OMG!!! DCT now rocks!

[EliteM3]

Folks,

For those of you with DCT on our beloved M3's, run...do not walk...to BPM Sport to get the DCT software upgrade. I finally found the funds enough to get Mr. Benvo's Stage 1 tune, DCT software, and Servotronic upgrade.

Mike has given me no incentive to post this review, and the comments are my own. Before I purchased the tunes, I was somewhat skeptical. Even with all the praise, I wondered if I would really appreciate the differences and feel my money was well spent.

Now that I have the nearly holy trinity of tunes (still have my Cat's, otherwise Stage 2 tune would fully complete it), I have to say, _THE_ tune to get before anything else is the DCT software upgrade. Why?

1) Cold Start transmission bucking is all but gone
2) Downshifts in D-modes are now silky smooth
3) Downshifts in S-modes are SO much less "lungy". It doesn't feel like you are letting go of the brakes to rev match nearly as bad as before.
4) Upshifts under WOT in modes 4-6 are firm but also somehow not as jolting as before. The car leaps forward now.

and finally, this one put a permanent smile on my soul...

5) Launch Control at 3500 RPM, goes from Zero to Holy Sh!% with little-to-no wheel spin, Leaping forward with every gear with a chirp of the tires. I NEVER used to use it, because frankly...it sucked. The car does NOT creep forward anymore, it wont eat your tires like before, and you can be sure that it is a feature that you will want to use now.

I know BPM Sport needs NO additional publicity, but after coming back from my test drive, I just HAD to share the giddy smile and feeling I have for my car.

I loved it before, but now, my wife and child will be jealous of the praise I am going to continually give it moving forward.

GREAT Job Mr. Benvo, and I look forward to what you come up with next.

P.S. I am glad the car didn't come this way from the factory. This way I can truly appreciate the mod for what it is.

[schnell325]

Originally Posted by EliteM3

P.S. I am glad the car didn't come this way from the factory. This way I can truly appreciate the mod for what it is.

[TMR]

Yes, I got the tune on Sunday and man, I am loving all of it. The DCT, Servotronic and the power it makes. Good Job BPM!

[alee0729]

Picking my car up at the Performance Center on Monday. Monday night in the hotel parking lot, I'm having Benvo work his magic.

[IMG]

Nice

[AlpineE92M3]

Same here! I have both Stage 1 and DCT software tunes and the car is a completely different animal now. It's amazing how different the car is. Mike Benvo is an intelligent gentleman who knows his stuff. And great and easy to work with. Overall rating A+++

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by TMR

Yes, I got the tune on Sunday and man, I am loving all of it. The DCT, Servotronic and the power it makes. Good Job BPM!

So did you ditch the Procede/meth?

[Chriskm3]

Originally Posted by img

Nice

These guys and their automatic tranny.

[Someone?]

Originally Posted by Chriskm3

These guys and their automatic tranny.

LOL, its a Auto Shift Manual, Its only considered a Automatic if it has a Torque Convertor, You guys and your Sticks, you guys like playing with your stick,lol

[IMG]

Originally Posted by Chriskm3

These guys and their automatic tranny.

I got the 6Mt and granny shift that thing haha

[SYZ]

Originally Posted by Chriskm3

These guys and their automatic tranny.

Don't be hatin' that we can mod our transmissions and you can't

[PrimoM3]

Originally Posted by SYZ

Don't be hatin' that we can mod our transmissions and you can't

We can mod it by changing our grip and speed... And if you sit on your hand until it goes numb, it's like a stranger is shifting for you. Wait... that's not right... never mind.

[Ezio]

I am sure the tune is great, i will pass for now as it gets into grey area with warrnety.

I am little confused, mine stock M3 doesn't creep forward.

[alee0729]

Originally Posted by Ezio

I am sure the tune is great, i will pass for now as it gets into grey area with warrnety.

Would not worry about this. By all accounts, the tune is not detectable. If people can get warranty work on engines and transmissions with multi-thousand dollar supercharger kits bolted under the hood, nobody will bat an eye at a tune.

I am little confused, mine stock M3 doesn't creep forward.

Mine doesn't either.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by alee0729

Would not worry about this. By all accounts, the tune is not detectable. If people can get warranty work on engines and transmissions with multi-thousand dollar supercharger kits bolted under the hood, nobody will bat an eye at a tune.

Mine doesn't either.

i guess its hard for me to believe. its not my first car i have modded, last car was built motor. does BMW software different ? honest question. if you got on any LSx forum tunes are warrnety killers. again its only a problem when/if something major breaks. and they check, which they will.

those stories of people getting fixes under warrnety with heavy mods, i would bet are going to warrnety friendly dealerships.

[alee0729]

Originally Posted by Ezio

i guess its hard for me to believe. its not my first car i have modded, last car was built motor. does BMW software different ? honest question. if you got on any LSx forum tunes are warrnety killers. again its only a problem when/if something major breaks. and they check, which they will.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is your friend.

Bottom line: your overall warranty is not affected, and the dealer would have to prove the mod directly impacted or caused the failure to deny your claim for a specific item. Do a search on it -- it's an important piece of law that protects you if you have even a passing interesting in modifying your car.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by alee0729

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is your friend.

Bottom line: your overall warranty is not affected, and the dealer would have to prove the mod directly impacted or caused the failure to deny your claim for a specific item. Do a search on it -- it's an important piece of law that protects you if you have even a passing interesting in modifying your car.

that act is such a joke. honestly. you need to go to court for that and when you go to court everyone loses, even when you win.

