Is software only worth it?

[aus]

IMO, a tune is not worth it without an X-pipe.

.

[bbs_lm]

I'll get a tune if I have catless exhaust, intake and other engine mods on my car. If the car is stock, I won't do a aftermarket tune at all, it is not a turbo engine which u can get 50hp easily with a tune/chip..

[Mike Benvo]

It's definitely worth it to get a tune even with the car stock. I have tuned many stock cars, and there are worthwhile gains on them too. They also become much smoother and there are added benefits other than the power such as throttle response, cold start disable, cold start rev limit reduction, 6mt launch control, speed limit removal, redline raise, etc..

This car is stock other than a filter: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=744663

[RBB]

Originally Posted by aus

IMO, a tune is not worth it without an X-pipe.

.

Agreed. Not worth it until you replace the x pipe. Go this route and get an ESS or Evolve tune. You won't be sorry.

[MMME30W]

Hm. Interesting. PO to my E92 paid for the $800 Dinan DME flash

Car is noticeably "punchier" than other coupes I test drove, but not by a lot.

I would not have paid for it, but it was a nice after-sale find that the place I bought it from had no idea about.

[LarThaL]

A tune alone on an already highly tuned NA motor like the S65 will change slightly the ways the engine feels as it revs. It will give a few extra hp. However that small difference in hp will not make the car any faster.

IMO, if you are staying NA, there is no point in really doing anything unless you are willing to dump the primary cats. If you do this, then get some nice plumbing and a tune, you will most certainly change the way your car performs. In the end, either dump the cats, or just don't bother.

[CSanto]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

A tune alone on an already highly tuned NA motor like the S65 will change slightly the ways the engine feels as it revs. It will give a few extra hp. However that small difference in hp will not make the car any faster.

IMO, if you are staying NA, there is no point in really doing anything unless you are willing to dump the primary cats. If you do this, then get some nice plumbing and a tune, you will most certainly change the way your car performs. In the end, either dump the cats, or just don't bother.

What this man said. The End.

[mark896]

For what it's worth, my car is stock (only mods are AA filter and OEM exhaust mod) and I got it tuned my Mike Benvo (remotely, I might add). The car feels completely different after about 4K rpm and he was able to delete annoying things like the cold start as well as modify throttle mapping for both normal and sport modes.

Worth it.

[slicer]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

A tune alone on an already highly tuned NA motor like the S65 will change slightly the ways the engine feels as it revs. It will give a few extra hp. However that small difference in hp will not make the car any faster.

IMO, if you are staying NA, there is no point in really doing anything unless you are willing to dump the primary cats. If you do this, then get some nice plumbing and a tune, you will most certainly change the way your car performs. In the end, either dump the cats, or just don't bother.

Agreed. You just won't feel 10-15 hp. I did the tune along with the install of primary cat delete and noticed a difference (after doing both the tune and exhaust) but it wasn't earth shattering.

[M3Denver]

the problem with where I am is the elevation so even though every little bit helps... i am not sure the cost of a tune would add much value compared to HP gains at this elevation.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

A tune alone on an already highly tuned NA motor like the S65 will change slightly the ways the engine feels as it revs. It will give a few extra hp. However that small difference in hp will not make the car any faster.

IMO, if you are staying NA, there is no point in really doing anything unless you are willing to dump the primary cats. If you do this, then get some nice plumbing and a tune, you will most certainly change the way your car performs. In the end, either dump the cats, or just don't bother.

Originally Posted by HREM3

What this man said. The End.

and I'll double that.

[Mike Benvo]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

and I'll double that.

I disagree. My first mod on ANY BMW I have ever owned has been software. This is even pre air-filter. The stock programming leaves a lot to be desired in smoothness and power delivery.

The midrange torque gains and other features that software offers make it totally worth it. My car feels completely different before tune than it does afterward. I'm pretty confident that my clients can attest to the same feeling after driving their car post tune.

Aside from the actual power and torque gained, there are many other features performance software offers that make having the car a more thoroughly enjoyable experience. But, each to his own!

[persian54]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

and I'll double that.

