Pros and Cons of Standalone ECU systems

A standalone or aftermarket ECU tuning is the pinnacle of high profile Audi car tuning and it means that one professional IT computer tuner will completely eliminate the car brand’s original ECU and will replace it with a totally new ECU system. This solution is costly, but it has tons of benefits to come with it, along with a few drawbacks. Let’s see these this time:

Pros of Standalone ECU

1.) Versatility

It’s infinitely versatile, can adjust it to completely suit the client’s requirements and what’s more the settings can always be changed or updated. This is a great way to test and see what your car can do and work out on the way what other features you would like to have included vs. what features you would like to get modified on the go.

2.) Customizable

Engines are just like car brands: they come with their very own specifics. One cannot say the „ seen one seen it all” in this industry. These specific custom made ECU systems however can be easily modified to suit a specific engine and its parameters just perfectly. Remember the best ECU is the one which is able to keep everything under control

3.) Open to future “mods”

“Mods” in tuning language are basically the same as an „ App” only they are part of an ECU software and they are specifically made to enhance specific features of a car. In the world of tuning or hacking there are tons of these mods, some are brand dependent while others are not.

And finally let’s also see a couple of disadvantages to Standalone ECU

1.) If the vehicle is an OBD-II then it will not be able to communicate with the ODB –II Port after the changes and this will seriously hurt the emission’s passing capabilities and you won’t be able to use it for diagnostic reasons either. Check engine light functioning can also be badly affected.

2.) Fine-tuning is a very –very laborious and time consuming procedure. Since you lose all the brand’s default settings you have to start all over again. This means taking every minor to bigger feature and tune them one by one.

3.) Sensor and dash compatibility – some sensors or dashes’ settings just cannot be modified in such level. Therefore with the loss of brand specific features the engine may have serious communication issues with some gauges and sensors in connection with the sash. Professionals have noted that this is one of the most common issues with the Standalone ECU: some things will stop no matter how hard a programmer tries. That’s exactly why most guys will use less risky methods

4.) The price: the Aftermarket ECUs’ cost ranges between approximately six - seven thousand dollars.

Standalone ECU while many companies guarantee total reversibility is a risky move to take, partly because it can drastically change your car insurance structuring, not to mention your car’s abilities. Consult with a pro before deciding on going for this type of tuning.