Drivetrain Why are there so many Unichips for sale?
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 1
From: Northampton MA
Is there a method available like MTH where you would upload OS parameters to the vendor & download a flash for your ECU? Or do you need to have the flash done on site like a GAIC tune?
There is are many tuning possibilities for almost any other car but the Mini & maybe Kia. Dimsport would be a good addition.......
Banned
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
Dimsport software has had good success with the Mini OS. No easy feat.
Is there a method available like MTH where you would upload OS parameters to the vendor & download a flash for your ECU? Or do you need to have the flash done on site like a GAIC tune?
There is are many tuning possibilities for almost any other car but the Mini & maybe Kia. Dimsport would be a good addition.......
Is there a method available like MTH where you would upload OS parameters to the vendor & download a flash for your ECU? Or do you need to have the flash done on site like a GAIC tune?
There is are many tuning possibilities for almost any other car but the Mini & maybe Kia. Dimsport would be a good addition.......
Bill
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 1
From: Northampton MA
Thanks Bill
Neutral
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: columbus ohio
uni chip
Does anyone know? Do they suck? Are they a disappointment? Are people ditching them for something else? For those that have them and hated them - what was the problem? For those that have them and love them - is it because you got a custom tune, which was able to really bring the motor to life? Or is it simply because you can use them more than once, unlike the Shark, which you cannot re-sell? 
I've had nothing but problems with mine.
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 1
From: Northampton MA
I've had nothing but problems with mine.
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
That doesn't sound good. Keep us posted....
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 450
Likes: 0
From: Hurricane Alley, FL
I've had nothing but problems with mine.
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
Its been 14 months and I still have't gotten anything resolved.
Before I start to bash those involved, I'm trying one last time to get my money back.
So stay tuned to hear about my experience with Uni-Chip and a well known vender. :impatient
I did consider that, which is why I wrote "Or is it simply because you can use them more than once, unlike the Shark, which you cannot re-sell?" I did not mention mth or giac because I did not know if those were vehicle specific, but I know the shark is, so I mentioned that one.
The appeal of unichip, all other things being equal, is that a dealer/tuner is 5 mins from my house. The nearest giac dealer is 2+ hours away. With mth you need cables and laptops and a week turnaround time, along with issues about bad customer support. My head is spinning!
The appeal of unichip, all other things being equal, is that a dealer/tuner is 5 mins from my house. The nearest giac dealer is 2+ hours away. With mth you need cables and laptops and a week turnaround time, along with issues about bad customer support. My head is spinning!
Same with MTH and GIAC, they are car specific and only files - no hardware involved. With Unichip you are buying the hardware and if the program installed works for your car - great and if not then you need to purchase the right file for your car and mods.
If the others were sellable - trust me they would all have a secondary market
.It took me a year to decide which ecu re-map to purchase -
. Very little comparison data and nothing to hold in your hand to check out 
.For me install process was important. I decided on GIAC - drive to dealer, pay, dealer install and drive off. instant gratification
. I do recommend GIAC for one simple reason - there is a 30 day return policy. So if you are disappointed after spending 325.00 - you can get your money back and try something else.
"You have now gathered a large following - keep us posted!"
I will. Just wanted the people involved to have a chance to make good on the warrantees and such
As far as the Uni-Chip, for some reason, it just won't run in my wifes car.
I will. Just wanted the people involved to have a chance to make good on the warrantees and such
As far as the Uni-Chip, for some reason, it just won't run in my wifes car.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 1
From: Mesa, Arizona, USA
I bought my Unichip GP used for about half the price of a new one -- I did have it installed by the local unichip dealer - and I am glad I did!!
After the install and tune it kept throwing a error code - intake temp - after eliminating all the obvious stuff he called Josh at unichip -- after a short discussion - we found out we had a wire that was not used in my car that was the problem -
De-pin the wire - problem solved
It runs like a top now - no more pinging under acceleration and no more yo-yo at stop lights. We are having a dyno day for our club in the next couple of weeks -- can't wait to see what the final #'s are.
