Who tunes for APR these days?

[USAFS4]

I was wondering if APR still has the same brain trust writing tunes for the company that wrote the tune for first gen B8 S4s? I have friends asking about who to use for tuning and APR still has brand cache for John Q. Public. I think that if they have a car from 2012 or older they are safe to go with APR, but newer than that I would steer people toward GIAC or REVO. Also since they still havnt released a TCU tune for the B8 DSG and their competitors have had tunes available for some time I would not trust a TCU tune if they did finally release one. Point being if it took this long I would be concerned they don’t have the programming chops to produce effective and more importantly a reliable product.

Thoughts?

[crew219]

APR hired two EVO tuners in 2013. Eric Urness and Jamie Harvey.

[USAFS4]

Are these EVO tuners to be trusted with our platforms? I went to an APR Barbque once and met some of there engineering team. I was very impressed. That and APR’s history of reliable tunes sold me on going with APR for my tuning solutions. After the the recent tuning issues with the 1740 S/C I’m not sure APR has the technical expertise it once had.

[sakimano]

I’m not sure APR ever had a reputation for having tuning expertise.

APR had a reputation for making a boost request to generate power on turbo cars (wow…tough one)…and bumping timing and leaning out AFR very slightly vs stock parameters to produce power, but getting spikemarks on their back as the competition ran over them. APR used this to call themselves ‘the safe tuner’.

However when faced with something a bit more complicated, they have historically done very poorly. We saw this with the NA cars they tuned showed literally zero power added, the first waves of SC 3.0T tunes were terrible and their stage 3 supercharger kits have been a disaster…resulting in them either having to sound the batsignal to call in JHM to bail them out (tvsr1320 kit for 4.2 FSI cars), or to shelve the products (RS5, B8 S4 kit) or pull it off the webpage and cancel sales for ‘patent’ reasons while coincidentally ignoring ostrich style reports of multiple blown engines at the same time…maybe another co-incidence (tvsr1740 kit for RS4/S5/R8). We’re also finding out these kits are failing readiness testing, which is the new standard emissions test in several states and provinces…and APR have basically said ‘tough luck’ when customers have asked for help with the issue. Result? Customers cars and their $15,000-20,000 supercharger kits are being pulled off the road while they contact other tuners for help.

Bottom line is who knows…but it sure looks like as soon as APR hired Eric Urness, they started having reliability issues and grenading $25,000 engines (not cars…engines). Maybe it’s also a coincidence. Not sure I would trust my car to them for any amount of money right now, especially considering the state of flux the company is in, and the way people with a grievance are being told to fuck off and not being taken care of.

[My_S5_afe_Hyden]

I’ve too noticed a large change in APR and their results over the past few years. None of the changes were for the better. As a past customer I’ve since changed my position on APR. They’re a software company and their software has become unreliable. I’d have to fully agree that APR has lost the technical expertise it once had and it shows.

We’ve heard about destroyed 3.0t motors in trying to develop a stage 3 3.0t option. Numerous issues with the golf R tunes. Blown piston issues with the stage 3 kit for the golf. The blown motors on the RS4s. At last count there’s 4 blown RS4 motors. Blowing motors on 2.0t cars. One 2.0t guy had his car at APR for over a year and that car left with less hp than it came in with.

Poorly running cars. There’s issues now where APR cars can’t pass readiness. TTRS customers with the stage 3 kit don’t run or they don’t run right.

The old tuning staff got great tunes for the b8 S4. Such great tunes APR held almost every record. Now the current staff struggles with the b8.5 cars.

The past APR stood for solid safe tunes. They were the industry leaders. They’ve been doing something special and they set the standards. Now it’s apparent they’re not following the standards they once created.

[USAFS4]

I’ve too noticed a large change in APR and their results over the past few years. None of the changes were for the better. As a past customer I’ve since changed my position on APR. They’re a software company and their software has become unreliable. I’d have to fully agree that APR has lost the technical expertise it once had and it shows.

We’ve heard about destroyed 3.0t motors in trying to develop a stage 3 3.0t option. Numerous issues with the golf R tunes. Blown piston issues with the stage 3 kit for the golf. The blown motors on the RS4s. At last count there’s 4 blown RS4 motors. Blowing motors on 2.0t cars. One 2.0t guy had his car at APR for over a year and that car left with less hp than it came in with.

Poorly running cars. There’s issues now where APR cars can’t pass readiness. TTRS customers with the stage 3 kit don’t run or they don’t run right.

The old tuning staff got great tunes for the b8 S4. Such great tunes APR held almost every record. Now the current staff struggles with the b8.5 cars.

The past APR stood for solid safe tunes. They were the industry leaders. They’ve been doing something special and they set the standards. Now it’s apparent they’re not following the standards they once created.

