Softronic ECU Flash

[texwayne]

i flashed my ECU with softronic upgrade this past saturday. the owner of the company is scott slauson who is a PCA tech advisor for boxster/cayman. he seemed extremely knowledgeable. product is packaged as a software download -- you need a laptop for this -- and a durametric USB/OBD2 cable shipped to you.

no dynos, but i can feel more low end torque and better throttle response. i asked and scott verified that he tweaked the torque limiter and e-throttle maps, among other things (about which he remained fairly tight lipped.) 4K to 6K RPMs is still the sweet spot, and it's definitely pulling harder. at WOT EVO intake roars.

overall, car seems more willing and smoother in doling out power. using my normal heavy footed driving style yields higher speeds sooner.

[CJ_Boxster]

Whats is cost for just the software minus the cable and what years and models will it work on?

[derb]

Hey CJ,
Checkout their website...

http://www.softronic.us/

Looks like the 2.5 isn't included.

Regards,
mike

[CJ_Boxster]

Crud! I went ahead and sent them an email asking if i should expect it to be availible in the future for 2.5 liter boxsters

[porsche986spyder]

So you paid $900.00! for only 18hp. Doesn't seem worth it. There are other chips and programs out there that give you the same results for allot less money.

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder

So you paid $900.00! for only 18hp. Doesn't seem worth it. There are other chips and programs out there that give you the same results for allot less money.

hey, really what brand, i really want to get this done, thanks

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by blkboxster

hey, really what brand, i really want to get this done, thanks

Well there are more for the later model years with the 2.7ltr and 3.2 ltr engine. But there is Jet Performance Chips for your 2.5 ltr engine. Check out this link. http://www.racepages.com/parts/performance_chip/porsche/boxster.html

[texwayne]

i was only considering softronic, GIAC and FVD. they're all about the same price. i chose softronic because the owner has a relationship with PCA. besides, 18hp is just a number. it doesn't describe how different the car feels.

if i had wanted to put up big hp numbers i'd have bolted on an imagine auto supercharger or a turbowerx twin turbo kit. (turbowerx is right here in austin.) but i'm trying to keep the extended warranty in tact while increasing the fun factor. besides, spending your money on fast cars is a lot safer than spending it on fast women.

[HB.]

Originally Posted by texwayne

i flashed my ECU with softronic upgrade this past saturday. the owner of the company is scott slauson who is a PCA tech advisor for boxster/cayman. he seemed extremely knowledgeable. product is packaged as a software download -- you need a laptop for this -- and a durametric USB/OBD2 cable shipped to you.

no dynos, but i can feel more low end torque and better throttle response. i asked and scott verified that he tweaked the torque limiter and e-throttle maps, among other things (about which he remained fairly tight lipped.) 4K to 6K RPMs is still the sweet spot, and it's definitely pulling harder. at WOT EVO intake roars.

overall, car seems more willing and smoother in doling out power. using my normal heavy footed driving style yields higher speeds sooner.

lol unofficial spam Or do you normally copy and paste your posts from one forum to another?
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110576


blkboxster, FVD also has a similar software kit setup, and it works for us 2.5 guys. I believe the price is right around $900.00 usd.

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by HB.

lol unofficial spam Or do you normally copy and paste your posts from one forum to another?
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110576

It's called cross posting and there's nothing wrong with that... Personally I only read a couple boards. I don't have time to check 986forum, PPBB, Babblers, 6speedonline, and Renntech every day. So he's just sharing across boards.

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder

There are other chips and programs out there that give you the same results for allot less money.

Dude, seriously are you joking??? What is out there that gives the same performance for less money? The Softronics, FVD, and GIAC are all about the same price and function. Don't even think about comparing JET Chips to these other brands. I wouldn't pay to even put JET in my crappy Honda! Sure it's cheap, but you get what you pay for. I seriously doubt the JET setup was dyno tuned specifically for the Boxster or that the development time in creating the ECU map changes comes close to what GIAC, etc. do. Any tuner can remap the ECU. Spending the time to really develop a good program through lots of testing, strong knowledge of the cars, and dyno runs is what really set these tuners apart.

I think the only lower cost option that's really comparable is maybe the Upsolue remap.

[HB.]

Originally Posted by Kirk

It's called cross posting and there's nothing wrong with that... Personally I only read a couple boards. I don't have time to check 986forum, PPBB, Babblers, 6speedonline, and Renntech every day. So he's just sharing across boards.

In most cases a new member with a low post count, posting product information using the same exact post across multiple boards is usually spam. This does not hold the same with tenure members who have been active for a long period of time contributing to the community. Overall, it would be up to the board owner if he/she considers this spam or not, he didn't post a link, so maybe it isn't.

[texwayne]

Originally Posted by HB.

In most cases a new member with a low post count, posting product information using the same exact post across multiple boards is usually spam. This does not hold the same with tenure members who have been active for a long period of time contributing to the community. Overall, it would be up to the board owner if he/she considers this spam or not, he didn't post a link, so maybe it isn't.

i am not a spammer. i've been a member since december '05 when i bought my car. reading this forum helped me decide which mods i wanted to make. i recently started reading 6speedonline too. so, i cross-posted when i had something to say. i have no financial interest in softronic. i cross-posted about installing EVO aluminum pedals too. they're not paying me either.

every single thread on the first page of messages mentions at least one brand of product. some have links to sites.

and, did you use the word "tenure" to describe being a longterm member of a message board. LOL self aggrandize much?

[CJ_Boxster]

I got an email from Scott Slauson at Softronics and he said they do have software for the 2.5 liter boxsters, You just need to specify you have the 2.5 so they give you the right cable and software before they ship it out.

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by Kirk

Dude, seriously are you joking??? What is out there that gives the same performance for less money? The Softronics, FVD, and GIAC are all about the same price and function. Don't even think about comparing JET Chips to these other brands. I wouldn't pay to even put JET in my crappy Honda! Sure it's cheap, but you get what you pay for. I seriously doubt the JET setup was dyno tuned specifically for the Boxster or that the development time in creating the ECU map changes comes close to what GIAC, etc. do. Any tuner can remap the ECU. Spending the time to really develop a good program through lots of testing, strong knowledge of the cars, and dyno runs is what really set these tuners apart.

I think the only lower cost option that's really comparable is maybe the Upsolue remap.

Actually I prefer UNICHIP, but they only make devices for the "s" type model. And they are about $200.00 cheaper. There ARE OTHER companies out there other than Jet that make chips and reprograming of the CPU for allot less and have very similar HP & TRQ rattings. Jet was just the first one I could think of. They do require you to over night the ECU so they can RE-MAP it for you and then overnight it back. They do have dyno test results. Superchips is another. I just think for $900.00 the power gains should be higher. Here is one I found for $700.00 and does the same thing as Softronics. http://www.bursethracing.com/products/sfID1/73/sfID2/265/sfID3/140

[HB.]

Originally Posted by texwayne

and, did you use the word "tenure" to describe being a longterm member of a message board. LOL self aggrandize much?

I failed to notice your join date, and as for me, I wouldn't give myself tenure status even though I joined back in 2004. I would say 90-95% of my activity has been within the past couple of months.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

I got an email from Scott Slauson at Softronics and he said they do have software for the 2.5 liter boxsters, You just need to specify you have the 2.5 so they give you the right cable and software before they ship it out.

The right cable? Should all Boxster cables be the same? They all connect into the OBD II port right?

[NickCats]

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

I got an email from Scott Slauson at Softronics and he said they do have software for the 2.5 liter boxsters, You just need to specify you have the 2.5 so they give you the right cable and software before they ship it out.

Thanks CJ ! I might have to give him a call...

Nick

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder

Actually I prefer UNICHIP, but they only make devices for the "s" type model. And they are about $200.00 cheaper. There ARE OTHER companies out there other than Jet that make chips and reprograming of the CPU for allot less and have very similar HP & TRQ rattings. Jet was just the first one I could think of. They do require you to over night the ECU so they can RE-MAP it for you and then overnight it back. They do have dyno test results. Superchips is another. I just think for $900.00 the power gains should be higher. Here is one I found for $700.00 and does the same thing as Softronics. http://www.bursethracing.com/products/sfID1/73/sfID2/265/sfID3/140

Right, the link you gave is for the Upsolute remap, which I think is really the only comparable, lower cost option out there, which I mentioned in my first post.

Unichip is GREAT! I had one in my Subaru WRX and it was an excellent upgrade. HOWEVER, that was a Unichip tuned specifically for my car by TurboXS and with their own cable for easy connection. Again, I wouldn't dream of putting the Unichip on my Boxster the way they sell it. Is the custom cable included or do you have to splice wires? How well is it tuned for my car? According to one website:

"Once you order the Unichip, we will program the best possible MAP from Unichips database for your application based on the modifications you already have on your vehicle. We will then send it to you.

If you have modifications that Unichip does not provide a MAP for, your best bet is to have the Unichip tuned by an authorized Unichip tuner with a dyno. We can only load the best possible MAP provided to us by Unichip."

All they have available is the map for a stock car! So I save $200 by buying a cheap chip that's not tuned, and then I need to find someone who will tune it for me. In the end you pay more money! The advantage of the GIAC, Softronic, etc. is that they're already professionally tuned for a variety of mods to match what you've got. That's why my Unichip worked well in my WRX - it was tuned professionally for my mods.

So again, what you're paying for here is not just the chip or remap, but the tuning expertise that goes behind the program. Re-mapping the ECU is a TOOL. How well that tool is used depends on who's hands it's in. Personally I will trust a professional Porsche tuner any day compared to these guys who sell a cheap remap. So cost is not everything, especially with an ECU remap.

Here's just a quick example - the Unichip retune of a 2.7L Boxster with intake. The gains are good at 6,500 RPM, but before that they are miniscule, and certainly not worth even $70, let along $700. Again, you get what you pay for...

[porsche986spyder]

[QUOTE=Kirk]Right, the link you gave is for the Upsolute remap, which I think is really the only comparable, lower cost option out there, which I mentioned in my first post.

I was just saying it didn't seem like much BANG FOR THE BUCK. $900. for 18hp! I knew there were others out there cheaper. Upsolute you mentioned is cheaper by $200.00 over the Softech option. Softech doesn't sound very easy to install with all of the warnings it mentions while doing the install yourself while plugged in on-line!!? By the way, Unichip, like I said only makes a System that works with the "S" type which is the 3.2Ltr. Not the 2.7Ltr. So I'm not sure where that chart you posted came from. They use a biggy-back type of system the plugs into the O.B.D. and allows you to turn it on or off when needed. That was what I liked about it. Not sure about what they used to sell for your WRX. Maybe they have changed since then. Other than that, the cost was worth the HP & TRQ. But like I said, unless you have a 3.2 it does matter anyway.