Where in Colorado can I get a Rocket Chip for my 2004 TDI?

[pgfogel]

I would like to get my 2004 Jetta TDI tuned and also get a Rocket Chip. I'm in Western Colorado, but I make the trip over to the Denver area quite often.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

My car just went out of warranty so I'm also looking for an experienced TDI mechanic preferably somewhere near Grand Junction or perhaps in the Denver area if need be.


Thank you so much.

 

[tomo366]

Rocketchip is a 1 man show based in Red Lion PA so unless you send your ECU to him............meet him at a GTG or Go to his place you are out of Luck.........

 

[greengeeker]

Trusted TDI Mechanics - By State

 

[Farfromovin]

Red Lion Colorado?

 

[scubagli]

well your already in Grand Junction, kerma is close, but...well you can do your own research. On second thought just send your ecu to Jeff.

 

[pgfogel]

Where exactly is Kerma?

OK I found Kerma in Denver! How would you say Kermas chip tuning upgrade compares to the Rocket Chip RC1+?

 

[tomo366]

Where exactly is Kerma?

OK I found Kerma in Denver! How would you say Kermas chip tuning upgrade compares to the Rocket Chip RC1+?

You probably don't want to go there..........

 

[KROUT]

You probably don't want to go there..........

if the op is smart they will read and make there own call.

 

[pgfogel]

I'm having trouble understanding why there is so much resistance to my asking the opinion of those who have actual hands on experience with these choices.

Its one thing to read about something, anything in fact, and quite another to talk with those who have acquired actual real world knowledge.

Most often thing are rarely as they appear to be, or we would all nearly always be happy with our well informed choices.

So often, in so many matters, I see regret in choices made. ' If I only had it to do over again knowing what I now know', and so on.

THIS IS WHAT I WISH TO MINIMIZE! You ACTUALLY KNOW, I do not!

I simply wish you to share a bit of your experience.


Thank you so much.

 

[KROUT]

I have had both and my rocketchip tune had at least 20more hp got better mpg and ran smoother. Do your home work and then buy dont be sheep getting hearded threw the gate. Oh and watch out for the coolaide around here.

 

[pgfogel]

THANK YOU!!!!

This is the kind of VALUABLE information that may only be found HERE!

YOU, having had BOTH are uniquely qualified to offer knowledgeable hands on advice.

I truly welcome this information as well as anything from others of you who are, so experienced.

 

[KROUT]

wait and see I will get flamed for what I said even though its 100% true

 

[ccvdubs]

My car just went out of warranty so I'm also looking for an experienced TDI mechanic preferably somewhere near Grand Junction or perhaps in the Denver area if need be.

PM SENT, THANKS RW

 

[tomo366]

wait and see I will get flamed for what I said even though its 100% true

You won't get Flamed by me.........

 

[audibahn]

I had my 2005 Golf TDI chipped by KermaTDI and Dieselland last week and am very happy with the results. The car runs much smoother, does not overboost like it used to, has a nice power band, especially in the higher RPMS and just feel solid overall. Kerma's service and response time were great. It was nice to have an actual person to work with who could explain what they were doing and tweak the tune as necessary. While I cannot compare the tune to others out there, having a trusted mechanic closeby is invaluable to me, especially once bigger upgrades like a larger turbo or a new clutch come in play.

 

[MethylEster]

pgfogel,

I have a Kerma chip installed and am extremely happy with the way my 99.5 jetta performs. I initially asked Charlie to provide a tune that would safely max out the VNT-15 and only put out a moderate haze at WOT. And that is exactly what I have. I do not have any first hand experience with Rocketchip.

As I see it the limiting factor for your car will be the automatic transmission and the safe amount of extra power it can handle.

As with any software upgrade first make sure your car is in good mechanical health.

 

[milehighassassin]

Trusted TDI Mechanics - By State

What does this have to do with getting a tune or more specifically Rocketchip?

