Stage I: Long term review?

Greetings from the golfmkvi forums. As a first time owner of a GTI (MKVI), I am just now learning about the wonders of chipping. The stats are impressive, and the reviews are almost entirely glowing.

What I'm not finding, however, is a resource that discusses the long term effect of chipping on the GTI. I thought you all would have tremendous insight. So if I may ask a few questions:


Who did you go with (APR, GIAC, REVO, someone else)?

How long have you been chipped?

How reliable has your car been?

Any regrets?

Any suggestions to those of us just starting to explore VWs?





Thank you for your time, and replies. (I tried to search the forums for a post that would answer these questions, but came up empty. My apologies if this is a frequent topic)

Here is a customers review:


Sean R - Just a (hopefully) quick note to add my assessment of the APR software.
(I'm kidding. it's not quick. But hopefully it helps with your purchase decision)

Background: 2006.5 MKV GTI 2.0T FSI. 6. Spd man.
Acquired: April 30, 2006.
"Chipped": July 2006, Miami, Fl. (Summer, avg temp, 90 degrees (all temps in Fahrenheit), sea level, typically 60-90%% humidity.)

Original programs purchased: APR 93, stock, security lockout
Driving style; fairly assertive/aggressive.

Typical APR usage; stock, Monday-Thursday (daily commute 15 miles each way), APR 93 Fri-sun. (a little weekly reward for a hard week's work); for highway trips (typically 200 + miles) APR 93. Avg temp 80-90 degrees

Visits to dealership: 4, Original purchase dealership (Ft. Lauderdale area) 1000 K oil change, 5000 K service, 10,000 K o/c, 15,000 mile service. Two warranty appointment (exploded fog light, A/C compressor).
Detection of APR software by dealership: 0
Issues to engine caused by APR software: 0

August 20007; 2,200 mile drive: relocation to Albuquerque NM from Miami Fl.
Drive time: 3 days. (Avg speed, 85 mph) departure vehicle mileage, 16,000 miles.
Leg 1: Miami to Orlando Fl, 225 miles, avg temp 89 degrees. Leg 2: Orlando, FL-Baton Rouge, LA. 11 hours, 3 stops. Initial drive temp. 75 degrees. Arrival temp; 101 degrees. Elevation. ; Sea level .Leg3: Baton Rouge, LA-Dallas, TX. 6.5 hours. Departure temp 80 degrees. Arrival temp 104 degrees. Elevation; 100 ft above sea level. Leg 4, Dallas, TX-ABQ, NM. 10.5 hrs. Dept. temp, 75 degrees. Arrival Temp 104 degrees. Elevation change; gradual, from 100 ft above sea level- 5200 ft above sea level.

APR Usage: For the Miami to Dallas legs, APR 93 was used for the entire drive. Fr. Abilene TX, to ABQ, NM, stock mode used due to highest gas grade being 90 octane. For ABQ residency and beyond, APR 91 octane program purchased and utilized from August 15th, 2007-present.

Arrival vehicle mileage, 18,200 miles. Time spent in NM: 8 months.
Seasons experienced: 4. Summer: avg. daytime temp, 90 degrees, avg nighttime temp, 59 degrees. Fall: avg. daytime temp, 75 degrees, avg. nighttime temp, 50 degrees. Winter: avg. day: 45 degrees, avg. night, 27 degrees. (Lowest recorded temp with Apr 91, 14 degrees, January 2008.)

Visits to dealership. 2, engine related. Fuel pump issue (documented warranty issue) PVC issue (documented warranty issue) 3 days after arrival to ABQ, NM. Service downtime, 8 days (parts shipped from overseas), oil change, 18,200 miles. 25,000 mile service (24,200 miles)

APR software detection by dealership: 0
APR performance issues in 4 season temps/ conditions (including 3 snowstorms), and 8 months at 5,200 ft above sea level: 0

May 2008: relocation from ABQ- San Diego, CA. elevation change: gradual, 5/200 ft-seal level in 8/5 hours. Dept mileage, 24,220. Dept. temps, 61 degrees. Route via Flagstaff, AZ-Phoenix, AZ-San Diego, CA. Avg temp 88 degrees. (Temp spike during drive through San Diego East Mountain region, 104 degrees for 4 hours) Arrival temp, 85 degrees. Arrival mileage, 25,000 miles (about an 800 mile ride, 1 stop)

Seasons since arrival; mild. Avg temp summer: Day, 85 degrees, night, 59 degrees. Fall, 70 degrees- night, 49 degrees. "Winter", avg day 60 degrees, avg. night 38-40 degrees. Spring (see fall).
Visits to dealer: 1, 30K service.

