Autotech Q-chip

[ANDREW_ATWELL@HP-PaloAlto-om20.om.hp.com]

     Well, you can add my opinion to all the others that you have gotten 
     but IMNSHO I would skip the Q-chip and go with the Garret chip.  Here 
     is my reasoning.  I have had in my car the P-chip, the Q-chip and the 
     G-chip (garrett).  The Garrett chip is by far the most refined, best 
     power, and most driveable of all three.  How does Garrett work all 
     this magic where others have failed?  Simple, he is smarter than them 
     and he keeps at it.  Garrett is a medical student that writes 
     automotive software in his free time to make money for school.  Most 
     companies hire someone to write some new code for a chip and then they 
     sell it, without ever going back to make improvements.  Garrett is 
     working on his chips all the time.  He is well known in the VR6 
     community as well as the BMW, Porsche and Audi groups for making great 
     chips.  He has written his own software that graphically displays 
     power, air and fuel curves for detailed tweaking of automotive 
     software.  His work has been brought to the attention of many, most 
     recently a radio interview on a "Automotive Chat" show and an article 
     in the current issue of wired magazine.  He is "The Man".
        His chips come with a warranty and a money back return policy, as 
     well as a $20 upgrade policy if he is able to eek out anymore power 
     from the software.  You will not be dissapointed.
     
     
     After driving my car for 2 years with the Q-chip and been quite 
     pleased, I had a chance to meet Garrett when he was down at New 
     Dimensions for a couple of days.  We had a great talk over a burrito 
     and then he hooked up my car with one of his chips to "test drive".  I 
     immediately noticed increased throttle response, low end tourque, and 
     the car pulled stronger to redline.  I was sold, so I bought the chip 
     that night.  This improvements are all over the Q-chip!  By the way, 
     the P-chip pretty much sucked.
     
     As far as addressing some of you questions, my gas milage went UP with 
     the addition of the chip (mostly noticed after I stopped hot-rodding 
     around with the new chip).  The trip computer is in no way related to 
     the engine management system and will not be affected.  Techs can 
     still read all codes from the ECU and will NOT be able to detect it 
     with the VAG 1551 scanner.  The only way to know there is a chip there 
     is to visually inspect (look for it).  I DON'T think that the Autotech 
     chip is invisible to the VAG tool. 
     
     As far as warranty is concerned, it will not void your warranty.  The 
     law states that inorder to void a warranty based on aftermarket parts, 
     it is the burdon of the manufacturer (VW) to prove that the failure 
     was directly the fault of the aftermarket part (chip, etc.).
     
     
     You mentioned earilier about core exchange program that Autotech has, 
     your car doesn't have a solidered in chip.  Installing the performance 
     chip required NO solidering and is easy to do in about 20min with 
     simple household tools.
     
     For more information about the Garrett chip check out his web page or 
     drop him a line, he is very good about responding and answering all 
     your questions.
     Garrett Integrated Automotive Corp.
     http://www.dvol.com/~users/gal/giac.htm
     
     Good luck and drive safe,
     
     Andy Atwell
     
     
     PS I am not affiliated with Garrett or his company, just a happy 
     customer.