 

[milehighassassin]

pgfogel

As other's have said Rocketchip is located in the East. You have to send your ECU to him or meet him at a GTG. I am in Colorado (Vail and Fort collins). I am getting a tune through Bleached Bora (Alligator). Through him I can borrow a flash tuner and they e-mail me a program which I can flash on my car myself. Extremely easy and almost fail proof. Kerma can do something similar for you as well.

That is my biggest gripe with Rocketchip. You need to be close or mail the ECU. If you have an issue you have to mail it again. I have no doubt RC has a good tune, his reputation proceeds him, but for me it is not worth it.

 

[pgfogel]

In my searches I've discovered that RC is now or will be very soon doing the same thing. By that I mean, offering tuning with a Flash Loader. Perhaps you should check it out. Or, why don't we organize a GTG and try and get RC out our way?

By the way in the opinion of most, Alligator is a fine choice as well and so is the great reputation of Bleached Bora.

Being near Grand Junction, I just may decide to take my car in to him as well. He's about the same distance from me as Denver is.

Thanks for your insight and good luck with your mods.

If you want to pursue a GTG let me know. I'm sure there are MANY others who would love to see RC come west. The question is, would he actually come?


Peter

 

[milehighassassin]

BTW... Kerma is located in Vail (2 hours from you). Although Paul (Kerma's partner) has had some medical issues so I am not sure if he is currently here. Hopefully everything goes well for him so that he can continue to serve the TDI community.


The thing is that with the flash tuners, Kerma, Alligator, etc you don't need to be close to them. That is what is nice. A RC GTG, sounds nice but what about when you need to upgrade or if you ever have an issue. Sure an "issue" doesn't happen much but having easy support is nice. I heard on here that RC was going to offer flash programming, but have yet to hear it from Jeff himself. I know when the flash tuning came out he was quite the hater/skeptic. Maybe that has changed.

 

[ccvdubs]

What does this have to do with getting a tune or more specifically Rocketchip?

some of us are able to supply all of your tdi needs, including tunes

 

[milehighassassin]

some of us are able to supply all of your tdi needs, including tunes

That is fine and I try to go locally as much as possible but most of the people on that list are Shadetree mechanics who do the wrenching as a hobby.

Simply saying, maybe you should check locally to see if you can get a tune and include that list would have been helpful. Most guys that do tunes don't wrench and most wrenchers don't do tunes.

 

[vwmikel]

The thing is that with the flash tuners, Kerma, Alligator, etc you don't need to be close to them...

I've explained this to many people, but it persists where people think that it is vastly different when you get a tune in person. The truth is that when a customer sends me logs, those are the same logs that I'd be looking at whether they took them or I took them myself. So, when I send one of the programmers out I feel confident that they're going to get a good tune. I'm sure the others (or, at least most of them) feel the same way.

 

[milehighassassin]

I've explained this to many people, but it persists where people think that it is vastly different when you get a tune in person. The truth is that when a customer sends me logs, those are the same logs that I'd be looking at whether they took them or I took them myself. So, when I send one of the programmers out I feel confident that they're going to get a good tune. I'm sure the others (or, at least most of them) feel the same way.

We are arguing the same side here...

The convenience of having your ECU stay in your car is nice.

 

[KROUT]

Unless you have a cheap spare ecu. lol I have a box of them.

 

[milehighassassin]

Cheap and PD ECU don't go together.

Even if you do, it is a pain in the ass to pull the ECU.

 

[KROUT]

sure they do I bought one for 150.

 

[milehighassassin]

sure they do I bought one for 150.

Which is 1/3 the price of chipping your car. I guess I don't see the point of having a paperweight lying around after you use it.

 

[vwmikel]

sure they do I bought one for 150.

Then you need to have it cloned and that security cage is irritating....

 

[Farfromovin]

Then you need to have it cloned and that security cage is irritating....

Security cage? You mean pulling the ECU out of the car or taking the actual board out of the ECU "box" (for lack of better terms)?