Poor RMW Tune Experience

Hi everyone I just wanted to post a heads up on my poor RMW tune experience. I first contacted Jan about a possible tune in March for my 2005 Mini Cooper S that I was currently doing mods on and wanted to top it off with a RMH tune since there were so many positive posts about Jan at RMW. Once I started finishing my mods are started to get some pinging and Jan assured me he could correct that in my tune. My tune was to be without a dyno and we would tune until we got it right. He told me he doesn’t charge for multiple tunes like others and that I would have access to some canned tunes through login information on his website. I was excited to finally get my pinging stopped and my car tuned by RMH.

I spoke with Jan multiple times and went a head and ordered the remote tool and tune. I downloaded the existing ECU and sent it to Jan and had the 1st mod sent to me immediately. I uploaded the 1st tune and still had pinging and a 900 RPM, stock map was at 750 RPM. He asked for some additional information about at what point it pings and he sent me mod 2 which helped the ping quite a bit but with still a 900 RPM issue. He then sent me Mod 3 which fixed the idle back to 750 and fixed the pinging problem but then the car lacked power badly. Shortly after the last mod was sent I had fixed my pinging completely with octane boost and let him know that immediately. I went back to Mod 2 that was pinging slightly before but now was completely gone. I also tested the pinging problem with the original mini ecu map and still no pinging what used to ping a lot. I then went back to my Mod 2 which was the best of all three but still had the 900 RPM problem but would be satisfied as long as he fixed the idle issue and gave me normal timing.

I emailed Jan to request a fix to Mod 2 and if possible, I wanted to try a JCW equivalent canned tune as well. I never heard back, so I emailed a few more times, still nothing. I then started a series of phone calls and still nothing. I emailed and emailed and absolutely nothing. I wondered if he was just busy and hadn’t got back to me but this had been going on for almost a month, not even a quick reply. I then left a final voicemail and sent an email regarding a PayPal dispute. I filed a dispute with PayPal and so he should have received the notification from PayPal. Still no response. Obviously he is avoiding me and probably thinks he spent enough time on me even after he said we would tune until it’s right. All I really wanted is my Mod 2 adjusted slightly(Idle speed fixed and removing the backing of the timing, since I no longer ping) and I would be satisfied. I’m now escalating my PayPal dispute to a claim to recover the cost of the tune. I don’t want to trash Jan because I know he’s popular on the forums and others have had very good luck with him. I just don’t want to pay for an incomplete tune. I sent him adequate notice of my intent to file a PayPal dispute and share my experience on the forums so others don't have to have the same experience. Still haven’t heard from him but wasn’t surprised.


My Final Email to Jan:

Jan,

It's obvious you have blown me off after sending a dozen emails and multiple voice mails on your phone. I have no idea why you left me hanging with my tune? I came to you because of all the good recommendations on the forums and was pleased with the initial process of tune, I felt we were getting somewhere with my pinging problem. When I first contacted you, you told me I would be able to try canned tunes with login information on your website. I never got access to those. You also told me unlike other tuners we would keep tuning until we got it right at no extra charge. Well, I still don't have it right. I told you shortly after the last mod I fixed my pinging with ocatane boost and wanted to try a stock JCW canned tune and most importantly I wanted my Mod 2 idle fixed since I now idle at 900 RPM. I have not heard from you at all, not even a quick little email response. At this point I will be starting a dispute with paypal for a full refund and will be posting my RMW experience on the mini forums. This has been going on for weeks and so far I'm not impressed. Good thing I didn't book a Dyno My car would still be there waiting for you. I understand you are busy but this is getting ridiculous.

 

One thing to rememer...
A tune cannot fix a mechanical problem....
And with the mods you listed, it should run fine, no tune...beter with a tune....

 

It runs great with the tune and I have no more pinging. I just needed a couple fixes to the last map, that's all. Ping completely gone with octane booster since the highest I can get here is 91. My boost is up around 17 psi.

 

Interesting.

So you figure you owe him nothing for all the work he did, even though it runs fine, just not the way you would image a perfect tune should run, and he wouldn't toss in a free JCW can tune.

If I were him, I would give you a full refund once you return your car to stock and sent back the Dimsport, but I bet that wouldn't make you happy either.

If anyone had a bad experience with this transaction, I think it was RMW.

Pretty sure everyone with a 15% pulley runs a cooler plug than stock. That might just be the issue.

 

So you're saying you want a refund on the tune, even though you are currently using it?

 

Jan is hard working and very busy...sometimes you can get more with honey than vinegar...and this posts kinda screws you if you find he had a family emergency, or was out of town with the wife getting a couple days off....or maybe at a race event...

