Finally talked to APR . . .keep missing Garrett
11-24-1999, 09:56 PM
#1
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Finally talked to APR . . .keep missing Garrett
I talked to APR and they answered my questions about chipping and the 3 different stages that they offer.
Stage I: Chip, 210HP
Stage II: Chip, Borla Exhaust, 220HP
Stage III: Chip, full exhaust, K04 Turbo, plus quite a few other mods. They currently have this running on an A4 and plan on putting it on a TT when theirs arrives from Audi. I was told it is seeing 300+HP.
Now for what I found out. . .
The Chip/ECU can be done one of three ways. I was always under the impression that APR gave you the option to replace the chip because it was an easy swap and Garrett REQUIRED you top send your ECU. I now have an actualy explanation. The chip is actually soldered into the ECU and is NOT removable unless you are quite handy with a soldering iron! This is NOT explained on ANY web site that sells chips.
1. APR says that you can buy a chip and wait for it while continuing to drive your car and then solder it yourself.
2. You can order a second ECU that will arrive at a cost of around $600 (I think). After you receive the ECU, remove yours, send it to APR and they will install the CHIP, then send it back to you. You remove the new purchased ECU and then install the Chipped ECU.
3. Remove your ECU, send it to APR and get it back Chipped within 48 hours. They offer weekend service if you can't be without the car during the week! I thought that was VERY good.
I asked APR about Garrett since I talked to APR first. The only thing negative that they said about Garrett was that APR provided a TOTAL performance offereing and Garrett ONLY provides chips.
APR said that any time that you modify your car, you can send the ECU back for recalibration to match the new performance additions. The new chip mods are all done for FREE, I know that Garrett charges $20 for any change to the chip coding. I did not go into details about how this would be accomplished! My guess is they would either have to get the SAME parts and dyno it, or drive your car to AL and have them dyno the car.
I have been playing telephone tag with Garrett for 3 days! I finally told him not to call and I would send an e-mail with all of my questions. I will be getting to that tomorrow (tt-giving day). Once I get the same answers from Garrett I will post those too.
I also found out from APR that K&N does NOT offer a filter for the TT, they said that they don't see any market for it yet. My question to everyone here is, what performance air filters are people running and are they seeing any performance improvements?
As I think everyone can see from this I am very interested in chipping my 180TTQ, but want to get the MOST HP for my $$. The APR Stage III is out of the question at the present, I am not in the mood to be without the car for any length of time and APR is not ready to sell it yet.
I hope this helps.
If anyone want to go to either site:
APR(Audi Performance and Racing) www.goapr.com
GIAC(Garrett Integrated Automotive Corp) www.giacusa.com
Larry
180TTQ (122mph . . .so far)
Stage I: Chip, 210HP
Stage II: Chip, Borla Exhaust, 220HP
Stage III: Chip, full exhaust, K04 Turbo, plus quite a few other mods. They currently have this running on an A4 and plan on putting it on a TT when theirs arrives from Audi. I was told it is seeing 300+HP.
Now for what I found out. . .
The Chip/ECU can be done one of three ways. I was always under the impression that APR gave you the option to replace the chip because it was an easy swap and Garrett REQUIRED you top send your ECU. I now have an actualy explanation. The chip is actually soldered into the ECU and is NOT removable unless you are quite handy with a soldering iron! This is NOT explained on ANY web site that sells chips.
1. APR says that you can buy a chip and wait for it while continuing to drive your car and then solder it yourself.
2. You can order a second ECU that will arrive at a cost of around $600 (I think). After you receive the ECU, remove yours, send it to APR and they will install the CHIP, then send it back to you. You remove the new purchased ECU and then install the Chipped ECU.
3. Remove your ECU, send it to APR and get it back Chipped within 48 hours. They offer weekend service if you can't be without the car during the week! I thought that was VERY good.
I asked APR about Garrett since I talked to APR first. The only thing negative that they said about Garrett was that APR provided a TOTAL performance offereing and Garrett ONLY provides chips.
APR said that any time that you modify your car, you can send the ECU back for recalibration to match the new performance additions. The new chip mods are all done for FREE, I know that Garrett charges $20 for any change to the chip coding. I did not go into details about how this would be accomplished! My guess is they would either have to get the SAME parts and dyno it, or drive your car to AL and have them dyno the car.
I have been playing telephone tag with Garrett for 3 days! I finally told him not to call and I would send an e-mail with all of my questions. I will be getting to that tomorrow (tt-giving day). Once I get the same answers from Garrett I will post those too.
I also found out from APR that K&N does NOT offer a filter for the TT, they said that they don't see any market for it yet. My question to everyone here is, what performance air filters are people running and are they seeing any performance improvements?
As I think everyone can see from this I am very interested in chipping my 180TTQ, but want to get the MOST HP for my $$. The APR Stage III is out of the question at the present, I am not in the mood to be without the car for any length of time and APR is not ready to sell it yet.
I hope this helps.
If anyone want to go to either site:
APR(Audi Performance and Racing) www.goapr.com
GIAC(Garrett Integrated Automotive Corp) www.giacusa.com
Larry
180TTQ (122mph . . .so far)
11-25-1999, 01:03 AM
#2
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Posts: n/a
Well, the whole story isn't being told there...
