[chrisk03]

Originally Posted by Dieselmd

Just got off the phone with the service manager and was quoted 4 hrs labor for PPK 2, so not the 51/2 hrs I ws originlly quoted. I will probably install this next week and report back. I'm hoping to dyno the car before and after as well.

That sounds better, quote wise, but may want to skip PPK 2 if you aren't going to track your car. Throttle response and pull to about 4500 rpms seems much better to me than stock and my max torque # came to 333 after the PPK 1, compared to a max torque of 308 before PPK 1. HP and torque are higher until 4500 rpms, then fall off slightly below stock after that on PPK 1. Will post up before/after dyno soon. Worth it to me for $704 all in with warranty and not having to worry about removing any tune for service in the future...at least for now. Good luck!

[Dieselmd]

I decided not to go with Performance Pack as I got a great deal on a new 2011 is.

[AndreyT]

Originally Posted by liborio

I think you are right on. Can't see how BMW would warranty stage1 if it needed the fan and oil cooler. People getting the ppk are more likely to drive hard and stress the engine.

"Oil cooler"? What "oil cooler"? The difference between Stage1 and Stage2 PPK is an extra water cooler (and an extra fan), not an oil cooler.

Meanwhile, an extra oil cooler is a pre-requrement for both Stage1 and Stage2. If you don't have an extra oil cooler already in your car (read: Sport or M-Sport package), you can get neither Stage1 nor Stage2.

Originally Posted by liborio

Another way to look at it...does the n55 with perf edition from the factory (not add on) have the extra oil cooler? I thought I read that that it did?

All Performance Edition N55 will have an extra oil cooler. However, it has nothing to do with Performance Edition at all. Oil cooler comes as part of Sport and M-Sport packages (more precisely: option 840 - high-speed limiter). It just happens to be a pre-requirement for PPK.

The interesting question would be whether the PE cars that come from the factory have an extra water cooler (from Stage2 PPK).

[Dozhdbog]

Meanwhile, an extra oil cooler is a pre-requrement for both Stage1 and Stage2. If you don't have an extra oil cooler already in your car (read: Sport or M-Sport package), you can get neither Stage1 nor Stage2.

I am getting the stage 2 PPK installed in my non-sport 335i by my BMW service center. It costs a bit more(and it took them a month to figure out what exactly needed to be done), but at least I maintain the warranty on my new car.

[boostd92]

I've said this before but it's worth mentioning again. The biggest benefit from going the BMW PPK route is the software compatibility versus other flashes.

Coming from watching the N54 crowd go through my dealership, they were getting awfully frustrated when having either Dinan or other brand flash upgrades as BMW would update their DME software every 4-6 months. Frequently, it would cause some strange anomaly (like surging/pulsing while accelerating at low rpm, 4x4/abs lights, etc) when reflashing the 3rd party performance tune after a dealership visit.

At least with the BMW Performance flash you don't have to worry about those things.

I think the ideal setup would be a BMW PPK stage 1 (for sport/msport owners) with a piggy on top for more boost/methanol capabilities.

I'd get the PPK just for the revised throttle mapping, low end grunt, and exhaust burble and the flash for the big power up top.

[Dozhdbog]

I think Dinan offers a free flash update whenever BMW puts out a new DME. Sure, there is still the added hassle of needing to go to two garages to get done what you need, but at least Dinan matches factory warranty along with offering free flash updates.

[Dozhdbog]

I may do a Dinan tune once my warranty expires, actually. I'll get the free updates plus a 2 year warranty on all parts involved in the flash.

[boostd92]

Ha!

Ask the Dinan stage 3 N54 guys how long they've been waiting for an update for the surging issue since BMW's last DME update (hint: more than 6 months)

[Dozhdbog]

Originally Posted by boostd92

Ha!

Ask the Dinan stage 3 N54 guys how long they've been waiting for an update for the surging issue since BMW's last DME update (hint: more than 6 months)

That's unfortunate. And they don't have anything out for the e9x n55 yet, but I'd rather they be careful and thorough than quick and potentially destructive.

[grigorico]

With those discounts it makes you wonder how poorly those bmw kits were selling...anyone have any insight?

Considering the most popular tunes ATM are piggybacks (easy to hide from the stealership) is there much argument to getting this kit "because of warranty"??

[Dozhdbog]

Originally Posted by grigorico

With those discounts it makes you wonder how poorly those bmw kits were selling...anyone have any insight?

Considering the most popular tunes ATM are piggybacks (easy to hide from the stealership) is there much argument to getting this kit "because of warranty"??

If something goes wrong (like expensive wrong) with my engine and they start pulling codes and info from the data collection chips and note a discrepancy between what their dme is able to do and what the engine and turbos were actually doing, I have a feeling they may not honor my warranty.

I have a hard time believing a piggyback is completely invisible, and no piggyback manufacturer to my knowledge offers a warranty.

[E90Mack]

Originally Posted by Dozhdbog

If something goes wrong (like expensive wrong) with my engine and they start pulling codes and info from the data collection chips and note a discrepancy between what their dme is able to do and what the engine and turbos were actually doing, I have a feeling they may not honor my warranty.

I have a hard time believing a piggyback is completely invisible, and no piggyback manufacturer to my knowledge offers a warranty.

I have always wondered that myself--why couldn't they see what the engine was doing and just deduce that you had a tune on? Seems like that would not be very hard to do.

[grigorico]

Originally Posted by E90Mack

I have always wondered that myself--why couldn't they see what the engine was doing and just deduce that you had a tune on? Seems like that would not be very hard to do.

Just got my car in Sept '11 and just found this board, so I have no experience in this matter, but I'm sure someone has gotten booked before with a piggyback?? Or are most of the engine tuners out of warranty anyways??

[Dozhdbog]

Originally Posted by grigorico

Just got my car in Sept '11 and just found this board, so I have no experience in this matter, but I'm sure someone has gotten booked before with a piggyback?? Or are most of the engine tuners out of warranty anyways??

From my time on this board, it seems a good number of people lease, mod their cars, and when the lease is up they sell the mods before turning the car in.
Others have a good rapport with their service advisors and seem to never have problems getting warranty work done to their cars despite the mods.

Others will remove tunes and piggybacks prior to bringing in a car for a warranty issue and never get caught.


So far in my short time here I haven't read of anyone getting rejected for warranty work due to mods, but, as a new BMW owner, I just don't want to take the chance until my warranty is done.