Took almost a year. I won it at the Nuzzo event @ VIR before MOTD... Had the chip installed the night before leaving for MOTD, and it kept shutting my engine down at 3000rpm, just like the bypass valve issue.

Took out the chip at the first stop, and didn't have an issue since.

Sent the chip back to Unichip for a reflashing, after calling them and explaining 6 weeks later that "No, it was for remapping not a return", they finally sent it back after a few more weeks of calls asking why it hadn't shipped yet.

That said, I was subconsciously disgruntled and didn't install the chip when I got it... Not weeks... Not months... Almost a year later.

I was doing a gauge install, had the M7 strut bar off, and figured why not throw the chip in there and see how it does? Well, it went pretty well. I didn't get an extra kick in the seat of my pants, but I've been told that it sometimes takes a few days. Alright.

What I did feel though, was immediate smoothness. Shifting smoother, acceleration smoother, and overall a 'calmer' sense through the gearing even when cruising... Almost to the point where it felt like I was going slower than I was. weird. But so far I'm happy... And only time will tell if and when the Unichip will wake up within the little electronic heart of the Batmini...

 

That happened when I first got mine. I finally had a custom tune done on a dyno. Turned out they were overcompensating for the known lean spot at that point. We dialed a ton of fuel back out. Then it was much better.

Not my experience. Without a custom tune on a dyno by a competent Unichip tuner, or maybe Unichip's Josh with his laptop, you're not beginning to tap into its potential. And it won't reprogram itself as time goes by. In fact, the Seimens ECU is so darn aggressive & adaptive, it tries to take over again, at least to some degree.

 

Well, if you still end up not being happy with it, you can head up to Lucky Dog Garage and get a good tune from them!

 

Or in my case, have LDG tune the Seimens ECU and put the Unichip up for sale...

 

Yep, that's technically what I meant

 

a 1 year mod install - there should be a prize

 

Agree!

I bought mine after he got his Unichip, and have decided to sell it about the time he gets around to initially installing his!!!

 

I'd love a custom tune but theres no tuner dogs in the midwest Can a lucky dog hop on a Greyhound and give my car some bite here in Iowa?

 

I don't know that it's the unichip repgrogramming itself... Rather, the ECU reprogramming it's maps to take advantage of the new inputs it's getting.

I bought a unichip and sold it upon winning the new one. The new owner of the unichip has claimed a vast improvement in performance days after installing, twice. (uninstalled then reinstalled due to taking it to the dealer I believe)


As for LDG... The unichip was free, and you can't really beat that. I'm kind of tight on the green stuff ($$$) right now, so what money I do spend on my Mini will be on other things like the Alta PSRS, and prepping the Batmini to ship overseas. Plus if something goes wrong overseas, the unichip is a easy uninstall.

 

Sounds like a good plan.

And yes, it was easy to uninstall.

 

Wagnbat, definitely let us know if you do feel a difference after driving it a few days.

 

Wish I could, but I'm getting on a plane for California tomorrow. :(