Don't think Garrett is ignoring your calls. I haven't spoken to the guy, but he is a student as well as a brilliant guy, and from most of the tuning people that I _have_ met, being a brilliant guy is a full time job. We all know that being a student is also a full time job.
Stage III has been a going concern at APR since springtime, and the needed parts have apparently been modeled. I had thought that a turbo other than the K04 was going to be utilised in the Stage III application due to the K04 not being the highest-efficiency turbo out there... however, there is a cost trade-off and there may be diminishing returns (or great throughput from the other features of the kit that move enough air that another chunk of money going into the turbo isn't the most effective way to handle the powermaking problem).
Is APR getting a second TT? As far as I know, they've had the Denim since three months ago and the Stage III testbed Pearlescent A4 a bit longer. A second TT at APR would be pretty exciting, and I'm sure they'll post here if there's a second one on the way. Amulet Red, perhaps?
I think you misinterpreted, or there was some miscommunication, regarding the APR policy on updates. As I understand it, it isn't "gee, maybe this could get better" and suddenly your car is in Alabama. It's that various updates become available as the chip guys at APR find better ways to utilise the motor/tables and those updates get passed on to the consumer free of charge. I believe APR also offers custom chip tuning, but not in the "I just stuck a supercharger on my car, send me a chip to make it work via FedEx without seeing the car" context... it'd be nice, but ruby slippers would be included as your ECU's return postage. Maybe someday such programs will exist.
Hate to say it, but most HP for your $ is some seat time. Time isn't money, but time is HP.
Cameron
Stage III has been a going concern at APR since springtime, and the needed parts have apparently been modeled. I had thought that a turbo other than the K04 was going to be utilised in the Stage III application due to the K04 not being the highest-efficiency turbo out there... however, there is a cost trade-off and there may be diminishing returns (or great throughput from the other features of the kit that move enough air that another chunk of money going into the turbo isn't the most effective way to handle the powermaking problem).
Is APR getting a second TT? As far as I know, they've had the Denim since three months ago and the Stage III testbed Pearlescent A4 a bit longer. A second TT at APR would be pretty exciting, and I'm sure they'll post here if there's a second one on the way. Amulet Red, perhaps?
I think you misinterpreted, or there was some miscommunication, regarding the APR policy on updates. As I understand it, it isn't "gee, maybe this could get better" and suddenly your car is in Alabama. It's that various updates become available as the chip guys at APR find better ways to utilise the motor/tables and those updates get passed on to the consumer free of charge. I believe APR also offers custom chip tuning, but not in the "I just stuck a supercharger on my car, send me a chip to make it work via FedEx without seeing the car" context... it'd be nice, but ruby slippers would be included as your ECU's return postage. Maybe someday such programs will exist.
Hate to say it, but most HP for your $ is some seat time. Time isn't money, but time is HP.
Cameron
11-25-1999, 04:49 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Finally talked to APR my experinece (long)
Hey Larry! I had the same problem with Garett so I decided to go with APR. I made a good choice, I am not saying that Garett would be a bad choice, I have excellent power and most of all the torque is awesome, they did the job for me in 48 hours and I also got the info about reworking the chip at no cost if it was needed.
At first the car seemed a little hesitant but after a few good runs it opened up and now it just takes off at the slightest touch of the throttle. I also had H&R springs installed along with OZ F1 Cup wheels. I am amazed at the performance that I have gained with a $1,700.00 investment. I have whooped Celica Gt's, Jetta VR6, and a few Z3's. Oh just a hint, don't put any stickers on your car that give away the upgrades you have made, other than the obvious ones, that way they will think that something is wrong with them as a driver. Ja Ja
Take care and good luck
At first the car seemed a little hesitant but after a few good runs it opened up and now it just takes off at the slightest touch of the throttle. I also had H&R springs installed along with OZ F1 Cup wheels. I am amazed at the performance that I have gained with a $1,700.00 investment. I have whooped Celica Gt's, Jetta VR6, and a few Z3's. Oh just a hint, don't put any stickers on your car that give away the upgrades you have made, other than the obvious ones, that way they will think that something is wrong with them as a driver. Ja Ja
Take care and good luck
11-25-1999, 10:53 AM
#4
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Posts: n/a
Re: Well, the whole story isn't being told there...
Please, don't take what I wrote to say that Garrett has ignored ANY of my calls!! He has called me back 3 times!! We keep playing telephone tag. I finally left a message with him that I am so extremely busy and always on my cell phone that I told him not to try me again and I would e-mail him!
Please don't anyone for an instant think that I meant that Garrett was ignoring ANY of my calls! He has already called me 3 times. We have just been missing each other. My schedule has me on my cell phone about 5-8 hours every day, 7 days a week.
I am going to be e-mailing him and expect a prompt response.
Larry
180TTQ (122mph . . .so far)
Please don't anyone for an instant think that I meant that Garrett was ignoring ANY of my calls! He has already called me 3 times. We have just been missing each other. My schedule has me on my cell phone about 5-8 hours every day, 7 days a week.
I am going to be e-mailing him and expect a prompt response.
Larry
180TTQ (122mph . . .so far)
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