APR software detection: 0

So what does all this bull**** mean? That since July 2006, through over 30,000 miles, more States, elevation and temp changes than arguably most APR users have ever experienced over a 3 year time period, t stop and go, city, and highway traffic, trips that average 200 + miles, through every kind of weather condition imaginable, the goddamned software has done exactly what it's supposed to do. Cause the damn car to haul ass without a single problem, utterly undetected by 5 different dealerships in 3 states, coast to ****ing coast.

So buy it, and enjoy it, and keep your mouth shut when you take it in for service. Just as I will continue to do next year, when I trade this sucker in for a 6 spd. Quattro A4, with either 18' Sport package, or S-line.
APR, thanks for 3 great years. See you next year, boys.

That's the first thing that popped into my head too Arin. Great write-up! Gotta love customers like that, I have a couple on my site too.

I've been chipped for about 22,000 miles. Everything has been beautiful. Reliability has been perfect. The ONLY downside is the fact that you will get used to the extra power and crave the next big thing. It's fun though!

Stage 3....mmmmm...*drools*..

Stage 1 is great, love it!!! It's like night/day.

i have a k04 apr tune on mine and got warranty work done on the motor still injectors coil packs and some other stuff

This is good information to have, and I appreciate every response. The ECU upgrade excites the heck out of me.

I'd also love to hear from those who maybe have 50, 60, or even 70,000 miles on a chipped GTI (perhaps a tall order with the MKV, but I can hope, can't I). I tend to get attached to my car, and hold onto it for years and years. I don't think I'll be like the gentleman who put 30ish k miles on the GTI, then traded it in for a new car (although a bitchin' MKVII R could conceivably change that).

Our main technical support guy was a customer for several years. He actually won our stage III kit at our BBQ in 2008. He began working for us a while after and currently has 70-80k on his DSG 2.0T with over a year's worth with the car as stage III. I think he's a pretty happy guy with his setup.

A good group to look at would be the B5 S4 and A4 stage III guys. We have customer with 200k+ of full APR stage III+ bliss and still running strong. We like to make power, and we know the limit. It's a balance of performance and reliability. Anyone can make a car go fast down a straight line, we make sure you can go fast and enjoy your car for years.

APR stage2 for over 2 years 15k miles with no problems I’ve had all the VW recall work done by the dealer with no questions asked.

I've had my APR Stage 1 for 25,000 miles now. It's been nothing but a pleasure. I don't expect any issues.

DUB2OT said:

APR stage2 for over 2 years 15k miles with no problems I’ve had all the VW recall work done by the dealer with no questions asked.

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holy hell. you dont drive much. i put 22k on my car in a year. lol.

i was stage 1 for about 10k and have been stage 2+ for about 8k, no problems at all. :thumbsup:

^^ Yeah I just hit 25K miles the car is almost 4 years old.

Arin@APR said:

A good group to look at would be the B5 S4 and A4 stage III guys. We have customer with 200k+ of full APR stage III+ bliss and still running strong. We like to make power, and we know the limit. It's a balance of performance and reliability. Anyone can make a car go fast down a straight line, we make sure you can go fast and enjoy your car for years.

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Because no one else does.
Mongo if I were you I would research and mainly readup on posts made by Keith@APR and Arin@APR and note how and what they talk about. Do you want a company that just sits around and bashes competition? Do you want a company that acts like a bunch of kids being behind you. Do you want your ECU bricked lol. That was a big deciding factor when I first got chipped 3 years ago and over 50k miles. I chose Revo, I like my Revo tune and most of all they will work with you and what modifications you have. APR on the other hand if you don't plan on following exactly what mods they want you to have for their software your up shit creek without a paddle. (Another Member here just switched from APR to Revo for this exact reason and I know he will not be shy to say) So basically do you want to be like everyone else on the road or have the possiblity of bending the box down the road. Personally I like to try new things.

I've never had a single negative thing happen to my vehicle that i have not caused physically. I've traveled from Maine though the hills of PA all the way down to West Virginia with my car. I've seen all different levels of atmoshperic conditions, plus stress heck I've brought my car to the track just about every single week during the warmer spring-fall months here in NJ!

Cheers. :thumbsup:

Chipping you car will not mess up you car at all. If you drive like and ass all the time either way, you will "wear" you car out fast both stock and chipped
I have been chipped for the entire year, and all is good!

07Noside said:

Because no one else does.

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That seems to be a bold claim. I'm sure there are some other aftermarket companies making good products for these cars! Anyways I'm speaking about APR products and the route APR has chosen to taken with our products.

Thanks!

-Arin