APR ECU Upgrade MK6 Golf - Customer perspective

[GTI mk6]

[part QUOTE=logger;600533]Pretty sure I worked out why my 98 Ron tune spontaneously stopped working without me switching anything.......

Have just finished reading this whole thread.....phew!
Your posts were very informative and as I read them I kept hoping for a favorable
outcome regarding the issues you were experiencing.

Sounds like all is now good with your 118 TSI so just wanted to say that's great
news and you must relieved

[Ryan_R]

I haven't done any program switching for a couple of days and mine seems to be more stable now as well (has at least lasted for 6 starts or more)

[cameronp]

I've had my Stage1 tune for over a month now and the only times it's felt like it was "dropping out" of tune was in the first week after I had it done. Very odd. It was 40C in Perth today and it still felt like it was pulling hard. I'm continually amazed at how much torque it makes below 2000 rpm after the reflash.

[Ryan_R]

You know how what I just said a couple of hours ago. Not taking anything back, but I went to grab some take away and the car was ferocious in it's response to the accelerator (I nearly flew out of the driveway (it's uphill)). Still haven't touched the cruise control stick.

[GTI mk6]

I haven't done any program switching for a couple of days and mine seems to be more stable now as well (has at least lasted for 6 starts or more)

Hope all good with yours too now Ryan_R
Maybe the cooler Melbourne summer weather tonight helps?

[Ryan_R]

I drove it twice this morning in the rain though

It would seem there's a few levels of sportiness (in D mode)

<> Stock (Program One)
<> APR - you can hear the extra exhaust noise but not that much more response/power/torque
<> APR - fairly punchy
<> APR - absolutely mental acceleration

I know that my car is always in Program 2 because there's no lag when moving from a standstill.

[logger]

Pretty sure I worked out why my 98 Ron tune spontaneously stopped working without me switching anything.......

Have just finished reading this whole thread.....phew!
Your posts were very informative and as I read them I kept hoping for a favorable outcome regarding the issues you were experiencing.

Sounds like all is now good with your 118 TSI so just wanted to say that's great news and you must relieved

Thanks. Yes it is a relief to know it is the car playing up and not the tune.

Coincidetnally - Driving back from the bush last night, I noticed the tune had spontaneously quit working again. So I hooked up VCDS and sure enough the same 4 Ignition Switch fault messages had re appeared. So some time in the past couple of days this recurring IGN fault cut power to the Engine ECU, resetting the APR program to stock again. I re-selected APR Prog 2 (98 Ron) and all is back and working again.

It may be that I need to get the electrical side of the IGN switch replaced to prevent this recurring. Will also see if there is a pattern to when this fault actually occurs. Seems unlikely it faults when I am operating the the car. Would expect to see things happening as the IGN switch gets 4 x "Fault in Circuit - Intermittent" events on seperate terminals. Especially as it is taking out the Eng ECU. Could be to do with my idiosyncratic operating procedures with the Ignition switch, when the car is parked. Will investigate and report back.

[GTI mk6]

Thanks. Yes it is a relief to know it is the car playing up and not the tune.

Coincidetnally - Driving back from the bush last night, I noticed the tune had spontaneously quit working again. So I hooked up VCDS and sure enough the same 4 Ignition Switch fault messages had re appeared. So some time in the past couple of days this recurring IGN fault cut power to the Engine ECU, resetting the APR program to stock again. I re-selected APR Prog 2 (98 Ron) and all is back and working again.

It may be that I need to get the electrical side of the IGN switch replaced to prevent this recurring. Will also see if there is a pattern to when this fault actually occurs. Seems unlikely it faults when I am operating the the car. Would expect to see things happening as the IGN switch gets 4 x "Fault in Circuit - Intermittent" events on seperate terminals. Especially as it is taking out the Eng ECU. Could be to do with my idiosyncratic operating procedures with the Ignition switch, when the car is parked. Will investigate and report back.

Oh nooooooo

Really thought it was sorted this time Logger.....
If anyone can get to the bottom of this, my money's on you, fingers crossed.

I am considering APR Stage 1 tune myself....hence the main reason for reading
this thread, nothing like feedback from those who have gone before me.
Keep us posted pls

[GTI mk6]

I drove it twice this morning in the rain though

It would seem there's a few levels of sportiness (in D mode)

<> Stock (Program One)
<> APR - you can hear the extra exhaust noise but not that much more response/power/torque
<> APR - fairly punchy
<> APR - absolutely mental acceleration

I know that my car is always in Program 2 because there's no lag when moving from a standstill.

Oh, there goes that theory then

[Ryan_R]

Allow me to balance out the equation here - I have not for a second regretted spending the money on the upgrade. Sure, I wish the performance was more of a constant than a variable (or at least more predictable when ummming and uhhh'ing over whether or not to overtake someone on a two-way road, but I did the unthinkable and chose Program 1 the other day on a short trip to the petrol station before a cruise to Mt Baw Baw - and the difference is still very noticeable. Most of the time the car is in the 'punchy' range. I've recently started using Manual mode more now (now that I'm used to which way the +/- are facing), and it's yielding very nice results - more powerful than D due to holding the gears longer, but at the same time can be used in traffic without looking like a complete hoon as is usually the case with Sport mode).

So yeah - if you can budget the Stage 1 tune - just do it.