I've read lots of stuff about chipping the 1.8T... I'm planning on purchasing a 1.8T over the 2.8 due to cost. Now by chipping the car, is there a way of removing the chip so the dealer will never find out when taking it in for service. I've read a couple of posts about a swappable spare ECU.. I don't get this. Someone please explain.

Option 1: Simply remove your ECU, send it to a vendor, they reprogram it, you install back in your car. No way to change it back unless you send it back to vendor and have them return it to stock settings.

Option 2: Remove your ECU, send it to a vendor, they remove your stock chip, solder in a socket in which you can plug their performance chip in, or when you want, your own stock chip back in. Like plug and play, using the same ECU.

Option 3: Buy an entire new ECU that's been programmed by the vendor. You keep your stock ECU, so if you want to go back to stock setting, you just reinstall your orginal ECU (the whole box). This is usually a little more expensive.

Hope this clears it up for you.

BDW '99 1.8Tqms (Wett, K&N)