Last Saturday I had both chips installed in my 4.2 at PES in Flemington, NJ. To cut to the chase both chips are noticeable. The engine GIAC chip was installed together with a K & N air filter. My impression is of increased power and while it is not a large increase (only 22 HP in this application being much higher for turbo engines) I find it particularly noticeable over 4000 RPM. The engine seems more aggresive as does the transmission. The tip chip makes some difference but does not transform the transmission. Lag time for kicdown is shortened but is not elliminated. For example, response at 30 to 35 MPH to a fast flooring of the throttle is quicker to 1st if one is cruising steadily but essentially the same if there is stop and go traffic and you want to dart out. Under most circumstances the tiptronic does respond quicker (2nd and 3rd are kicked into quicker) and the lag is reduced, however, I thought the tip chip would have produced more of a change. Since I usually only drive the car on weekends (I live in NYC and want to keep the car in really good condition plus I don't like to pay for parking tickets) I need to explore it further. I only got a few hours to drive in dry weather. This weekend was the first in the rain and I was extremely impressed by its capabiliyies in the wet. The transmission does not increase the ability to engage 1st manually or to hold it. I did not inquire if they were planning any changes in this regard.
Tony (President) and Gary, two very nice guys, did the job in Tony's home garage. They are looking for a shop now. They offer a 30 day money back guarantee and seem very reputable. Today I called and asked about the tip chip's functioning. I will post any update and additional comments soon. I may also post some photos I took of where the chips are located.

 

Pablo1..thanks for the "low-down". Look forward to hear more & see pix too!

 

pablo1...thanks for leading the way. I am also interested in chipping my 4.2 and am looking at either going with Wetterauer or PES. What made you go with PES? I know that Wett is claiming an 18hp increase but don't know how the torque/hp curves compare to PES. Are there any other 4.2 chips out there? I have put in about 600 miles in a week and a half. This car is one of the great highway cruisers, lots of power and very stable at speed. Like you, I also find the Tip somewhat slow to kickdown. It feels like it takes a few heartbeats until the engine room gets the message from the bridge. Based on your experience with the Tip chip, was the difference significant enough for you to recommend it (based on your driving needs of course)?
I will be posting my silver/onyx pics later this week. Thanks again for your posts.

 

Will the next mod. you'd consider be a cat. back pipe? Supposed 6hp increase.

 

pablo1: I am also more interested in your Tiptronic "chipping". I would like the transmission to react faster to my foot commands than it presently does. I am not sure I "need" the extra horsepower, but improved transmission characteristics around town where I do not use the Tiptronic feature would be nice.

After you have some miles on your retuned car, maybe you could answer my tranny questions?

 

I am more interested in the tranny chip than the engine chip. Shifting quicker is certainly one of the issues with the tiptronic tranny in the 4.2. But not the only one IMHO. If they can get the tranny chip to "correct" the tiptronic mode shifting characteristics from 1st-2nd & 2nd-1st I will purchase the chip. Tony (with PES) has told me that the chip the way it is now will not address those issues. They would need a 4.2 for a few days to hook up a lap top to the tranny to get a complete picture of what modifications would have to be made to the chip to "correct" those particular characteristics.

Hope this helps.

 

why can't you just re-program the ECU. The software should be able to be manipulated without a chip, no? My 1997 M3 had a Siemens ECU that you could remove and send to a re-programmer. Am I missing something?

 

What do the PES chips cost?

 

When I asked PES that question they gave me the impression that the reprograming that they did to the eprom in the trannies ECU had NO effect on the shift points that I mentioned earlier. They said that they COULD correct this but haven't to date (about a month ago) and would need a 4.2 for a while to hook up the lap top and figure out what they needed to do.

Hope that makes it clearer. Sometimes I'm a bit vague when I try do explain something technical that I don't COMPLETELY understand myself! ;-)

 

This "lag" at low speed sounds like the same unacceptable (and dangerous) prob I'm having with my 2.7T w/Tip. Dealer said they did the diagnostics, drove it and everything is normal etc. Also, my Tip periodically seems to slip or shift with a noticeable "thunking" feeling, again, at low speed. Has anybody replaced their chip(s) with std Audi chip(s) or somehow resolved this problem?