Race Chip review 2500 miles later

[LBBX5M]

So as some of you know I always was hesitant to have a piggyback setup on my car just to avoid any issues that could be traced back to my setup.

I will try y best to be fair and not to have a long boring review.

Installation:
Installation took 50 minutes from start to finish. I used a help of one of my company's electricians who worked on cars before. only couple of senors are difficult to disconnect due to their position. Otherwise... Its fool proof.

Stock (B) setup:

I felt that the car had a slight kick over stock... not too much but just a bit that you could feel that tickle in your heart that it is a bit faster. I ran on B setup for about 1000 mile and had ZERO ISSUES WHAT SO EVER.

(C) Setup:

Now you feel that you are in a beast and the power shows. The response and gear shifts feel faster, and you can definitely feel some power!! The car pulls very strong and especially second and third gear. first gear become quick and you need to readjust your speed of shifting (if you are using paddles or gear shifting) otherwise you will over rev. I ran about 800 miles on this setup and went up from about 15-20 MPH with a Lambo Murcielago and Audi R8V10 (2014-2015 not sure). The lambo was moving away but not fast and the Audi was dust in the wind. I couldn't resist going on to D and finding that Lambo again.

(D) Setup :

That't when you need to start wearing Depend pads!! this is a total transformation into BEAST MODE. After about 5000 miles of installing Akra, D setup was just happy to meet my Akra exhaust. Car sound became meaner, performance is unbelievably fast. Shifts are more aggressive and fast, throttle is super sensitive and pulls of 2nd and 3rd gear are psyco! Where I live, a 120KM dong is mandatory to be programmed on all car (can be turned off by programming the car) The dong doesn't come off because the speedometer is moving way to fast!! the dong still works at 120 but not if I am stepping on it (shown on the video I uploaded on Vidmeup).

Going head to head with a stock BMW is a piece of cake. It cant catch up and the stock car needs to slow down otherwise it will be hit by a storm of dust and gravel!! Car is preforming beyon expectation and keeps amazing me every time I drive it. No CEL, or warnings were triggered up to this moment.

Glitches:
I was stepping on it and taking a light turn, the pavement was not super flat so the secondary stability control kicked in and I felt the car went back to stock again. I turned off the car and turn it back on and I was back in the game. No CEL or Warnings.

Observations:
Turbo sound is louder and sounds much better. My Akra sounds much more aggressive (regardless the piggy back- I think it is broken n properly now).
I feel that there is too much load on the gears when the car shifts I am not sure if it is because the piggyback or if it is the nature of the beast. I will be removing the unit soon for service and I will be driving without it for a bit to check on gear-shifts.

Overall:
I cant wait to bump up my car with more HP. Its a JOY RIDE at the moment though I would love to have more power .

Notes:
I am running 95 Octane in Saudi Arabia but after some research I understood that it is the equivalent of 90-91 in the USA. I wonder if I dumped race-fule what would happen
I live by the Red Sea so it is humid most of the time 70-90% humidity and outside temperature has been around 95-105 F elevation 49ft.

VIDEO LINK
http://lbbx5m.vidmeup.com/

Big THANKS to r33_RGSport and onfireX5 for all the help and advice.

[r33_RGSport]

@LBBX5M , great to hear that you are enjoying it and thank you for the business also.

[onfireX5]

Be safe and enjoy the POWER !

[LBBX5M]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

Be safe and enjoy the POWER !

Thanks man, I will keep you posted about my boost numbers!

[LBBX5M]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

@LBBX5M , great to hear that you are enjoying it and thank you for the business also.

always a pleasure man, thank you!

[scotty91ss]

Great review, thanks. It does get freakin scary every so often.

It would be fascinating to race all the different tunes against each other
Race chip, dinan, (I have ECU Tuning group), etc

[LBBX5M]

Update: Just did a run today and I used Qstarz to measure my 0-60.
W/O launch control 4.3 - 4.5 seconds
W/Launch control 3.6 !!
I was really hoping to see it drop to 3.3-3.5.
I am running RC Setup E currently with 0 issues and boost is around 23 if I am not mistaking.
any idea how I could be running in the low 3 seconds?

