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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > N54 Turbo Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust Modifications - 335i > GIAC flash when selling car



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      03-23-2010, 09:03 PM   #1
twinship
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GIAC flash when selling car

Thinking seriously about getting the GIAC flash within the next few months.

I've read most of the posts and reviews, and like what I've read. What I haven't seen discussed is the following question: When you sell the car, can you sell the GIAC flash to someone else?

Obviously that's pretty straightforward with the piggyback tunes. Not sure with a flash.

Anyone know...?
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      03-23-2010, 09:35 PM   #2
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well if the flash is still on the car then i don't see how you're not selling it to them

but anyone with a brain wouldn't buy a tuned car...
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      03-23-2010, 11:45 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by persian54 View Post
well if the flash is still on the car then i don't see how you're not selling it to them

but anyone with a brain wouldn't buy a tuned car...
Agreed, wouldn't want to sell the car w/ flash for exactly that reason.

So could I put my car back to stock and sell the flash to someone else? GIAC is coming out w/ a flash loader that is supposed to make it easier to switch back and forth between the tune and stock, so I'd assume you could use it to flash someone else's car, if they purchased your tune. Guess that's my question: is that possible.
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      03-23-2010, 11:56 PM   #4
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No, the flash is locked to one VIN. There's no resale value for GIAC except for the time you had it on your car and mashed it. To me, that's worth it.
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      03-24-2010, 12:11 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by blisstik View Post
No, the flash is locked to one VIN. There's no resale value for GIAC except for the time you had it on your car and mashed it. To me, that's worth it.
Thx, that's what I was looking for.

So the $800 can never be recovered...

It may be worth it, but it's definitely an argument in favor of a piggyback. It forces me to think long and hard about how long I'll keep the car.
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      03-24-2010, 01:27 AM   #6
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well lets say you bought a piggy 2 years ago for over 1000 Dollars. what do you think the reselling value of that outdated piggy is now? 100 bucks?
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      03-24-2010, 02:07 AM   #7
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The only flash I've heard of actually having a resale value is Dinan when selling to those who love the idea of dealership added power
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      03-24-2010, 09:53 AM   #8
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well lets say you bought a piggy 2 years ago for over 1000 Dollars. what do you think the reselling value of that outdated piggy is now? 100 bucks?
That's true.

It's just unfortunate that you can recoup some of the cost of most mods by putting the car back to stock when you sell it (or return a leased car). You won't get full value when you sell your FMIC or aftermarket exhaust, but you'll get something.

With the flash, nada!
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      03-24-2010, 12:55 PM   #9
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I sold my VW with a GIAC flash on it. I sold it on VWVortex forums, so I found another enthusiast that appreciated having it. I don't think it added any real value other than giving my car an edge on others he looked at.

I had PUMP and STOCK tunes loaded and could switch back and forth with the free GIAC Software Switcher download and a $12 E-bay OBDII / USB cable. This is an alternative to the $150 switcher.

Anyway, the flash is not transferable to another vehicle. The alternative is flashing back to stock before sale or trade in.
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      03-24-2010, 04:25 PM   #10
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Anyway, the flash is not transferable to another vehicle. The alternative is flashing back to stock before sale or trade in.
Because most car buyers are leery of modded cars -- rightly -- I'd probably flash back to stock before selling.

Just seems sad...
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      03-24-2010, 04:53 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinship View Post
Because most car buyers are leery of modded cars -- rightly -- I'd probably flash back to stock before selling.

Just seems sad...
Because of this, you will lose a lot of resale value. Your best bet is to sell it to someone on the forums looking for a used car, but doing a trade in or private sell will screw you.
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      03-26-2010, 08:37 AM   #12
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It could go either way. Some buyers would clearly not want it and others would. You just need to find the right buyer. I have stage 1 but I drive my car fairly conservatively and never beat on it and have a friend in the same boat. I didn't get the tune to go racing - I just like the extra power that I can feel when I'm driving fairly normally. Just because a car has 400hp doesn't automatically mean it will be abused. Whether or not a potential buyer believes me is another story but I'm sure there would be some buyers out there who would rather I leave the tune and maybe even pay a few extra bucks because it's there. Just imagine the guy who's looking for a 335, test drives a few in stock form, and then drives one with a GIAC tune that looks perfect and well taken care of and feels that extra, factory smooth power...
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      03-26-2010, 10:18 AM   #13
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It could go either way. Some buyers would clearly not want it and others would. You just need to find the right buyer. I have stage 1 but I drive my car fairly conservatively and never beat on it and have a friend in the same boat. I didn't get the tune to go racing - I just like the extra power that I can feel when I'm driving fairly normally. Just because a car has 400hp doesn't automatically mean it will be abused. Whether or not a potential buyer believes me is another story but I'm sure there would be some buyers out there who would rather I leave the tune and maybe even pay a few extra bucks because it's there. Just imagine the guy who's looking for a 335, test drives a few in stock form, and then drives one with a GIAC tune that looks perfect and well taken care of and feels that extra, factory smooth power...
You might luck out and find a buyer who wants your mods.

But the great majority want to start with an unmodded car, preferably a grocery-getter driven by a little old lady, and add their own mods.

Modding is a money pit. It's an unfortunate fact of life.
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