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Thread: APR tune costs

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    WA
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    535
    Users Country Flag

    APR tune costs

    This is sort of a retorical question... but

    goapr.com price for the ecu upgrade, 499 USD
    goapr.com.au price and local dealer price, 1250 AUD (-15% as they are have a sale on at the moment, so 1062 AUD)

    Hard to swallow such a difference when the currency is in our favour.

    I'm not suggesting I am getting the APR ecu upgrade, I'm getting the 60k service done at the local APR dealer and was thinking about having a go at the 6 hour trial whilst it was in.

    In a semi related note are there any good threads or can someone point me in the right direction regarding the different tunes out there?
    08 9n3 Polo GTI
    Mods: heaps

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
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    2,344
    Not even going to go there.

    There have been many threads on prices/goods in the US compared to here.

    With tunes you have a few different options, APR, Giac, Viezu, DNA, custom code, do you plan on upgrading the turbo at a later stage, need a tune you can build on.

    I had a APR tune on the car when i got it, also had a APR Downpipe and DV. Well i got rid of all the APR parts, and have nothing on my car which is APR and i am a happy camper
    MODS- TOO MANY

  3. #3
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    Feb 2011
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    Eltham, Victoria
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    Users Country Flag
    Inb4threadClosed

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Semaphore, SA
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    8,708
    Only thing I can say is get a full scan done of your ECU before putting any tune in.

    If you get a "demo" APR tune it will over-write your stock file. It will replace it with "APR stock" file after the demo expires which will likely not be the same.

    Changing tunes can be problematic because most tuners will want to go from a "clean" slate.

    If you have an APR demo put in be prepared to have to get your VW dealer to "wipe" it if you want to put something else in - either that or get the APR service guys to put your stock file that they saved back in over the APR tune.

    This will cost $ but probably cheaper than going to a VW dealer and will take you back to a completely clean "stock" ECU.

    Sorry no free lunch and writing different tune files in over the top of each other can result in a mess - seriously want to avoid doing this.

    So my suggestion is to work out your end game and then choose the tuner that is going to be able to take you there. Be aware that each tuner will charge different amounts for upgrades - stage 2/3 files.

    Also from my own personal experience there are some big advantages going with a local tuner/workshop. The ability to troubleshoot any issues that may arise and when things don't go exactly to plan it's a lot simpler when the workshop is local.

    Plus if you're using your worshop for servicing in some respects it makes sense to keep things all under the same roof. That way they know exactly what has been done to the car and if anythig goes wrong (touch wood) there's no finger pointing.

    2017 Tiguan Sportline - Tigger73's 162TSI Sportline

    2016 Scirocco R, stage 1, 205kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's Scirocco R Build
    2013 Tiguan 155TSI, stage 1, 144kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's 155TSI Build
    2011 Tiguan 125TSI, Stage 2+, 152kwaw (sold)
    - Tigger73's 125TSI Build



  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    blankedy
    Posts
    4,058
    I'll bite...

    its a smaller market, so the tuners have fewer clients with the same or similar running costs. if every VW on the road were chipped, there would be a lot more demand and the tuners would be more likely to be able to offer lower pricing. If you keep your eyes open you will see differences, dyno results, benefits, issues, etc with tunes. IMO, there is a reason that Polo's are mainly APR, Giac and CC. If I had my time again, I'd go CC, but then again, I'm less interested in 'peace of mind' and more in squeezing all the power out without being silly. Not sure what your local options are in WA.

    FYI I think i paid $1700 3 years ago for my APR tune, by contrast CC is now $650 for a stage 1 and while he's not local to you, is an active forum member who is doing more interesting things with his Polo than i have managed to get to.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Semaphore, SA
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    APR is good but you're paying for a full service option and a reasonable marketing budget.

    I did start to go down CC path, however became problematic when tune file for my car was not straight forward and file needed to get written from "scratch". Car and tuner were no longer in same place and it all got too hard (really not prepared to put an untested flash file in my ECU without a back-up plan).

    So in the end I went with Viezu - partly because of hardware (they are the only ones that do DP for Tiguan).

    Pluses and minuses for each option. Comes down to personal preference and what your priorities are on performance/$/service/upgrade path/etc.

    2017 Tiguan Sportline - Tigger73's 162TSI Sportline

    2016 Scirocco R, stage 1, 205kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's Scirocco R Build
    2013 Tiguan 155TSI, stage 1, 144kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's 155TSI Build
    2011 Tiguan 125TSI, Stage 2+, 152kwaw (sold)
    - Tigger73's 125TSI Build



  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Melbourne, Mexico
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    It's been done to death on every forum and it crops up every couple of months.

    APR would have to have the biggest overheads in the market, a $100k Golf R wouldn't buy itself. Neither would 2 page adverts in Motor.

    Examine that against my pratically non-existent overhead situation, no premises to fund. I could make more money by jacking up my prices but while I can keep them down I will.

    Tuning your car in WA isn't necessarily a big deal. I have a spare ECU that has no immobiliser in it. This can be swapped into any Polo. It currently has a Phase 1 tune loaded and I am running it in my Polo.

    I am happy to send it over to you to trial. Alternatively, I just did a GTI for a forum member, he ran the spare ECU for a couple of days while he shipped his to me to be flashed. I have a few customers over there and I am sure that they'd take you for a test ride.

    Jonny has a Phase 1 and Brad has a Phase 2.

    I'd also advise that you have a good think about whether you might want to do any upgrades in the future, in particular the downpipe.

    While I prefer not to to flash over other tuners software. I have done several ECUs that have had APR trials on them without incident.

    $649 for Phase 1 and $749 for Phase 2. also noteworthy, I have been told that I can get the SAI flow code deleted. I had been holding off announcing that until I had the chance to test a tune out on my own car but with my engine being toast, it might be a few weeks off.

    Cheers

    Gavin




    Quote Originally Posted by rgvlee View Post
    This is sort of a retorical question... but

    goapr.com price for the ecu upgrade, 499 USD
    goapr.com.au price and local dealer price, 1250 AUD (-15% as they are have a sale on at the moment, so 1062 AUD)

    Hard to swallow such a difference when the currency is in our favour.

    I'm not suggesting I am getting the APR ecu upgrade, I'm getting the 60k service done at the local APR dealer and was thinking about having a go at the 6 hour trial whilst it was in.

    In a semi related note are there any good threads or can someone point me in the right direction regarding the different tunes out there?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    blankedy
    Posts
    4,058
    News to me Gav, how easily can you send it my way for a go? Is it just plug n play easy aside from the usual battery disconnect type symptoms?

    Would love to try out a CC tune, especially now the SAI codes can be worked out. Is the Exhaust senor coded out for Cat / DP changes?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Semaphore, SA
    Posts
    8,708
    That's one up on the 6 hour trial

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Canberra ACT
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    534
    Users Country Flag

    APR tune costs

    Quote Originally Posted by Bflat View Post
    Inb4threadClosed
    Ha ha Ryan All I'll add is check the sponsor section. Most if not all tuners are in there
    06 VW 9N3 Polo GTI - Reflex Silver Leather/OEM Colour coded S/guard/OEM Lower Honeycombe Grille/NSP Boost Gauge/APR Stage 1+,Dogbone & DP/K&N filter/Forge s/shift,DV008 & Strut brace/PD 160/Samco camo TIP/Whitline RSB/FK AK's/17 x 8 Oettiger RE's/Alpine Head Unit & Sony Amp. OEM+FTW

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