Stratified Flash Tune Review

[Alex@Stratified]

For those that ordered the v3 tune update, how long does it take to get the file? Ordered on Friday and can't wait to get it!

So if the "datalog review" option is not purchased, then no datalogs would be required, because we only get one tune with no revisions? Just curious on what if we run into issues with the tune and the review was not purchased?

Alex; can you comment on the question asked earlier (by GerToshav) about installing your flash tune on a BRAND NEW, low miles, FiST, since I too was wondering IF there needs to be a break-in period before using a higher performance tune in these cars.

You will be fine. I do recommend a break in period regardless of what tune you are running of 500-1000 miles where you vary the speed and load.

 

[KraZe]

On 93 octane w/ COBB Traction Control, would the 2nd Gear Torque Limit option provide any benefit in my case? I really don't want any wheelspin whenever I shift into 2nd.

Curious as well.

 

[OffTheWall503]

I am curious too, as the 2nd gear torque limit seems to be a new feature.

 

[GerToshav]

Curious as well.

I am curious too, as the 2nd gear torque limit seems to be a new feature.

I sent them an email and one of the engineers responded that if I had everything else bone stock that the "COBB TC should be enough for you, no need for the torque limit."

 

[M-Sport fan]

Curious as well.

+1

Or even in FIRST gear, as I think it is asinine to do burnouts on a FWD car UNLESS one is warming up the slicks/DRs for a good, sticky drag race launch/60' time.

 

[OCS12]

Alex; can you comment on the question asked earlier (by GerToshav) about installing your flash tune on a BRAND NEW, low miles, FiST, since I too was wondering IF there needs to be a break-in period before using a higher performance tune in these cars.

Do yourself a favor and put at least 5 or 6 hundred miles on it minimum. To be honest, it drove me nuts, but I put a 90 day waiting period on my own car before touching it.

Reason why... I'm an engineer for a pretty big engine manufacturer and although we've got the lowest percentage of warranty claims amongst our competition lately, the bulk of those claims pop up in the first three months. I wanted no doubt about warranty claims with the car during that stretch.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Do yourself a favor and put at least 5 or 6 hundred miles on it minimum. To be honest, it drove me nuts, but I put a 90 day waiting period on my own car before touching it.

Reason why... I'm an engineer for a pretty big engine manufacturer and although we've got the lowest percentage of warranty claims amongst our competition lately, the bulk of those claims pop up in the first three months. I wanted no doubt about warranty claims with the car during that stretch.

OK, THANKS!

I was planning on this anyway, for exactly the reasons you've stated, as well as any initial drive train problems.

I was asking just in case temptation got the better of me early on.

I will do any cosmetic stuff first, before the IC, boomba recirculating BPV, and tune (and maybe a CBE) in the spring, as long as it's not anything which could be destroyed by winter conditions.

 

[OCS12]

OK, THANKS!

I was planning on this anyway, for exactly the reasons you've stated, as well as any initial drive train problems.

I was asking just in case temptation got the better of me early on.

I will do any cosmetic stuff first, before the IC, boomba recirculating BPV, and tune (and maybe a CBE) in the spring, as long as it's not anything which could be destroyed by winter conditions.

Trust me, it's a painful 3 months! Think back to being a little kid waiting for Christmas, it's that annoying.

To be fair though, it's not a bad car stock.

 

[TUX15ST]

Its pretty terrible stock from a power point of view, handling is excellent though

 

[OCS12]

Its pretty terrible stock from a power point of view, handling is excellent though

C'mon man. We're grading on a curve here.

 

[jeff]

Got my V3 revision and thought I'd give my two cents here.

Normally I'm actually driving a custom tune which is currently being revised with traction control for more low end (1st and 2nd) power to the ground. In the meantime I thought just for fun I'd try out the newest Strat revision (I was on V1 waayyyy back) since it has the Cobb traction control option along with the pops and crackles option. What a day we live in that for a mere $37 you can put a tune on your car and get these options!

