The poster of this thread, The Doc, is a specialist remapper. What he doesn't know about mapping cars isn't worth knowing in the first place.

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=237565.0

This came about because a lad with a new Golf GTI had it mapped, broke his auto box and then removed his map before taking it to the dealers. To his dismay they gave him a big bill to sort the transmission as they could tell it had been mapped.

So much for these Bluefin style tuning box's leaving no trace!!

Basically when a remapper tells you that their map cannot be found unless they drive the car they are a) telling fibs or b) don't understand the fundamentals of mapping a cars electronics

After a long battle with VW in Germany, the kid didn't have to pay for his transmission repair.

You have been warned! Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Part of that is true, and part of it is .

VW run a different system to LR so the subject of traceability is highly questionable. My old A3 2.0 Turbo which I bought new on an 06 plate, blew the diff in the manual box. That was mapped with blue fin and no trace was found and the box was done under warranty.

But there is one major issue that looks to be missing on the subject of the Golf in your post above.

The Golf GTi's auto box is the dual clutch DSG or S-Tronic box as it is now known. Now many 'tuners' can map the VW's engine, but most cannot re-map the DSG auto box, and many simply avoid mapping the box.

If you do not re-map the DSG box along with the engine, then it is a case of when and not if the DSG box will go bang.

Most 'proper' re-maps are a direct modification of the cars original map, which is read, modified and re-installed. These are not possible to be seen from standard manufacturer diagnostics kit, including VW's VAGTech.

You can find it if you know where to look, and also have the original damus files to compare it to. Manufacturers are normally the people to have this and not the dealers.

Also you have to bare in mind, that most dealers will need to have a reason to doubt a claim before digging deeper.

My local Vauxhall dealer had a Corsa VXR in with a blown piston 4. The customer stated it was not mapped, but the reason he was caught out,maws the fact it was a 12 plate car,mwith 4000 miles on it with knackered front tyres, warped discs etc. So had reason to dig deeper.

The final blow to the customer was the fact that the ECU recorded the boost and rev levels at the point of failure, which when put across to Opel in Germany proved that it had revved higher and boosted higher than standard.

So I think the Golf owner had other stuff to worry about. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

Mav71 wrote:

My local Vauxhall dealer had a Corsa VXR in with a blown piston 4. The customer stated it was not mapped, but the reason he was caught out,maws the fact it was a 12 plate car,mwith 4000 miles on it with knackered front tyres, warped discs etc. So had reason to dig deeper.

The final blow to the customer was the fact that the ECU recorded the boost and rev levels at the point of failure, which when put across to Opel in Germany proved that it had revved higher and boosted higher than standard.

I wonder how the garage told the customer he lied, as it was probably his human right to do so under this situation?

Why is it a "human right" to lie in this situation? Fraud is fraud, and pretending that something that clearly is your own stupid fault is really a manufacturer's responsibility is quite definitely fraud. I wonder if the twit had told his insurers about the mapping? If not, I'm glad his motor blew up before he wrote off someone else's car or killed someone as an uninsured driver. Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

The ironical thing is, mapping your car will not invalidate your warranty in all cases.

If you read the hand book, in so many words, it states that if you modify your car and you have a component failure, only the parts directly linked to the modification will result in the claim being turned down.

It is also down to the manufacturer to prove that it was a direct link to the failure, rather than you having to tell them it wasn't.

My dealer has known about my car being mapped since day one. They also know that the car is not driven hard at all, so If I had a failure whilst under warranty, they would be sympathetic to the cause and not just throw it out at the first opportunity. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

But have you notified your insurance company about the remap
If so, did it increase your premium  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Sorry Mav but a lot of what you state is not true.

Your A3 is 6 years old for starters, The DSG (S-Tronic is different) can handle a remapped engine as its used in higher powered and torque variants, and Land Rover will have diagnostic kit that is as good as VW, and, after reading this and being shown since, there is a flash counter on dealership diagnostic equipment showing how many days since the ecu was flashed last. Now LR's system in dealers will be slightly different to VAG, but for a warranty claim, the manufacturer decides whether to honour the warranty. You being honest with your dealer means diddly squat as LR make the call. Your dealer could only help by trying to gently persuade LR to pay for the damage.

The fact that in my example it is VW's clever auto that failed is irrelevant, component failure is failure. And if something major on the drivetrain fails, and a claim for several thousand pounds goes through, then the manufacturer will want to know everything and will get a download from the car.

As you say, remappers change the cars current map for the remappers coding. Which funnily enough is different to the standard coding, and therefore can't be run on the manufacturers diagnostics. That's 2 ways the manufacturer can find out.

Finally, I don't believe a good map will damage the car. Emphasis on good and mild. It is however a completely understandable way out for manufacturers...of it was your company and you found that someone had modified something you'd spent so much to develop sure you'd look at it the same way.

But either way...remapping alters a computers coding, and the fact is that different programming is easily noticeable. Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Dave wrote:

But have you notified your insurance company about the remap
If so, did it increase your premium

We will have to agree to disagree on some of what has been said here. I have over 20 years experience with chipping, then mapping etc, and where I agree in some cases it can be visible, in many ways it isn't.

My A3 by the way was 6 months old when the gearbox blew back in 2006.

Many cars, including LR keep the same map file code when a new map so on initial inspection does not show anything up. You need to know what you are doing to delve further.

Also, up to a point, warranty decisions are at dealer level. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

Mav71 wrote:

Dave wrote:

But have you notified your insurance company about the remap
If so, did it increase your premium

Yes, and no it didn't

What is the general consensus regarding remap versus a tuning box on the FL2 (mine is a 2009 'e' engine)? I have been remapping my diesels for over 15 years and covered plenty of vehicles including plenty of VAG, PSA, MGRover and GM/Fiat engines without a hitch. eh tu?

Remap every time from a bespoke mapper  Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Just one thought relevant to this forum... if you need to chip a 4x4 then your in the wrong car

T Terran



'The' Car For The Modern Day UK Roads ( ie all the pot holes )

'A Freelander that leaks oil is just marking its territory' - Wise words

Now a member of the FL2 'Silly Bill' Club

Not necessarily, I probably wouldn't be tempted to map one for normal use, but if I did a lot of towing I would. The difference with a good custom map to standard is night and day  Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

I have ALWAYS mapped my diesels since the late 90's. Who are you to tell me i am in the wrong car when you have no idea why I want a remap? So for anyone who can give me a constructive and helpful answer what remaps/suppliers give good results on these beasts (in Yorkshire area if possible)? eh tu?