What is the downside to remapping?
Once your car's been remapped you may need to buy higher octane fuel, which is usually more expensive. If you get a remap that isn't approved by the manufacturer or approved dealership, it may invalidate your car warranty. Remapping your vehicle could have an impact on your car insurance.
Remapping can increase both performance and economy in most types of vehicles. Even a car with a 1 litre engine can receive good power gains from a remap, especially if it has a turbocharger. Most modern cars these days have a turbocharger (or supercharger) fitted to the engine.
Tuning stock settings will not cause any engine damage if done correctly. Our real-time dyno tuning is one of the safest ways to increase your engine power. However, it's highly advised that you don't attempt to tune your own car.
That said, Stage 1 is very safe. There's plenty of people that have high mileage on Stage 1 (and Stage 2) tunes. Maintenance is far more important to longevity than a simple Stage 1 tune is. Take care of your car and you'll be fine.
An obvious question that most people ask about our ECU remapping service is “Will it damage my engine?” The short answer is No!
Remapping a car will add more stress to your engine. Though many are pretty safe, you'll need to pay extra care to keep your car well-maintained. As a rule of thumb, the more power you get from a remap, the more it'll affect your car's reliability.
Is this safe? Yes, if the code is altered properly. No two vehicles are the same, and no two engines are the same. In our case, we have remapped thousands of cars, vans, trucks, tractors and a wide range of agricultural machinery and we can categorically say that remapping is a safe modification.
Motorists often ask, “can insurance tell if a car is remapped?” The answer is no, but they may find out. Insurers don't inspect cars before giving them cover, so, in reality, your insurer won't randomly check your car for remapping even though some policies may say the insurer can inspect a vehicle if they want to.
As it is a modification, remapping can also potentially reduce the value of your vehicle, and even more so if it is not done by a specialist. Check the terms and conditions of your warranty. If you get a remap that isn't approved by the dealership or the manufacturer, this could make your warranty void.
An engine remap doesn't put any stress on the engine, so it doesn't affect the longevity of it as long as it is done by a garage like AP Autocare who have the equipment and expertise to do it properly and safely.
Can you daily drive a tuned car?
Can you have a well-tuned vehicle that looks great and still use it for your daily commute? The short answer is “yes.” However, you will have to go about the process somewhat differently than those who are tuning a car that is not driven every day.
If you modify your vehicle to improve its performance or enhance its appearance, you'll typically need a coverage endorsement or a separate, custom car insurance policy. The reason is simple: modified cars usually feature expensive parts and often require special attention at the shop.
CAN THE REMAP BE REVERSED? The beauty of the remap is that this process is completely reversible without any trace; therefore if within 14 days you want it changed back, we will carry it out free of charge with a full refund.
You should tell your insurer if you have modified you car, including remapping or chipping. When you take out insurance cover you will be asked a specific question, such as – Is your car modified in any way? So always declare.
Is It Possible to Detect Remapping? Essentially, it is possible to detect remapping but this does not mean that your car manufacturer will check for it when you take your vehicle in to have it serviced or MOT'd.
Remaps are a permanent install, and cannot be removed when you sell the vehicle or if you wish to remove it during servicing.
You can expect a 20-30% increase in bhp and torque after a remap. This extra performance is accessible across the rev range, particularly at low revs and in the mid-range. A typical 30-70mph run will be reduced by 1.5-2 seconds, and your car will pull better at higher speeds.
Remapping with just change the way power is delivered and torque is generated at the RPM band as required by the driver. It will not effect the turbo noise.
A Stage 1 Remap increases power and torque while also improving fuel efficiency. Removes flat spots and gives a more responsive drive without compromising reliability.
Depending on the vehicle, the remap normally takes less than 1 hour to complete. 2.
Does remapping reduce mpg?
For example, it's a common belief that remapping a vehicle has no effect on fuel economy, however, this technically isn't true. As the result of ECU remapping, a car usually sees an increase in power, which can come at the expense of higher fuel consumption.
If your old car is in very good condition, a car remap should be fine. A lot of car owners with a decade-old vehicle and more than 100,000 mileage have their engines remapped with no harmful side effects.
Remapping is considered a modification and is, therefore, a change in what you had originally insured with the insurance provider. If you do not tell them, at the very least you may invalidate your policy, but you could also be in trouble legally for hiding information from your car insurance provider.
So, if you're wanting to increase your car's performance and efficiency, and you're driving a car built before 2000 then you will need a chip tune. If you're driving a car after 2000, then you need ECU remapping.
Is a Superchips remap detectable by the dealer? In most cases, no. Some manufacturers can tell that something has changed, but not necessarily what. If and when you need to return your vehicle back to the original remap, you will need to do one of the following, depending on your purchase.