whats everyones views on horsham developments?

[S15_SAM]

Hmmm that's not a half bad idea! Where Are you on sat morning? Know any good rollers around you or close to me?

 

[craig8585]

There's a good one near me (Weston Performance). It's around £50 though IIRC, so bit of a risk. It's up to you, I'm happy to meet you there and watch it have a blast on the rollers!

 

[Adam L]

Adam where is his place and what standalone did you get and how much did it cost?

I'll be honest, Sam. Martin specialises in Link stand alone ecu's and is an authorised dealer for them, they're probably one of the best ecu's you can use. I've got the Power FC D jetro, so I don't use an afm, I run a map sensor which was already on the car. My ecu probably costs around £800 with the map sensor, ecu, harnesses and other bits you need. Martin does Nistune aswell, but his opinion on them isn't the best...

He's in Cambridgeshire, so probably about 200 miles from you.

 

[S15_SAM]

Yeah that's abit far north for me, and as you say could be abit of a risk! I'll think I'll stick with the nistune plan for now! Thanks very much for the offer though Craig. Also fella can you have a look at my thread I'm about to start relating to my turbo waste gate.

 

[martinbattye]

Your next step is to get it mapped by Steve or Greg on a RR!

You would be welcome to try my ECU and have the fueling checked on a RR if you change your mind!

i rather have my eyes gouged out than have a dyno tuned car.. number chasing... not good.

 

[Darren_S15]

I took my car to Steve @ FC Tuning to have mine mapped.

Very happy with the service and the end result, and the car has been running happy for over a year now without any issues.

I've got no expereince with any other tuners, but I chose Steve after doing my homework and chatting to other Jap car owners.

Its your call at the end of the day, but listening to people who have been there and done that often pays off.

Let us know how it goes :thumbs:

 

[Fasthands]

I have a smooth power curve and not the biggest numbers, 357bhp 325 torque @ 1.1bar boost Vi-pec V44 ecu ect. Mapped by Martyn at Enginetuner in Plymouth. I'm well happy with it, and very happy with how Martyn does his mapping. I could increase the boost and have a cock swinging power figure to shout in the pub talk championships but it's just a number.. And three people who have been in my car over the past week have been very impressed at the driveability and how rapid it is. It pulls real strong right to the limiter and is usable power when the roads get twisty. Anyone can go fast in a straight line! And I don't get the theory of going to the cost/hassle of 500bhp then put £800+ worth of RLTC on it because you cant put the power down, or buy all the cheapest parts throw them on in a massive hurry then blame the tuner/mapper when it goes tits.. Which is something I have seen a lot..
I have no experience of your work MBAutomotive but your listed philosophy of how you do your mapping seems a winning recipe to me.

 

[als_jordan]

Guys,

Gotta say I had a good service from Jez... When I had my car mapped with an HDev chip he charged the same as below (slightly less if I recall in 2008). True it was mapped on the service road near his place, and if I were to do it again I would pay a little more to get a SRR slot to map it at the max properly.. But when I did do my RR session a while after my AFR was Fine, although I was only maxing but holding nicely at 1.1bar. I might be going back to do this soon in an case.

Just wanted to post up that I found Jez very helpful and had a good service from him

ALS

Well Jez has quoted 380 to fit and map his board, or nistune is 570 mapped and fitted. It would cost me over 70 in fuel to get to steve. I have considered it. Horsham is only 30mins away Steve is 2 1/2 hours.

So jez doesn't seem that bad a price if greg is charging 600 for Nistune remap. And at 380 it is an ok price. I would possibly use Steve if he was closer! But I also prefer the live mapping on the road, would prefer it done on an airfield just as the speeds are high, but road is ok with me.

I'm tempted by your offer, how much would you like for it px?

 

[als_jordan]

Good point though Dean

just bear in mind that nistune is mappable by those that have the software were you to decide to make any changes, a jez board is a jez board... you will have to return it to him and pay full map price for even minor fuelling tweaks... i would have a nistune all day long looking back you dont know what you'll do in future until you get there

 

[martinbattye]

I have a smooth power curve and not the biggest numbers, 357bhp 325 torque @ 1.1bar boost Vi-pec V44 ecu ect. Mapped by Martyn at Enginetuner in Plymouth. I'm well happy with it, and very happy with how Martyn does his mapping. I could increase the boost and have a cock swinging power figure to shout in the pub talk championships but it's just a number.. And three people who have been in my car over the past week have been very impressed at the driveability and how rapid it is. It pulls real strong right to the limiter and is usable power when the roads get twisty. Anyone can go fast in a straight line! And I don't get the theory of going to the cost/hassle of 500bhp then put £800+ worth of RLTC on it because you cant put the power down, or buy all the cheapest parts throw them on in a massive hurry then blame the tuner/mapper when it goes tits.. Which is something I have seen a lot..
I have no experience of your work MBAutomotive but your listed philosophy of how you do your mapping seems a winning recipe to me.

thanks for that, its certainly working and has built a good reputation for me..

what made you go for the V44 when you could have gone plugin?? just out of interest?

 

[martinbattye]

tbh.. Jez knows what he's doing.. i would let him map any of my cars without a blink of an eye. he's not a dyno freak.. hes and engine guy.. just like myself..

since myself and Jez are opposite ends of the country almost i would certainly say if you are close to him make the trip..

tbh avoid dyno only, no knock equipment, horsepower number chasing tuners..

