Performance chips, which is the best?

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Morgan Hill, CA
#1
I own a 1989 325i that i purchased from my uncle for $2000. Im the third owner and am totally loving the car. Ive checked out several performance chips for the car. ranging from Dinan, based in morgan hill where i live, the tunermotorsport.com, and the one from bavauto.com. Which is the best and gets the most bang from your buck?
 
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Location
Wayzata, MN
#2
hey, welcome to BMWboard friend.

tunermotorsport/jim conforti are the most popular around here. though dinan is very respectable as well.

good luck, and hopefully someone with an e30 will post as well.
 
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San Jose, California
#7
bahnstormer...from what I the guy at bavauto told me that AA did the programing for their chips. I can't say as I really believe him. I'd like to see dyno'd results of their chip side-by-side a JC.

Dinan's chips are more of you daily driver chip, with a little more emphasis on fuel economy (according to the man himself) to prolong drivability.

Personally...I think the JC's are the best because the whole chip is remapped, and Mr. Conforti is arguably the most knowledgable individual on the Motronics of the day.

As for the Mark D'Sylva chips...I've not yet heard enough or seen enough evedence to form an opinion. My understanding is that his chips are for modified cars, not stock setups. But, without hesitation, I know I could be wrong on this.

My $0.02
 
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Location
Topsfield MA (N of Boston)
#8
bav auto does NOT sell JC chips... Jason's correct, they use AA software.

both chips are really good... i love my bav chip & am planning on doing a side by side comparison once a buddy of mine comes home from school... he has the same ecu as i & is JC chipped... gonna get him to let me borrow his chip & do some testing [:D]
 
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Location
Charleston, SC
#10
hmmm, i wasnt exactly impressed with my bavauto chip. i did tell a difference once installed on stock system.
Considering i got the chip, like 3 years ago, i can still send it back to bav auto to get it updated for free? Does JC offer that free upgrade deal, or is it one chip for whatever mods you have (i cant imagine it be that way)?
i too, would like to see the side-by-side with jc and ba chips. what is AA?

speaking of chips, i will bring my old one by my friends house and borrow his eprom reader to see whats inside. if im lucky, bmw didnt use chip-guard before 91'.
 
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Location
San Jose, California
#11
AA is Active Autowerk, a tuner out of Miami, Florida. They have done amazing work with superchargers and turbos, however their chip leaves a bit to be desired.

The JC chip is designed primarily for stock applications. You can get JC chips for custom applications...but you need to order them for specific mods. To my knowlegde, they do not offer free update services. I think most people will agree that Jim has gotten the most that will ever be had out of the m20b25 (or any e30 motor for that matter) by software alone.
 
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Charleston, SC
#12
awesome.
i bought my chip without looking for other options... was a little uneduaced about the whole thing at the time. i dont plan to carry this engine any further than what i have/will currently do (intake mod), but im thinking bavauto will hook me up with a new upgrade on my chip.

i will be waiting to finish my m50 or 52 mod, will i be sticking with the ecu i have of some sort of upgrade - i havent gone that far in my research yet. at that point, i will look to conforti advice at that time in the case of chip mods.

off topic of the thread atm, i apparently have a 4.10:1 non-lsd final drive, is it possible convert that to lsd, cost effectively? or should i wait until i have my new engine and get a respectable differencial?
 


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