Which Stage 2 upgrade and remap ? MTM, SKN, MRC, AMD

[saf]

Hi, Im waiting to have my car fixed up so i can get a stage 2 done. That is remap and exhaust. I have a facelift V registration Audi s4 2.7 T standard.

2 Questions.

Does anyone know what the difference with these remaps are. I heard MTM are good and give you 500NM and serious torque accross entire rev range.

Also Ive been in an SKN stage 2 remapped car and it feels very fast indeed.

I also noticed that MRC do a remap thats quite well priced. I called MRC adn ther have 2 choices, a standard remap for £400 and one for £500 that is tailor made for your driving, both around the same sort of power.

I have no idea what do go for. Some peeps told me that putting a chip in is not as good as direct port programming some people tell me replacing the chip is better (which is what mtm do apparantly).

Ive also Heard AMD is another good company but slightly lower torque than the mtm chip.

All the prices vary on chips remap so its gets very confusing to know whats best.

Does anyone have remaps for MTM or SKN or MRC or AMD, If so could you please tell me good and bad points of both that youve found. Also if anyone has driven a few and can make a comparison, that woul dbe handy.

The second thing is exhaust. I have my mind set on a Miltek exhaust as it has good reviews. I dont know which one to go for, the Single 3 inch bore with twin tail pipes at the end, ot the dual system also with twin tailpipes. Which is better for power increase, and which gives the deeper note.

I would very much appreciate your help. Thanks

[MarkB]

Theres no easy answer for all this. Search the forums is your best bet.

For me I have a Miltek 3 inch but would have liked the twin system (was fitted before I bought the car)

I have an AMD map but will use MRC if and when I take the car any further... AMD map was again done before I got the car.

[saf]

DO you know what the difference between the 3 inch and the dual is? they both twin pipes at the end. Is there difference in sound or performace of both. Also I know single 3 inch is slightly cheaper by about a hundred quid or so.

How you finding the AMD map. I never heard of MRC until I came upon this site, and it seems a lot of people like MRC. Ive decided to visit them for a health check next week. Thank ffor your comments.

[MarkB]

I think the dual flows more because it has dual pipes from front to back so more area. There are pictures on the Miltek website. I think it is also louder.

The AMD map is fine but I do find the throttle isn't very linear. Don't know if this is an AMD issue or just the way these cars are. The thing I don't like about the likes of AMD is that they appear faceless unlike MRC that are active on the forum and appear to be real petrol heads.

[mrwang]

Hi Saf

I too have a facelift S4 avant on a Y reg. I chose MTM over all the rest. Kim Collins has been in this game for a long time. He is well known in Germany as well as England. It may seem that you are paying a premium over other companies, but I always belive in paying for what I want, and short cutting has got me nowhere!!!

My visit to MTM was a well received and informative one. They kept me upto date with progress, and were happy to talk to an enthusiastic novice about what ever I bought up.

The first thing they did was test the car thoroughly, from stock, for air leaks and computor faults. A few were found, diverter valves, and a couple of hoses, nothing drastic. once the problems were delt with they carried out a dyno test. She came up trumps with 281.2BHP and 424.5Nm torque from stock, a shock to both of us.
Next the magic programme was added and once back together, another trip to the dyno was due.
Kim came into the wating room and proceeded to explain what had been done in greater detail and them handed me a piece of paper with the figures 327BHP and 519.7Nm on it. As you can imagine I didn't stop grining for some time.

I would highly recommend a trip to QST in Haywards Heath, it'll transform your car into a FUN machine.

Ben.

[saf]

Hello mr wang - your reply was most appreciated. I had my service done at QST in January. They were quite good. I did find that their labour costs were quite high compared to MRC etc. I think I was quoted £60+vat.

I did have them change the diverter valves and had some toher work done like the exhaust gas sensor, etc. But other work I lfet to a friend of mine locally. They quoted me £350 to change the aux water pump and over £600 for breaks and discs. I found that to be quite expensive as vagparts do original part for an s4 and breaks and discs comes up to £250 for parts. So I wasnt going to pay £350 for the labout to put them on although Im sure they do a good job.

I was pleased with the service they did ,and they looked very professional, but I want to check MRC out forst and here from a few people who have been in both an SKN remapped and an MTM remapped car.
Seems like you was lucky with your S4. Youre 15 HP over stock as standard. and 520NM afterwards. That must be very fast.

Going back to QST for my remap seems like the best idea so far, but will need to check all the others first and see other peoples experiences.

MrWang did you get the dual system put on on the single miltek?

Many thanks.

[dazzer]

I have the custom MRC remap and had the AMD map before. I echo Mark's comment re the AMD map - I found it a very unrelaxed drive and very hesitant. My car was running with some serious retarded ignition also with the AMD remap.

The MRC remap is a proper custom job. Mine is exceptionally smooth throughout the rev range and I am looking forward to gutting my precats and getting some sports cats with a new map. I have the duel cat back - it is supposed to flow better than the single. As for noise the duel is slightly louder but both systems are understated, non Chav melodies.