I agree, need to get rid of the primary cats to make NA power on this car

I went from Akra Evo with tune to stock with a custom tune, then stock with no tune (so full stock)

the evo was everything

stock cats + tune and stock cats+ no tune weren't that much different (yes different, but not $$$$ worth difference).

Akra Evo + tune = Win :P

[Rutger]

I've ordered the ESS custom tune to go with my ordered Akra EVO system. I'll dyno the car using stock settings (upgraded all software in my car two weeks ago at BMW).

I'm still having doubts about the pully kit. Will it go nicely with the Akra and ESS or is there not much to gain? The pulley kit advertises about 15hp but I doubt it's as simple as adding the advertised hp's on top of each other.

Claims:

Akra = 20-25 hp
ESS = 17 hp
Pulley = 15 hp

Benefit's maybe 40hp in total instead of 52-57?

[kawasaki00]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

I disagree. My first mod on ANY BMW I have ever owned has been software. This is even pre air-filter. The stock programming leaves a lot to be desired in smoothness and power delivery.

The midrange torque gains and other features that software offers make it totally worth it. My car feels completely different before tune than it does afterward. I'm pretty confident that my clients can attest to the same feeling after driving their car post tune.

Aside from the actual power and torque gained, there are many other features performance software offers that make having the car a more thoroughly enjoyable experience. But, each to his own!

I agree with you Mike, I did the Evolve tune and I can tell a difference. I like a louder exhaust but the wife hated the cold start and complained about it all the time. I put the tune in and did not tell her, she noticed it first start that it was quiet.
As far as the tune, noticable difference in the midrange, my tires are about gone and I know how hard I can get into it in first before it will break loose. With the tune it will rev much faster and first gear is almost undriveable now. Not sure if the people that say it is not worth it just have never had a good tune or what but to me I got in on the group buy and it is money well spent.
That was stage 1, I then went to stage 2 and it feels like the gain from stock to 1 is the same gain from 1 to 2. I am rambling but bottom line is I think it is a great addition to the car.

[mark896]

^^^^ this

I was extremely skeptical before the tune, but, you'd just have to see for yourself. I dare you to have Mike tune your stock car and tell us you see no difference. He turned me into a believer.

[Dave07997S]

[quote=startover909;10311802]Just got a 2011 M3 coupe. I'd like to keep the car stock mechanical wise (no aftermarket intake, exhaust etc), but want to squeeze out a little bit of extra performance. A local tuner is willing to do a custom ECU flash with Dyno for aound $800 (no guaranteed numbers, they have the software, but this will be their first e92 M3 tune, so will be some kind of an experiment).

You need to go with someone reputable and who has done this a lot...you can't go wrong with Mike.

Dave

[MMME30W]

Briefly, what is the 'cold start' delete mentioned above?

[Mike Benvo]

Originally Posted by MMME30W

Briefly, what is the 'cold start' delete mentioned above?

Makes the car act normal when you start it cold. Gets rid of the loud noise that stays on with cold start, and makes the car incredibly smoother and less jerky when cold.

Thanks Mark and Dave

[Sean05]

[quote=Team Plutonium;10312535]Good luck... what could possibly go wrong.

QUOTE]

[radiantm3]

N/A tunes are highly overpriced when you consider the HP per dollar. $1000 for a couple HP is pretty ridiculous. But I can't fault you for doing it because I've done it as well. The gains are barely noticeable, IMO. I think some of the rave reviews on this forum are mostly a result of the placebo effect. Some people act as if they just strapped a supercharger to the car after their tune on a stock car. It's quite the opposite in reality. As others have mentioned the value starts to show a bit when you are replacing stock cats.

[ChrisDUS]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

N/A tunes are highly overpriced when you consider the HP per dollar. $1000 for a couple HP is pretty ridiculous. But I can't fault you for doing it because I've done it as well. The gains are barely noticeable, IMO. I think some of the rave reviews on this forum are mostly a result of the placebo effect. Some people act as if they just strapped a supercharger to the car after their tune on a stock car. It's quite the opposite in reality.

I think on the plus side there is also the top speed limiter removal and cold start behaviour. The tune can be considered for free then, comparing to top speed removal prices out there.
Will do mine in spring, now before the winter I don't see any sense in flashing a tune.