APR Ultralink - At Home Flash Tuning is Here!

[Cuzoe]

I agree with Arin that this has gone off the rails, but it is also true that they've been dancing around questions - making them look a bit shady.

Perhaps Arin would like to get this back on track by talking about the benefits and the downsides of the new product - and. perhaps, like I've asked before - discuss the TD-1 and impacts of tuning (your product and tuning in general) on warranty, reliability and drivability - including what happens if you're at a place where the only gas is watered down 85 octane and you're on the 93 tune.

If a person does not believe the flash counter matters (or will ever brick the ECU) then who cares whether they reset it or not? If a person believes the flash counter matters then the Ultralink resets so no worries.

The (potential) impacts of tuning are known at this point... you risk TD-1. That doesn't seem like anything this product is (or is claiming) to change... long thread here.

lol, i dunno why they even post here. they never follow up with product feedback, so many shitty launches in the past few years.

dropping the ball on mk7 tuning (no flex fuel, no downpipes unless you buy a $6k turbo kit with an EWG that no one wants to tune, at-home flashing 6 years late). reselling the awful DSC controller and refusing to fix or even acknowledge any of the bugs. the springs that don't fit cars with camber plates (because APR doesn't sell camber plates?). selling BBKs that are then discontinued without rebuild components. the DTR6054 that should have been a killer product but does 450whp with 600whp turbo response.

after they cashed out to private equity they're just another 034/cts shucking half-effort resold stuff without the engineering that made them such a recognizable brand.

I know nothing about the other stuff but co-sign about the DSC... not a fan, although I really want(ed) to be.

 

[cb1111]

If a person does not believe the flash counter matters (or will ever brick the ECU) then who cares whether they reset it or not? If a person believes the flash counter matters then the Ultralink resets so no worries.

The (potential) impacts of tuning are known at this point... you risk TD-1. That doesn't seem like anything this product is (or is claiming) to change... long thread here.


I know nothing about the other stuff but co-sign about the DSC... not a fan, although I really want(ed) to be.

I think we've all written a thread on warranties, the MMWA or TD1 - I know I've written them on VWVortex and various BMW boards - but - aside from short Dinan posts - no manufacturer of aftermarket products talks about this - they talk about hiding their mods and what-not, but where is the post by Arin talking about the pitfalls of tuning.

In my job, I give leadership the bad news first - then follow up with the good news and ways of mitigating the bad news. I don't hide the bad by making excuses.

I challenge Arin (or any other manufacturer) to come here and say "this is our product, this is what it does and this why you want it. However, these are possible downsides and this is what we've done to minimize those impacts."

I'd also like to hear what aftermarket manufacturers say about the tD1 flag - and what it really means. We have our thoughts about it, but what do the aftermarket folks think?

Their responses to this will indicate if they are a reputable manufacturer who looks at the big picture and looks out for their customers.

 

[Arin@APR]

If anyone is concerned about their powertrain warranty, check out APR Plus! It's our Stage 1 ECU Upgrade with a limited powertrain warranty. It matches the term limit of your factory warranty. We offer it through APR dealers across the USA and Canada: www.goapr.com/dealers/

In Germany, our main importer also offers the APR guarantee - a similar program.

 

[Cuzoe]

@cb1111 My pushback on that would be to ask what could any manufacturer or tuner possibly say that would be satisfactory regarding possible TD1 and corresponding warranty implications?

We (the customer) are modifying how the engine runs by tuning. Is there any realistic scenario where the aftermarket company could make a guarantee about your warranty?

Besides APR Plus! (which I am not vouching for or against) what does it mean to "see the big picture and lookout for your customers" in this context? You jeopardize warranty coverage for anything you modify.

I'm confused about why Arin would come into this thread to talk about the pitfalls of tuning as if tuning is a novel product. Were folks waiting on this product to make their personal decision on whether or not APR is reputable? I'm not sure how this relates to your job and briefing leadership. What has changed about the benefits/pitfalls of tuning? This product just lets you do it home.

 

[ZuMBLe]

The flash counter thing was fun to poke fun at, but really not a big deal. Hopefully APR's flashing system works well and people get more choices for home flashing.

 

[PerceivedShift]

The flash counter thing was fun to poke fun at, but really not a big deal. Hopefully APR's flashing system works well and people get more choices for home flashing.

I never had a problem with it resetting the flash counter, it was the incorrect claim by Arin that 100 flashes (or any number) would brick your ECU. That's it.

 

[cjgti1]

I feel like the people worried about the flash counter would never buy an APR tune anyway.

 

[backcountry]

I never had a problem with it resetting the flash counter, it was the incorrect claim by Arin that 100 flashes (or any number) would brick your ECU. That's it.

Bingo. Giving out false information to scare potential customers and steer them towards APR is more than a little shady.

Hopefully Arin will eventually provide proof of what the real number is and why he thought that 100 flashes would brick all of our ECUs.

 

[The Fed]

Did I the miss the part where the stock tune is not the stock tune, or did APR figure out a way to actually load the OEM stock tune?

 

[PerceivedShift]

did APR figure out a way to actually load the OEM stock tune?

No, unless I missed something.

 

[cb1111]

Did I the miss the part where the stock tune is not the stock tune, or did APR figure out a way to actually load the OEM stock tune?

Good point

No, unless I missed something.

Wasn't that another claim too?

 

[PerceivedShift]

Wasn't that another claim too?

Looking back in the thread I saw nowhere Arin made the claim it would reset the TD1 flag, in fact he said it would not. Just others getting confused.

 

[Covelight]

lol, i dunno why they even post here. they never follow up with product feedback, so many shitty launches in the past few years.

dropping the ball on mk7 tuning (no flex fuel, no downpipes unless you buy a $6k turbo kit with an EWG that no one wants to tune, at-home flashing 6 years late). reselling the awful DSC controller and refusing to fix or even acknowledge any of the bugs. the springs that don't fit cars with camber plates (because APR doesn't sell camber plates?). selling BBKs that are then discontinued without rebuild components. the DTR6054 that should have been a killer product but does 450whp with 600whp turbo response.

after they cashed out to private equity they're just another 034/cts shucking half-effort resold stuff without the engineering that made them such a recognizable brand.

Quietly browsing until you said that second paragraph to which I agree with. Narrowly avoided a few fender benders this week alone trying to get out from behind a cabbie in rush-hour Manhattan traffic with my DTR R. Too sloth-like to spool up on the OEM downpipe. I wish they copied the Mk8 R turbo instead of a G25-550. Booked for HPFP/LPFP/DTR re-tune on 93 in less than two weeks. I hope it's worthwhile.

 

[Diggs24]

Quietly browsing until you said that second paragraph to which I agree with. Narrowly avoided a few fender benders this week alone trying to get out from behind a cabbie in rush-hour Manhattan traffic with my DTR R. Too sloth-like to spool up on the OEM downpipe. I wish they copied the Mk8 R turbo instead of a G25-550. Booked for HPFP/LPFP/DTR re-tune on 93 in less than two weeks. I hope it's worthwhile.

Now you’re at the point where something like a mamba 2867 or vortex on a custom tune would have been a better fit for your needs and cheaper too.

 

[Covelight]

Now you’re at the point where something like a mamba 2867 or vortex on a custom tune would have been a better fit for your needs and cheaper too.

Unfortunately. I thought the marketed 400whp (even though I'm still on stock fueling so I'm not close to that yet) sounded ideal. 99% regret, 1% holding out hope.