Tuning

[ChrisLF]

Nope, not naïve at all.

I suppose there must be a market for tuning but as someone once pointed out, surely the car manufacturers, who invest millions into the optimum tuning and specifications of their engineering efforts, would know what's best.

The tuning box for the T4 sounds like it upgrades the power to a T5.

They know what's best but in having to meet the ever more stringent legislation and provide good mpg figures they are tuned as lean as they can be which often means they don't run as nicely as they should. A case in point is the 1.5 petrol recently produced by the VW Group which has issues with pulling away etc.

Many folks who have had cars tuned say that it improves the drivability with the bonus that the extra power means that fuel consumption is improved because less throttle is used.

Years ago my brother used to work for a garage when cars had carburetters and sometimes customers complained that their cars weren't running very well. The answer was to richen the mixture up a bit and the cars were transformed and drove as they should.

Chris

[Dermottdog]

Nope, not naïve at all.

I suppose there must be a market for tuning but as someone once pointed out, surely the car manufacturers, who invest millions into the optimum tuning and specifications of their engineering efforts, would know what's best.

The tuning box for the T4 sounds like it upgrades the power to a T5.

Years ago my brother used to work for a garage when cars had carburetters and sometimes customers complained that their cars weren't running very well. The answer was to richen the mixture up a bit and the cars were transformed and drove as they should.

Chris

Transformed and used more fuel!

I’m not against tuning. I’ve done it, albeit when I was in my twenties. An original Mini bored out to 1400cc, single side draft Webber DOHC 45, race cam, straight cut gearbox etc, etc.
Really good fun, very expensive and got good results. Things were different then. You could do exactly what you wanted with much reduced consequences due to being an ‘old Mini’. If it blew up, I’d take it apart and fix it. Bored on a Saturday? No problem, take the cylinder head off for something to do! I was able to do this because it didn’t mater. The good old days. I wouldn’t do that now because my car is too expensive, too important to me and too stuffed with tech.

But something I absolutely always did was to inform Adrian Flux insurance.

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

Hi.
If anyone ever needs any help with insurance at all for a re-map, chip or tuning box then please feel free to drop me a line.
Regards,
Dan.

[Ringer]

Hi Dan ,
If I got a car chipped how would you know?

I've just had a £.5K claim ,paid on our car,no questions asked!

[Deleted User 2490]

Presumably the claim didn't involve a serious accident, injury or death for £500. If it were speed or idiot related presumably the police/insurance companies would investigate.

I would think a genuine chipped car would be relatively easy to interrogate and find the code. A tuning box would be harder as it could be removed and are sold in that basis as being "invisible". Depends if you could take out the tuning box if you've been involved in a serious accident.

I doubt the police/insurers would investigate for a £500 value.

edit: I guess you meant £5k rather than £500 (£.5k). But presumably it wasn't a criminal accident which probably would have involved an investigation.

[Ringer]

Yes £5000. The wife panicked and trashed a wing and 2 doors. We didn't have a visit from an assessor,just sent
pictures and a quote,after which insurance company gave permission for the repair.

When my old car was chipped,the garage gave me back the old chip,it measures about 1 x 1/2 inches thin metal.
They tested for power on their rolling road.
Draw your own conclusions.

[blastpipe]

I would suspect forensic vehicle checks are not undertaken unless it is a serious RTC that involves death or life changing injuries. At that point any undeclared modifications to the car could render the insurance invalid and the driver might find themselves in a bit of bother whether at fault for the RTC or not.