Apten Chip still the best??

[smiley1]

Is Apten still the way to go since Brian left Apten? Is it the same good programming or did they change things after he left? I am in the market for a performance 87 and a economy 87.

I need to get better MPG as my commute will be about 90 miles one way in the near future.

 

[dreamr]

My Opinion

NO

Several will disagree with that opinion, but check this guy out.

http://www.hypillauto.com/

 

[smiley1]

Thanks for the input but that site offers zero information other than it "has programs for the following" with the explorer (year not specific) mentioned. I could not even find prices. I will look again though...

Do you have one of thier programs? Have you compared the Apten to this company? What do you think makes it better?

EDIT: I did find years 96 to 05... no other info though

 

[dreamr]

Customer Service Baby!

Program wise I don't know if he is better or not. But from my conversations with him he's a lot more open, helpful, and knowledgeable than Gene Fine of Apten came across. I never had the opportunity to deal with Brian before he left, and he is who built the following apten has here.

Here's a thread where HypIll Auto is introduced a bit

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121574

 

[smiley1]

I sent him a PM. I read that he did not have a perfected economy program yet. This is my primary reason for getting a chip. Maybe he has been working on it... I hope. He sounds like he knows his stuff.

Thanks for the link.

Anyone have an Apten chip POST BRIAN?

 

[celly]

I sent him a PM. I read that he did not have a perfected economy program yet. This is my primary reason for getting a chip. Maybe he has been working on it... I hope. He sounds like he knows his stuff.

Thanks for the link.

Anyone have an Apten chip POST BRIAN?

Wayne seems quite capable. I've been meaning to send him my Apten chip so he can add another program to it. Still haven't got around to it.

I have a "post-Bryan" chip.

 

[dreamr]

I also have a post-Bryan flasher.

Let me rephrase that.I have a single program SCT flasher, lacking in any custom programming, but costing like a custom dual program.

 

[smiley1]

celly and dreamer,

How are the programs? Did you notice a significant difference vs. stock? I will prob. go with hypiIIAuto.

 

[MadMike6786]

im buying a chip tonight im hopin the guys good... i guess brain was a good guy i hope i dont get screwed over

 

[4.0 freak]

I have been looking at chips, exploring all the options, and wanted to know if those who bought chips created and burned by diablo were happy with the chip and programming?

 

[celly]

celly and dreamer,

How are the programs? Did you notice a significant difference vs. stock? I will prob. go with hypiIIAuto.

Significant difference. I've heard the best way to feel the difference is to drive with a program for a few months, then take it off for a while and you'll feel the difference when it's not there. My Ex is so much more fun to drive these days, and the chip is a big reason why.

I've been meaning to send my chip to Wayne to add one more program, but I don't like the thought of being without any programs for a week or two. I'll probably wait until the new year so theoretically the shipping will be faster.

 

[spindlecone]

Get a flasher, that way if you want to change programs you just send it back but the program stays in your ECM, no need to do without.
The other plus for those that have newers EXs still under warranty, with a chip, when the dealer hooks you up he knows its there and that can cause lots of problems.
With the flasher, you load the program via the OBD port, remove the flasher, and ther is no way they can tell.
I will always contend that chips are all about equal, it's the skill of the programmer that makes them differant, they all have secrets as to what and how to tweak things.
My Apten Diablo from Brian was killer with the mods I had at the time, i moved on and got a flasher from wayne, is to die for.
My next move may be a nitrous program, will try to find a programmer with alot of experiance with nitrous, have talked with wayne,Blk mk8 and Bamachips.
All these guys are on the up and up, for a certain application, one may refer you to another programmer.
In reality a flasher gives you versitility, you keep your program, if it needs to be re-burned, Wayne also tells me that SCT is close to a program that can be sent to you to be downloaded into your flasher, lots of options out there, ck um out

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

I have a brand new flasher that I will be selling soon. It is a dual program flasher also that was made by Apten. Let me know if you are interested.

 

[celly]

I agree with Spindle. In retrospect, I should have scored a flasher. Logistically it's much easier to deal with. No regrets though. The chip itself cost me a pretty penny when you factored in shipping etc and the conversion to Canadian $. I just couldn't justify the added cost of the flasher at the time.

 

[Jet Ski Puller]

New Contact

So, is there a new contact at Apten? I need to have a chip reprogrammed.

I saw a "Wayne" mentioned on here? Who is the best person to contact?

Thanks.

 

[smiley1]

Jet Ski,

I would contact Wayne. He seems to know his stuff and has decent prices. PM him for more info. His SN is HypIllAuto.

 

[Doug904]

Hey guys,

I can reprogram a SCT chip, the blue connector if its a multi-program chip or the red chip if its a single program. I've been doing 4.0 performance work for more then 9 years now so feel free to shoot me an email.

Later Doug904. Bamachips@charter.net

 

[Jet Ski Puller]

Thanks, but I already have an Apten chip that I need reprogrammed, I don't need to purchase a new chip. So, I guess Wayne must be with the other company and not Apten? Can he reprogram an Apten chip?

What is SCT? I have a 5.0

Thanks.

 

[Doug904]

He has the same basic programming software as I but with different tuning, we both use SCT. We each have our own custom programs, mine are based on 9 years of 4.0 Performance work.

What does your chip look like? Is is Red? Does it have a blue connector on it where it attaches to the PCM? Does it say " Diablo" on the connector? If you could tell me when you bought it I could probably tell you what it is.

Later Doug904.

 

[celly]

Thanks, but I already have an Apten chip that I need reprogrammed, I don't need to purchase a new chip. So, I guess Wayne must be with the other company and not Apten? Can he reprogram an Apten chip?

Thanks.

Wayne (HypIllAuto) and Doug (Doug904) both have their own tuning businesses. BOTH sound quite capable. I'm sending my Apten chip to Wayne some time soon to get another program added to my Apten chip. Both can re-program Apten chips, assuming they're Superchips (and not Diablo) based. No companies (including Apten) have their own chips. They just program them. Older Apten chips are Diablo based. Newer ones are Superchips based.

I dealt with "Gene" at Apten when I bought mine several months back. Apten has a decent product, but their customer service seems to be lacking. I got great service.....once I was able to actually contact them. They didn't really return emails and I hit a busy signal often when I first tried. I'd give these other guys a shot. They seem eager to please.