joemahoney79

I am considering getting the APR stage 1 tune for my 2014 S8. Considering upgrading to the option that allows me to toggle between modes via my directional stalk. Looking for some feedback on how these cars respond to the tune as well as whether the ability to turn it on and off is worth it.

Thanks

s3burgh

I think most 4.0t owners would point you towards DS1 at this point. Much better support, and almost unlimited options with it.

A8L_New_England

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AFAIK, that's included with the tune.
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There's 20+ informative threads in this forum with "APR Tune" in the title, to satisfy your curiosity
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DallasDave

I'm using APR's Stage One on my 2016 S8 Plus and highly recommend it. I have no experience with DS1, but think very highly of APR's support. During a dyno session a few months ago, my car was flashing the CEL during the pull. This didn't ever happen on the road or pre-tune, so I called APR for advice. The telephone was answered on the second ring and someone that spoke English "as a first language" was eager to assist me. No need to transfer, the guy that answered knew EVERYTHING. "What kind of car?" "Audi S8, wow that's a great ride..." I went on to explain the situation and he asked about my spark plugs. He made a recommendation for a colder plug and gave me the part number and gap. Sure enough, that resolved the problem and things are FANTASTIC.

One more thing - I wanted the OBD2 dongle so I didn't have to use the stalk, so I purchased one on eBay (APR was having supply issues and it wasn't even orderable from them directly). Sure enough the one on eBay wouldn't link to my iPhone. So another short call to APR and a replacement was on the way and arrived within a couple of days. No need to return the defective one, no cost, etc.

APR is the way to go in my opinion!

BTW, my car with the APR tune has ~700hp and 800ft/lbs of torque! All on 93 octane pump gas.

joemahoney79

Thanks for the info. Customer service like that cannot be appreciated enough. I was pointing toward APR because I have never come across a bad word about them in the VAG community.

Going to continue my research regarding my local APR dealer(s) but pretty sure that is the tune I am headed for.

Thanks

Kabukie

I’m a DS1 user. The aftermarket support is amazing. With DS1 you get all tuning stages with the ability to change any parameter or stage without having to go to the dealer to flash. I can adjust my tune with the stalk as well. The tune will also allow for an ethanol sensor that reads directly to the tune software.

A8L_New_England

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APR is the best OTS tune with very low risk and no messing around. DS1 allows you to eek out every last bit of power with additional risk and interaction.
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If you see yourself eventually going bonkers for the max, DS1.
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Kabukie

When I first looked into tuning my car I was under the same mindset on APR. They have great reviews and tons of users on multiple vehicle models.

There were a couple things that quickly changed my mind to DS1:

The ability to self install the tune and not having to find a local APR dealer. All through your web browser on Mac, PC, iPhone, or android.

I am able to change fuel settings 91/93 when traveling through areas without 93.

All stages of tuning are available without any extra charge later down the line.

Fine tuning and logging via the DS1 dongle.

Web browser interface that will give you readings and gauges on the fly.

I’m sure some of these feature may also be available with APR. The biggest selling point was the ability to change the tune without having to go to an APR dealer every time.

DallasDave

Good information and there does seem to be a lot more "tweaking" available with DS1. I can easily change my APR tune (91/93/100/Valet) with either the stalk or the dongle I purchased.

I didn't realize you could install the DS1 tune yourself, that might have changed my mind had I known.

s3burgh

You'll also be stuck at stage 1 with apr.

But if you're looking for a flash it and forget it, you'll be happy.