I don't feel a HUGE power increase - but it does seem a bit faster under full throttle, and it is WAY smoother.
I would not pay full price for a unichip - but I got mine for less than half of retail price - if you can find a good used unit for a good price - I reccomend it - but it is still to $$$$$ new.
After the install and tune it kept throwing a error code - intake temp - after eliminating all the obvious stuff he called Josh at unichip -- after a short discussion - we found out we had a wire that was not used in my car that was the problem -
De-pin the wire - problem solved
It runs like a top now - no more pinging under acceleration and no more yo-yo at stop lights. We are having a dyno day for our club in the next couple of weeks -- can't wait to see what the final #'s are.
I don't feel a HUGE power increase - but it does seem a bit faster under full throttle, and it is WAY smoother.
I would not pay full price for a unichip - but I got mine for less than half of retail price - if you can find a good used unit for a good price - I reccomend it - but it is still to $$$$$ new.
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,299
Likes: 0
I bought my Unichip GP used for about half the price of a new one -- I did have it installed by the local unichip dealer - and I am glad I did!!
After the install and tune it kept throwing a error code - intake temp - after eliminating all the obvious stuff he called Josh at unichip -- after a short discussion - we found out we had a wire that was not used in my car that was the problem -
De-pin the wire - problem solved
It runs like a top now - no more pinging under acceleration and no more yo-yo at stop lights. We are having a dyno day for our club in the next couple of weeks -- can't wait to see what the final #'s are.
I don't feel a HUGE power increase - but it does seem a bit faster under full throttle, and it is WAY smoother.
I would not pay full price for a unichip - but I got mine for less than half of retail price - if you can find a good used unit for a good price - I reccomend it - but it is still to $$$$$ new.
After the install and tune it kept throwing a error code - intake temp - after eliminating all the obvious stuff he called Josh at unichip -- after a short discussion - we found out we had a wire that was not used in my car that was the problem -
De-pin the wire - problem solved
It runs like a top now - no more pinging under acceleration and no more yo-yo at stop lights. We are having a dyno day for our club in the next couple of weeks -- can't wait to see what the final #'s are.
I don't feel a HUGE power increase - but it does seem a bit faster under full throttle, and it is WAY smoother.
I would not pay full price for a unichip - but I got mine for less than half of retail price - if you can find a good used unit for a good price - I reccomend it - but it is still to $$$$$ new.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 1
From: Mesa, Arizona, USA
The local dealer is UMS Tuning / Xact Dyno in Tempe - I dealt with Tim, very nice and knew what he was doing. He saved me a HUGE headache and some $$$.
I can reccomend them - at least for the unichip stuff
I can reccomend them - at least for the unichip stuff
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,446
Likes: 10
From: L.A ca
I had the unichip installed and tuned by Shawn at the AMVIV this past year with some good results. I had a annoying spot at about 3100 rpm where my a/f would go from about 14.4 to 12.1 or so and then clear up after 3400 or so. The bad part was that on my car 3100 equates to about 70 mph which is prime hwy cruising speed.Shawn was able to get rid of that surge of fuel and overall lean it out to the point where the car pulls stronger and actually is giving me about 4 more MPG.
Randy
M7 Tuning
Randy
M7 Tuning
At the Dragon, I watched LDG dyno a well-known MINI from Michigan with a Unichip. He then removed the unit and dynoed it again. The car gained 5 whp and 6 lbft of torque, without the piggyback. The AFR's were also much too lean with the Unichip installed. Interesting, to say the least.
from experience on other cars... I won't run piggy backs. Only actual ecu flashes, dyno tunes and stand alones if needed and money provides.
tricking computers in general is not a good thing. Especially adaptive ecu's. You are far better off changing parameters. This part of my opinion has nothing to do with car tuning and more or less everything to do with my time spent coding in assembler.
tricking computers in general is not a good thing. Especially adaptive ecu's. You are far better off changing parameters. This part of my opinion has nothing to do with car tuning and more or less everything to do with my time spent coding in assembler.