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by LBBX5M

Update: Just did a run today and I used Qstarz to measure my 0-60.
W/O launch control 4.3 - 4.5 seconds
W/Launch control 3.6 !!
I was really hoping to see it drop to 3.3-3.5.
I am running RC Setup E currently with 0 issues and boost is around 23 if I am not mistaking.
any idea how I could be running in the low 3 seconds?

Catless downpipe and Intake will help.
Mainly the Catless downpipe will help a lot.
I'm not too sure about the CEL though since your vehicle is non US Spec. Maybe is less prone to CEL with catless downpipe.
A simple O2 spacer or O2 extension may do the trick in your case.

[Chadmatic]

Originally Posted by LBBX5M

Update: Just did a run today and I used Qstarz to measure my 0-60.
W/O launch control 4.3 - 4.5 seconds
W/Launch control 3.6 !!
I was really hoping to see it drop to 3.3-3.5.
I am running RC Setup E currently with 0 issues and boost is around 23 if I am not mistaking.
any idea how I could be running in the low 3 seconds?

[Alan l.]

No issues with setting E at all? Still smooth under normal driving?

I don't think anyone else went beyond D for the X5M.

You need to do more videos with a stock car racing from 0-100+. Your video was too short and it looked like you hit the throttle before your friend did.

Alan

[Ehloo]

The race chip is the best bang for the buck. Probably better than any other piggy on the market as stage 1. The ability to make adjustments is key where others don't or make you step up and pay again for a stage 2 which is just more boost. Had mine on my car for over 10k miles and is pretty much flawless. I am in the need for more power and debating between a jb4 with BCM or a full tune with bootmod. But bumping to E seems intriguing as I was always scared too in the past based on others recommendations

[LBBX5M]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

No issues with setting E at all? Still smooth under normal driving?

I don't think anyone else went beyond D for the X5M.

You need to do more videos with a stock car racing from 0-100+. Your video was too short and it looked like you hit the throttle before your friend did.

Alan

No issues what so ever. In fact, I went head to head from rolling at 60MPH against Jaguar Ftype R and I over took him by 4 cars and the more we approached 120 MPH he seemed to be still at 3 car length and not moving forward.

I am taking y car to service next week for an oil change and the infamous clicking noise (wheel baring) issue, among rattling noise with windows down (almost like a seat-belt flapping against the car interior, Oil change and what ever other little things necessary.

As for the video, I think i must have a Go-pro or a sort of camera that would capture the acceleration properly.

and as for the video you saw, I believe it was D setting not E.

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by Ehloo

The race chip is the best bang for the buck. Probably better than any other piggy on the market as stage 1. The ability to make adjustments is key where others don't or make you step up and pay again for a stage 2 which is just more boost. Had mine on my car for over 10k miles and is pretty much flawless. I am in the need for more power and debating between a jb4 with BCM or a full tune with bootmod. But bumping to E seems intriguing as I was always scared too in the past based on others recommendations

Just go with higher octane or add octane booster if you bump up the setting.

[onfireX5]

Just remember, somewhere over 20-21psi there have been diff and trans failures. Obviously depends on how hard you drive it, but 5400lbs and more power has limits.

Gotta love the M though.....brutal acceleration for a SAV.

[onfireX5]

Also remember somewhere around 23psi you leave the factory fuel map.

[LBBX5M]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

Also remember somewhere around 23psi you leave the factory fuel map.

I will tune it down then!! I do not want any failures happening!!I do not usually Launch it but Once I received the lap timer I couldn't help but give it a shot , or two or three

[LBBX5M]

@r33_RGSport

@onfireX5

So I did add 16Oz of Torco to my last 10 gallon of gas I had left in my tank to raise the octane fuel to the equivelent of 93 USA fuel and... Magic

I want to see someone beat my numbers and tell me how share some tricks please! knowing that the speed reading from the device I am using and the car speedometer has a 4KM (2.5 mph) difference. meaning if I am going 60 MPH on my car speedometer, the device reads 57.5

[onfireX5]

Killer. Which gps system are you using?

[onfireX5]

How about a 3.1 ???

[LBBX5M]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

How about a 3.1 ???

NO WAY BRO! how did you get there?

[onfireX5]

Heavy foot !

[onfireX5]

0-100 in 6.7. What is yours ?