Tuning Options

[Spacem5]

Finally going to make the change to tune my beast. Have a 2011 X5M and have been following the forums. Can I get some comments or opinions about the different tuning options? Currently considering Active Autowerkes(lower cost but only comes with 1yr grace period for reflashing), ESS (handheld device very handy,but dyno numbers not that impressive, Dinan( more costly,but great reputation) or Renntech(amazing dyno, sub 12sec 1/4 mile but expensive). Any or all opinions are welcome. Thanks.

[GmoneyLI]

Go with Dinan. I ran against 2 different X5M's with the AA tune an I pulled on both of them. I believe dinan understates and AA overstates their numbers. Plus u get the warranty with dinan.
Only other tune I would consider is renntech.

[Forster]

Originally Posted by GmoneyLI

Go with Dinan. I ran against 2 different X5M's with the AA tune an I pulled on both of them. I believe dinan understates and AA overstates their numbers. Plus u get the warranty with dinan.
Only other tune I would consider is renntech.

Awesome!! I couldn't agree more, Dinan it is for mee

[OMID INC]

baah so expensive!

[Biff Grissel]

depens if warranty issue matters to u. if so then there is no question, but if not 100% id go with renntech or the full gintani set up.

[GmoneyLI]

Originally Posted by Biff Grissel

depens if warranty issue matters to u. if so then there is no question, but if not 100% id go with renntech or the full gintani set up.

Yea if the warranty wasn't an issue I would go with the renntech tune without a doubt. Their reputation is just as good if not better then dinan. And their tune is supposedly the most aggressive one out there although there.

[jlee]

How is the renntech tune installed ? Is it a device or do you have to go to a dealer.

I may do the dinan one the next time they have a 20% off sale.

Jeff

[mrmomo313]

i want to get mine tuned as well and am leaning towards the dinan because of the warranty. the power figures for the dinan are also pretty good for being under a warranty

[GmoneyLI]

Originally Posted by mrmomo313

i want to get mine tuned as well and am leaning towards the dinan because of the warranty. the power figures for the dinan are also pretty good for being under a warranty

I feel like dinan understated their numbers too because I pulled harder then 2 different x5m's running the autowerk tune and they claim more gains.

[Spacem5]

Seems like Dinan is a popular option. Warranty aside, my other concern is reflashing. I have been told that if you bring the car in for service and they perform a software update, the cpu is reflashed back to the original specs. With ESS for instance, you can then reflash it back. Can you do this with Dinan or Renntech or will you have to go through the whole process again which may cost you more money and inconvenience?

[GmoneyLI]

Originally Posted by Spacem5

Seems like Dinan is a popular option. Warranty aside, my other concern is reflashing. I have been told that if you bring the car in for service and they perform a software update, the cpu is reflashed back to the original specs. With ESS for instance, you can then reflash it back. Can you do this with Dinan or Renntech or will you have to go through the whole process again which may cost you more money and inconvenience?

That's not true. They don't reflash the ecu.. They may reflash certain modules but not the ecu.. Unless u have an ecu issue.. What ur talking about is if there are software problems with components. I'm not sure of the technical term but I was told that the tune is not lost during service unless u have an actual ecu issue.

[GmoneyLI]

Anyway the install process is about 30min and ess tune is the worst out of all of them. Turning it on and off is not worth the price.

[Omar@VelosDesignwerks]

If you go to the dealership with a Dinan tune and there is a ECU update the car will have to be updated. BMW made this mandatory in late 2010, early 2011. Customers can no longer "opt" out of ECU upgrades when taking there car in for service, if they do any scheduled service will not be completed. Not to knock Dinan (they are great at what they do) but they use a different method of tuning which requires you to go back to the dealer where your software was originally installed..

[buckeyewalt]

Originally Posted by Omar@VelosDesignwerks

If you go to the dealership with a Dinan tune and there is a ECU update the car will have to be updated. BMW made this mandatory in late 2010, early 2011. Customers can no longer "opt" out of ECU upgrades when taking there car in for service, if they do any scheduled service will not be completed. Not to knock Dinan (they are great at what they do) but they use a different method of tuning which requires you to go back to the dealer where your software was originally installed..

Originally Posted by GmoneyLI

That's not true. They don't reflash the ecu.. They may reflash certain modules but not the ecu.. Unless u have an ecu issue.. What ur talking about is if there are software problems with components. I'm not sure of the technical term but I was told that the tune is not lost during service unless u have an actual ecu issue.

lost here on this one,,,,,,are you saying that if I have a tune,,,and then have certain components reflashed,,,I have to have the tune reflashed again...????