5th Gear
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=98826
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 643
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, FL
At the Dragon, I watched LDG dyno a well-known MINI from Michigan with a Unichip. He then removed the unit and dynoed it again. The car gained 5 whp and 6 lbft of torque, without the piggyback. The AFR's were also much too lean with the Unichip installed. Interesting, to say the least.
Watching a/f post cat is useless too, of course you'll look lean...
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,149
Likes: 0
the reason tat most of the Uchips don't work is that there is a lack of talented tuners working with them...... ECU tunes are great, no doubt..... I wish John at LDG was closer
Dave at DDM has done a really nice job with my car.... he is about the 5th tuner toi try and his tune has ben the best... He reflashed me on Sat at the Dragon and the car is now the strongest it has ever been.....
Dave at DDM has done a really nice job with my car.... he is about the 5th tuner toi try and his tune has ben the best... He reflashed me on Sat at the Dragon and the car is now the strongest it has ever been.....
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
I'd love to get a hold of a well prepped M62 car for awhile. I dynoed one at the Dragon and I know I could get that car real close to 300whp.The output of this particular car was not impressive and the owner knew this but was interested in verifying that there were no big fueling issues that would damage his engine before he could get it tuned. Very prudent on his part.
I'd like to clear up one thing about Dimsport software and I think that I'm qualified to do so since I 've been using it for a couple of years now. It's not like a lot of the other tuner software out there. I tune Fords with SCT, GM cars with EFI Live, Mitsubishi and Subes with EcuTek. All these softwares are very well developed and present all parameters at the tuners disposal. Not so with Dimsport. Code is what you get to work with. This is not for everyone. The reason that I use this is I've been doing this for a looonng time and the benefit of the software is that I can use it on just about anything that rolls, floats, or flys. Diesel Sprinter Vans, Ducati motorcycles, Porsches, Audis, ec, and it's the best tool there is for the Mini.
I'd like to clear up one thing about Dimsport software and I think that I'm qualified to do so since I 've been using it for a couple of years now. It's not like a lot of the other tuner software out there. I tune Fords with SCT, GM cars with EFI Live, Mitsubishi and Subes with EcuTek. All these softwares are very well developed and present all parameters at the tuners disposal. Not so with Dimsport. Code is what you get to work with. This is not for everyone. The reason that I use this is I've been doing this for a looonng time and the benefit of the software is that I can use it on just about anything that rolls, floats, or flys. Diesel Sprinter Vans, Ducati motorcycles, Porsches, Audis, ec, and it's the best tool there is for the Mini.
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
From: Fairburn, GA
My reasons in a nutshell:
Cost per hp gain - $5-$600 Including cost of used unit, custom tunes and dyno runs, and time.
Total gain 2hp
Number of error codes - too many to track.
Customer service from UseLessChip - Absolutely abismal, warrants a post all on it's own but will wait to see if the $400 I have been waiting to get credited back to my card for over 2 months now actually happens first.
It did work well in the the beginning but our ECUs are smart little buggers and "learned" everything the UseLessChip did over a 4mos period.
Ranks #1 currently in my "money wasted chasing the dream" contest. Actually, they have the award so far by a wide margin, as in everything else combined!
But I am sure you can get some "Good Deals" on them.
Cost per hp gain - $5-$600 Including cost of used unit, custom tunes and dyno runs, and time.
Total gain 2hp
Number of error codes - too many to track.
Customer service from UseLessChip - Absolutely abismal, warrants a post all on it's own but will wait to see if the $400 I have been waiting to get credited back to my card for over 2 months now actually happens first.
It did work well in the the beginning but our ECUs are smart little buggers and "learned" everything the UseLessChip did over a 4mos period.
Ranks #1 currently in my "money wasted chasing the dream" contest. Actually, they have the award so far by a wide margin, as in everything else combined!
But I am sure you can get some "Good Deals" on them.