Should you chip your car?

Efficiency – “Engine chip” modifications can have negative effects on a vehicle's gas mileage, especially any chip that alters the emissions control systems of the vehicle in any way. This lost efficiency can be costly, and probably isn't profiting you anything in terms of horsepower.

Is chipping a car worth it?

Because this practice continues to be widely spread, it brings many of us to question, “Do performance chips work?” The answer is yes. Performance chips provide a substantial boost in torque output and overall vehicle performance.

Are performance chips safe for your car?

A performance chip does not cause damage to your engine or transmission as it increases the horsepower and torque output. This power is generated mainly by harmlessly adjusting your air/fuel ratio and ignition timing to optimal settings. In fact, a performance chip can even protect your engine from damage.

Does tuning chip damage engine?

If tuned improperly, it can cause immediate and serious engine damage. Advancing timing can mean more power but also a higher chance of potential detonation.

How much does it cost to chip your car?

The ECU tune should cost between $400-$1,500 for a mid-range car or truck and between $600-$3,200 for a luxury or racing vehicle. If your vehicle requires a new ECU chip, these range from $150 to $1,600. Engine tuning can be complicated, with some vehicle shops specializing in it and doing nothing else.

The Truth about Engine ECU Upgrades, Chips

How much horsepower does a chip add?

How Much HP Does a Chip Add? Generally, manufacturers claim that their performance chips can give your gasoline engine a performance boost of up to 35 HP. The numbers are even higher for cars with diesel and turbocharged engines.

Does chip tuning void warranty?

Will a Performance Chip void the vehicle warranty? Performance chips are safe for your vehicle's warranty, protected by law under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The vehicle manufacturer cannot simply void your entire vehicle's warranty due to aftermarket accessories.

Can you chip an automatic car?

Yes it certainly can.

Is an ECU tune worth it?

If it is to boost the power and the torque of your vehicle and help overtake other road users safely while adding a little bit more driving pleasure due to slightly higher overload when starting after standstill, and generally giving a bit more fun while driving, then the answer is yes.

Which tuning chip is best?

Do the performance chips really work?

Performance chips may give you power but will also increase your engine's risk of a power failure. Advertised gains by manufacturers often do not match real-life performance. Installing a performance chip would void an existing warranty on your vehicle.

Does a chip help with gas mileage?

A modern, fuel-injected gasoline engine is built to be as efficient as possible. In fact, it's required by emissions laws. However, many drivers install performance chips to improve fuel efficiency. These chips remap your vehicle's ECU, adjusting settings to improve fuel efficiency and other metrics.

What does chipping your car do?

In essence, these chips trick the car into thinking that it has a bigger and more powerful engine than what the original manufacturer had intended. As a result, they can increase perceived performance percentage through better throttle response, possibly better fuel economy, and slightly higher torque and horsepower.

Are police cars remapped?

Nope. They have never remapped any of their cars. They get better brakes and the Firearms cars get uprated suspension sometimes because of the load but otherwise nowt, all standard.

Can insurance tell if car remapped?

Motorists often ask, “can insurance tell if a car is remapped?” The answer is no, but they may find out. Insurers don't inspect cars before giving them cover, so, in reality, your insurer won't randomly check your car for remapping even though some policies may say the insurer can inspect a vehicle if they want to.

How much is a car with 100k miles worth?

Last summer, the average used vehicle with between 100,000 and 110,000 miles on its odometer was worth about $12,700, according to Edmunds.com. That was just a few dollars more than it had been worth the year before. This year, that same sort of vehicle would be worth about $16,500, a roughly 30% increase in value.

Are tuner chips safe?

Yes, chip tuning is safe if done correctly — it's nothing more than reprogramming your ECU with new values, after all, to achieve a different goal than the manufacturer originally intended. Still, your ECU is just like any other computer and things could go wrong quite quickly if it's not programmed right.

What is a Stage 1 tune?

A stage 1 tune is simply an ECU remap or chip tune. This is the most cost-effective way to modify any vehicle for performance. Turbo-diesel and turbo-petrol vehicles respond extremely well to stage 1 tuning and commonly see a 20 – 40% increase in bhp and torque.

How much HP can you get out of a tune?

For a general stock car (i.e. no additional performance parts), a tune will boost your hp by 10 to 15 percent. What's more is that if you've added performance parts to your vehicle such as cold air intake, exhaust, or turbo, the hp boost you gain from tuning may be as high as 50 percent more!

What are the disadvantages of remapping a car?

Is remapping a good idea?

Remapping can increase both performance and economy in most types of vehicles. Even a car with a 1 litre engine can receive good power gains from a remap, especially if it has a turbocharger. Most modern cars these days have a turbocharger (or supercharger) fitted to the engine.

What problems can a remap cause?

Will a cold air intake void my warranty?

Will a Cold air Intake Void my factory warranty? No. In the United States, for the manufacturer of a warranted product (in this case, a vehicle) to void or deny warranty coverage of a repair due to the use of an aftermarket part (a Cold Air Inductions, Inc.

Can you Demap a car?

Technically, modifying any part of a car can invalidate some or all elements of a manufacturer or approved used warranty. In most cases however, no physical modification will be made to your ECU as the remap can be uploaded via the OBD port.

What mods will not void warranty?

Anything that you can bolt on to the outside or inside of the car that has no function other than looks will also not have any issue with manufacturer warranty as well. Even functional exterior mods like a wing or diffusers will be able to clear the service writer's checklist.