[alee0729]

Originally Posted by Ezio

that act is such a joke. honestly. you need to go to court for that and when you go to court everyone loses, even when you win.

It would never make it to court unless it turned into a class action -- your claim would be resolved in artibration. But suit yourself. The aftermarket industry wouldn't be a billion dollar business if that Act didn't do its job protecting consumers.

With the amount of crazy mods that we see here, everything that I've seen fail has been mechanical. Bearings, transmission leaks, failed actuators, etc. None of the dominant software tunes from reputable shops has ever been faulted for a warranty claim for as long as I've been following this board and Bimmerfest. ESS, BPM, etc. know what they're doing and there is plenty of data here to support that it has negligible risk.

If fear of warranty continues to chill you to your bones, there's always Dinan. They've got an aggressive warranty and it is dealer installed.

[okusa]

Originally Posted by alee0729

It would never make it to court unless it turned into a class action -- your claim would be resolved in artibration.

That is absolutely false.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by alee0729

It would never make it to court unless it turned into a class action -- your claim would be resolved in artibration. But suit yourself. The aftermarket industry wouldn't be a billion dollar business if that Act didn't do its job protecting consumers.

With the amount of crazy mods that we see here, everything that I've seen fail has been mechanical. Bearings, transmission leaks, failed actuators, etc. None of the dominant software tunes from reputable shops has ever been faulted for a warranty claim for as long as I've been following this board and Bimmerfest. ESS, BPM, etc. know what they're doing and there is plenty of data here to support that it has negligible risk.

If fear of warranty continues to chill you to your bones, there's always Dinan. They've got an aggressive warranty and it is dealer installed.

Aftermarket industry uses that act has a marketing scheme. I think you don't understand that the world is not fair place nor loaded with educated people. Which is why i don't trust anyone. everything is about decreasing and increasing your chances to not get denied a claim. being stock chances are on your side, having a blower chances are highly against you if you brake a major part. like tranny or engine. All BMW has to say is the extra power is what caused it.OR your tuned increased the shift speed, thus caused premature wear.... and they can be dead wrong, but doesn't matter!

guess what ? if you don't like it . go to court "BMW CROP vs you". trust me they don't mind. they have a team of lawyers.

You can even be denied a claim while being 100% stock. they can even accuse you of abuse. happens more than you think with performance cars. even happen to me in the past.

My point is that the act is horse shit because SOME dealerships do not enforce it like they should nor even know what it is.

[In Extremis]

Originally Posted by Ezio

Aftermarket industry uses that act has a marketing scheme. I think you don't understand that the world is not fair place nor loaded with educated people. Which is why i don't trust anyone. everything is about decreasing and increasing your chances to not get denied a claim. being stock chances are on your side, having a blower chances are highly against you if you brake a major part. like tranny or engine. All BMW has to say is the extra power is what caused it.OR your tuned increased the shift speed, thus caused premature wear.... and they can be dead wrong, but doesn't matter!

guess what ? if you don't like it . go to court "BMW CROP vs you". trust me they don't mind. they have a team of lawyers.

You can even be denied a claim while being 100% stock. they can even accuse you of abuse. happens more than you think with performance cars. even happen to me in the past.

My point is that the act is horse shit because SOME dealerships do not enforce it like they should nor even know what it is.

I have to agree, especially about the daunting task of fighting a corporation like BMW. I learned about the Magnum Moss warranty act in 11th grade business law and never felt it was of much value when applied to cars, even back then. Many dealers would act dumbfounded if you brought it up. I know it would be hell if for example, I installed the os giken differential I want, and then procede to break a suspension component on an otherwise stock car and try to get it covered under warranty. My .02

[In Extremis]

Originally Posted by EliteM3

Folks,

For those of you with DCT on our beloved M3's, run...do not walk...to BPM Sport to get the DCT software upgrade. I finally found the funds enough to get Mr. Benvo's Stage 1 tune, DCT software, and Servotronic upgrade.

Mike has given me no incentive to post this review, and the comments are my own. Before I purchased the tunes, I was somewhat skeptical. Even with all the praise, I wondered if I would really appreciate the differences and feel my money was well spent.

Now that I have the nearly holy trinity of tunes (still have my Cat's, otherwise Stage 2 tune would fully complete it), I have to say, _THE_ tune to get before anything else is the DCT software upgrade. Why?

1) Cold Start transmission bucking is all but gone
2) Downshifts in D-modes are now silky smooth
3) Downshifts in S-modes are SO much less "lungy". It doesn't feel like you are letting go of the brakes to rev match nearly as bad as before.
4) Upshifts under WOT in modes 4-6 are firm but also somehow not as jolting as before. The car leaps forward now.

and finally, this one put a permanent smile on my soul...

5) Launch Control at 3500 RPM, goes from Zero to Holy Sh!% with little-to-no wheel spin, Leaping forward with every gear with a chirp of the tires. I NEVER used to use it, because frankly...it sucked. The car does NOT creep forward anymore, it wont eat your tires like before, and you can be sure that it is a feature that you will want to use now.

I know BPM Sport needs NO additional publicity, but after coming back from my test drive, I just HAD to share the giddy smile and feeling I have for my car.

I loved it before, but now, my wife and child will be jealous of the praise I am going to continually give it moving forward.

GREAT Job Mr. Benvo, and I look forward to what you come up with next.

P.S. I am glad the car didn't come this way from the factory. This way I can truly appreciate the mod for what it is.

Can you please elaborate on the servotronic upgrade?