Apr Chip

Ok i have a completely stock 03 gti. I want to chip it, but i dont want to void the warranty. What im thinking is too buy the chip, then buy a completly stock ecu from the dealer. I can use the ecu w/ the chip when i drive, and when i have to take it in switch out the ecu's..has anyone done it..or any suggestions...also i want to put springs on it...whats the best manufacturer and does it eventually blow the shocks?
-Thanks
JON

first off, anything you buy will void the warranty (vw dealers dunno the magnusson moss act) springs will void any suspension-related warranties (ie, if your chassis starts to creak, vw will find a way to link that to your new suspension). second, buying 2 chips is pointless. APR and many other reputable companies have encoding software that makes it harder (notice i said harder, not impossible) for the dealer to find it. if you think you can bypass it by getting two ecus, they're gonna raise more than just an eye brow if you swap in a brand new ecu that reads 3,000 miles when your car is 75,000. that can even make them deny you warranty anyway. if the ecu says the car's 3000 miles old, and the car acts/looks 75000, then they're gonna blame the problems on aggressive driving, not on a manufacturer's defect.

bottom line: you gotta pay to play.

o sorry i overlooked your 2nd question. if your not planning to buy shocks, then dont buy anything that'll drop your car more than an inch (or else your ride will get very bouncy and eventually your shocks will blow). my friend bought h&r sports for his jetta, they blew his shocks/struts (all 4) in less than 2 months. luckily he was able to buy coilovers a week after the last one blew.

even if you do get modestly dropping springs, its always best to pair them with shocks/struts that are designed to take the higher spring rates and that provide enough dampening.

BUT... if your really strapped for cash, and you hate how our cars look like suv's, then look into neuspeed sofsports (0.75" F, 0.5" R, $200), h&r/neuspeed sports (1.5", $200), or the ever-so popular eibach prokits (1.2", $180?).

as you progress, you'll have to match them with shocks/struts (you dunno how important this is) and more suspension bits as you go along. :) i love suspension modding :)

First off....the ECU doest read out mileage its the instrument cluster

2nd- a new ecu means u need all ur keys re-programmed-means u gotta take it to a vw dealer neway.

3-dealers dont care if you have a chipped ecu, we dont know and wont look for it if you dont have other mods-ie cai, exhaust, lowered, bypass valve. VW scanners dont show if the car is chipped or not-just if there is a code for ECU fault.

4- If ur gonna chip it its gonna cost

the ecu has a counter that logs how many times the car's been turned on, how long the ecu itself has been running. all computers have it.

what i meant by the vw dealer finding chips is that if they were looking for a chip, they will find it. they wont catch it on a random glimpse or scan. but if they're objective is to find the chip, they'll find it. im guessing youwork at a vw dealership? you should know

LoL yea, the only way we know if the car is chipped is if the scanner wont communicate w/ the ecu-which only happens if the chip messed up the ecu- of if the customer says it has it. or- you open up the ecu which we dont do.
and yea, the only way to show vehicle milage is by the instrument cluster... only gm's use some bs counter bs thats totally bs so people dont mod there cars (bs) cough cough

ok thanks everyone