Hibiscus Boy

Well, I've logged a few more miles on the Tip Chip installed by the PES boys a few weeks a back and I have mostly great things to report.

As noted in a previous post, the shifts are now nearly instantaneous. It feels a lot like shifting in a video game -- no lag at all. In auto mode, the tranny lets the engine go way up into the red bars (about 7K) before upshifting. You really feel like Schumacher with the steering wheel shift buttons.

But while I initially thought the chip eliminated the 1-2 hunting we've experienced at low speed, it happened again at the end of our driveway yesterday.

Our driveway goes uphill right before it meets the road, which requires that you accelerate up the incline, let off the throttle (to slow down enough to look for traffic) then get on the gas again -- and the tranny sometimes "clunks" as you modulate the throttle.

It's not really a complaint, as the chip isn't supposed to cure this particular quirk of the Tip. But I did think we had it licked. Note that this only happens when the engine/tranny are cold (27 deg F yesterday morning in NJ). And that it happened before we got the Tip Chip.

Otherwise, loving this modification and highly recommend it to anyone with $375 (MY 99.5).

Ming 2.7T

The "Race" chip speeds up the shifting but doesnt solve the hunt problem. If you are at 4000rpm's in 4th (TIP mode) the tranny will shift back and forth between 4th and 5th. Seems to only do that while in Tip mode. (I think the normal chip doesnt do this, but it does not speed up shifts.) Shifts are much quicker with the race version and I found that the cars are even faster if you do not touch the kickdown switch, keep the pedal just above it. Shifts smooth and fast.Tried this out at Carlsbad and it made a big difference. Worth the investment, and if someone has the money I would buy a spare TipECU and chip that , keeping the stock version untouched.