Dodson Service

Looking to get more power out of your engine?

Car Performance Tuning & ECU Remapping in Auckland

Are you looking to get more performance out of your car?

ECU tunes are some of the best bang-for-buck upgrades available. ECU tuning allows you to get some easy extra power from your engine without having to do a lot of work or upgrade a lot of parts.

What Is An ECU Tune?

ECU tuning is a process that involves adjusting the software programmed into a car’s ECU, the computer that controls how the engine works.

It’s most often done to increase the performance of a car beyond the factory settings.

The tuning may involve adjusting the air-fuel mixture, ignition timing, boost control (in turbocharged engines), and other parameters to optimise performance.

What Are the Benefits of ECU Tuning?

To put it simply, more power. ECU tuning is done primarily for performance improvement, with the goal of increasing horsepower and torque of the motor.

In some circumstances, the fuel economy of the car also gets improved alongside the power increase.

In cases where other supporting modifications have been done to the car, an ECU tune will allow you to take full advantage of those modifications and squeeze as much power out of the car as possible, because the computer is made aware of the modifications and is adjusted to accommodate for them.

ECU tuning can also have other features and benefits such as removing factory speed limiters, throttle overrun (known as “pop and bang”), launch control and more, depending on the tune.

What’s the Difference Between ECU Remapping & Dyno Tuning?

While both ECU remapping and dyno tuning are similar, ECU remapping typically uses preset tunes which eliminates the need to put the car on the dyno and individually tune each car, making the process faster, easier and cheaper.

ECU remapping can typically be done on a stock ECU. This is often referred to as “remapping” or a “flash tune”.

Dyno tuning, on the other hand, requires the person tuning the car to put the car on the dyno and tune the ECU specifically to that car, which takes time and effort and the use of a dyno.

This is often much more costly and complicated but is necessary in circumstances where custom modifications have been done and no preset tune exists.

Is a Dyno Tune Necessary?

It depends on what has been done to the car.

Dyno tuning is necessary when a lot of custom work has been done to the car and there is pre-set no tune available for those modifications.

However, for many cars which don’t have custom upgrades, especially modern ones, tuning the factory ECU often results in a significant power increase, even without any other upgrades.

So, unless you have done some unusual modifications to your car, a regular ECU remap is typically more than sufficient.

What Is a Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 Tune?

Because ECU tunes are offered as “presets”, the manufacturers of the tunes often offer then in various stages to pair with other supporting modifications.

For instance, stage 1 is usually the tune that can be used with a completely stock motor, or with minor mods like exhaust and cold air intake.

Stage 2 typically requires more in-depth mods like upgraded intercoolers, fuel injectors and more.

Stage 3 is usually the highest level offered (though some companies offer stages beyond this) and will vary greatly from tuner to tuner. Stage 3 typically requires extensive supporting modifications.

Are There Any Downsides to Chip Tuning?

As long as the tune is a quality tune from a reputable manufacturer, there are few downsides.

In rare instances you may lose a bit of smooth driveability, and the fuel economy may decline (though often it actually improves), but if you are seeking performance these factors are typically irrelevant.

What you do need to be wary of is low quality tunes.

You can’t just flash any tune or map onto your ECU. If you don’t know exactly what the tune is, you risk causing serious damage to your motor, even on the first test drive.

This is because if the tune is set to some parameters which are completely off, it can cause the motor to do all kinds of things which can result in permanent damage or even blowing up the motor.

So you have to be really careful which tune you are flashing onto your ECU.

This is why it is crucial to always use a reputable tuner who offers tunes from a reputable supplier.

We only sell ECU tunes from the world’s best tuning companies to ensure that your car is always upgraded safely and reliably.

Get Your Car Tuned Today!

To get your ECU tuned, just click the button below and get in contact with us today!

ECU Tunes We Offer:

Cars We Tune:

BMW

Audi

VW

Porsche

GTR

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What Our Customers Have to Say

Based on 30 reviews
M F
M F
2023-02-24
I don’t normally give out 5 stars, but this place deserves the full credit, did a transmission service, very professional and friendly. Can’t expect anything more tbh.
J Dizza
J Dizza
2023-02-13
Great experience all the way from the quoting stage through to the carry out of the job. Took the time to come for a test drive with me prior to engaging in the service. Dodsons completed the job for a third of what it would’ve cost me to get my transmission serviced and recalibrated through BMW. Very happy customer
Guitar Guys
Guitar Guys
2022-12-14
I brought my E60 M5 to Dodson Motorsport for a general service and was blown away how thorough they are. There was no pressure to get any extra work done, but I was well advised of all potential issues that had previously gone unnoticed at another shop. This shows attention to detail by them, which is exactly what you want when dealing with performance vehicles. If you have a vehicle that you truly love, and only want the best care for it, then I highly recommend Dodson.
Danny Wong
Danny Wong
2022-12-11
Quick and timely service from the team. Would definitely recommend!
Trevor Huggins
Trevor Huggins
2022-11-03
Very happy with the DSG transmission and Haldex service on the VW R32. Great communication and price. Highly recommend Dodson's.
Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner
2022-09-12
Excellent service and a fair price for servicing my wife's Cayenne. Even rung to tell her about a water pump leak but let her know it did not need replacing for a while - don't see honesty like that often these days. We will be customers from now on!
Maddison Bonham
Maddison Bonham
2022-09-06
Had my Vw Gti dsg & engine service done here. Fast, knowledgeable & friendly staff. See you guys next time!

Cars We Have Serviced

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Get Your ECU Tune Now

To contact us about getting your ECU tuned, either click the button below to call us or fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.