Press Tune?

[Spinny02]

So I have the opportunity to get the so called "press tune" or a "tune" in Germany after my 1200mi break in. What are your thoughts? Is it really any different than the Comp pack tune?

Wont the press tune erase the comp pkg "tune" and replace it with ???

Any thoughts would be great !

[B-1Pilot]

My question is whether the tune in question was produced for the 2012/13 builds before there was a 2014 or a Comp Package. Some have claimed (without proof -- but then there's not a lot of proof when it comes to tunes and the F10 M5) that the ECU adjustment part of the CP is this same press tune. The numbers dont match however... but then BMW tends to be conservative, so who knows.

If I was in Germany and considering doing this, I might just try and pay Manhart Racing a visit. http://www.manhart-racing.de/english/

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by Spinny02

So I have the opportunity to get the press tune in Germany after my 1200mi break in. What are your thoughts? Is it really any different than the Comp pack tune?

Wont the press tune erase the comp pkg "tune" and replace it with ???

Any thoughts would be great !

How did you get this opportunity? Insider connection?

I'm a little shocked that there is a press tune? Are you saying BMW cheats the press like Ferrari and Audi do?

[Spinny02]

Press tune or a "tune" its just a name and I cant confirm anything other than its a "tune".
My worry is, is the "press tune" really the CP tune on '13 or non CP 14' cars. Do I want to risk spending money on a tune I may already have?

[Spinny02]

Originally Posted by B-1 Pilot

If I was in Germany and considering doing this, I might just try and pay Manhart Racing a visit. http://www.manhart-racing.de/english/

Thanks B-1 I will look them up.

[Soorena]

The press tune is just a tune based on the DAMOS file.

[Spinny02]

What does that mean?

Originally Posted by Soorena

The press tune is just a tune based on the DAMOS file.

[Boss330]

Give Manhart Racing a call/mail. Do a search about them and you will find info about their work, particularly the MH5S and MH6S with 700+hp. Loads of videos of races between them and other supercars at GTBoard on Youtube.

They do more than just the software update, giving you significantly more power than the CP. I have personally visited them and got to drive the MH5S. AWESOME car

The "press tune" is supposedly the same spec that the press cars had, which was reported to have around 620hp. All ECU tunes for the F10 M5 are based on that file at the moment.

[Spinny02]

The question is, is the press tune the CP tune since BMW tends to underestimate there numbers.

[FLOMACKS]

Originally Posted by B-1 Pilot

My question is whether the tune in question was produced for the 2012/13 builds before there was a 2014 or a Comp Package. Some have claimed (without proof -- but then there's not a lot of proof when it comes to tunes and the F10 M5) that the ECU adjustment part of the CP is this same press tune. The numbers dont match however... but then BMW tends to be conservative, so who knows.

If I was in Germany and considering doing this, I might just try and pay Manhart Racing a visit. http://www.manhart-racing.de/english/

If you have work done there, can you still ship back through the ED process?

[B-1Pilot]

Originally Posted by FLOMACKS

If you have work done there, can you still ship back through the ED process?

This is a great question... on the surface, I dont see why not... the car is out of BMW's hands until it gets back stateside. I dont see how or why they would hook up anything to the ODB that might even let them know the ECU has been modified.

Now how closely the customs process might look for downpipes, exhaust, etc is another thing. Physical modifications may or may not be detected, but dont take my word on anything.. maybe some other EDers can chime in?

[jmh]

I'd strongly suggest to NOT perform any intrusive modifications (including tunes/programming) during ED.
Your car will be plugged in at the VPC in NJ (or wherever your cars arrives stateside) and the folks there are pretty well informed individuals , the chance they will pull codes / info is very high (for example they'd easily detect if you unplugged the exhaust valve connector on the E9x etc)
I am pretty sure you don't want to be in a situation where your car is being held at the VPC and you have to explain to BMW NA how the tune made it on your car (or any other non OEM parts such as exhaust/downpipes etc)
From a legal perspective you also sign papers at pick up that you won't perform any modifications etc

[Soorena]

Originally Posted by Spinny02

What does that mean?

This press tune wasn't read from a press car or anything like that because at the time there was no tool that could read the DME. What press tune is then? It's a tune based on DAMOS file. What's DAMOS? Also known as "Press File", it's a file that BMW publish which contains all the software data you need for a specific vehicle, from speed limiter to valvetronic tuning. What tuners can do with this file? Basically, everything. However they need someone from Israel to crack the DME first so they can read and write map tables and a map editing software, and right none of them is available. So as we speak all tuners can do is choosing one of the aggressive tuning maps from the DAMOS file and flashing it to the DME.

