OK - as any other true-blooded NAMer I have been on the quest "What is the best ECU program?" and like anyone else who has embarked on this quest I have come up with a headache and a slight case of insomnia. So, I asked my MA what he thought- he is a cool guy, knows I autocross and doesn't hesitate to cover stuff under warranty. He said that he would only recommend the Shark injector. Does he have stock in the company, is he blowing smoke? I had narrowed it down to GIAC and MTH, but now I am more confused than ever. I like being able to do the install myself, as the nearest GIAC dealer is 100+ miles away, which is a huge plus with the Shark. Chime in, tell me it's all a bad dream and the obvious ECU choice is ___________.

By the by, I have the M7 16% pulley and BMP intake - nothing else. Since the pulley the car pulls harder but gives a flat spot at about 5500-6000 RPM. I'm not looking for an extra 500 hp from the ECU flash (though that would be nice), but the flat spot is annoying to say the least. That being said, if I am going to drop $400 for an ECU program I might as well get the most out of my money. So, the jillion dollar question - Shark, GIAC or MTH?

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...Shark+Injector

Here is a discussion you might enjoy.

 

I was in the same boat as you several months ago, unsure about what tune would offer me the most bang for the buck. I can't tell you how many times I would re-read the experiences, good and bad, of the various tunes till I was blue in the face. I ended up settling for MTH, simply cause I liked having the option of being able to install/remove the tune myself. I would have loved to try out GIAC, but the nearest tuner was a couple hours away and I felt that was too far to drive simply for the sake of getting a tune. I will admit, though, that I don't regret my decision at all for going the MTH route. I've been pleasantly pleased with the changes I've noticed, the two biggest being the increased redline and the DSC change. Of course, I'm sure you'll read countless opinions about the various tunes. I only hope after you drop down the money you will have felt it was money well spent.

GotMINI

 

For what it is worth. I run Mth on my '04 S with pulley and etc. I still have a dead spot near red line tht drives me nutz. If I would do it over again, I would got with the Shark.

Those of us in the BMW world know Contiki and the Shark injector. Contiki is a math genious who has been generating codes for BMW for a long time. The Shark has a great reputation that many of us BMW tuners have use. I personally have used in on several BMWs.

 

Shark has been kind of proven to be worthless for MINIs..
Stick with GIAC even though the dealer is far..

 

Jim Conforti has done a great job with the Shark for conservative BMW upgrade applications.

Shark for BMW - maybe.

Shark for MCS - definitely not. Been there and done that.

 

Unichip is another option..... worth a look
More money than an ECU tune but it is plug & play. You need to go back to stock? Just un plug it & re plug the OE harness into the ECU.