Wait. 3.0Ts running APR that blew?? I know about REVO cars, but can you provide more about APR tunes linked to blown 3.0s?

[cory_can]

I’m not defending anyone but I wanted to offer my experience.

The original APR K04 tune for my B8 Avant was ok but was certainly on the conservative side. My best time was 13.01@104, but I averaged 13.1-13.2. After upgrading my software to V2, which I believe was created by the new tuners my car has certainly woken up…smoother and more powerful across the range. It also put me into the 12’s on pump with a 12.87@105.6. My average was in the 12.8-12.9 area…when my transmission behaves :). Not a single issue. They also have a V3 version coming soon for the B8…I’ll research and tread lightly before I upgrade.

Granted, the 2.0TSI is in their wheelhouse, but they have done ‘some’ nice improvements without bringing on reliability issues.

[My_S5_afe_Hyden]

I’ve too noticed a large change in APR and their results over the past few years. None of the changes were for the better. As a past customer I’ve since changed my position on APR. They’re a software company and their software has become unreliable. I’d have to fully agree that APR has lost the technical expertise it once had and it shows.

We’ve heard about destroyed 3.0t motors in trying to develop a stage 3 3.0t option. Numerous issues with the golf R tunes. Blown piston issues with the stage 3 kit for the golf. The blown motors on the RS4s. At last count there’s 4 blown RS4 motors. Blowing motors on 2.0t cars. One 2.0t guy had his car at APR for over a year and that car left with less hp than it came in with.

Poorly running cars. There’s issues now where APR cars can’t pass readiness. TTRS customers with the stage 3 kit don’t run or they don’t run right.

The old tuning staff got great tunes for the b8 S4. Such great tunes APR held almost every record. Now the current staff struggles with the b8.5 cars.

The past APR stood for solid safe tunes. They were the industry leaders. They’ve been doing something special and they set the standards. Now it’s apparent they’re not following the standards they once created.

Wait. 3.0Ts running APR that blew?? I know about REVO cars, but can you provide more about APR tunes linked to blown 3.0s?

Almost all the information I’ve gathered has come from recent threads.
http://audirevolution.net/forum/index.php?topic=2757.0

Read the first post.

[USAFS4]

I’ve too noticed a large change in APR and their results over the past few years. None of the changes were for the better. As a past customer I’ve since changed my position on APR. They’re a software company and their software has become unreliable. I’d have to fully agree that APR has lost the technical expertise it once had and it shows.

We’ve heard about destroyed 3.0t motors in trying to develop a stage 3 3.0t option. Numerous issues with the golf R tunes. Blown piston issues with the stage 3 kit for the golf. The blown motors on the RS4s. At last count there’s 4 blown RS4 motors. Blowing motors on 2.0t cars. One 2.0t guy had his car at APR for over a year and that car left with less hp than it came in with.

Poorly running cars. There’s issues now where APR cars can’t pass readiness. TTRS customers with the stage 3 kit don’t run or they don’t run right.

The old tuning staff got great tunes for the b8 S4. Such great tunes APR held almost every record. Now the current staff struggles with the b8.5 cars.

The past APR stood for solid safe tunes. They were the industry leaders. They’ve been doing something special and they set the standards. Now it’s apparent they’re not following the standards they once created.

Wait. 3.0Ts running APR that blew?? I know about REVO cars, but can you provide more about APR tunes linked to blown 3.0s?

Almost all the information I’ve gathered has come from recent threads.
http://audirevolution.net/forum/index.php?topic=2757.0

Read the first post.

Arin blowing his motor doesn’t exactly count. I want a tuner to find weaknesses on their test mules and not a customers car. So other than APRs test mule which was StG 3 testing, there are no blown 3.0ts from STG 2 or stg 1?

[clochner]

^^ that’s correct. There have been reports that APR’s stage 3 B8 blew a few motors. Nothing about blown engines on customers’ stage 1 or 2 B8s.

[My_S5_afe_Hyden]

Arin blowing his motor doesn’t exactly count. I want a tuner to find weaknesses on their test mules and not a customers car. So other than APRs test mule which was StG 3 testing, there are no blown 3.0ts from STG 2 or stg 1?

I no doubt agree. However it appeared to be the case where APR blew the GRD motor in the RS4 and still released the supercharger kit. I have my doubts on if APR was searching for the limits and just ended up with a blown motor due to the apparent trend shown by the New group of tuners. I apologize I wasn’t trying to imply the 3.0t issues were outside the stage 3 development. Below is what I posted originally. I was attempting to not lead anyone to think it was outside the stage 3 stuff. Sorry for any confusion

.

We’ve heard about destroyed 3.0t motors in trying to develop a stage 3 3.0t option.

I don’t think anyone with a APR stage 1 or 2 would have anything to worry about. That seems to be one of the more solid tunes. Especially If it’s a pre .5 car.