While the Strat tune isn't as wild as my custom tune (nor should it be since we're comparing an OTS tune to a custom tune) my impression of the new V3 is........

WOW!

1st and 2nd gear with the Cobb traction control are truly a wonder. This makes me so excited to see what my custom tuner will to with TC enabled. Another thing about this tune is that it is so smooth at every point. Accelerating, decelerating, coming out of gears...it's simply amazing. Hats off to the Strat guys for refining the tune so much. Interestingly I drove my buddy's V6 Accord 6speed yesterday and this car feels sort of like that. Less a sudden rush of power and more a verrrrrry smooth power curve. Car feels a little like a V6 now as strange as that sounds. It's just so dang smooth I was thinking it felt like a manual tranny luxury car as I rowed through the gears.

I have yet to try my PnC option (I got the 2 tunes for $37) but I'll post more once I do.

My one gripe is communication....my emails/online forms have questions left unanswered. Having said that I realize I'm not a custom tune customer so you get what you pay for. OTS tune gets OTS tune communication which is pretty much little to none which is understandable as there really aren't variables to discuss outside of the things the buyer chooses on the option form once the tune is ordered. Still it would be nice to have questions answered but I get it.

Honestly they could charge more for this tune, it is worth far more than the money they are asking for it.

Great job Strat!

 

[TUX15ST]

Who are you using for the custom tune?

 

[Truth in Ruin]

Got my V3 revision and thought I'd give my two cents here.

Normally I'm actually driving a custom tune which is currently being revised with traction control for more low end (1st and 2nd) power to the ground. In the meantime I thought just for fun I'd try out the newest Strat revision (I was on V1 waayyyy back) since it has the Cobb traction control option along with the pops and crackles option. What a day we live in that for a mere $37 you can put a tune on your car and get these options!

While the Strat tune isn't as wild as my custom tune (nor should it be since we're comparing an OTS tune to a custom tune) my impression of the new V3 is........

WOW!

1st and 2nd gear with the Cobb traction control are truly a wonder. This makes me so excited to see what my custom tuner will to with TC enabled. Another thing about this tune is that it is so smooth at every point. Accelerating, decelerating, coming out of gears...it's simply amazing. Hats off to the Strat guys for refining the tune so much. Interestingly I drove my buddy's V6 Accord 6speed yesterday and this car feels sort of like that. Less a sudden rush of power and more a verrrrrry smooth power curve. Car feels a little like a V6 now as strange as that sounds. It's just so dang smooth I was thinking it felt like a manual tranny luxury car as I rowed through the gears.

I have yet to try my PnC option (I got the 2 tunes for $37) but I'll post more once I do.

My one gripe is communication....my emails/online forms have questions left unanswered. Having said that I realize I'm not a custom tune customer so you get what you pay for. OTS tune gets OTS tune communication which is pretty much little to none which is understandable as there really aren't variables to discuss outside of the things the buyer chooses on the option form once the tune is ordered. Still it would be nice to have questions answered but I get it.

Honestly they could charge more for this tune, it is worth far more than the money they are asking for it.

Great job Strat!

easy there..

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^Yes. LOL

IF they would ever accept an order over the phone (would they??), I will do that to get answers about what to order for the flash tune when I do order it in the early spring.

 

[WeTheNorth]

Got my V3 revision and thought I'd give my two cents here.

Normally I'm actually driving a custom tune which is currently being revised with traction control for more low end (1st and 2nd) power to the ground. In the meantime I thought just for fun I'd try out the newest Strat revision (I was on V1 waayyyy back) since it has the Cobb traction control option along with the pops and crackles option. What a day we live in that for a mere $37 you can put a tune on your car and get these options!

While the Strat tune isn't as wild as my custom tune (nor should it be since we're comparing an OTS tune to a custom tune) my impression of the new V3 is........

WOW!

