Has anybody tried the Powerchip? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

blinkwatt · 12-12-2005, 10:42 AM

Has anyone tried the Powerchip that Performance Products offers? Does it lower the lifespan of the car? Do they have any draw backs?

RandallNeighbour · 12-13-2005, 09:09 AM

Did you search old threads for a bunch of discussions on this? It's been discussed quite a bit... consensus: not worth the money.

silvered · 02-02-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Has anyone tried the Powerchip that Performance Products offers? Does it lower the lifespan of the car? Do they have any draw backs?

I actually work for powerchip -although joined the board as an enthusiast having always loved Boxsters (and Porsche in general).

I can assure you that the performance gains we are able to achieve are very noticeable and make a great difference to the way the car performs.

It comes with a 14-day money back guarantee to make sure you are 100% satisfied. My car would have had 50 hours on the dyno already! let alone all the others...

More information is at www.powerchipgroup.com

Thanks

Trav

1800 495 0777

MNBoxster · 02-03-2007, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvered

I actually work for powerchip -although joined the board as an enthusiast having always loved Boxsters (and Porsche in general).

I can assure you that the performance gains we are able to achieve are very noticeable and make a great difference to the way the car performs.

It comes with a 14-day money back guarantee to make sure you are 100% satisfied. My car would have had 50 hours on the dyno already! let alone all the others...

More information is at www.powerchipgroup.com

Thanks

Trav

1800 495 0777

Hi,

No one said it had no effect, what they said was the effect wasn't worth the cost - Cost /Benefit. Chop the price in half for your chip and you may get some users...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

blue2000s · 02-03-2007, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvered

I actually work for powerchip -although joined the board as an enthusiast having always loved Boxsters (and Porsche in general).

I can assure you that the performance gains we are able to achieve are very noticeable and make a great difference to the way the car performs.

It comes with a 14-day money back guarantee to make sure you are 100% satisfied. My car would have had 50 hours on the dyno already! let alone all the others...

More information is at www.powerchipgroup.com

Thanks

Trav

1800 495 0777

What is it that you do for Powerchip? I think most folks know the basics of what's changed within the mapping but maybe you can give us an idea of what size of company it is, what type of equipment they use, and what types of use/abuse testing they do.

NickCats · 02-03-2007, 09:12 AM

silvered,

Took a look at your website. $690 for 215 - 219 HP ( I have a 99 ) ?

I would definitely be interested...

What are the disadvantages ?

Nick

dcporsche99 · 02-03-2007, 06:08 PM

One of the things I would be worried about is their warranty. It sounds good at first, where it mentioned something like "unlimited mileage / 3 years" and then you could add some cash an get another 3 yrs. ....but then it states that if anything happens to the car they'll fix it ???...not sure what that means???

Anyway, I would really like to hear from the folks out there who have this mod to give us some input...especially the one's who have had it for a couple years...

I'm still on the fence about this one.....but I would certainly be swaying more towards getting it, if the price were CUT IN HALF (Good idea Jim!!)

..but, I do have say that the video / advertisement is very professional...as many have already said...impressive!

blinkwatt · 02-03-2007, 06:40 PM

Could flashing the ECU be reversed is the battery is dead or drained? Could Powerchiping the car mess with the regular functions of the DME?

blue2000s · 02-03-2007, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcporsche99

One of the things I would be worried about is their warranty. It sounds good at first, where it mentioned something like "unlimited mileage / 3 years" and then you could add some cash an get another 3 yrs. ....but then it states that if anything happens to the car they'll fix it ???...not sure what that means???

Anyway, I would really like to hear from the folks out there who have this mod to give us some input...especially the one's who have had it for a couple years...

I'm still on the fence about this one.....but I would certainly be swaying more towards getting it, if the price were CUT IN HALF (Good idea Jim!!)

..but, I do have say that the video / advertisement is very professional...as many have already said...impressive!

I've seen companies that make up some very professional looking presentations and videos that don't even have a working product. Never buy a product based on advertising literature alone.

blue2000s · 02-03-2007, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Could flashing the ECU be reversed is the battery is dead or drained? Could Powerchiping the car mess with the regular functions of the DME?

I can answer that one. No. Think like a USB memory stick.

dcporsche99 · 02-03-2007, 08:23 PM

"I can answer that one. No. Think like a USB memory stick."

Hi,

Although, I haven't researched this topic to the extent that you seem to have done,..... don't you think that's a loaded "NO"??

Hmmmm....sorry, but I don't know if I would agree with you on that one until I have fully considered the available evidence.

blinkwatt · 02-03-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

I can answer that one. No. Think like a USB memory stick.

I thought the USB idea could be applied to older ECU's,where they actually sod or connect a chip the ECU. With the OBD II systems people I thought the ECUs are "flashed" via the OBD II ports?

blue2000s · 02-04-2007, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcporsche99

"I can answer that one. No. Think like a USB memory stick."

Hi,

Although, I haven't researched this topic to the extent that you seem to have done,..... don't you think that's a loaded "NO"??

Hmmmm....sorry, but I don't know if I would agree with you on that one until I have fully considered the available evidence.

An ECU, like a computer, digital camera, video game console or any other number of digital devices, stores it's information in flash memory. It uses no moving parts and maintains it's memory with no input power.

blue2000s · 02-04-2007, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

I thought the USB idea could be applied to older ECU's,where they actually sod or connect a chip the ECU. With the OBD II systems people I thought the ECUs are "flashed" via the OBD II ports?

Older ECUs where you had to replace a chip used a ROM or PROM chip to store maps. The chip could be written to once and then it was permanent. The maps now are stored in rewriteable EEPROM flash memory which is the same technology used on memory sticks.

dmcutter · 02-04-2007, 10:47 AM

Slick looking site, but they don't know how to use apostrophes. Man, that bugs the ******************** outta me. I dunno, if they don't know the dif between its and it's, can I trust them to tweak my engine?

ray986s · 02-04-2007, 11:33 AM

I dont have the "powerchip" brand, but I did have my chip replaced by Topline http://www.toplineminis.com/toplineautomobile/ I have know the owner, Zimm for a long time and he has worked on my cars. I'm very happy with it. I spent about $900 and really felt the difference after 3000 rpm. It really winds up much faster and much more responsive. Under 3000 rpm, it totally feels like stock and no driveability issues. I dont have before and after dyno numbers, but I can tell you I felt the chip mod more than the sport exhaust replacement (Dansk sport). As far as is it worth it? I feel it is, but that is just my opinion...Maybe you should try that REVO where they give you 5 hours to try it out and if you like it then you keep it. I saw an add for it on Excellence magazine.

Bavarian Motorist · 02-04-2007, 07:18 PM

I decided I am gonna buy this and then immediately go to a dyno test and report the results.

If it's minimal gain, I'll return it

Adam · 02-04-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bavarian Motorist

I decided I am gonna buy this and then immediately go to a dyno test and report the results.

Be sure to get a BEFORE/base line dyno!

blue2000s · 02-04-2007, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bavarian Motorist

I decided I am gonna buy this and then immediately go to a dyno test and report the results.

If it's minimal gain, I'll return it

Dyno numbers can be influenced by everything from calibration variation to the weather to barametric pressure to how tightly the car is held down to tire pressure. If you can't do tests back to back within a few hours on a calm day, you'd need to do some pretty extensive ongoing testing to get answers for sure. Or you'd test two identical unmodified cars at the same time, then modify one and retest them both to get an idea of the variation due to environment/calibration.

Bavarian Motorist · 02-04-2007, 08:23 PM

Bleh.

What a pain.