New tuners on the block?

[wazza]

West Tuning
I saw the ad in EVO magazine this month. They are based inside the Thruxton circuit and claim to be able to tune S3, S4, RS4, RS6 as well as some other brands.
Website isn't up to much currently [img]images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Are they new or already established?

[grichell]

I have dealt with Ray West and know others who have. He used to do Touring Car preparation in UK and I believe DTM. Very experienced at the sharp end. He designs and manufactures all AMD's big brake kits. He has been around a long time but I just saw his first ad in a magazine. Hope this helps.

[s8n]

Guys, do you have a contact for Ray West? Email would be great...


Thanks !

[img]images/graemlins/s3addict.gif[/img]

[s8n]

Phone number is also fine [img]images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]


edit: just managed to find his number, and have managed to get in contact!

[GlynRS2]

I think Geoff, previously at AmD and supreme ECU reprogramming maestro, is also working with Ray West. I believe Geoff split from AmD when they moved to Bicester as previously they were based virtually in his front garden.

[Thorney]

Geoff still works with AmD, he just freelances for other people as well now.

[Steve_Mc]

Post my visit to Goodwood I'm taking the first tentative steps along the mods route. I ran an AmD modded TT previously and was totally 100% happy with their work in every way. However I think it's always best to research all alternatives before deciding who to go with. I mailed Ray West about his options for the RS4 (as the website is still not ready) and he offers the following:

ECU remap - serial port tuning, individual map, before and after dyno run, +43bhp, +82lb/ft torque £850
Milltek exhaust - with map plus exhaust +57bph, +95 lb/ft. Exhaust is £670
Brake kits - custom kits, AP, Brembos etc. Price subject to requirements from £1,890
Suspension kits - I haven't followed this up for full product details as I'm sticking with stock for now, but priced at £847

All prices include fitting, exclude VAT.

The prices seem keen, but I can't find much feedback from anyone who has used these guys. Ray has been very patient replying to my e-mails and I don't want to waste any more of his time until I'm more sure of actually going down the mods route. So has anyone got any more feedback on West Tuning apart from the above comments in January?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[Thorney]

Doesn't look much different from AmD, QST etc, only difference is AmD have modded loads and loads of RS4's (as have QST to a slightly lesser extent) and West may not have done any yet?

[Bushy]

very diplomatic Thorney

[sitas3]

are you on a good rate, Thorney???

[Thorney]

You note I mentioned both of the Uk's leading Audi tuners....I'm nothing if not diplomatic

In all seriousness the RS4 is not an easy motor to work on and it is very easy to destroy one through not knowing the intricacys. Barely a week goes by at AmD when there isn't an RS4 having some kind of tuning work so if I wanted a spanner monkey technician on it I'd want someone who done it at least 10x before.

West are well reputed tuners but I seriously doubt they seen more than a few RS4's to work on.

Oh and I don't get commission which is a bit of a bugger as I'd get paid shitloads more if I was

[Steve_Mc]

Doesn't look much different from AmD, QST etc, only difference is AmD have modded loads and loads of RS4's (as have QST to a slightly lesser extent) and West may not have done any yet?

It's the serial port + custom map that is different (as well as the price being lower). AmD are still swapping out the ECU (judging by the delay in the Oneclick product), right? If West made it switchable too, then they'd have a killer product. Revo is switchable, but only with a generic map which I don't fancy on a three year old car.

I agree the point about them not having done as many 4s as the likes of AmD and QST, but am curious about the spanner monkey comment in the context of your post in January saying Geoff was freelancing for them? Is this no longer the case (not trying to be smart here, just genuinely curious, as you are much much more knowledgable about the tuning game than I am).

Searching the net I found postive testimonies about West from a 996TT owner on pistonheads, Mini owners on the Mini forum, a few write ups in BMW performance mags (particularly the brake kits) and a few good noises on the Seat performance forums. Can't find any write ups on Audi forums, which is swaying me back towards the traditional guys for the remap, but I'm still keen on the brake kits.

Any more thoughts anyone?

[Thorney]

Spanner monkey comment was obviously tongue in cheek, as I said in the post West are a well respected firm, I was merely pointing out that what they were offering was no different to what is already available from already respected firms so (IMO) I would trust the experienced ones first - I'm not suggesting the West tuning is bad in any way.

The serial port tuning aspect isn't new IMO.

I wasn't trying to be controversial, just that the RS4 isn't just a bolt in a chip and off you fly type engine, I'm not saying West are bad, just that epxerience counts for quite a lot.

[PhilT]

"RS4 isn't just a bolt in a chip and off you fly type engine" - Interesting, why is that? Some companies have the ability to apply a Serial Port Generic Map, and allow the car to adapt to it's optimum settings. Any major issues are almost instantly visible in as much as it would be a substancially down on power.

Out of interest.... Does anyone know, for any chip, what the start point of a custom chip is and how many tables are altered during it's customisation?

[Tomson]

Are we saying that west can offer custom chipping, which is switchable through the serial port (REVO Stylee) ?

If so then this has to be the winner surely - as for which tuner does what best etc etc...

It's all down to personal preference, and who you trust.

Although I have taken ALL of my previous cars to AmD, I always seem to end up going back there to have something sorted out again, and/or the bill always seems to be twice as much as it should be.........

I was going to try Dialynx as they are the closest to me (and a change of waiting room would be nice !!) - Although Like others I am worried about the 'REVO' generic solution not being suited to my car - It has done 151K. Although the SPS3 can be adjusted to increase or decrease boost ?

I love which tuner threads