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HolyCrapItsFast
Drinks beer!
I would say that for a novice the AP has many more benefits an conveniences than Open Source. For the time being all he needs is a stage 1 ots map so the pro tune can wait until he gets more mods. IMO it is not worth a pro tune unless he is at least stage 2.
With the AP he gets the convenience of live monitoring, on the fly map switching, fuel economy, Flat Foot Shifting, Launch Control, live adjustment, adjust the rev warning light, and a host of other features all in one tiny convenient package.
I guess it really depends on whether he would rather have the convenience, features and plug and play nature of the AP or whether he is just looking for a no thrills solution.
If he goes with open source he would require a pro tune no matter what since this is his first experience with the STi, any stage tunes on RomRaider are complete junk, so he would have to shell out at least $500 for a pro tune right off the bat. If he wants to be able to log and monitor things He would require a lap top and a Tactrix 2.0.
It all ends up being the cost of the lap top (if he doesn't have one) and $170 for the Tactrix plus the pro tune. With the AP it is just the cost of the AP for now. The Maps are included and they have been developed by professionals and tested by millions.
My recommendation to the OP is that he get rid of the CAI and BOV and buy an AP and go Stage 1 for now. I think the price for that is currently $595. The CIA is doing absolutely nothing for you right now. Trust me your car will thank you and reward you with good reliable power. Then when you add a down pipe you can go stage 2 and then you will benefit from a pro tune when you add even more mods.
With the AP he gets the convenience of live monitoring, on the fly map switching, fuel economy, Flat Foot Shifting, Launch Control, live adjustment, adjust the rev warning light, and a host of other features all in one tiny convenient package.
I guess it really depends on whether he would rather have the convenience, features and plug and play nature of the AP or whether he is just looking for a no thrills solution.
If he goes with open source he would require a pro tune no matter what since this is his first experience with the STi, any stage tunes on RomRaider are complete junk, so he would have to shell out at least $500 for a pro tune right off the bat. If he wants to be able to log and monitor things He would require a lap top and a Tactrix 2.0.
It all ends up being the cost of the lap top (if he doesn't have one) and $170 for the Tactrix plus the pro tune. With the AP it is just the cost of the AP for now. The Maps are included and they have been developed by professionals and tested by millions.
My recommendation to the OP is that he get rid of the CAI and BOV and buy an AP and go Stage 1 for now. I think the price for that is currently $595. The CIA is doing absolutely nothing for you right now. Trust me your car will thank you and reward you with good reliable power. Then when you add a down pipe you can go stage 2 and then you will benefit from a pro tune when you add even more mods.
This. Opensource + Tactrix Cable for switching maps and datalogging FTW.
I agree with both sides here. Each has it's benefits. Personally I am going to go with an Accessport (someday) purely because COBB is 20 minutes from me. Otherwise I would do opensource. However if my ecu didn't already have the ability to swith maps on the fly(SI Drive 08+my) I would be getting an accessport no matter what.
Evo rules your world!
New member
Switching maps on the fly is overrated.
I honestly don't think I did once when I had my STI and Cobb AP. I guess if I knew I needed to switch maps on the fly I would just bring along my junk ass Macbook to be my "access port" ( yes I know not everyone has an extra laptop and Tactrix cable lying around to be a map switcher/logger, just saying in my case). To each their own though, Cobb being right down the street might influence me as well lol.
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Switching maps on the fly is overrated.
Also, Bad told me that if I ever went opensource vs accessport he would kick my ass.
Hell yeah dude! I had Red Sox frames but they got messed up when I went to NY lol.
Springfield
Thanks for all the info guys. I think Im leaning more towards the AP seeing how Im not to familiar with tuning a car and would rather have a professional do it than risking myself destroying my engine with the opensource and trying to do it myself. Plus Im thinking about doing launch control so the AP had the one up already.
FYI there are plenty of professionals that tune open source as well.
Evo rules your world!
New member
Extra cost? Opensource is about 1/3 the cost of an AP. That's why most people use it, because its wayyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper.
And to the poster that is worried about having to tune the car yourself. You don't have to do that, most shops tune on opensource.
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HolyCrapItsFast
Drinks beer!
How is it way cheaper in this case?
If he goes open source he needs to spend $500 on a pro-tune. In the future when he makes changes to his car that is another $500. If he does learn how to tune then he spends the $169 for a Tactrix. Here he either spends $1000 to rely on a professional or $669 if he learns to tune later on. The only time this would be an advantage is if he learns to tune now and spends the money on a Tacrix now and does it him self. He already indicated that this is not the case.
If he goes AP he spends $595 and uses an OTS map because that will do him just fine for now. Later when he does more mods then he spends the $500 for a pro tune. If he learns to tune himself then he can download Access Tuner for free. Here he spend $1095 to rely on a professional or $595 if he learns to tune later on.
I don't see a big advantage at all with open source in this case.
If he goes open source he needs to spend $500 on a pro-tune. In the future when he makes changes to his car that is another $500. If he does learn how to tune then he spends the $169 for a Tactrix. Here he either spends $1000 to rely on a professional or $669 if he learns to tune later on. The only time this would be an advantage is if he learns to tune now and spends the money on a Tacrix now and does it him self. He already indicated that this is not the case.
If he goes AP he spends $595 and uses an OTS map because that will do him just fine for now. Later when he does more mods then he spends the $500 for a pro tune. If he learns to tune himself then he can download Access Tuner for free. Here he spend $1095 to rely on a professional or $595 if he learns to tune later on.
I don't see a big advantage at all with open source in this case.
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Evo rules your world!
New member
Let's use my case, 250 for a quality Tobz tune and 150 for any aditional tune for life. I walked out of the shop with a pro tuned evo for 250 bucks. Now if I had an ap it would have been 600 for ap and an aditional 250 for pro tune. Seems way cheaper to me... now if I want to tune later on I buy evo scan for 25 bucks and tactrix cable for 150, now if we do the math that's 150 bucks cheaper than the base ap let alone an ap with a pro tune.
Edit: where do you guys pay 500 for a tune? Most I have ever paid was 350 and that was when I had my AP.
Edit: where do you guys pay 500 for a tune? Most I have ever paid was 350 and that was when I had my AP.
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HolyCrapItsFast
Drinks beer!
Yes in this case it would be much cheaper. :tup:
