Stage 1 ECU & TCU tune for my VW Vento: My overall experience

The car appears to be more free-revving than before. The fuel efficiency has increased by 20-25% on average, going by the MFD figures.

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Remap

So after having given it a lot of thought on whether or not I should get it done, I finally decided to bite the bullet since our Vento would be very less used going forward. I’ve got a Stage 1 ECU + TCU tune from the Etuners.

I’ve been in Pune for a week for getting a few things done on the Octavia, so has been Sreeram from Etuners for his AWD VRS230 conversion. While we were at it, I thought I might as well give remap a try as I can always go back to stock if I don’t like it.

We first flashed the ECU map via the OBD port, it barely took a few minutes, and we went on a spin to check how it is. The benefits are the usual, linear power delivery, much-improved top-end, and improved FE. The gear shifts were smooth even without the TCU tune.

We then flashed the TCU tune, and went for a spin after performing the basic settings of the gearbox via VCDS. The car now wants to be in D2 a lot more than before. It appears to be more free-revving than before. The FE has increased by 20-25% on average going by the MFD figures. The car, when driven sedately behaves very much like stock, it is only when you floor the pedal that the car starts putting all available horses at its disposal. For people who are struggling with FE, I’d strongly recommend a stage 1 remap purely for this.

The remap was done at The Mechanix Automotive. Having been to quite a few FNGs in Hyderabad and other places, it would be safe for me to say that the chaps at the Mechanix Automotive are an experienced bunch.

I’ve found that in many FNGs, the leadership is merely an investor in the garage, or a self-proclaimed “enthusiast”. However, here at the Mechanix, the leadership is very experienced and involved in how they diagnose the issue. I’ve seen them take TDs of the car for diagnosis, and after repair work has been carried out. I’ve also seen them regularly on the work floor directing their workforce on how and what needs to be done. You know the results ought to be good when the dedication is seen right from the top level to the bottom. Folks in Pune must definitely give them a try.

Having installed the big brake kit last year, I find how effective and needed it is now after the remap, probably because of the added torque, the stronger bite of the brakes is more felt. Sreeram told me that the figures should be around 137bhp at the crank and 241Nm as dyno-ed in Coimbatore.

The buzz lately has been to get car dyno-ed before and after the tune, but I neither have the time, nor the need since I’ve merely done it just for the sake of trying remaps aspect of cars. My Vento has been a good project car for us, I think I’ve done about almost every “type” of upgrade possible, features, performance, and aesthetics. I’m glad to have tried them all, and I’m glad about how the car has become over these last two years with all the upgrades. I would not want it any other way.

This cabin holds a very dear place in my heart.

P.S. I still have about 6 months of extended warranty period left, which went out the window the moment I decided to remap I guess, but touchwood, I’ve had zero issues and niggles from the car except for the abysmal stock brakes and the flimsy aircon vents, both of which will not be covered by warranty anyway.

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