[ssgrene1]

So I've watched videos on YouTube and I would like to ask, which is more worth the bang to your buck? A Cobb Tuner or a JB4 Tune? I just traded of my G37 for a 2011 335i and I wanna mod her out. Still trying to decide. and input?

[MacE90]

[Dconnelly9191]

There are a lot of threads about this. I would just try to look around on the forums some more.

[jgoens]

I had this dilemma three weeks ago and based on my research and answers in various forums went with the jb4...just seemed like more for the price. The only reason I see people going for the cobb is it is easier to install and uninstall..but from what I have read performance is negligible.

[924er]

Well for Cobb, it's made for "custom tuning". The maps it comes with are actually very conservative and are meant to be temporary. The best tune for a car is a custom tune because it's tailored for that specific car.

Now out of the box I believe jb4 is faster and cheaper. Later on u can get a backend flash. More bang for your buck. U pay for what u get. I personally prefer Cobb with a custom tune. Jb4 was fun tho while I had it.

[asrautox]

Originally Posted by 924er

Well for Cobb, it's made for "custom tuning". The maps it comes with are actually very conservative and are meant to be temporary. The best tune for a car is a custom tune because it's tailored for that specific car.

Now out of the box I believe jb4 is faster and cheaper. Later on u can get a backend flash. More bang for your buck. U pay for what u get. I personally prefer Cobb with a custom tune. Jb4 was fun tho while I had it.

This post basically sums it up. One of the biggest drawbacks with the JB4, and in fact the source of many misconceptions about N55/54 tuning, is that it cannot adjust the factory timing curve. This is why many people believe there are boost limits to specific octane (12psi for 91, 14psi for 93, etc). This can be done with the Cobb, and if you know what you're doing or are willing to pay a bit more for a custom tune, you can certainly achieve a more consistent and reliable tune for your mods/octane.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

As far as bang for the buck (on an otherwise stock car), it would be Jb4.

However, advanced tuners and those seeking more out of their car long term may find a flash tune like Cobb more suitable for their needs.

[Physics]

Out of box: JB4 > Cobb
Tuning/Custom Potential: Cobb > JB4


Also, for those concerned with warranty I find Cobb to be advantageous due to its relative ease of uninstalling.

[Johnny Boost]

Congrats on the car OP. I went from a 2007 G35 sedan to a 335i and I can promise you that you made the right choice. The modding potential and driving experience of the 335i blows the G out of the water.

[LGCubana]

Originally Posted by jgoens

I had this dilemma three weeks ago and based on my research and answers in various forums went with the jb4...just seemed like more for the price. The only reason I see people going for the cobb is it is easier to install and uninstall..but from what I have read performance is negligible.

Did you mean the overall results between a COBB OffTheShelf map and a JB4 are negligible or as you stated, the COBB doesn't offer much in gains ?

If it's the latter, you must've done all of your research on N54tuning.

[Dhillon92]

They both offer great gains, its just a matter of flash vs. Piggyback. Jb4 definitely better than OTS Cobb maps and is cheaper. The Cobb can be custom/protuned to be a great fit for the owner's specific car, whereas the jb4 is more of a on-the-go, auto learning type of tune. I personally use jb4, the steering wheel controls are way too intriguing to pass up! I would have to agree with the fact that they can both put down very similar amounts of power.

LG- No need to hate on n54tuning LOL. Maybe you meant n54tech, but they welcome Cobb support just as much as jb4.

[jgoens]

I've only used JB4 but from most of the posts of people who have had both it seems like the jb4 is better than cobb off the shelf as Dhillon said, but with a protune cobb is almost the same...maybe a slight better but then it depends on other mods you do. For me with a stock car I think it would be equal except cobb with a tune would end up costing more. In all the reading I have done the consensus leads to more people prefer Jb4.

[Newguy123]

hope this post helps the OP

if you plan on running 91/93 octane and not getting into doing e85 mixes, id say cobb all the way. work with ptf or BQ/wedge get some e tuning done and you can run pretty high boost bc they can change timing tables etc with the flash and make it safe to run high boost.

if you like to tinker with the car, willing to learn how to read/record data logs and customize gauge hijacking to your preferences, have boost limiting for traction in gears 1-3 and the ability to create your own boost targets via map 6...JB4 is probably going to be better for you. jb4 on 91-93 octane will only be adequate for maps 1 and 2 which is no greater than 14-15psi. cobb flash only on 91 is capable of 20-21 psi on the stock turbo safely, ive seen houtan recent logs with PTF and he is running 91 pump hitting 21 psi on stock turbo down low with no timing corrections. its very impressive what flash tuners can do now on low octane pump gas.

