Re: Autothority Chip for 1.8T?

[Jeremiah Kristal <jeremiah@wbsnyc6.wbs.com>]

On Thu, 11 Mar 1999, W. Lemley wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience with the Autothority chip for the 1.8L
> Turbo?  Car & Driver just finished their long term test of a Passat 1.8T,
> and they had installed the chip and tested both performance and on a dyno.
> Power was up to 195hp, and 0-60 times down to the mid sixes (I don't have
> the article here).  This sounds too good to be true for only $400.  My
> questions are: How does it affect drivability (more turbo lag, decreased
> throttle response, etc)? Does it void the powertrain warrantee?  Is it
> something that could be installed and then uninstalled if warrantee
> service was necessary?  And most importantly, how has it affected
> performance on the slightly heavier Audi? (I am interested in possibly
> installing one in an A4 Avant 1.8T).  Thanks in advance.
> 

I'm not sure how it performs, but I've heard very bad things about VW's
stance on mods recently.  A co-worker had his entire warrenty voided
(granted his car is highly modified) and appealed to VW corporate.  Was
told that any mods, including aftermarket rims in stock sizes, will void
the warranty.  I hope Audi doesn't take the same short-sighted approach.
Your best bet is to talk to your talk to your dealer or swap the original
chip back in when you take it in for service.

Jeremiah
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