[Omar@VelosDesignwerks]

Originally Posted by buckeyewalt

lost here on this one,,,,,,are you saying that if I have a tune,,,and then have certain components reflashed,,,I have to have the tune reflashed again...????

The best person to ask is a Dinan rep. As far as I know and from experience when you go into a BMW dealership if there is an ECU update the car needs to be updated. There are times and this is actually more common where you go in for service and other modules need updating and even though they will connect your ECU to the "network" it will show up to date.

Some Dinan tunes require you go back to a factory tune before because of the method they use to tune. Please ask a Dinan rep to make sure.

With our tunes there is no need to get back to stock at any point before going to dealership for service.

[buckeyewalt]

Originally Posted by Omar@VelosDesignwerks

The best person to ask is a Dinan rep. As far as I know and from experience when you go into a BMW dealership if there is an ECU update the car needs to be updated. There are times and this is actually more common where you go in for service and other modules need updating and even though they will connect your ECU to the "network" it will show up to date.

Some Dinan tunes require you go back to a factory tune before because of the method they use to tune. Please ask a Dinan rep to make sure.

With our tunes there is no need to get back to stock at any point before going to dealership for service.

Without getting any of your trade secrets regarding tuning,,,how are your tunes different (ECU I presume) than Dinan, or any of othe other competitors like, Eurocharge, and OE Tuning. Obviously I know very little about tunes and how they are applied to engines. The last tune I had was on my AMG and that went through the ECU,,,is BMW not the same???

[ek1]

Originally Posted by GmoneyLI

Anyway the install process is about 30min and ess tune is the worst out of all of them. Turning it on and off is not worth the price.

Can you please elaborate on the ESS tune being the worst? I was very attracted to it for the sole reason that I can personally remove it before taking my vehicle to service and then install it back when I get the vehicle back. This also takes care of warranty issues - i.e. you just remove the tune before requesting service. My priority when it comes to the tune is not even highest gains - its the convenience and more low end/mid-range power and better throttle response.

[Omar@VelosDesignwerks]

Originally Posted by buckeyewalt

Without getting any of your trade secrets regarding tuning,,,how are your tunes different (ECU I presume) than Dinan, or any of othe other competitors like, Eurocharge, and OE Tuning. Obviously I know very little about tunes and how they are applied to engines. The last tune I had was on my AMG and that went through the ECU,,,is BMW not the same???

Most companies use a read... edit... write process. Your firmware remains the same and is upgradeable by the dealer. On some if not most of their new tunes then use a write only process which may need to be reverted back to stock before going to a normal dealer. Once again the best person to check with is the company itself. As far we are concerned we use the method that we believe is more 'consumer' friendly. No worries on the question I think it is smart to ask. I pm'ed you as well.

[GmoneyLI]

Originally Posted by ek1

Can you please elaborate on the ESS tune being the worst? I was very attracted to it for the sole reason that I can personally remove it before taking my vehicle to service and then install it back when I get the vehicle back. This also takes care of warranty issues - i.e. you just remove the tune before requesting service. My priority when it comes to the tune is not even highest gains - its the convenience and more low end/mid-range power and better throttle response.

It won't take care of a warranty issue. None other then dinan. Let me explain.
If u remove the tune and put on 50-100 miles the dealer will have No way to see u ever had a tune.. However if ur car isn't drivable even if u remove the tune the dealer will be able to see it. But.. None of this really matters because on serious warranty issues I.e. blown engine or turbos for example.. BMW NA will ask the dealer to upload ur cars data to them before they approve the job. BMW NA is able to look at ur cars history and can tell u have had a tune when ur data history shows abnormal fuel maps, air fuel ratios, rev limits etc etc and then they tell u a $20000 repair isn't covered. This happened to someone I know. Google it. It's not just BMW. They dont usually sweat the smaller stuff so they may not catch it but if BMW NA ever looks ur screwed.

[nabizzy]

Originally Posted by GmoneyLI

It won't take care of a warranty issue. None other then dinan. Let me explain.
If u remove the tune and put on 50-100 miles the dealer will have No way to see u ever had a tune.. However if ur car isn't drivable even if u remove the tune the dealer will be able to see it. But.. None of this really matters because on serious warranty issues I.e. blown engine or turbos for example.. BMW NA will ask the dealer to upload ur cars data to them before they approve the job. BMW NA is able to look at ur cars history and can tell u have had a tune when ur data history shows abnormal fuel maps, air fuel ratios, rev limits etc etc and then they tell u a $20000 repair isn't covered. This happened to someone I know. Google it. It's not just BMW. They dont usually sweat the smaller stuff so they may not catch it but if BMW NA ever looks ur screwed.

bump
is this true?^