|
it does matter how many checks it does, because if your system doesn't do the same thing when you turn the key, then i will FAIL the test. the light must come on, and then go off, at the right time.
i am not bashing the system. i am merely saying that if you plan for anybody to buy it, especially at that price, you need to show that the results are better than what is already out there. the motronic is actually fairly easy to tune, and at a lot less cost to that average user. in order for any sane person to spend that kind of money, you have to show them that it is better.
the 968 does have a TPS. it also takes information from the O2 sensor, 2 temps sensors, the tach, and the MAF. it calculates load based on the signals it receives, and adjusts timing and fuel across over 100 maps, based on those.
i'm not suggesting that the motronic is a superior computer. it's pretty primitive, with sampling rates that are painfully slow in today's technology. i'm merely saying that it is not horrible. it's a whole lot better than the springs, weights, and jets i used to tune with 30 years ago when i started in this.
if anybody was trying to convince somebody to spend $1300 they had better be able to show that it is significantly better than what can be done for less than half that. so far, i have seen no evidence of it working any better than what we already have. with a proper cold air intake, and a chip, we have hundreds of cars out there making 10% more power than stock, for about $300. to justify the extra grand, i would think any rational person would expect to see a whole lot more. that's exactly why i abandoned my normally aspirated project. i was only going to be able to make about 35hp over stock, and that was not enough to justify the cost.
for somebody with a track car, a turbo, or something like that, i can see where every little bit would help. heck, it would probably help me with my kit to get a bit more. however, for a street car, the margin would likely be so small that it would not justify the cost, even to me, and i have spent over $150k modifying my car. if i won't spend it, how would anybody expect anyone else to?
let's do a little quick math. $1300 for this system, another few hundred for an A/F meter so you can tune it, another $100 for a knock counter so you know if you are banging on that or not, and then how much time on the dyno? i can easily see wrapping $3k up in this. how much more power do i get over stock? how much more would i spend to get the over 300hp and 300 lb/ft of a fully tuned CARB certified supercharger kit? i think the same people that can't find their way to buy the supercharger kit are going to have the same problems with this, for the same reasons.
my entire point here is to provide marketing advice, and it comes from being the biggest proponent of 968 performance parts. take it or leave it, but based on the responses here, i know how i will be advising the largest and most active group of 968 owners on the planet.
best of luck.
|