Discussion: Have you tuned your Porsche (Why or Why Not?)
09-15-2023, 07:39 PM
#17
What's the general consensus on this forum and platform when it comes to tuning? Have you tuned your engine and/or transmission? If you did, why did you do it, and if you didn't, what's holding you back?
We've been tuning Porsches for over 20 years at APR. You can see a list of Porsche Models we tune here. It's not all of them, but a good chunk of models. The software we have is also on sale until the end of October right now.
When it comes to some of the other brands we tune, some of the more high end models, like the Audi RS6 and the Audi RS3 are heavily tuned. On the RS3 front it's hard to find one that isn't tuned. We see the same on some Porsche models, but on others it seems some are hesitant.
So, what's your take on tuning?
We've been tuning Porsches for over 20 years at APR. You can see a list of Porsche Models we tune here. It's not all of them, but a good chunk of models. The software we have is also on sale until the end of October right now.
When it comes to some of the other brands we tune, some of the more high end models, like the Audi RS6 and the Audi RS3 are heavily tuned. On the RS3 front it's hard to find one that isn't tuned. We see the same on some Porsche models, but on others it seems some are hesitant.
So, what's your take on tuning?
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tutis (09-16-2023)
09-15-2023, 07:47 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
09-15-2023, 08:22 PM
#19
I actually don’t mind a mild tune. There is tolerance room left by Porsche, if you look at the powertrain difference between S and GTS, it amounts to software and badge. So I’m not worried about negative effect on longevity in the way I use it (occasional call for power). I’m mostly worried about resale and warranty when a tune leaves traces that it was applied even when reverted back to stock maps.
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tutis (09-16-2023)
09-15-2023, 09:02 PM
#21
I would like to tune my GTS, however I’m still unsure how risky ecu tunes are. Everyone and the ECU tuners themselves state that it’s very safe, however most tuners don’t warranty your engine in the event something goes wrong. Even worse, is that Porsche can detect any ecu tune in the event of engine failure, essentially making these “invisible” ecu tunes not so invisible. I know APR warranties you, but isn’t it only for a little bit and up to $10,000?? An engine replacement is more than $10,000.
On the other hand, I haven’t seen anyone on rennlist who had an engine failure from a tune, so that effectively makes tuning the car a no brainer to me. +100 HP and no issues? Why not for $2000?
I am going to daily my GTS and do many track days, so I’m probably going to put over 50k miles on it before I’m done, so I worry also that tuning may effect my longevity with the engine since I will be using it for many miles.
On the other hand, I haven’t seen anyone on rennlist who had an engine failure from a tune, so that effectively makes tuning the car a no brainer to me. +100 HP and no issues? Why not for $2000?
I am going to daily my GTS and do many track days, so I’m probably going to put over 50k miles on it before I’m done, so I worry also that tuning may effect my longevity with the engine since I will be using it for many miles.
09-15-2023, 09:36 PM
#22
Rennlist Member
I have a T. Three reasons I haven't tuned:
1. I love that the base engine with the smaller turbos feels nearly NA. More torque would be fun but would change the character of the car and make it feel more like a proper turbo.
2. I also love that the base engine sounds nearly NA. By spinning the turbos faster, the car will inevitably make more turbo noises and again, change the character of the car to make it feel more like a proper turbo.
3. I like to turn off nannies and wring out the car like you would an older 911s. It's hard enough to do so with 400hp and starts getting riskier with more power regardless of skill level.
The above doesn't mean I'm against tuning or that I won't tune in the future. I'm just enjoying my new car as is.
1. I love that the base engine with the smaller turbos feels nearly NA. More torque would be fun but would change the character of the car and make it feel more like a proper turbo.
2. I also love that the base engine sounds nearly NA. By spinning the turbos faster, the car will inevitably make more turbo noises and again, change the character of the car to make it feel more like a proper turbo.
3. I like to turn off nannies and wring out the car like you would an older 911s. It's hard enough to do so with 400hp and starts getting riskier with more power regardless of skill level.
