Looking to tune my Audi S5: Which tuner should I choose?

I know it might impact the warranty but from what I have read, stage 1 remap is mostly safe

BHPian animeshc recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been wondering about the possibility of a stage 1 remap for the S5. Was looking for suggestions/guidance on a few points:

I know it might impact the warranty but from what I have read, stage 1 remap is mostly safe. Any inputs on whether its worth the risk.

• Does the engine remap also have a positive impact on the exhaust note?
• How adverse is the impact on FE?
• Reliable leads for these mods in Hyderabad (or Bangalore)?
• Any other things to factor in?

Here's what BHPian suhaas307 had to say on the matter:

• Stage 1 maps that are OTS (off the shelf) from reputed tuners are usually safe, especially for the VAG platform.
• A simple stage 1 remap may not have any positive impact on the exhaust note. For that, you will have to get a catted / catless downpipe which will have a positive impact on not only the sound but also the overall life of the turbo, as the primary restrictions in the exhaust being the cat core is deleted allowing the turbo to spool quicker and run cooler as well. You can then take advantage of the deleted exhaust restriction by applying a stage 2 tune (which honestly isn’t a world of a difference from a simple stage 1 flash) should you wish. The downside of a cat delete is increased emissions - that is something you will have to come to terms with if you are serious about going de-cat and craving an improved exhaust note.

In my opinion, it’s always better to go de-cat or sport-cat (smaller cat core) to optimise both stage 1/2 tunes as any tune will make the car run hotter than a car running stock software. A less restrictive exhaust especially around the hot side of the turbo will always be a good thing while tuning the car, in terms of longevity.

• FE is directly connected to driving style. A well calibrated tune could yield improved fuel efficiency if driven well.
• From my experience, I find that GT TUNERZ are the best in the business as they develop their tunes on a dyno and optimise it for local conditions. They have a shop they are affiliated to in Hyderabad and I could pass on their contact to you. In Bangalore, I would suggest Wolf Moto for tunes.
• If you have some money lying around after going catless and tuning the car, I would suggest addressing cooling-related concerns if any. Considering the hot and tropical climate that we run our cars in, it’s always recommended to turn your attention to intake air temps especially if you are tuning the car. Keeping the charged air cool will yield consistent and sustained performance on hot days and. An intercooler, or a charge cooler, as the case may be, will ensure that the ECU does not retard ignition timing when the intake air temperatures (IATs) climb too high.

Here's what BHPian anabanka had to say on the matter:

Stage 1 remaps are the safest maps, and most VAG cars, including the S5 come with engines that have a significant overhead that may be unlocked. The maps generally comprise of an ECU and TCU (transmission) tune. It is best to get them both done from the same vendor.

The exhaust note would stay the same, and a Stage 2 with a new exhaust would be required for that - something that is not recommended unless you’ve been tuning cars for a while. It’s easy to switch back from Stage 1 tunes. Once you start playing with the hardware, the resale value also takes a hit, and generally not worth the marginal upgrades IMO.

The three best tuners for VAG cars are TVS Engineering (Netherlands), Revo (UK), APR (US). TVS only does TCU for DSGs and since the B9 S5 comes with an AL552 TC gearbox, Revo and APR would be much better suited to the S5. You may contact the dealers listed on their website as they’d be best trained to carry out the work. Hyderabad and Bangalore should have dealers from these companies.

Avoid tuners that claim unrealistic figures and don’t have a good pedigree. The above tuners apart from the higher HP and NM, also spend time tuning for better drivability - more torque through a wider band for example. Expect to spend 1-1.5L for a reputed Stage1. Many offer tunes for as low as 30K but it’s really not worth risking such an expensive car to save a lakh.

Your city FE should be the same, but expect the highway FE to drop because your driving may also invariably become more aggressive.

With a Stage 1 remap, expect to carry out services sooner to be on the safer side - maybe every 10K. Consider getting better brake pads.

Happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Here's what BHPian Kkapadia had to say on the matter:

It really depends on how long and how much you intend to use this car. The drive does feel nicer after a remap no doubts. Quite a lot of people are successfully using mapped cars for thousands of kms, but there are many that are failing as well. Any third party map outside the factory map does not come with the long term testing and reliability that has gone with the original. Many of these tunes are from respected brands, they may claim to be the engineers who worked the miracle as they managed to get better power and performance but the real engineer was the one that made the car! Stage 1 is easiest to install but the service requirements are recommended usually at half the mileage and duration of OE. If you are looking at 2/3/5 years of ownership then definitely go for it as today’s engines easily last that much, but any longer term ownership plans then I would not want any mapping done. Something or the other will keep failing. This is from my experience.

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