Looking to start mobile remapping service

[dontbeefkeith]

Hi all,

For many years now I've been following the remapping scene and have educated myself to a point where I think I can see myself buying professional tools (no galletto's/KWP2000's! Think more Optican Dual/Byteshooter) and starting to offer remapping as a service using files from a highly recommended and well established tuner.

My background is predominantly engineering, working with surface mount components and systems not far removed from the physically aspects of remapping. My hope is to get to the point of being able to support myself, quit my full time job and find premises for me to work from and start creating my own files.

I would test the car before and after using an official VAG-COM tool. Also I would provide you with a CD with a full dump from your original ecu for if you ever should require the car to be flashed back to normal (I will keep a copy myself but you may move out of my area, or are unable to use me etc...).

I may also provide you with a readout from an accelerometer based dyno (if there is a public weighbridge and quiet flat straight nearby!).

I suppose the main question really is, knowing the files I would be using are trusted (not the rubbish you find in dvd's on ebay), who would use me? I would be a lot cheaper than many of the longer established tuners and would travel to where is convenient for you needing only a plug point to work.

Second question is, how much would you pay?

Cheers in advance people.

 

[alexj124]

I suppose the first question on people minds would be where is the software coming from? As many people who would tune their cars quite rightly get a bit anal when selecting a tuner. As the maps for cars are getting cheaper as well with a lot more to choose from it will be harder to compete.

I suppose like anything if you can get a name for yourself on the forums, of a person who provides good code at a good price and the cars are producing good figures and the most important are reliable. Then you maybe on to a winner.

Best of luck what ever you decide

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Cheers for the support alex,

I've yet to decide who to buy my files from first really, there is quite a bit of choice and obviously choosing a name that may be recognized could be a good thing.

For instance if I was to go with the Optican Dual system (generation 2 is out in a couple of weeks with edc17 support included), which has formed a strategic alliance with AMD, I would probably use their database for files to begin with. It's like anything as long as you are buying master files from a recognized reputable tuner the quality should be spot on.

Eventually of course I would like to start creating my own files but all in good time!

 

[warren_cox]

I've been mapping my cars for about 15 years now, and have used established brands such as: AmD (the original AmD in Oddington before they went Revo), Revo (Stage 1 and 2), MTM.

I guess there are some major considerations for me before I will go with a tuner. These are:

1) Are they considered a centre of excellence / expert at what they do (by public concensus or through participation in motorsport activities)
2) Will they still be around in 2 weeks to offer support / aftercare
3) Are they responsive to customer feedback
4) Can they offer other modification developments and services beyond that of a pure mapping service

Whilst I appreciate that the length of time a company is established is not necessarily a great benchmark for the quality of someones work, but you could argue that the fact they continue to survive suggests that people are using them.

Would I trust my pride and joy to just anyone. No. I'd have to be sure that they had experience in mapping (the S3 and its fuelling - misfires has proved problematic for even the most experienced tuners). Also I'd have to be comfortable that they had solid liability insurances in case they inadvertantly damaged my vehicle.

I have total respect for you wanting to set up, and as you say you will be using quality sourced code, but I can't help thinking that doing some time with an established tuning house prior to going it alone could be the best way to build reputation and peoples ultimate trust. For me it's never about the cost, and always about the peace of mind.

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Thanks for your help mate,

I suppose at the start I am only an intermediary to the company who have done the research and dyno work to create the file. I would just be taking care of the flash/diagnostics side. In essence the hard work (i.e hundreds of hours working with the ecu in an emulator and car on a dyno) has already been done. No doubt I would need adequate support from the company I was buying the files from. Maybe insurance is my next thing to look at?

I'm not sure about the rules of this forum but i wonder if I could advertise on forums such as these offering remapping for standard cars (as recalibration is out of the question at this early stage!).

