# "Chipping" My Audi A4 - Long Term Effects? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666 "2004-04-23T16:42:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tubbytreats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@tubbytreats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tubbytreats)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/21 "2004-04-26T15:07:57Z")
larsenmtl, After reviewing the [http://www.revotechnik.com](http://www.revotechnik.com) website, looks like your car could go from: HP Graph: [http://www.revotechnik.com/graphs/audi/a4-(b6-chassis)/a4-1.8t-power.jpg](http://www.revotechnik.com/graphs/audi/a4-(b6-chassis)/a4-1.8t-power.jpg) Torque Graph: [http://www.revotechnik.com/graphs/audi/a4-(b6-chassis)/a4-1.8t-torque.jpg](http://www.revotechnik.com/graphs/audi/a4-(b6-chassis)/a4-1.8t-torque.jpg) STOCK A4 1.8T: Brake (engine) HP: 155 HP Torque: 171 Ft/lb CHIPPED A4 1.8T: Brake (engine) HP: 198 HP Torque: 221 Ft/lb Cost is $499 for the “reflash program” and $199 for the “reflash hardware” to install the “reflash program” as Juliotheman has said. I say its a great way to improve your power and performance in your car! I don’t know much about the company or how long they have been tuning Audis/VW’s but I’m sure a quick post at AudiWorld would answer that. Have fun! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rodgercrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@rodgercrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rodgercrane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/22 "2014-03-21T16:45:04Z")
I chipped my audi a4. I was at the dealership getting an oil change. Was talking to the head mechanic, told him i liked the car, but performance did not impress me. He recommended Chipping the car. I did my research and the audi dealer put in the chip. The car became like a rocket. The immediate effects are 50 extra horsepower, better gas mileage. The potential negetive is that the extra horsepower may increase wear of the transmission. But that would occour only if abused. What happens is that the same engine is used in many of the audi and VW engines, inculding the A6, and other heavier cars. So for safety reasons they down tune the a4 engine. With the chip, if I am traveling at 80 mph, and jam down on the gas pedall, The car lurches forward, accerlaorting rapidly. and given it is front wheel drive it wants to snake a bit. I am not a 18 year old kid, but a middle age executive, who bought the car for my winter home. Chipping the car was a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/23 "2014-03-22T01:32:33Z")
Since the OP was 10 years ago, and wanted to keep the car for 5-7 years, I’d say the time to wait has passed. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/24 "2014-03-22T01:48:45Z")
and the update was , 'chipping my car made it dangerous, so do it '. Some might say "don’t do it, as it makes it dangerous , wastes fuel and wears it out faster’. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/25 "2014-03-22T17:26:49Z")
Can someone explain the “better gas mileage” part? I would have imagined that altering the engine’s timing to make it more powerful would somehow increase fuel consumption, especially with someone who seems to enjoy pressing the accelerator. ---
**Author:** ![Kazo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@Kazo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kazo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/26 "2014-03-23T17:01:48Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > Can someone explain the “better gas mileage” part? > > I would have imagined that altering the engine’s timing to make it more powerful would somehow increase fuel consumption, especially with someone who seems to enjoy pressing the accelerator. Think of it like this: The computer reprogramming allows the engine to more efficiently use the same amount of fuel, creating more power at the expense of emissions (“not road legal”) and knock resistance (“premium fuel only”). This does not consider the implication that the owner of a newly modified vehicle will not enjoy pressing the accelerator more often. I own a 300hp SRT-4. It’s fun. I get between 18-20mpg depending on how good I am with the go pedal. But I didn’t buy this car because it was an economical 4 cylinder; I bought it because it’s fast (and modified it to make it faster)! ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666/27 "2014-03-23T17:02:16Z")
When you’re USING the additional power, of course your mileage is worse. (Worse than driving aggressively on the stock tune too) But when just cruising around, the modified tune runs a leaner A/F mixture, thus using less gas for improved mileage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipping-my-audi-a4-long-term-effects/241666.md?page=1)