I can't comment on MTM but from what I know they are probably the only other tuner I thought about going to before I went to MRC. MTM is pricey though.

Personally I like the guys at MRC, they are great to spend time with, real enthusiasts, happy to share knowledge, very good at what they do, reasonably priced and I won't trust my car to anyone else. I also helps if you like pizza.

[mikeyquattro]

Saf,
Although I haven't yet been to MRC, My local specialist has even talked of MRC being one of the top remappers in the country. I will be going to them for a map, but will still be going to 'my local' for everything else.
I have a 3" single, and I would have gone for the dual if I was buying sportcats aswell.

HTH

Mike

[mrwang]

Since then I've done a few bits. One of my KO3 bearings died, so I had KO4s fitted, I've had RS4 GmbH suspension and thats all. Still running the stock exhaust. Sounds completely different now with the KO4s though. For an extra 15-20 BHP can't see the point.

Have bought RS4 intercoolers and will soon have them, an RS4 clutch, RS4 fuel pump, MTM uprated injectors fitted. top this off with a free second MTM remap and I'm told she should be showing over the 400BHP mark. can't wait to see the torque figure

Ben

[saf]

Thanks dazzer, that helped quite a bit. I was always hesitant of AMD for some reason, probably because Ive heard a few people say something along the lines of what youve said. I still dont understand the difference between the MRC remap youved had and the standard one MRC do for £400.

Thanks Mikey - I think Ive made my mind up on the Dual system as well. There must bbe a reason why its more expensive. Someone also pointed out to me that the Single is quite bulky and suffers more scraping against road syrface, bumps etc. Although Im not lowered, best have something safer. I willgo to MRC for a health check and see what they say when Im there.

Thanks Mr Wang - Did you have to modify anything else when you replaced your K03's with K04.s It sounds like you just swapped them over. Was there any ECU remap to cope with the different Turbos or did you just run them on the stage 1 MTM remap? How much labour does it cost to change them over anyhow. I cant believe your car was doing 327 horsepower without the miltek exhaust and 519NM. Those gains are higher than the quoted Stage 2 with the exhaust. (Maybe you were running K04's) thats why. Or was you still running K03's at the time. I always thought you had to do lots of other modifications when you change up to K04's. I heard that the Miltek exhaust does wonders for the car and transforms the note of the car greatly. I heard Kim's Estate at QST, and that sounded awesome (Had the dual pipes on). Ive never heard a Single though. Thanks for your input mate.

[mikeyquattro]

The difference between the MRC maps,
£400. Generic chip. Basically plug and play
£500 Custom map to suit your driving style and cars behaviour.
MRC custom map IMO is the best route for nice smooth power how you want it and longevity of your car/turbos.

Either milltek pipe will not change the exhaust tone much, until you change the cats. Then the noise will be much better. I expect just gutting the precats will make a difference(can someone who has had this done give there views?)

[mrwang]

Hi Saf, Morning to you.

I only had the KO4s fitted because the KO3s failed and the 4s are ment to be a mutch stronger unit. At the time, big power was not my aim as I was quite happy with the stage 1 power gains. She is slightly quicker now with the 4s and I only notice very slite over boost between about 3 & 4000 RPM and Kim said this was not a problem but fixable with a few more mods and a remap.

Since thinking about selling the car and realizing the money I've already spent on it would be lost, I've decided to go allout woop with it and take it to the +400BHP mark. I'll update the forum with my progress.

I think my unusually hight power gains are because it's a late facelift. Apparently they modified part of the exhaust manifold and downpipes due to problems found on earlier models. I may be well wrong here, it's just what I've heared through the grape vine. I might just be lucky.

As for an exhaust, it's not high on my priority list but when I do decide to get one it would deffinately be the Miltek Dual system with the high flow cats. You're right it does sound good and just seems right for each bank to have it's own seperate pipe.

Any way enough for now, some of us gota go to work.

Ben

[KayGee]

Get yourself over to MRC, you'll be amazed at what K04s can do for you with a custom remap...

[ZeroK66]

Hi Saf,

Word of advice... if you are going to get a "chip" rather than a custom re-map I would advise going with MTM ONLY as their chip is a very safe one - one of the best so I have heard. YOu can run the car to redline in 6th wihout worrying the thing is gonna explode.

MRC run conservative boost with agressive timing. Safer for your turbos and general weak points on these cars. Their maps produce good power and are generally safer for the car. Everyone that has one seems to be happy wtih it.

I have the MTM chip and I am happy... but I know no different. If I were you I would get on the M25->M40 and visit MRC. I lived 10 min from where you are and did that trip often when visiting my brother up there. An okay drive and WELL worth going wtih MRC!

[tartan_rob]

Gutting precats and dual miltek with std cats is quite loud below 2k revs, not horrific but on par with M3 say...my Mrs noticed straight away but outside the car it sounds very smooth and throaty and has a big diff in mid to high range acceleration. Above 2k the car sounds as quiet as std with these mods.