[FLOMACKS]

Originally Posted by jmh

I'd strongly suggest to NOT perform any intrusive modifications (including tunes/programming) during ED.
Your car will be plugged in at the VPC in NJ (or wherever your cars arrives stateside) and the folks there are pretty well informed individuals , the chance they will pull codes / info is very high (for example they'd easily detect if you unplugged the exhaust valve connector on the E9x etc)
I am pretty sure you don't want to be in a situation where your car is being held at the VPC and you have to explain to BMW NA how the tune made it on your car (or any other non OEM parts such as exhaust/downpipes etc)
From a legal perspective you also sign papers at pick up that you won't perform any modifications etc

Yeah, that's kind of what I figured.

[Boss330]

Originally Posted by Soorena

This press tune wasn't read from a press car or anything like that because at the time there was no tool that could read the DME. What press tune is then? It's a tune based on DAMOS file. What's DAMOS? Also known as "Press File", it's a file that BMW publish which contains all the software data you need for a specific vehicle, from speed limiter to valvetronic tuning. What tuners can do with this file? Basically, everything. However they need someone from Israel to crack the DME first so they can read and write map tables and a map editing software, and right none of them is available. So as we speak all tuners can do is choosing one of the aggressive tuning maps from the DAMOS file and flashing it to the DME.

Where do you have this info from? Reliable source?

My sources/info point to one Karl Otto Noelle as the "source" of the tune available.

Why was there no tool to read the DME?

The M5 is "read", coded and diagnosed by the same BMW e-sys etc systems that other BMW's also uses. There is no problem downloading/uploading any BMW spec software with those tools as far as I know.

I see two scenarios:

1: Noelle have used a press car and read the DME with regular BMW tools
2: Noelle have received access to the BMW files early

What my info suggests is that the so called press file is the same file as BMW press cars had, but with the possibility that some tuners have altered some parts of it.

In fact I have a COMPLETE set of the latest version of BMW software files on my computer. So, not so far fetched that someone like Noelle (or others) should have gotten those files somehow...

[Boss330]

Originally Posted by Spinny02

So I have the opportunity to get the so called "press tune" or a "tune" in Germany after my 1200mi break in. What are your thoughts? Is it really any different than the Comp pack tune?

Wont the press tune erase the comp pkg "tune" and replace it with ???

Any thoughts would be great !

I would NOT recommend that you do the tune while on ED. I'm pretty sure that BMW will do a thorough check on your car before redelivery. After all they want to make sure that there are no faults, fault codes etc before delivering the car to you for registration in the US. For warranty issues that might occur they will obviously want to be in a position where they can document what state the car was in before delivering it (like, we checked the car before delivery and it had no codes/faults. The problem must have occured after delivery. Meaning that we didn't deliver a product that was faulty on delivery. We'll fix the issues under warranty, but we won't take the car back etc).

[AlphaAlpineM6]

an m5 w a press tune was dead even when we ran. at the time my 2014 m6 was stock

[AlphaAlpineM6]

Get a boost gauge and compare the two. I know stock 2013 M6s do 19.1

[Warehouser]

Originally Posted by AlphaAlpineM6

Get a boost gauge and compare the two. I know stock 2013 M6s do 19.1

My P3 gauge only shows 13-14psi stock...

[Leveraged Sellout]

If this is a "press tune", then why are privately bought and owned cars putting down measurably better numbers (0-60, 0-100, quarter mile) than any press reviewed car? Doesn't make sense to me. There may be alternate values for timing, fuel, and boost...but either everyone's car is making 620-640 hp (if the acceleration numbers are correct) or all the magazine drivers collectively are incapable of driving an M5. I'm really surprised no one has brought this up. Time and again I see better than tested numbers from stock M5s...yet everyone says that press cars have a revised tune. Can anyone speak to this?

[AlphaAlpineM6]

Originally Posted by Leveraged Sellout

If this is a "press tune", then why are privately bought and owned cars putting down measurably better numbers (0-60, 0-100, quarter mile) than any press reviewed car? Doesn't make sense to me. There may be alternate values for timing, fuel, and boost...but either everyone's car is making 620-640 hp (if the acceleration numbers are correct) or all the magazine drivers collectively are incapable of driving an M5. I'm really surprised no one has brought this up. Time and again I see better than tested numbers from stock M5s...yet everyone says that press cars have a revised tune. Can anyone speak to this?

I don't think alllll cars reviewed have this press tune. possibly even just a few.

[Boss330]

Originally Posted by Warehouser

My P3 gauge only shows 13-14psi stock...

Info about the S55 engine in the next gen M3/M4 indicates that the maximum boost is only used to maintain maximum power at high altitude and/or high temperatures. In normal conditions the engine makes the stated power at lower boost levels.

Possibly same feature on the F10 M5?