Accessport why is it so expensive?

[LegacyMUN2k6]

Wondering why this little piece of equipment is so expensivem when there are other solutions out. Ones that are more budget friendly such as the Tactrix.

http://www.tactrix.com/product_info.php?products_id=40

 

Granted I would love to get a AP just feel it is not worth it for the money(grossly overpriced.)

[rock2534]

Well I am in no way a tuner or know anything about the software that runs the engine in my car, so there is no way in hell I am spending $100 or whatever it costs and plugging it into a car I spent $27k for and messing with the ECU. There are some things you just can't be cheap about, or shouldn't even attempt if money is an issue, imo.

[05GT Guru]

Well the thing is if you would take the time to learn how to tune your car, you could be making more power and have and even safer tune than the ones you just download. Or you could spend 300-400 to have the car tuned by a pro which is also safer and you wil lget more power than spending 700 for a AP.

[Scotty]

You are getting a stand alone unit that has been tested and proven. If something should happen, Cobb will make things right.

[CTATV]

You are getting a stand alone unit that has been tested and proven. If something should happen, Cobb will make things right.

 

also getting the ability to switch maps, clear CELs and check engine data on the fly without having to hook up your laptop to the car. its also very plug and play. You can do just as good a tune with one of the many other options but if you want to do it yourself @ home and not have a steep learning curve its really the only option out there to do so. The access to the off the shelf maps right up front as well as being able to have a custom tune loaded onto your AP at a later date is a pretty nice feature too. What if your running a 93 map then on a road trip you end up somewhere where you cant purchase 93, easier to have your AP in your trunk or glove box than making sure you have your laptop with you

[Zed 2.0]

It's that expensive because people are willing to pay that much. It's the only idiot-proof solution for tuning these cars, and is required by many protuners.

[BDII]

Your paying for the map production cost.

 

Tuning new ECU's is expensive. It takes several tuners many many hours to design and test new maps and software.

 

Car companies these days don't make it easy to tune ECU's

 

If you think about it... they have to buy the car, insure it, inspect it, register it, THEN attempt to tune it.

 

Thin kabout how much an STi costs.... and even if they had a loaner car the cost to pay a tuner to hack an ECU is $$$$$

[qikslvr]

There are free options, but the AP has it's place. I've had mine for over a year and it's been great to get e-tunes from the coast when there isn't a tuner within 8 hours of where I live. The ability to switch maps on the fly is worth the price paid in it's self. Like CTATV said I've been road tripping in the boonies and couldn't find anything higher than 91oct, so I just whip out the AP and in about 10 seconds I have a 91oct map loaded. It's really a matter of convenience.

[BDII]

^ agreed

 

ALso, on long trips in a modified car you may throw a CEL.

 

It's nice to know it's a P2044 not a P0244

[ItalynStylion]

It's that expensive because people are willing to pay that much. It's the only idiot-proof solution for tuning these cars, and is required by many protuners.

Bingo...every product in a capitalist society is priced at the highest point that will still get people to purchase it. If no one bought an AP at it's current price the price would fall. (don't get any big ideas though:spin:)

[LegacyMUN2k6]

I think your onto something ItalynStylion , but on Nasico there seems to be so much more info on alternate solutions to tuning and ecu management than on legacygt. I just someone or something comes out to take the wind out of AP's sails.

[CTATV]

I think your onto something ItalynStylion , but on Nasico there seems to be so much more info on alternate solutions to tuning and ecu management than on legacygt. I just someone or something comes out to take the wind out of AP's sails.

 

 

theres also a lot more people tuning imprezzas than Legacies

[rudy]

but on Nasico there seems to be so much more info on alternate solutions to tuning and ecu management than on legacygt. I just someone or something comes out to take the wind out of AP's sails.

 

You also have a lot of low cost, used Impreza's in the hands of price sensitive people. I think the Legacy buying demographic is a bit different, despite the cars being somewhat similar in price.

[ZeroGravity]

Part of the cost is return on investment. It took Cobb quite a bit of hacking and reverse engineering to get into the ECU. Subaru didn't exactly make it open to modifications. Part of it is supply and demand, and part of it is you get what you pay for.

[BDII]

Part of the cost is return on investment. It took Cobb quite a bit of hacking and reverse engineering to get into the ECU. Subaru didn't exactly make it open to modifications. Part of it is supply and demand, and part of it is you get what you pay for.

 

+1

 

People don't seem to understand that the peeps who are self tuninig learned how because the real tuners hacked the ECU for hem.

 

Someone had to do it.... and that someone needs to get paid.

 

Hence the cost of the AP.

 

Without COBB I don't see the subaru tuning world being as advanced as it is.

[05GT Guru]

Thats great that cobb hacked the ECU, that doesnt mean you keep using them just because they did it first. It takes me about 5minutes to switch maps with my laptop, so i can switch if i cant find 93 octane. Also you make it seem like the laptop is only used for the car, i take it with me on all road trips for internet and movies. I understand why people use APs, they are lazy and dont have a problem spending 700 dollars for something that costs other people 79.99 for a cable, or the willingness to spend time learning about there car.

[BDII]

I understand why people use APs, they are lazy and dont have a problem spending 700 dollars for something that costs other people 79.99 for a cable, or the willingness to spend time learning about there car.

 

 

You're an idiot

 

Just because you're good with a computer doens't mean other people are lazy.

