stage 1 or 2 ?

[mo5in]

hi sorry sounds like a dumb question but should i start with just a stage 1 remap or jump straight to stage 2 is there much difference between them ?

btw ive got a ko3 gti thanks.

[zerolag]

Stage 1 first imo.
Most decent tuners will give you the Stage 2 program for very little extra, if you grabbed the S1 from them.

The difference from Stock to Stage 1 is greater than Stage 1 to Stage 2.
Stage 2 is probably borderline requiring a HPFP (High pressure fuel pump) upgrade too; although others can advise you on this.

I have Stage 1 with pre-cat delete on K03, here's my VCDS dyno, which is a reasonable indication of what a Stage 1 map looks like on KO3 GTI.  Although most graphs are an estimation imo.



I've logged more torque than that, but this was the highest recorded BHP.
TBH, don't worry about the numbers too much, it's how the car feels to you afterward that really matters.  I'm quite happy with mine, it has a nice amount of power and torque as my daily driver; before I would look at bigger brakes and suspension mods.

[MC71]

Please use the "Search" function! There's an entire board on this....


http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,33.0.html

[zerolag]

Bah humbug

[Mk5 GTian]

Please use the "Search" function! There's an entire board on this....


http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,33.0.html

This is still a very interesting topic for all of us, let alone a newbie! Re-posting questions like this allows new opinions, ideas and perspectives to come to light. It's going to be very dull if all we ever do is look back on a topic as important as this and only ever read what has been posted in history!

Shall we let the moderators do the forum policing?

[RedRobin]

Stage 1 first imo.
Most decent tuners will give you the Stage 2 program for very little extra, if you grabbed the S1 from them.

The difference from Stock to Stage 1 is greater than Stage 1 to Stage 2.
Stage 2 is probably borderline requiring a HPFP (High pressure fuel pump) upgrade too; although others can advise you on this.

I have Stage 1 with pre-cat delete on K03, here's my VCDS dyno, which is a reasonable indication of what a Stage 1 map looks like on KO3 GTI.  Although most graphs are an estimation imo.

TBH, don't worry about the numbers too much, it's how the car feels to you afterward that really matters.  I'm quite happy with mine, it has a nice amount of power and torque as my daily driver; before I would look at bigger brakes and suspension mods.

....Agreed  

I'm running Stage 2 Revo after running Stage 1 for a while, on a K03 Mk5 GTI.

[E30Dom]

Stick at stage 1 unless you are going stage2+! ;-)

[nezquick]

I Jumped straight to stage 2 with a little push never looked back and happy i skipped stage 1 would of judt meant more waiting around umming and arging so probably saved time and money. if you can go straight to 2 do it you wont regret not waiting around

[MC71]

This is still a very interesting topic for all of us, let alone a newbie! Re-posting questions like this allows new opinions, ideas and perspectives to come to light. It's going to be very dull if all we ever do is look back on a topic as important as this and only ever read what has been posted in history!

Shall we let the moderators do the forum policing?

Fair point and yes your right.

OP, FWIW Stage 1 on K03 will be the biggest jump you'll make in power and after that the gains are less and the costs to  achieve them are more.

[Mk5 GTian]

I Jumped straight to stage 2 with a little push never looked back and happy i skipped stage 1 would of judt meant more waiting around umming and arging so probably saved time and money. if you can go straight to 2 do it you wont regret not waiting around

I think it boils down to what you can afford. If you can't afford all the hardware that goes with Stage 2, but want an easy and relatively cheap power and torque hike now, then go for Stage 1. I've done it this way, and it's given me a chance to really get to know all the hardware options, and make well-informed choices regarding intake, exhaust, fuel-pump,suspension and brake mods pre-Stage 2.

If you know your stuff already and can afford Stage 2 and everything that involves now, go for it I say! As Nez points out, it's probably cheaper and it's certainly more time efficient. Either way, you're going to have a hugely noticeable increase from stock, and will be beaming from ear to ear!  

[RedRobin]

There's another consideration which says it's wiser to go to Stage 1 first before possibly moving to Stage 2 later: A remap makes more demands and consequently can highlight any inefficiencies or even problems and so it's easier to diagnose issues by the process of elimination. The bonus is that you also experience what the differences are. Every car is slightly different and your individual mix of hardware performance mods can influence the result.

IMO, it's very important to go to a tuner with an established reputation on the 2.0T FSI platform - Not necessarily the big boys like Revo and APR, but not some unknown geezer with a laptop advertising on eBay.

[Mk5 GTian]

There's another consideration which says it's wiser to go to Stage 1 first before possibly moving to Stage 2 later: A remap makes more demands and consequently can highlight any inefficiencies or even problems and so it's easier to diagnose issues by the process of elimination. The bonus is that you also experience what the differences are. Every car is slightly different and your individual mix of hardware performance mods can influence the result.

IMO, it's very important to go to a tuner with an established reputation on the 2.0T FSI platform - Not necessarily the big boys like Revo and APR, but not some unknown geezer with a laptop advertising on eBay.

2 more great reasons to go Stage 1 first. 

[W8 Performance]

Stage 1 will put a smile on your face and leave the car pretty much oem in every other respect. Anything more will leave a dent in your pocket and an increase in noise. Be it from an induction kit or an exhaust. You will then possibly need to look at a clutch or uprated HPFP.

Handling mods like anti roll bar, suspension and brake upgrades at stage 1 will make it a very capable car.

Rob

[Scrubadub]

I went straight to stage 2 as already fitted a decat and twintake, it's awesome!

[E30Dom]

My Story;

I went stage 1 made 289bhp(edition30). happy with it, but wanted a little more, so bought a Pipewerx 3" Downpipe with 200CEL sports cat and reducer pipe to oem catback and ITG panel filter... Clutch started slipping so bought/fitted a sachs 400lbft clutch and new dmf... was making 272bhp when rolling roaded, so had to get cat-back, apr pump and EVoms induction kit, made 309bhp, too much for the standard brakes, so added scirocco R front brakes, then was getting heatsoak so kept me at B8 on Revo stage 2, so had to get an intercooler s3 alloy one fitted and went stage 2+, which flies, but is too much for the engine mounts and suspension, so will be changing that in the new year...

So just take caution, the more you push one area of the car will highlight the next weakest link... feel I have been chasing my tail to get the car how I want it...

Want a quick car, go stage 1 and sort the suspension/brakes...