1st and 2nd gear with the Cobb traction control are truly a wonder. This makes me so excited to see what my custom tuner will to with TC enabled. Another thing about this tune is that it is so smooth at every point. Accelerating, decelerating, coming out of gears...it's simply amazing. Hats off to the Strat guys for refining the tune so much. Interestingly I drove my buddy's V6 Accord 6speed yesterday and this car feels sort of like that. Less a sudden rush of power and more a verrrrrry smooth power curve. Car feels a little like a V6 now as strange as that sounds. It's just so dang smooth I was thinking it felt like a manual tranny luxury car as I rowed through the gears.

I have yet to try my PnC option (I got the 2 tunes for $37) but I'll post more once I do.

My one gripe is communication....my emails/online forms have questions left unanswered. Having said that I realize I'm not a custom tune customer so you get what you pay for. OTS tune gets OTS tune communication which is pretty much little to none which is understandable as there really aren't variables to discuss outside of the things the buyer chooses on the option form once the tune is ordered. Still it would be nice to have questions answered but I get it.

Honestly they could charge more for this tune, it is worth far more than the money they are asking for it.

Great job Strat!

lol jeff!!

easy there..

Will agree!

 

[OCS12]

^^^Yes. LOL

IF they would ever accept an order over the phone (would they??), I will do that to get answers about what to order for the flash tune when I do order it in the early spring.

People still buy more than Chinese take out over the phone?!? I'm not young by any means, and that baffles me. Why not go properly old school and mail them a check!

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^IF it is the only way to get an answer right at the time of purchase, WHY NOT?!?

I'm going go out on a limb here and guess that you also ridicule anyone who does not have the absolute LATEST AND GREATEST iPhone, and Mac Daddy iPad/laptop as well?

"OMG, he has a flip phone, he must be from the 15th century!!!" LOL

 

[Alex@Stratified]

We do have a phone number. We don't take the order over the phone (for security reasons) but will be happy to answer any questions there during business hours. It's 604-285-9940. We also answer our feedback (https://www.stratifiedauto.com/index.php?main_page=contact_us) daily and interact with many of you one on one via social media on a daily basis. So if you have questions - there are many avenues to get in touch.

 

[jeff]

Who are you using for the custom tune?

I am using Tune+ but this in no way is an attempt to derail anyone from purchasing Stratified. I am sure Stratified's custom tunes are just as good as Tune+ though I suspect they have different tuning strategies so the end product will come out a bit different. For me in the end it was about communication because all my custom tuning in the past was done in person on a real dyno and for that reason as I approached an e-tune it was necessary for me to have actual phone conversation instead of doing everything over e-mail, I just wanted that level of correspondence.

As I said, the Strat tune is fantastic and I really believe what they say on their website - that for our cars the flash tune gets somewhere around 90% of performance out of the car with a stock turbo. For that extra 10% you'd want a custom tune. But the 90% tune is only 20% of the cost of a custom tune so unless you're a real fanatic like me the flash tune is probably fine for most people. Add on top of that they offer Cobb TC and E85 and selectable map slots and other options for a few bucks more....outside of a full on custom tune this is the way to go and I highly recommend it.

Drove it again a few minutes ago....2nd gear never felt so great. The TC is a must!!! Seriously this is the smoothest manual tranny car I've ever driven (and I have driven many) in terms of the conversation the tranny is having with the engine is having with the ECU. Can't wait to load the PnC tomorrow and see what all the rage is.

 

[jeff]

We do have a phone number. We don't take the order over the phone (for security reasons) but will be happy to answer any questions there during business hours. It's 604-285-9940. We also answer our feedback (https://www.stratifiedauto.com/index.php?main_page=contact_us) daily and interact with many of you one on one via social media on a daily basis. So if you have questions - there are many avenues to get in touch.

When I originally e-mailed Stratified many months ago they told me they preferred to do everything on e-mail rather than phone. At that time there was no phone number on their website. With Alex's post above it is clear that they have revised that practice which I think is an excellent idea. Thanks Alex for clearing that up.