Remap - how much is TOO much?

[Hankiss]

Hello, chaps,

My 2009 W211 E280 should be with me shortly and I've tentatively booked a remap. The garage is an independent Mercedes specialist and the maps have a lifetime warranty so I trust the garage.

Now, for £225, they are giving me a Stage 1 bhp hike from 190 to 270 which sounds INSANE. Is this TOO much? What about engine stress, braking, ignition coils, tyre wear etc? I'm too old now to drive like a hooligan; it's more about having effortless power so I won't be thrashing or abusing it.

I'd REALLY value your thoughts and experiences - I will cancel the booking if the mood in the room is negative.

As for insurance, I'm typically seeing quotations that push my premium up by £200, from c.£358 to £560. Greenlight turned me down because I haven't owned a rear-wheel drive vehicle in the last 12 months. Whaaaat??? As it happens, my current insurer can do it for £481 per year so a rise of about £130 is bearable. I'm still waiting for Adrian Flux to get back to me.

All thoughts and advice very welcome.

Hi, re-mapping 11 years old car ..... no a good idea. You did not mention the current mileage. What about service history? Timing chain + tensioner ? Gearbox fluid ? Differential oil? Turbo condition? EGR? Hmmm........

 

[Noddy 99]

Hi, re-mapping 11 years old car ..... no a good idea. You did not mention the current mileage. What about service history? Timing chain + tensioner ? Gearbox fluid ? Differential oil? Turbo condition? EGR? Hmmm........

Sorry, it IS a good idea.

98000 miles
Full MBSH
Recent gearbox service at 94000 miles
EGR recently removed and cleaned

Plus it's an E280 CDI Sport, detuned from the factory but with sports brakes and suspension.

Life's too short for your long list of "what if"s...

 

[Snake Charmer]

I would happily take my tired old 16 year old S211 to that rolling road to get half the gains @Noddy 99 has seen for £300.

Here is a 25 year old car remapped. Left the factory with 215hp @ 4400rpm and 285 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm. Normally aspirated.

 

[V6Matty]

Hi, re-mapping 11 years old car ..... no a good idea. You did not mention the current mileage. What about service history? Timing chain + tensioner ? Gearbox fluid ? Differential oil? Turbo condition? EGR? Hmmm........

I mapped my old S211 270 at 90k and ran it until 160k in the following three years, never put a foot wrong and the only reason I don’t still have the car is I was being pushed into a company car (1.6focus) or be stripped of my car allowance as it was way outside their qualifying criteria.
I actually wish I’d never got rid of the car and if I could find the current owner would buy it back from them, the car is still on the road

 

[Wighty]

Hi, re-mapping 11 years old car ..... no a good idea. You did not mention the current mileage. What about service history? Timing chain + tensioner ? Gearbox fluid ? Differential oil? Turbo condition? EGR? Hmmm........

It’s hard to imagine on our roads with our speed limits that a well serviced machine regardless of age will actually be put under much strain ?
Yes people may accelerate a bit harder and faster for 2-3 seconds but by that time they are at the legal limit anyway .
I have always felt that well serviced cars that are used rather than pottering around for their entire life actually seem to drive better and be more problem free . That’s a bit anecdotal but I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this .

 

[M80]

cars that are used rather than pottering around for their entire life actually seem to drive better and be more problem free

Giving Mrs Me's car a good hoofing pre MOT certainly produces some rear view evidence of build up.
I go along with a car having been cleaned out will run sweeter and feels more responsive, but for those that do potter they don't need that anyway.

Are enthusiastically driven cars more trouble free? I can see the EGR, and therefor the intake route, maybe cleaner. I can appreciate the callipers will get more exercise, but don't see any reliability benefits there.
Are there any other benefits?

 

[DSK]

I think it depends purely on maintenance and the quality of the map, along with analysis of the original design capability.

My 1998 S70R was mapped by MTE in 2011 at about 110k, who flew in from sweeten and mapped it live at bruntingthorpe. It’s been driven far more than many other cars do regularly seeing it’s limited vmax and being used daily. The car is maintained and service far, far beyond the usual servicing with all things like boost and fuel hoses, injectors, crack ventilation, gearbox fluid, leads, cap/arm, engine sensors etc. being done pre map to ensure optimum health. My Supra is 1995 and tuned to bpu level for several years, been driven daily again doing some track and spirited work without any reliability issues.

I appreciate they are better built than most modern 10p tat which looks fragile in comparison but, there are many with the same cars over the years who have skimped on maintenance and quality of maps/tuning that ended with serious issues.

In my experience, don’t tune it to the limit, ensure the tune is reputable and stay on top of ‘proper’ maintenance, then it should be fine.


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[M80]

How's the remap doing.
I'm assuming the drivability is everything you hoped for.
Have you had chance to compare economy? Difficult with a happy right foot I know.

 

[Craiglxviii]

What is this concept of “too much” that you mention?

 

[Noddy 99]

How's the remap doing.
I'm assuming the drivability is everything you hoped for.
Have you had chance to compare economy? Difficult with a happy right foot I know.

A bit difficult to say because your mind and memory start to play tricks on you.

Is it faster than it was? Yes.
Does it feel like the 290bhp that I saw on the graph? No.
Has fuel economy improved? No.
Can I blast past irritating Sunday drivers, covering them in road dust and inducing them to flick the Vs at me? Yes.
Does it terrify my wife when I kick down and overtake tractors at quite unnecessary speed? Yes.
Do I feel bad-ass? Yes.
Has it increased my insurance premium? Yes.
Was it worth it? Not sure...

 

[Wighty]

A bit difficult to say because your mind and memory start to play tricks on you.

Is it faster than it was? Yes.
Does it feel like the 290bhp that I saw on the graph? No.
Has fuel economy improved? No.
Can I blast past irritating Sunday drivers, covering them in road dust and inducing them to flick the Vs at me? Yes.
Does it terrify my wife when I kick down and overtake tractors at quite unnecessary speed? Yes.
Do I feel bad-ass? Yes.
Has it increased my insurance premium? Yes.
Was it worth it? Not sure...

Did you sort the car jerking issues out buddy ?

 

[Noddy 99]

Did you sort the car jerking issues out buddy ?

Haven't replicated the conditions since...

Only occurs after left standing from hot and then accelerating vigorously e.g. calling at a motorway service station then booting it on the slip road to rejoin the motorway at full speed.

I don't spend much time at motorway service stations so I'll have to wait to see if I fixed it...