[Jamrockbwoy]

Im about do my first performance tune or upgrade on my 328 and I need some advice.

Right now AA has the tune for 390.15 + shipping and install at dealer so Im guessing I'll end up spending around $500

The BMS has no current sale or promo that I'm aware of but it would only cost me $300 with shipping and self install.

Looking for guys that may have gone either routes or both to help me make a decision here as to what makes more sense.

Thanks in Advance Guys.

[DUI Elite]

This is a very well discussed topic on this forum, I suggest searching. The BMS power box isn't actually a tune.

[Mike.]

Well, the bms powerbox doesn't make sense.

[Rodny]

Originally Posted by Jamrockbwoy

Im about do my first performance tune or upgrade on my 328 and I need some advice.

Right now AA has the tune for 390.15 + shipping and install at dealer so Im guessing I'll end up spending around $500

The BMS has no current sale or promo that I'm aware of but it would only cost me $300 with shipping and self install.

Looking for guys that may have gone either routes or both to help me make a decision here as to what makes more sense.

Thanks in Advance Guys.

Go with the AA tune!!

[Victor328i]

Originally Posted by Rodny

Go with the AA tune!!

+1,000,000

[accel]

If your car is stock, the powerbox will work for you.

Extra advantage, - it has adjustabulity and also you can remove and sell it.

Once I installed perf. exhaust - powerbox' tuning effect is gone, although I still enjoy throttle response.

[Delta0311]

I had both.

BMS:
Throttle remap is real nice helps to remove some of that lag.
Great butt-dyno gains but true dyno results show marginal gains at best.

AA:
Real tune, actually gives gains (dyno tested) and with a 3 stage intake manifold it will put you around 255-260hp(crank).
Also remaps the throttle, which reduces lag and gives smoother shifts.

Go with AA.

[Tim07e90]

Two letters...AA

[TheSt|G]

We just need a sticky to remind people that BMS is not worth buying, along with almost all the intakes and junk like that.

[ONLYACTIVE]

Please locate one of our Flash station dealers in the NY area and purchase the tune directly from them and it will only cost you $390.15. In the future all software upgrades are free, and you can always get live support M-F 9am- 6pm. Thank you to everyone for your supportive comments to AA.

[Jamrockbwoy]

Thanks for all your input guys

Originally Posted by ONLYACTIVE

Please locate one of our Flash station dealers in the NY area and purchase the tune directly from them and it will only cost you $390.15. In the future all software upgrades are free, and you can always get live support M-F 9am- 6pm. Thank you to everyone for your supportive comments to AA.

I located 4 AA dealers in NY. All of them quoted me $390.15 PLUS labor for install. One dealer said they would have to mail my ECU to AA as they cannot do it onsite and even wanted me to pay for shipping + labor.

[Mike.]

Originally Posted by Jamrockbwoy

Thanks for all your input guys



I located 4 AA dealers in NY. All of them quoted me $390.15 PLUS labor for install. One dealer said they would have to mail my ECU to AA as they cannot do it onsite and even wanted me to pay for shipping + labor.

I had this same problem, so i went to E shift performance in NJ

[ONLYACTIVE]

Just let me know which dealer in NY, but you must go to a Flash station dealer and I will take care of the labor charge.

[hassmaschine]

The powerbox is a silly product. If you want similar performance for no money, just push the throttle to the floor...

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

I had both.

BMS:
Throttle remap is real nice helps to remove some of that lag.
Great butt-dyno gains but true dyno results show marginal gains at best.

There's no gains at all. It can't open the intake valves more than stock and it can't adjust anything but the pedal ratio. It really does nothing once you have it floored.

[cdgatti]

I have the BMS powerbox, have never driven a N52 with the AA tune so can't compare. I accept that the AA tune is better based on all the positive reviews and comparisons to the BMS. Having said that the powerbox does include a tune, in that the ignition timing is set more advanced and fuel/air ratio is adjusted. Having said that I use mine in setting #5 almost all the time because all I really wanted was to remove the annoying throttle lag that I found made it difficult to drive this car smoothly. This setting increases throttle response by 60% and does not alter the engine timing or fuel/air ratio.
I would have sold this car years ago had it not been for the BMS powerbox smoothing out it's operation.

Having said that, if I ever get another N52 equipped car, I would like to put the AA tune in it, mostly because I am intrigued with what people say about it smoothing out the transmission shifts.

[MarkkyyMan]

Didn't someone dyno with a BMS power box and actually lose HP?

[WOT Bimmer]

Can't say about the dyno, but when I had it the low end felt slightly faster on the butt dyno but VERY jerky. Top end felt like it lost power. I got tired of the low end jerk and dumped it.

[Three_thirty_I]

Had the BMS Powerbox in my 330i to test (was lucky to have that opportunity), and all it did was make the throttle progressively more jerky. As for performance gain (and my car is 100% stock), really can't say I felt any difference. All it does is sharpen up the throttle sensitivity (basically the same as if you just put your foot down more), but it does not remove the actual delay in throttle response. So there is still that small amount of time between throttle input and actual engine response. The problem that I found for myself was that by sharpening the throttle sensitivity it mostly made the throttle jerky. Map 3 was of course pretty brutal, map 2 was still a bit aggressive but better, and similar with map 1. The rest of the maps 4 to 6 were the same but minus the claimed BMS tune. I tended to keep reverting back to map 0 in order to turn this gadget off...

From all that I have read, I would say go for the AA tune. Seems to be most liked.

[Tom Droze]

I just removed my Sprint Booster and installed the Active Autowerke's Stage 2 tune for my N51. First off, I have to say I was a Nervous Nelly doing the reflash, as this was my first time; I guess one could say I was a virgin flasher! While the written instructions are not the most detailed, but Pedro did walk me through it--thank you Pedro. After the flash I did have a check engine light and the nice folks at O'Reilly Auto Parts read the code for me (U0100), which they could not reset and had to do something with the "gearbox interface." However, after a short drive the CEL did go away.

As for the driving experience, the car is definitely more responsive and not nearly as "jerky" as it was with the Sprint Booster. At this point it is hard to say if the car is faster but I will give it some time to see how it adjusts to the new tune. The proof will be when I go back to the drag strip and compare the before and after MPH. I will update the post when I have the drag strip data.

[bimmerquick43321]

Originally Posted by Tom Droze

The proof will be when I go back to the drag strip and compare the before and after MPH. I will update the post when I have the drag strip data.

Not sure if you already mentioned it, but I was curious what was your time/mph on the 1/4?

[Tom Droze]

Originally Posted by mecbain

Not sure if you already mentioned it, but I was curious what was your time/mph on the 1/4?

It was discussed last October in a previous thread. . .

Keeping mind my car is an automatic, so my 60-foot times suffered as a result, my best ET was 15.386 at 92.92 MPH. My best MPH that night of the five runs I made was 93.00. All my 60-foot times were 2.3XX with a best of 2.325.

And knowing the weight of my car (certified at 3,580 pounds with a full tank of gas and driver) and knowing my 1/4 mile MPH there are apps to calculate the horsepower. With respect going back to the drag strip, I am more interested in changes to the MPH than I am the ET.