i only need one program..91 octane. i don't care much for going back to stock mode. $550 installed. sweet! i'll let you know my reviews.

 

You will like it but for a $75 ebay test pipe you could have went stage 2 for the same price. It was a way bigger grin for sure. Once you are used to the power you will be back for the upgrade.

 

Looking to do the same as well, but haven't visited my local retailer. What are the questions to ask them and what do I look for?

 

i got it done and i've put alot of miles on this new stage 1 reflash and i'm impressed. it's more peppy and the power increase is noticeable.

i'm sticking with the stage 1 for now as i have no plans for exhaust work or test pipes any time soon. i also went with the single program-91 octane. that's the highest octane available where i live so good enough.

the power increase is most noticeable in the mid range RPM where she pulls like never before. i thought i'd get a check engine light but nothing yet and i've put about 600 miles on it since the install.

 

Yeah, you shouldn't get any CEL's from a flash. It's only if you get a high flow cat or test pipe for stage 2 that the oxygen sensor will trigger a CEL, and you can then get the APR stage 2 flash to eliminate that.

 

esandes,

After driving 600 miles on your new Stage 1 chip, have you noticed any down sides to the car than before?

How is the gas mileage?
How do you drive your car? (IE - Do you race it all over, or do usually drive slower keeping the RPM's under the 3k mark?)
Does your engine sound different? If so, is it a good different or a bad one?

Sorry for the barrage of questions. I've just been thinking about doing the same upgrade, but I can't get over the feeling that there's a possible down side to the process.

 

I just remember when I got stage 1 I thought it should have felt faster. I got stage 2 about a month later and the second stage felt like stock to stage 1 all over again. It was well worth the Downpipe and the hour it took me to install it. May more power. Much larger grin.

 

I have not noticed any downsides at all. I thought I'd get much worse milage but it didn't appear to get worse, maybe even better. I drive my car mostly under 2000 RPM (automatic) but when I need to pass on the highway it's wide open throttle. At wide open throttle it even seems faster. After I got the chip I intentially started to pass cars while in 6th gear and it pulls in 6th alond the mid range torque like it did before in 4th closer to the redline.

The exhaust actually sounds different. When accellerating I can hear more rumble from the mufflers than before. So it is blowing out more exhaust. The engine roar now is more overpowered by the noise from the mufflers than before but you can still hear the engine roar. It's more responsive and in sport mode it's even more so.

I don't see any downsides at all. I think Audi has been neutering the power from their production cars for a while. For example the old TT was called TT for a reason, it had twin turbos. Now the TTRS will be super quick but why did they neuter the TT for the north american market? I think the Stage 1 takes more advatage of what the turbo has to offer and it's probably a leaner tune-which wastes less fuel.

With the increased boost, it's best to use the Audi Revision D diverter valve. It's the same as the traditional blowoff valve but it blows off to the turbo suction instead of to the engine bay. I had my new DV in before I got the flash upgrade.

The tuner told me most people see increased milage-depending on normal driving behavior- after the flash so it will pay for itself.

With an extra ~35HP and 70TQ, you notice it. :-)

Without a cat, how can you tolerate the exhaust smell? Does it sound like a rice rocket?

 

out of all tuners, VW chose APR for this super GTI..

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...f-gti-v50.html

I heard VW liked the factory like smoothness-which is true-amoung other things.

 

It is still very quiet and smells a hair but not bad. It is definately not loud at all. WELL worth it.