that of the standard engine, the update map, torque limit increases along with clutch clamping pressure, all make to compliment it too. However its another big chunk of change to put towards the car.


All of this is of course my opinion based on my own experience, so take it with a pinch of salt and do your research. However, don't automatically dismiss the Revo and Racingline as not being proper maps. Speak to Mark at Progressive Parts. He can do Revo or Racingline and knows of Unicorn so will offer his honest opinion.
 

Zer0

Active Member
Jun 22, 2019
522
242
Unicorn is also highly rated, especially in the Golf R community as is Revo. Don't think you could go wrong with either. :)
 

R45HU

Active Member
Jan 10, 2020
108
36
West Yorkshire
Yes when I spoke to unicorn they said it would be £500 for stage 1 which would take it up 360+ BHP and then a DSG tune cost of £350 which they recommended as it would increase to a higher torque profile. I have heard good things about them and may take the punt and go with it the price is reasonable too.
 

Damo H

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Yes when I spoke to unicorn they said it would be £500 for stage 1 which would take it up 360+ BHP and then a DSG tune cost of £350 which they recommended as it would increase to a higher torque profile. I have heard good things about them and may take the punt and go with it the price is reasonable too.
Yeah so that's £850. Where as my Racingline Map and DSG tune where £1,200 (normally £1,400 if bought separately.) But its been worth every penny IMO.
 

AndrewJB

Friend to SEAT UK & Cupra Racing
Aug 16, 2007
11,211
484
Maranello
For me the options are Generic from APR,REVO,Racingline or Custom from MRC,Unicorn.

My 2014 car was the development car for the Cupra tune years ago.

DSG tune is worth it but not essential.
 
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Prau187

Active Member
Dec 5, 2015
204
95
I've got a revo stage 1 map on my 66 cupra and have to say it's been a dream since I've got it done.got it done at progressive parts by mark but looking to go r tech for stage 2 and dsg not bad for £450 'heard good things about them.

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