The above doesn't mean I'm against tuning or that I won't tune in the future. I'm just enjoying my new car as is.
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Rgwirtz (09-17-2023)
09-15-2023, 09:36 PM
#23
Race Car
The only thing holding me back is that I have no need for more power currently, and I’m not money enough to not care about $87k for an engine.
It’s been a year and I’ve never even seen a 992 GTS doing a pass at a real drag strip. Everyone that tunes just does a Dragy run.
It’s been a year and I’ve never even seen a 992 GTS doing a pass at a real drag strip. Everyone that tunes just does a Dragy run.
09-15-2023, 09:56 PM
#24
Tuning your Porsche is not a good idea. If you want more power, trade in your car and get a more powerful one. Porsche will always have something more powerful to sell to you
- Manufacturers invest heavily in engine reliability through extensive testing. This includes running engines for hundreds of thousands of hours under various extreme conditions to identify failure points.
- Unlike manufacturers, tuners generally do not conduct such rigorous testing. They often modify fuel mix, turbo boost, and timing advance, which can compromise engine reliability.
- Emission standards are another area where manufacturers invest significant resources. Teams of engineers work to ensure engines meet strict emission guidelines for NoX and CO2.
- Tuners, on the other hand, usually prioritize performance over emissions. They often make changes to the ECU maps without considering the impact on emission levels.
- The notion that manufacturers use marketing ploys to differentiate car models is incorrect. For example, Porsche installs larger, more expensive turbos in higher-end models like the S and GTS for performance and reliability reasons. They wouldn't spend more on turbos if it were all just a tune away from staggering the performance.
- It's misleading to think that an ECU mapper, who may have only spent a few hours on engine tuning, would have more expertise than a team of Porsche engineers who have invested thousands of hours in research and development.
09-15-2023, 10:09 PM
#25
The only thing holding me back is that I have no need for more power currently, and I’m not money enough to not care about $87k for an engine.
It’s been a year and I’ve never even seen a 992 GTS doing a pass at a real drag strip. Everyone that tunes just does a Dragy run.
It’s been a year and I’ve never even seen a 992 GTS doing a pass at a real drag strip. Everyone that tunes just does a Dragy run.
09-15-2023, 10:30 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
Why would you need to? Show me three ppl who say they can drive these cars to their ability and I'll show you three fools.
I truly DK though, bragging rights?
I truly DK though, bragging rights?
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09-15-2023, 11:16 PM
#27
09-15-2023, 11:18 PM
#28
I can say that the only difference in a 718 GTS4.0 and GT4 power output is strictly tuning. So it does happen.
09-16-2023, 12:42 AM
#29
My only point is that Porsche developed the 992 GTS engine first. Then shelved that spec and released a detuned version of the same engine as the S/4S, etc. 2+ years later they released the GTS. They simply lifted their own ECU restrictions from the original engine in releasing the GTS. M-Engineering and APR, etc. tunes only re-realize that for S models and then some, albeit by some other means.
I have a 2017 C2S and can say from experience that addition of a FVD tune made a noticeable difference; I was not going for maximum possible power and torque. The tune also enabled me to turn off the auto Stop/Start system which was always active upon startup of the engine. And to reduce the burbles in Sport Mode.
09-16-2023, 12:55 AM
#30
Ahhhh, didn't Porsche use different turbos on the base, S and GTS variants of the 991.2 platform? That means the differences are more than just removing ECU restrictions.
I have a 2017 C2S and can say from experience that addition of a FVD tune made a noticeable difference; I was not going for maximum possible power and torque. The tune also enabled me to turn off the auto Stop/Start system which was always active upon startup of the engine. And to reduce the burbles in Sport Mode.
I have a 2017 C2S and can say from experience that addition of a FVD tune made a noticeable difference; I was not going for maximum possible power and torque. The tune also enabled me to turn off the auto Stop/Start system which was always active upon startup of the engine. And to reduce the burbles in Sport Mode.