Z4 2.0i sdrive with a tuning box.
Discussion
So after enjoying the summer weather with the Z4 I have now decided to pack it away for the winter months. It will be replaced by a Saab 9-3 Vector convertible bought today from a friend as an mot failure(drivers side seat belt won't retract) for £300. It's in good condition with a good service history and drives really well. Bought a belt today for £140 so hope to have it bought and roadworthy for less then £500.
Anyway back to the Z4. Love it and even though it's only the 2.0 184bhp version I have to say i'm pretty happy with the way it performs. However as with these things there is always room for improvement. So after weighing up the options remap vs tuning box I have decided to go for a tuning box.
Hours of internet research finally left me with 2 options, Racechip or TMC. I chose TMC, for no real reason it was either one or the other. I am unfamiliar with maps and tuning boxes and part of me is still unsure weather or not it's a good thing, my main concern being will it damage the engine?, only time will tell I suppose.
So my £400 has been paid and I am now awaiting delivery. My next concern will be can I fit this myself or should I pay a garage? when it arrives i will read the instructions and a decision will be made.
Once it's fitted I will report back on any differences good or bad it has made to the way the car behaves.
Anyway back to the Z4. Love it and even though it's only the 2.0 184bhp version I have to say i'm pretty happy with the way it performs. However as with these things there is always room for improvement. So after weighing up the options remap vs tuning box I have decided to go for a tuning box.
Hours of internet research finally left me with 2 options, Racechip or TMC. I chose TMC, for no real reason it was either one or the other. I am unfamiliar with maps and tuning boxes and part of me is still unsure weather or not it's a good thing, my main concern being will it damage the engine?, only time will tell I suppose.
So my £400 has been paid and I am now awaiting delivery. My next concern will be can I fit this myself or should I pay a garage? when it arrives i will read the instructions and a decision will be made.
Once it's fitted I will report back on any differences good or bad it has made to the way the car behaves.
Lovely looking thing.
Surely the easiest and most effective way of upping the power would be to trade it in for a 3.0-litre version?
Planning on buying one myself in the new year and from the limited research I've done it's not easy or cheap to up the power on these.
What kind of gains are you expecting from the kit?
Surely the easiest and most effective way of upping the power would be to trade it in for a 3.0-litre version?
Planning on buying one myself in the new year and from the limited research I've done it's not easy or cheap to up the power on these.
What kind of gains are you expecting from the kit?
CountZero23 said:
Lovely looking thing.
Surely the easiest and most effective way of upping the power would be to trade it in for a 3.0-litre version?
Planning on buying one myself in the new year and from the limited research I've done it's not easy or cheap to up the power on these.
What kind of gains are you expecting from the kit?
Big gains on these for 400 quid or so, goes to 260 BHP and 300 lb/ft or more.Surely the easiest and most effective way of upping the power would be to trade it in for a 3.0-litre version?
Planning on buying one myself in the new year and from the limited research I've done it's not easy or cheap to up the power on these.
What kind of gains are you expecting from the kit?
Looks like a cracking car - I've long been a fan. Only one question, why on earth would you pack it away for winter? It's a modern car with a folding hardtop - surely driving it through the winter wouldn't do it any harm? And it would enable you to enjoy early morning, top-down, heater-maxed drives...
C70R said:
Looks like a cracking car - I've long been a fan. Only one question, why on earth would you pack it away for winter? It's a modern car with a folding hardtop - surely driving it through the winter wouldn't do it any harm? And it would enable you to enjoy early morning, top-down, heater-maxed drives...
Have to agree with this, had mine for 2.5 years and got me through 2 winters so far with no issues. Plus roof down, heated seats and heater on, a nice crisp sunny winters day is great fun. I have bookmarked this as I am interested in how you get on with the tuning box, report back regularly. I would love to keep in on the road during the winter months, but there a a couple of reasons why I have chosen not to. My location, I live in the country side, narrow pot holed roads, tractors and cow s
t. This in itself is not to much of a problem during daylight hours as they can all be relatively easily avoided not so during darkness. Another thing the roads around here are also steep and winding, they can become slippery and hard to negotiate.
