Tiguan 140TDI tune options/info

**Tiggyiggyiggy** · 23-02-2021, 01:54 PM

Hey peeps

I have recently acquired a brand new 2020 (MY21) Tiguan 140TDI Highline Allspace thanks to some biatch taking me out and nearly killing me and my family in my ‘old’ 2018 140TDI highline on Christmas day.
I’ll try to upload a pic of it for interest’s sake if I figure out how to.

Anyhoo… the main point of my post is to enquire about tuning options for the diesel.

Has anyone done it lately?

If so, what tune did you go with, and what were your findings from it?

Information is scarce on the TDI’s unfortunately, most of the posts I have been searching through are all for the petrol variants.
I am on the Gold Coast, so if anyone has any recommendations for the Goldy, or Brissy that would be great, but I’m also just after general info and experiences.
Do you need the pedal box too?
ECU map tune vs dyno tune?
How much of a difference in power did say a stage one tune make? And in fuel consumption?

I am aware that it would potentially affect the warranty, so it would really need to be worth it for me to consider it, especially with the 5 year warranty now.

Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions you may have.

Cheers

**Grugly** · 23-02-2021, 02:15 PM

I would say that Racingline has software to do a "stage 1" flash which will bring it up to around the 171kw as claimed in the website.

Check in with Eldens Autobahn on the GC or Harding performance in brisbane who should be able to complete the flash for you and price it.

Not had too many reports of the TDI tuning to be honest so can't comment on whether it is worth it or not as that will be up to you as a trade off to warranty.

Personally I have had my car tuned from 10k km and has run perfect for the last 20k km with no issues and if I upgrade in future will be tuning on delivery

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**Lucas_R** · 23-02-2021, 02:58 PM

Wow that is a big smash on your old car. Geez you and the family were lucky.

You are right in that the TDI's are less popular to tune than their petrol equivalents, but there are some good gains to make on the TDI's.

I had my diesel Audi SQ5 tuned by Underground Performance about 18 months ago and it is certainly more lively now and you can feel the extra power and torque. Fuel economy has improved slighly as well (about 0.5-1.0L per 100km). Power went from 230kw and 650nm to approx 255kw and 750nm. Although the SQ5 is quite powerful from the factory, it feels stronger and has torque everywhere now since the tune.

Underground Performance have a dealer on the Gold Coast called German Auto Dynamics. Might be worth getting in touch to ask what they can offer for your car. DEALERS — Underground Performance

**Tiggyiggyiggy** · 24-02-2021, 03:50 PM

Yes it definitely a very serious high speed collision, rolling my car a couple of times, and myself, and my family, were very lucky to have walked away from it. Needless to say the Tig paid for itself.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll give those places a call and see what they say.

It would be great to have a bit more punch around town, as at the moment the car kind of bogs down around corners and roundabouts, as it sits in too high a gear, and only accelerates through the corner if you really floor it, and it drops down a couple of gears, and then shoots off after the turbo lag. So it's not really the best, or safest driving experience.
Any improvement on fuel consumption on the motorway would be a bonus too, as that is where I do 95% of my driving.

Do you think it's worth breaking the car in a bit first, say at least till the first service at 15,000K's before looking at getting it tuned?

Cheers

**Lucas_R** · 24-02-2021, 09:24 PM

Sounds like you want a tune on the DSG transmission also which will stop it driving in the highest gear possible all the time and making the car feel sluggish.

I have a DSG tune on my Mk7 GTI and its great. It now changes gears at 2,200rpm (instead of about 1,500rpm) when in normal drive mode, is faster to drop a gear when needed (but also less likely to need it as it now drives in a more appropriate gear).

For example 65kph my car is in 4th gear whereas before the DSG tune it would be in 6th gear and feeling sluggish.

I would go so far as to say you should get the DSG tuned first and see if that satisfies your needs, and if not, then get the ECU tuned for more power.

**Sharkie** · 25-02-2021, 09:21 AM

Agree with Lucas, the DSG tune is probably where you should start. It totally transforms the way the gearbox (and by extension therefore) the car behaves. As a bonus the DSG tunes are said to be undetectable by VW, which may mean your warranty won't be affected.

After that, if you decide you need more, get the ECU tuned.

**Tiggyiggyiggy** · 25-02-2021, 01:12 PM

Oh OK I hadn't really considered or heard about the DSG tune. Might give that a go first, thanks!

**Lucas_R** · 25-02-2021, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Tiggyiggyiggy

Oh OK I hadn't really considered or heard about the DSG tune. Might give that a go first, thanks!

If the low rpm lag and lazy gearbox behaviour bothers you then a DSG tune will make your daily driving experience more enjoyable and less frustrating for sure.

There are plenty of companies offering DSG tunes. Expect to pay around the $1000-1200 mark. TVS is regarded as being one of the best. Personally I have an Integrated Engineering DSG tune and am very happy with it.

Now most of these tuning companies only mention compatibility with the petrol version of the Tiguan. This may be because not many TDI owners want to tune the DSG, or perhaps the DSG tune is not compatible with the lower RPM behavious of the diesel engine? Both petrol and diesel version of the Tiguan use the same DSG transmission - you might need to call someone like Harding Performance in Brisbane who are a dealer for TVS software and ask them about compatibility with a TDI vehicle.

Another option closer to home would be to visit German Auto Dynamics in Arundel. They are dealers for Underground Performance who can no doubt tune your DSG.

**johnge** · 27-02-2021, 03:02 PM

Great read guys and the damage to the car is extreme and to be able to walk away is not too far from a miracle. Great referal for VW and the safety their cars deliver.
Any referals for a Melbourne, South Eastern Suburbs to do the DSG tune? Same car as discussed 140TDI Tiguan Allspace Highline. Cheers

**Lucas_R** · 27-02-2021, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by johnge

Great read guys and the damage to the car is extreme and to be able to walk away is not too far from a miracle. Great referal for VW and the safety their cars deliver.
Any referals for a Melbourne, South Eastern Suburbs to do the DSG tune? Same car as discussed 140TDI Tiguan Allspace Highline. Cheers

Go see Underground Performance in Cheltenham.