MikeP
11-27-1998, 05:11 PM
Well, I finally took the plunge and chipped my 99 1.8TQSTip. I called Kelly @ Wett this past Wed and scheduling to have my chip installed at Wett on Fri @noon. They where closed, but Chris offered to come in and set me and another org’r –Eric from NW Chicago-up with our chips.<p>I live in Cincinnati and it’s just about 285miles to Valparaiso from my home. I left at 8:00est not knowing how traffic would be through Indy. Well I got there in 3.5 hours for an avg of 81+mph. BTW, did I mention I’ve a V1? So, I had to waste a couple-o-hrs at Wal-Mart, eating lunch etc.<p>My car is brand new and I only had 2200 miles on it prior to this trip. Well, I was very pleased with the way the car drove/felt on the way up. Cruises very nicely at 80-90 w/o any problamo. If I needed to get around a truck or granny it would do so but not with a lot of gusto. <p>Chris arrived about 12:30cst while I was lounging around in the grass there in front of the bldg. He immediately began removing my ECU. Eric showed up about 5 min later and he yanked his ecu also.<p>Chris was a great host! He showed us around the office, gave us a lesson in how to install sockets the ‘Wett Way’, and he demonstrated the WVTool for testing the ecu after the sw upload. Very cool stuff. <p>Well, we popped my ecu back in about 30min later and I took her for quick spin around the block. Definitely felt a big diff running up through the grears. Yer eyeballs don’t pop out the back of your head or anything, just a good strong pull that wasn’t there an hour earlier.<p>I couldn’t wait to get back on 65 south to see how it felt at highway speeds and during passing maneuvers!<p>I said my goodbyes, and thank you’s to Chris and Eric and took off.<p><br>So, I get on 65 and start playing around once I get free of the heavy traffic around 30E. MAN, this thing REALLY goes when you ask for a little juice. I set my cruise control at 80 and made notice of the fact that the revs were exactly the same as stock-approx:3025. When I would step on it to go around some one or shoot a gap, WHAM, I was @ 100+ lickity split. HUGE difference in the way this car feels at speed. Now I’ve got some bullets in my holster and I’m locked and loaded baby! ;-). This has to be the way this car was meant to be. It feels just like the V6, just as smooth and strong-maybe stronger! ;-).<p>V1 saved my butt on two occasions coming back. I was tooling along about 90 towing a couple-o-hangers on and got a quick, strong brap in the KA band and stepped on stop pedal. About 10 seconds later an unmarked trooper went by in the opposite direction. I started to accelerate and BRAAAAAAAP, full on from the rear. The trooper had nailed somebody behind me with instant on. WHEW. <p>GET A V1.<p>Anyway, IMHO, anyone who has a 1.8T and enjoys driving has to chip to really see what this car is all about. It’s a no-brainer.<p>PHENOMENAL. GO FOR IT! <p>Hey Eric, how was your trip back?<p>MikeP<br>99 1.8TQSTipWett.<br>