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okay, let's hear it from the guys who actually track and autocross (chip question)

leegf

(OO=[][]=OO)
Location
NY, NJ
and no, i'm not talking about a dragstrip. is a chip useful at all (i.e., even remotely worth the potential headache, and risk) for getting you faster through corners, or is its raison d'etre simply straight line speed?

my hunch is that it's the latter- i'm no expert by any stretch, but i suspect our cars have more than enough torque and power to handle through its poor front wheels when you fling it hard into a corner (feel free to correct me on this). but if you're chipped and feel 'wow, my chip has really enhanced my track and/or autocross experience', i'd like to hear from you.
 

TZSGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Jersey City, NJ
Car(s)
Honda Civic Type R
I am sure DanGSR will help you out with it.

For my First time Autoxing ever i would have to say no. The GTI has plenty of torque for me. I actually wished it had a bit less power when i went the first time. Thats because i dont know how to drive :biggrin: . But depending on what level you are on. If you already maxed your cars potential then YES.

That is for AutoX. I can imagine on a road course the chip would help alot. But like you said you want someone who actually did it and i never went road racing yet.
 

leegf

(OO=[][]=OO)
Location
NY, NJ
I am sure DanGSR will help you out with it.

dangsr fanclub ftw.

as much as i admire and appreciate dan's expertise, are there literally no other authorities on this board?
 

TZSGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Jersey City, NJ
Car(s)
Honda Civic Type R
Yes i reliazed that. The GTI is still new for people to turn this car into a complete track car. I guess when they are older more people would be getting into them making them track cars.

Untill now at least we have Dan :thumbsup:
 

BMLracer

Ready to race!
Location
Columbus, OH
Car(s)
08 GTI/4
its not the age of the car
its that most vw ppl aren't into motorsports
they rather build show cars

Show cars are a waste. If it can't hold up on the track, then what good is it? I'm one of the lucky one's that have spent the last $500,000+ and 24 years of my life involved in motorsport. Joy...

Anyway, to maintain VW content, I have been fortunate to spend a few weeks this year playing with a fleet of GTI DSG's out at Firebird in PHX. I have to agree with DanGSR that a chipped car for a noob, especially in an auto-x situation, is more difficult to drive than the stock car. We pulled more than a few folks out of weeds on the west track at Firebird during some of our dealer training exercises.
 

Maximum6

FASTER
Location
in heaven
most vw owners I know...or meet at a meet are "hippielike". The type with pimple face, beanie, smokes in the car etc.

When MKV came out..it all changed...:23:
 
I have a chip and I turn it off for auto-x. I find the car to be more controlable coming out of corners. I even experiment sometimes to see if it makes a different and consistantly I am faster with the chip off then I am with it on.
 

HoldDaMayo

Leaner and Meaner
Location
Temecula, CA
Car(s)
2007 GTI UG 5 Door
I'd like to see someone take the cost of an LSD + install and see what other mods they can do instead, take the car to the track and see how it does...

I'd wager LSD money spent on a chip, DP, cone on a stick, and brake pads would be considerably faster. You definitely have to be smoother with the throttle without an LSD... floor it before you're on a straight line and you're guarenteed to spin with a stage 2 GTI...
 

xyouthx

slow ass car
Location
Cincinnati
It helped me gain around a second on my competitors after I was chipped, but at the particular track, it had many straights and it did a lot in that respect, but he's right it can definately hurt you also.

I gained more time from tires than I did my chip, but next weekend at rallyx we'll see haha...As far as a road course goes, really really helps since you're anywhere from 2nd to 4th gear most of the time.
 

Meat

rack rack 'em
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Car(s)
2007 GTI [DSG]
I feel that a chip would definietly help when on a road course but in a lower speed autox event the gains would be minimal if any at all. When you come out of a corner with 1100 feet until the next turn, the added power from the chip makes a difference, but when you're staying under 40 mph in runs that last only a minute or so, it doesn't do all that much.

As Dan stated, the extra torque makes it hard to get traction at low speeds and in many of the situations that you would find yourself in during an autocross.
 
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