 

The reason I used an AP is that is what my Tuner puts his maps on.

 

you sir, are not and will not ever be able to tune my car as well as he did.

 

The majority of the monster builds on this forum are using AP's.

 

Enjoy your mediocre tune

[05GT Guru]

A good monster build should be using a protune, on dyno, thats the best tune anyone who is using a ap downloaded tune on a big turbo setup is really restricting there car. I never said a pro tune through a ap is a bad idea, but just downloading the maps is dumb when you could get better results yourself.

[Zed 2.0]

A good monster build should be using a protune, on dyno, thats the best tune anyone who is using a ap downloaded tune on a big turbo setup is really restricting there car. I never said a pro tune through a ap is a bad idea, but just downloading the maps is dumb when you could get better results yourself.

 

[Beanboy]

Lazy? I'd say the opposite. I'd bet on average LGT enthusiast is a bit older, wealthier, and busier with life in general than your average WRX owner.

 

Making time to go to a dyno for a tune is tough enough for me working a typical full week along with other hobbies/jobs I do. Now add a wife/husband and kids into the mix, and one can see the benefits of an off-the-shelf solution that is more polished in presentation than anything else on the market.

[AKLGT]

Your paying for the map production cost.

 

Tuning new ECU's is expensive. It takes several tuners many many hours to design and test new maps and software.

 

Car companies these days don't make it easy to tune ECU's

 

If you think about it... they have to buy the car, insure it, inspect it, register it, THEN attempt to tune it.

 

Thin kabout how much an STi costs.... and even if they had a loaner car the cost to pay a tuner to hack an ECU is $$$$$

what he said...

 

and think of the tuners who have been tuning the new cars? I know of one very experienced tuner who blew up an 08 STI motor while tuning it. There are a few others as well. We are paying for that research and Development, it's not free. If it were so easy to do, than EVERYONE would do it. Not all of us want to spend the hours and hours and research how to self tune our cars. I don't have time nor do I even care to. Sure it would be nice sometimes, but I really don't want to drag my laptop out and plug it all into the car to change maps, log, and change maps, etc. I'd rather someone else do it who knows what they're doing. Yes, the AP is expensive, but shop around. There are so many vendors here fighting for your business! I got a GREAT price from ImportImage here when I can buy any Cobb items from my local dealer who gives me employee cost. Josh was able to beat/match that price SHIPPED to AK 2nd day fed ex than me paying $25 more here. I paid the same $$ for my vers 1 AP 3 yrs ago.

 

I find the features on the new version to be pretty impressive:

 

1/4 mile ET's, 0-60' estimates, real time fuel economy (yes, in the LGT, but not in the onboard STI trip computer), boost, EGT, AF/R, even a dynamameter to measure an estimated horse power like a G-tech (which I also have and spent $300 for 2 yrs ago). I can also change my maps on the fly and WHILE I DRIVE or as I'm pulling up to the staging lane at the strip. I even have mine mounted on the dash.

[BDII]

A good monster build should be using a protune, on dyno, thats the best tune anyone who is using a ap downloaded tune on a big turbo setup is really restricting there car. I never said a pro tune through a ap is a bad idea, but just downloading the maps is dumb when you could get better results yourself.

 

 

ok, i'm not even gonna get into with you

[AKLGT]

Lazy? I'd say the opposite. I'd bet on average LGT enthusiast is a bit older, wealthier, and busier with life in general than your average WRX owner.

 

Making time to go to a dyno for a tune is tough enough for me working a typical full week along with other hobbies/jobs I do. Now add a wife/husband and kids into the mix, and one can see the benefits of an off-the-shelf solution that is more polished in presentation than anything else on the market.

I don't even have a dyno facility.

 

there are people here who will tune on open ecu. I don't let them touch my car I just spent $36K on. No thanks. Only person who touches the ECU is Jarrad from PDX with his 13 yrs of tuning experience, of which 8 yrs has solely been in Subarus. Anyone who tells me their homemade, I learned DIY tuning 101 for dummies is just as good is smoking crack.

 

and yes, as Beanboy has already pointed out, I think a good majority of us on here aren't lazy, we're busy with running our families, lives, BUSINESS. You try and run 2 retail stores, manage 5 employees (if they show up-- if not you get to work from open til close like I did last night from 10 - 9 pm), go home to work on month end paperwork and paychecks, get ready for track season, events, sponsor activities, etc and of course find the time to go and tune your car. Oh ya, we're all so lazy, we just sit around all damn day long twiddling our thumbs and throwing our money away. Besides, not all of us even can self tune because they haven't released a tactrix cable for the CANBUS system. Even still, I may pick one up for data logging, however I don't think it would be completely necessary since the new COBB toggle is USB vs Serial like Vers 1.

[LegacyMUN2k6]

C'mon people stop drinking the hatorade, can't we all just tune along

[Infamous1]

You're an idiot

 

Just because you're good with a computer doens't mean other people are lazy.

 

The reason I used an AP is that is what my Tuner puts his maps on.

 

you sir, are not and will not ever be able to tune my car as well as he did.

 

The majority of the monster builds on this forum are using AP's.

 

Enjoy your mediocre tune

I beg to differ I have seen a couple of protune from your tuner that were setup completely wrong and just plain BAD. I'd advise you to start logging.