I am by no means a "Jan/RMW fanboy", but I can say he busted his butt from the sound of it...considering the initial tune is usually about 300-350, and updates/re-tunes are 50 (after the initial tune for added mods, etc), it sounds like he worked with you a bit...but sometimes if you cannot get a hold of him for a few days or a week, he may be busy...tuning MINI's, while a $$ is a side job...folks DO HAVE A LIFE and other responsibilities.
In this age of instant gratification, folk sometimes to seem to freak out when a phone call/e-mail is not returned in a day, or an order is placed, and conformation is not gotten hours. I just HOPE you gave you chosen vendor/tuner a REASONABLE time to get a hold of you. It is only natrual after spending hours dealing with one customer to have others get to the front of the line.....lets face it, in any job fresh $$ talks!! Not saying that he forgot you on purpose, but most folks running a small business find that 5% of the customers that show up are best not dealt with cause they will never be satisfied, or will always be a problem.
Jan has tuned my car, and I do own a box to upload/down load tunes as you do, but since my tune was done at a tune party in Norwich CT, I have not used it.
One more thing....you payed for a custom tune...you got it. he DID work with you on trying to get it right....when you ask for a JCW equivalent canned tune to try out, that is ANOTHER TUNE...not an adjustment of the CUSTOM tune you PAID for...so I bet he looks at it like you want something for nothing.
Jan dis say at the tune a few years ago, folks are always trying to get something for nothing.....and as tunes are intellectual property, just sending you a different tune, and not getting paid for it is kinda selling himself short!!
Tunes are kinda $$, but when you get to that level, it does cost $$ to play. And even you said your car runs great....now you want your $$$ back?!

So....you want you $$ back cause....?????????????

 

I really hope Jan sees this thread and forwards the link to Paypal. It's pretty cut and dry about who got screwed.

 

Yeah, sorry OP... it sounds like you're being unreasonable here based on what you said. You got several tweaks to your tune, it works good and you like it... what more can you ask for? You don't pay for the tuner to perfect your car, you pay for the tune. You got the tune. It works. There have been some complaints on here about RMW that seemed legitimate, but this doesn't seem to be one of them.

 

OP, you are ridiculous, I don't know Jan but he is the one getting screwed. He send you tune after tune, you are still using it and since you can't get it absolutely perfect you decide to then flame him on the forum and damage his reputation.

Clearly you were expecting everyone on the forum to be sympathetic to your situation but honestly you got more than you paid for and now you want it all back. Chargebacks through PayPal are not a joke either, it can ruin a relationship with PayPal and cause that business a lot of headaches.

 

I figured I would take flack over this post . I personally asked him at the time about trying canned tunes and he said they are accessible from his website to try with login information. Didn't say anything about an extra charge but if thats the case that is understandable. If you reread my post I simply asked him about trying a JCW canned tune IF POSSIBLE. I was never expecting anything for free and still don't. Yes I am running his mod 2 tune out of 3 mods and it is working the best. I asked him to fix the idle and it has not been fixed. So my tune is unresolved to me at this point. I am not asking for a full refund of 680.00 I'm disputing the 350.00 tune unless I get my tune fixed. I didn't buy a 90% tune. The real issue is the fact he won't contact me and resolve my issue. That is no way to treat a consumer. If you got a tune from him and it made your car hesitate or not be quite right you would feel the same way.

 

So your problem is that you have a 900 rpm idle? 150 more than stock? I'll be willing to bet it's easier to take off from a start with your a/c on now.

 

That's why i love internet..it gives us free valuable information.

 

My problem is 1. 900 idle RPM needs adjusted to 750 RPM and 2. the timing that was backed off needs set to normal.

 

I'd respectfully suggest that patience is your best tool, even at this point. I would expect Jan to come to the right conclusion, and send you a Mod 4 if that would get you where you need to be.

What are you using for an octane boost by the way?

Cheers,

Charlie

 

I have a question.

When you had issues, did Jan give you advice on how to correct them? If he suggested to change things, and you never did, I wouldn't expect things go get better. Are you running the plugs he recommends for the tune? Everyone I know running a 15% pulley are not using stock jcw plugs because they are not cool enough. You go to a cooler plug for a reason, smaller pulleys make heat, heat makes ping. Also he always says (as pointed out above) to run the stock coil. If he recommends a way to make this work, you can't just say "I don't want to do that" and then blame him. That isn't really his fault then, or a fair way to evaluate the work.

If you have not done everything he told you to try, it isn't his fault. Keep in mind this tune is probably run successfully on dozens of cars and if that is the case, it makes sense to try and make the car work with the tune that is proven reliable and safe.

I still don't understand how you figure you deserve all the tune money back. If it is a 90% tune, why don't you dispute 10% then.

 

Per his recommendation I did switch to a new stock coil and wires and made no difference in the pinging. I ran two step colder plugs and still no change. My pinging was fixed with octane boost which leads me to believe it's the gas where I'm at and my mods.

As far as a 10 percent refund it's more of a concept issue. Where's the incentive to fix my tune for a measly 35 dollar refund?

 

Running Chevron 91

 

Good luck with that. Keep us posted if you get a refund or a new tune.