BBR Starchip anyone??

[writeb]

Has anyone ever put one of these in their car??
BBS Starchip
http://www.bbrgti.demon.co.uk/StarChip/StarChip.htm

What was the verdict?? Group buy anyone???


writeb

[2ndBimmer]

I always wonder about engine reliability with these things. 166 ponies would be nice :twisted: but getting 28 more with just a chip seems excessive as Dinan chip only gets like 8 :? .

[Budget M3]

Dinan only gives you about 8hp due to their conservative timing advance--they have to worry about warranty issues, so have to keep it relatively conservative. You CAN feel the 8hp, though, so IMHO a chip is the best value upgrade you can make. As long as you put premium gas in the car, the timing advance should be no problem with a Dinan, Conforti, or other "mainstream" brand chip.

As far as the BBS starchip is concerned, I'd be skeptical of claims of 166hp--I'd ask them how they are the calculating that figure. The company is in England, but even on Euro gas (or even race gas 105+ octane here in the states), a 28hp bump would mean more than 4 times the timing advance of the mainstream chips. If that could be done without detonating your engine, everyone would do it. Also, you'd have to see if the euro chip would work in your U.S. spec car--unlikely in my experience.