 

[alexj124]

i'd pass the advertising side of things through the admins first as there are companies sponsoring the site who would be direct competitor who will be paying for the privilige.

i think insurance is a big thing as well as if you screwed my car up i'd want it sorted by you at whatever cost it was

 

[WeeJase]

is that a spliff you have on the go in your avatar?probably not the best advert

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Ha, lol. No it's just a blurred cig. From back in the good old days when you could smoke whilst lifting a jar or two. You're right tho, any pic of myself on the way to inebriation of any form is not good for business, might aswell be a picture of Paul Gadd.

It'll have to go.

 

[Mr_Dave]

I'd also thought it was a spliff haha

Not much to add on what the others have said though really, insurance is a big thing though, flashing is always something that feels sketchy!!

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Flashing's not sketchy if you have reliable and supported tools. If you can't fix the locked ecu with them (thru a debug mode etc...) then you can always just desolder the psop and bob it in a programmer (I've got a willem one). Making sure you have a decent power supply when flashing for the car and computer is also an insurance in itself.

Still insurance of some form would be good, just in case.

 

[dogsxxx]

leon cupra

I've got a 2001 leon cupra,just bought a kwp2000 flasher to flash via the odb port,thing is i can't get it to read the ecu,also it sugests i remove the dash fuses,did this but still no joy..since putting the fuses back the airbag light has come on..can anyone give me directions please

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Ok mate calm down, could be worse! Have you got vag com? Pm me. Don't use kwp2000 clone tool!

 

[dogsxxx]

no i dont have vag com,not yet,what do you mean kwp clone?..i just bought it from ebay,thought it was a pos idea...if you know what i mean...i was running it with vista...maybe thats the problem...cheers for any help

 

[dontbeefkeith]

Honestly mate,

Don't start messing with cloned tools when you've no idea what they do. Its an accident waiting to happen.

I don't know if I'm going over old ground here (for this forum) but the KWP2000/+ is a chinese cloned (illegally copied) tool. Same with the galletto's and vag commanders you see on ebay. In the right hands they do work and are reasonably reliable (for your OWN car!) but that is in the right hands.

You WILL need smd rework skills if everything goes tits up. Or a pot of cash and local friendly tuner.

For anyone watching there is no easy/cheap way to tune yourself with no previous experience, I don't recommend just buying a galletto / KWP2000 / Vag Commander off ebay and start looking for tuned files on ebay dvd's.

Please people; if you really want to learn and you have an understanding partner who doesn't mind you spending alot of time and a little money on the proper equipment needed (flash tool is just the tip of the iceberg) then you are at the beggining of a long path!

I can't really go into it on this thread but I suppose it's like learning anything; there's a "roadmap" to what you should learn. If anyone is interested in learning about it just Private Message me and I'll try to point you in the right direction for reading materials, equipment etc...

Keef

 

[dogsxxx]

cheers for that,i wouldnt mind getting into it,i suppose 'if it sounds too good to be true then it usually is..

 

[dontbeefkeith]

That's it mate,

If you do have any trouble and can't start the car after fiddling, dont panic, drop me a line here and I'll try and fix/debug it for you. Thats if you're not too far from leeds area

keef

 

[dogsxxx]

cook,only down the tarmac..rotherham

 

[dogsxxx]

airbag module

Right i'm about to get a vag-com,but there is a warning that my cars airbag module can be damaged by this,,,any ideas...it might be done in already .ahah

 

[ibizacupra]

Pedigree of tuner, more so than map sources is what will bring you custom or not. Aside from being bargain basement price, you will be perceived as cheap, and by a lot, could not possibly be good as its "too cheap"
Many many of the advertised mappers sprung up these last few years all use the same maps, and more often than not, they are not great.

good luck with your venture. to aspire to it is commendable, but it take a while to build a customer base and reputation, based off what in your respect?

good luck tho

 

[dogsxxx]

right,it turned out that the me7.5 dont like being read with the kwp2000 plus,but i managed to get some specific software for these,the only problem is,my unit is usb but i think the software is for rs232,so i still get ecu not found...or is it a porting problem on laptop?...any help