 

[als_jordan]

I agree with this, not good. However getting a tuner to come to the RR with you after the first map to check the numbers and get everything pucker cannot be a bad thing. It is a bit worrying mapping at varying high speeds on the roads, plus not necessarily consistant.

tbh avoid dyno only, no knock equipment, horsepower number chasing tuners.. we know who they are.

 

[martinbattye]

you have never been in a live tuned car compared to a dyno only tuned one then.
Not consistent? Are you sure on that statement? I think you'll find that the car pulling itself in it actually usage environment is far for consistent than a dyno. I have tuned over 300cars in various manners. The only 100%percent accurate loading comes from live map. A dyno is a great measuring tool. For comparison and diag. the only time a dyno is needed for full power tuning is if its unsafe to do so live.
If your not capable of driving your car whilst its making a full pass. Why have you tuned it to be that powerful. Thats not aimed at you. Its aimed at guys that like to post dyno sheets and tell there friends how much power they have. Before making a lame excuse not to have some pulls on the road.

 

[pegliobaglio]

I agree ,my car pulls hard and has been tuned for acceleration as I don't see on the roads u can use a car to its full potential,my car has a nismo remap and a 4.1 diff so is quick off the mark,maybe loses a bit top end but for me its perfect for how I like to drive and means I can enjoy the power more of the time as it spools quickly and gets thorugh the gears rapidly.

 

[als_jordan]

Martin,

I think you have mis-interpreted the meaning of my post... I was not disagreeing with your statement, in fact I meant exactly what you stated here below:

A dyno is a great measuring tool. For comparison and diag. the only time a dyno is needed for full power tuning is if its unsafe to do so live.

What i was commenting on that when you drive a distance to get your car mapped, you have to rely on weather, road conditions, police etc... I would suggest it is best to get teh car mapped live and then take it to an RR to check the results and then go through an interrative process if needed.

Als

you have never been in a live tuned car compared to a dyno only tuned one then.
Not consistent? Are you sure on that statement? I think you'll find that the car pulling itself in it actually usage environment is far for consistent than a dyno. I have tuned over 300cars in various manners. The only 100%percent accurate loading comes from live map. A dyno is a great measuring tool. For comparison and diag. the only time a dyno is needed for full power tuning is if its unsafe to do so live.
If your not capable of driving your car whilst its making a full pass. Why have you tuned it to be that powerful. Thats not aimed at you. Its aimed at guys that like to post dyno sheets and tell there friends how much power they have. Before making a lame excuse not to have some pulls on the road.

 

[drifter]

you have never been in a live tuned car compared to a dyno only tuned one then.
Not consistent? Are you sure on that statement? I think you'll find that the car pulling itself in it actually usage environment is far for consistent than a dyno. I have tuned over 300cars in various manners. The only 100%percent accurate loading comes from live map. A dyno is a great measuring tool. For comparison and diag. the only time a dyno is needed for full power tuning is if its unsafe to do so live.
If your not capable of driving your car whilst its making a full pass. Why have you tuned it to be that powerful. Thats not aimed at you. Its aimed at guys that like to post dyno sheets and tell there friends how much power they have. Before making a lame excuse not to have some pulls on the road.

How do you live map you cars with bigger power mate? I went out with Gary at APT when he live mapped my SAFC back in the old days and that was bad enough. Not having a go, just curious

 

[S15_SAM]

Well I bit the bullet and had it remapped today! Especially after martyn said he'd let him remap his cars. If another tuner says he's good then that's the highest compliment that can be paid!

Anyway down to business, I arrived at about 9.30. Met jez and his mechanic, seemed like nice guys. The garage is very small and in a random farm yard, but I personally know it's not all about big garages with all the gear and no idea, so I have a chat with the mechanic and look over the car etc.

I don't think it was me but Jez isn't the talkative type, plain and simple. But his record and history shows me he knows his stuff, the way he took my ecu apart and set the car up with det cans etc showed to me that he had he new what he was doing.

So I let the guys get on with it for 20-30mins checking the timing, fitting the board and setting up. And then jez took the car out on his own. As a mechanic it felt strange other people working on my car as I dont let anyone else touch it. But it had to be done.

In the meantime i chatted to his mechanic about all things technical and he seemed a really switched on chap who drives 2 hours to work everyday to work there, dedication! Jez came back 40ish mins later, saying it's all good and done.

Yes to some it may seem 40 mins isn't enough time to remap a car but when your only remapping a 15 to stage 1-2 it really isn't that complicated. There's only a certain amount you need to adjust and monitor and when someone has done hundreds of cars it becomes second nature. It does mean you can become complacent but judging by the way it drives it's spot on!! It pulls like a train and is very smooth and my AFR's are perfect.

The price was 379 fitted and mapped and if you go by time per pound then it's expensive compared to others who may give you more time and banter. And in that respect the price is high for the time spent and customer service is average. But for me he is local and i know the costs of mapping development and as the end customer your going to pay for it!

So in closing I would say I would recommend horsham developments, I'm very happy! (so far)

 

[martinbattye]

\/\/\/\/\ excellent.. im glad youve had a good result..!!

most of the proper old school tuners dont have stupid flashy places.. business is built on reputation, not image.

in regards to live mapping high power.. if its getting to lairy to live tune.. then it gets finished on the dyno.. my driver has been driving for me for 5years and i trust him with my life. suffice to say if he is not happy, we get it on the dyno.
tbh the rule of thumb is around the 500whp upwards point.

end of the day.. if the vehicle is capable of laying that sort of power down, it still must be checked under full load characteristics on the road. even if its a couple brief passes for logging purposes.

Martin