*if you are down to start messing with e85 mixes the jb4 gets really fun really fast. 18-21 psi all day too (this is where boost limiting in 1st and second gear starts becoming more necessary) to do this you will want to order the flex fuel wires with the jb4 and go ISO. you can read about that on n54 tech.

i am using both the jb4 FF ISO and COBB. i do have the best of both worlds this way bc i get meth integration with the jb4 as well as boost limiting. i also can change timing and target AFR ratios with the cobb to really dial everything in.

hope that was non bias and shed some light as to the pros and cons of each....cheers

[jgoens]

Good evaluation newguy.

[snaimpally]

Originally Posted by 924er

Well for Cobb, it's made for "custom tuning". The maps it comes with are actually very conservative and are meant to be temporary. The best tune for a car is a custom tune because it's tailored for that specific car.

Now out of the box I believe jb4 is faster and cheaper. Later on u can get a backend flash. More bang for your buck. U pay for what u get. I personally prefer Cobb with a custom tune. Jb4 was fun tho while I had it.

Excellent summary. JB4 is a great "one size fits all" solution that is cheap and widely used. Plenty of support both from the BMW community and from Burger.

The Cobb off-the-shelf (OTS) maps are pretty comparable to JB4, but Cobb is more expensive so why use Cobb? Where Cobb excels is the custom tune. You install an OTS Cobb map, do a few WOT runs while logging, and then email the logs to a tuner. The tuner creates a custom map for your car, taking into account all your mods. Total cost, including the Cobb and the custom tune is more than a JB4 but still relatively cheap, typically under $1000.

I suggest checking out pro tuning freaks (PTF) - they offer a deal on a bundle that includes the Cobb Accessport and a custom tune. There are a few other tuners out there as well but PTF has a great reputation.

In my case, I have been running JB4 for the past year. However, as I have made upgrades (LSD, FMIC, CP, Pure Turbos stage 1, etc.) I wondered if I was getting the most from the upgrades. So I bought a Cobb and a custom tune from PTF. I did some pulls this past weekend and sent the logs to PTF and lo and behold, I received a custom map yesterday. Today was the first day with the custom map and all I can say is, wow! The performance with JB4 was great but the PTF map is something else - the car's response seems so smooth and effortless.

Bottom line - If you plan to heavily mod your car (FMIC, DP, etc.), buy a Cobb AP and a custom tune package from a tuner.

[snaimpally]

Originally Posted by jgoens

... from what I have read performance [difference] is negligible.

I think this is what you meant to say and its true - an OTS Cobb map is fairly comparable to JB4. But you missed the main reason to go Cobb - custom tune. JB4 is great if you just plan to keep it stock or do a few minor mods. But if you are planning full FBO, then a custom Cobb map from a tuner is the way to go.

Even Terry at Burger Tuning acknowledges that Cobb can control some parameters that JB4 cannot, which is why he offers a (free) backend flash for those running upgraded turbos.

You really can't go wrong either way though. Both have their pluses and minuses. I would also add that if you like to get your hands dirty, then you will be fine with JB4, but if you hand your car off to a mechanic to install mods then Cobb is a great because the tune is installed via the OBD port - no opening the hood and plugging stuff in.

[Longdoggy]

I have to add that I really like the Cobb AP3 gauges.
It's pretty neat to have that many monitor able parameters all available in a single decent sized screen. All very easy to read.
Also recording the min/max for that session is a nice feature.

[Nacnudv8]

Originally Posted by ssgrene1

So I've watched videos on YouTube and I would like to ask, which is more worth the bang to your buck? A Cobb Tuner or a JB4 Tune? I just traded of my G37 for a 2011 335i and I wanna mod her out. Still trying to decide. and input?

I have the JB4 and don't plan to do much if any custom tuning and the extra power and torque is great.

I like the ability to change settings easily on the fly from the steering wheel buttons.

So far happy with JB4. For me best bang for the buck.

[timothy2001]

Not much I can add to the great info posted so far except for this poll I created when I was choosing:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1091879

I don't want to 'manage' my tune with additional customization and adding a tune on top of the tune (PTF with Cobb) but thats just me and it boils down to doing your research and choosing whats best for you and your car.

I haven't even moved off of map 1 yet on my JB4 and the acceleration feels like I am riding a bottle rocket.

[Nacnudv8]

Originally Posted by timothy2001

......I haven't even moved off of map 1 yet on my JB4 and the acceleration feels like I am riding a bottle rocket.

[jgoens]

I haven't even moved off of map 1 yet on my JB4 and the acceleration feels like I am riding a bottle rocket.[/QUOTE]

If you can ride on a bottle rocket how do you reach the pedals and steering wheel?

[mike@x-ph.com]

It depends on your HP goal and mods.
In terms of power, JB4 will give you more gain out of the box on a stock car.