What really made my mind up was when my friend offered me first refusal on the Saab 9-3 Vector cabriolet he was selling for £300 as an mot failure, shouldn't cost to much to get it through, it will then be used through winter. However saying all that as you say bright sunny crisp days, the Z4 temptation might be to much to resist.
Once I have the TMC fitted I will be sure to report back with a good honest review of how the car performs, all good and bad points will be included.
For anyone who might be interested I will start a thread on the highs and lows of topless winter shedding in the Saab.
t. This in itself is not to much of a problem during daylight hours as they can all be relatively easily avoided not so during darkness. Another thing the roads around here are also steep and winding, they can become slippery and hard to negotiate.What really made my mind up was when my friend offered me first refusal on the Saab 9-3 Vector cabriolet he was selling for £300 as an mot failure, shouldn't cost to much to get it through, it will then be used through winter. However saying all that as you say bright sunny crisp days, the Z4 temptation might be to much to resist.
Once I have the TMC fitted I will be sure to report back with a good honest review of how the car performs, all good and bad points will be included.
For anyone who might be interested I will start a thread on the highs and lows of topless winter shedding in the Saab.
Assuming the Saab's only fail was the seat belt not retracting, that's a pretty bargaintastic shed there.
You mat have found that simply servicing the seat belt i.e. cleaning and lubing the mechanism would have restored it to functionality - failing that I'd have just found a used one! As long as the webbing is intact and it works is the main thing - no point buying new if you're shedding.
You mat have found that simply servicing the seat belt i.e. cleaning and lubing the mechanism would have restored it to functionality - failing that I'd have just found a used one! As long as the webbing is intact and it works is the main thing - no point buying new if you're shedding.
vsonix said:
Assuming the Saab's only fail was the seat belt not retracting, that's a pretty bargaintastic shed there.
You mat have found that simply servicing the seat belt i.e. cleaning and lubing the mechanism would have restored it to functionality - failing that I'd have just found a used one! As long as the webbing is intact and it works is the main thing - no point buying new if you're shedding.
Not quite but saying that no to much of a horror story.You mat have found that simply servicing the seat belt i.e. cleaning and lubing the mechanism would have restored it to functionality - failing that I'd have just found a used one! As long as the webbing is intact and it works is the main thing - no point buying new if you're shedding.
Seat belt issue, £140 for a working replacement which i will fit myself this weekend.
Front anti roll bar links, £17 from ebay, will leave this to the garage.
NSF indicator bulb not working, got one in the shed, again will fit this myself this weekend.
The front lights have an issue where all bulbs work dip and main but when you pull the switch to turn on and keep on the main beams they will not stay on, they work fine when the switch is pulled back and held but once you let go of the switch they go out leaving just the dip beams. I hope this makes sense. This issue might need a bit of investigation, google and Saab forums suggest possibly the headlamp relay(orange one) might be at fault or possibly the switch itself. If anyone on here can shed any light on this I would be grateful.
Still think it's a bit of a bargain though.
DonaldTrump said:
dme123 said:
I assume it's a turbo to see those sorts of gains? I'd consider a reputable remap maybe, but a "tuning box" you'd be mad to use on a £500 Rover, let alone a proper car.
Why?? I presume.
GrumpyTwig said:
To be sure it's running properly and not at some crazy AFR that'll stick a hole in a piston.
I presume.
Pretty much. I'd have thought that the reasons not to introduce some barely tested third party box that pisses about with sensor signals so the very powerful and painstakingly calibrated ECU no longer knows what's actually going on inside the engine would be quite obvious!I presume.
dme123 said:
Pretty much. I'd have thought that the reasons not to introduce some barely tested third party box that pisses about with sensor signals so the very powerful and painstakingly calibrated ECU no longer knows what's actually going on inside the engine would be quite obvious!
The bolt on box is also more expensive than a Superchip Bluefin. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff