I have just sold my Anniversary model....a thoroughly lovely car with great performance but a little drab inside and ordered a tt X50. Are there any minor mods that can be done to improve performance without affecting warranty.

DonnyJ

 

Go on a driving course/racing course, much more effective than any engine modification

all the best
adam

 

This has got to be one of the most frequent, not quite on topic responses to the upgrade question. And I'm always baffled by it. Heck, I think I might have said it myself once or twice, and I'm not even sure why. It's like the assumption is that people who upgrade their cars must never have had any driver training. But I digress. Eight years of inhaling race track fumes has probably fried my synapses.

Any way. Just my $0.02. But, given your warranty concerns, I'd buy the X-50 package (a preowned one at that) and do the EVO or Imagine Auto Stage 4. You'll get 600 reliable HP with just a software upgrade. This is an upgrade that can be easily reversed if an engine related warranty issue ever came up.

The stage 4 gt is also an awesome option. But, given your warranty concerns, I'm not sure I'd do it when the incremental HP gain is only about 40 HP at the flywheel.

 

if i could do it again NO X50!!!
On a used car its fine cause you pay 5K more but at 18K on a new TT its a ROYAL RIPOFF

 

Its the most blatantly obvious answer, and imho the most important route that should be taken , just my 0.02 pence

all the best
adam

 

As 63 stated....with the X50 be it more $$ you can have simple upgrades that'll get you in the 600hp range while hopefully maintaining a 4yr warranty. The other option is getting a used K16 Turbo for cheap and modding the hell out of it with no warranty...
On another note, the modding of cars has been around "way" before any of us came into this world, no doubt it'll continue long after we're gone.......
You have a very big mountain to climb with your "take it to the track" response.......good luck...

 

the short answer is get an exhaust upgrade - then your warranty should be unaffected.

 

wow, a lot of negativism out there. I think you can do a lot with an X-50 package and keep the warranty. A simple way to think about it is to increase air in and open the exhaust. (air filter, boost diverter valves, exhaust change +/- headers). Then a key component is to obtain adjustable shocks and lower the car a bit and four courner balance it. (Bilstein pss-9). Then get a second set of wheels with racing slicks or DOT legal track tires. That car with track/seat time is more than most people will handle with their ability. Most people think they are better than they really are. Remember that mods to the engine (horsepower turbo change etc) will void your warranty. Even if you change the car back, your computer will remember the number of starts and other details since the change. The dealer will know. My last .02 is that let your dealer do the work and stamp it in the owners manuel. Once you get the racing bug, then get a used cup car. Good luck, the tt x-50 is an awesome vehicle.

 

Definitely used is the way to go if buying an X50.

 

Not sure what you mean exactly. Expand on that one!

If you mean, saying something controversial, I get it completely. And coming from a racer it probably almost sounds like heresy.

But, here's where this comment always bothers me.

1. Most guys who mod their cars do so because it's half the fun of owning the car. Telling them to take a driving school is like saying, don't spend money on tools for your garage, go to mechanics school. It just doesn't quite make sense. If you like tools, buy them. If you like mods, buy them.

2. The idea that somehow by taking one driving school you'll be this amazing driver is just false. There are two kinds of fast drivers. Those who were born fast, and are immediately fast with or without schooling. (I hate those guys!) Those who were not born fast, and even with schooling they're still not fast. They have to have hours and hours of seat time to get there. I fell into the latter group. But, after a year of auto-x and another year of road racing, I finally learned how to be fast. (As an aside, I once lapped a new Bondurant graduate three times in the same 30 minute SCCA sprint race in identically prepared cars. . Did that four day Bondurant class really help this guy that much? I'm sure it was fun... but it didn't make him a fast driver.)

So, I would agree that if you want to be faster in the twisties, hours and hours of seat time might do it. Say a after a full year of club racing, if you really push it and learn your limits, could get you there. Then again, you might still be slow as molasses as are at least half the club racers out there.

 

I am not sure of actual products from particular companies, but I would look primarily for removable products (i.e.) ECU Chip, exhaust, etc.

In most instances reasonable gains can be found from these products, and most can be easily removed in the event that you run into a problem that requires work under warranty.

 

I read on Renntech that Porsche issued a TSB #2470 which says as of the '02 turbo they can run a test to see if the DMA map data has been tampered with (modified) and if so the warranty is void. How does this effect the different chipsets that are available? I'd love to do an upgrade on my '03TT but don't want to kiss the warranty good by.
-Glen

 

Is this a flashable ROM that can be overwritten with a VAGCOM or the equivalent tool?

 

Buy a second ECU and have it chipped if you are concerned. For approximately $1800, you will never get "caught". Simly pop in your stock ECU before going to the dealer.

Mike

 

Racer63: I believe you are correct in you peak performance numbers, but if I'm not mistaken, the Stage 4GT produces 80HO and 100 TQ more than the Stage 4 below 4500 RPM. This is significant and perhaps more important than the increase in peak power output.