To Chip, Or Not To Chip…That Is The Question…

[Hyperion]

Once more unto the engine my dear friends, once more unto the engine…
I am currently adding some modifications to my car (CAI), and was thinking about chipping. Some people have argued good and bad points about chips, and I would just like to hear an honest opinion about how you feel they have affected your cars performance. Most times they are advertised as increasing HP, and gas mileage, but I have heard many complaints on the gas mileage issue. Some people claim that they have done absolutely nothing to their cars performance. So I was just interested in hearing it from people who have them, so that all of us who do not have them can make an fair accurate decision about the fate of our cars.

Also if you comment on chips, make sure to mention which one you have, and which one you think is the best.

[QuestMCoupe]

I have the JC chip from TMS. It helped a little and you feel the difference...not a whole lot but some, but if I were to get one now I think I'd go with AA.

[RayDuck]

Originally posted by Quest325is
I have the JC chip from TMS. It helped a little and you feel the difference...not a whole lot but some, but if I were to get one now I think I'd go with AA.

what specifcally about the AA chip do you like or the JC do you dislike?

[Anfanger]

Buy Jim C.

[Hyperion]

I know that the chip is designed to allow your engine to take advantage of any modifications you may have, and 91+ octanes, but how does it treat all of your cars miles per gallon? Good Bad Fair?

The companies I may be wrong on this, BMPD, BavAuto, TMS, Dinan, and AA all produce chips for BMW’s ranging roughly from $150-$300. Is any chip really better, or were they created unequal? With a difference of only $150 it seems like they are all about the same product, just packaged differently.

[Anfanger]

They are all actually slightly different... you can research a bit and see which ones "offer" what you want.

[232is PoWeR]

this is for everyone who has chips...if somebody offered you a free chip, would you get the same one youve got or a new one??? which brand would you get?

[PECivil]

I gather it depends on wheather your car is OBDI or OBDII.
OBDII is reputed to be much harder to "tweek" with chip electronics, because of more adaptive electronics already built in (I think?). but if your car is OBDI (95 and older) you actually get a physical chip you put into the car and it will provide hp and torque increases how much depending the particulars. Now if you have a OBDII ECU, (like me) you have to send it in and they reprogram it and send it back to you. You dont put a "chip" inside it. I had this done and I did notice an increase in accelleration and power but it was not a big increase at all, just really barely noticeable. I also have a CAI (which was on when I got the chip) and I added a SS Exhaust (after I got the chip). I did notice a larger improvement when I added the exhaust at HIGHER rpms and speeds. It feels much more powerful above 80mph than it did before, going from 80 to 100 much faster than b4. I gotta think this was mostly from the exhaust though, not the chip. If I had it to do over again I woulda saved the $395 for the chip and put it into the supercharger fund. Hope this helps
monte
97 318i

[Seedster]

im with monte...if you have an obd2 car (96+)...save the 400 bucks. you get a marginally...if even anything...increase in power. if you have a obd1 car (92-95)...my vote would be for the Jim C. software. and no they're not "packaged differently." they're all differently programed software. for example, dinan's software only tweeks the system at WOT....while the Jim C. chip has tweeked at WOT and at partial throttle.

[psk145]

also, you already have +- 190 HP, adding an additional 10 wont make that huge of a difference. It will make a bit, but its not gonna give you neck problems from the increase power.

[Anand]

just another name i would like to throw into this is GIAC, check them out at www.giacusa.com i don't have a chip from Garrett yet, but intend to in the near future... he has proven himself in the Audi world(the fastest A4 w/ a stock turbo in the US runs a custom GIAC chip), and this is enough to get me to buy his chip...

[whatever]

got the Jim C chip with a Dinan Auto chip a few weeks ago. I felt the engine rev and shift smoother. Other than that, the ability to rev to 7000rpm and no top speed regulated at 128 is kinda worth the money.

[QuestMCoupe]

I didnt say anything was wrong with my JC chip, I would just like to see how the AA feels. Dont get me wrong, I'm satisfied with my chip. Good luck.