Why is the MINIFlash Tuning Kit so "EXPENSIVE"!?!?

I know this question is on a lot of people's minds so i'm going to put it out on the table... Isn't the $750 a hefty price for a 'remote tune'?

Before we start, let us analyze the MINIFlash Tuning Kit and break it down what's included in this Kit:

Feature 1: Read DTCs and clear them => $100
A typical good hand held OBD Code reader will run you about a $100 and they are not MINI-Specific. With MINIFlash, it tells you the specific codes and also some "pending" fault codes as well. And if you want to find out MIGHT be causing these codes, scroll down to Feature 2 below.

Feature 2: Data Logging => $200 to $300
A typical Data Logging device will run anywhere from $200 to $500 depending on how technical you want to get. In addition, the data-rate thru the MINI's OBD port is quite slow. With MINIFlash, we implement our own routine inside your MINI Ecu to increase the baud rate, and we can log between 8 and 12 samples per second on 30+ engine parameters (engine temp, boost pressure, Injector duty, O2 voltage, Knock voltage, Knock noise, rpm etc). This higher resolution of logging give MINI owners a better idea of how your engine is running. The data-logger also has a serial input port to log Air-Fuel Ratio (AFR) from your Innovate widebands (LC1 or MTX-L).

Feature 3: Clearing Adaptations => $100 to $200
Pricing for this type of tools range from a few hundred dollars to a tens of thousands of dollars. For us, we have always used the Autologic ($12,000 tool) or the GT1. The Bavarian tool does it too, but that's still a couple of hundred. So assuming you don't want to buy this tool and you want to take it down to the local BMW/MINI shop, they will likely charge "one hour" of labor to perform this task... so a $100 cost for this feature is not too excessive.

Feature 4: Map Switching / Map Support => $300 to $650
If you would like to be able to switch maps, then that's an additional $300. A map switching device from the competitor is $350 the last time i check, and you have to pay extra to get some "canned maps" from him.

So a quick Recap: Based on the above 4 listed feature, this MINIFlash Tuning Kit is already worth $700.00, and that's not counting the last and the MAJOR feature of this KIT.

A Customer Scenario: You have a 2004 MCS and it has been tuned about 8 months ago with a pulley, intake and exhaust. The car has been running good but now, it has developed some misfiring issues. Since you have the MINIFlash tuning kit, you plug in the Data-logger and take a drive down the street, hop on the free way and come back to the house. You plug in the USB cable and extract the log. With the optional DataViewer, you're able to replay the entire log in real-time sequence. While keeping an eye on the knock voltage and cylinder timing values, you notice that cylinder #3 is picking up quite a bit of knock and the ecu is retarding timing.

Being a good trouble-shooter, you switch injector #3 with #4, clear the adaptations and go for another drive. As you pull up the log this time, you noticed that the misfiring has moved to cylinder #4 and injector "#4" is not behaving like the other three. So instead of buying a stock injector replacement, you want to get a set of 550cc, at the same time, upgrade the cam shaft and add a street header. But in order for all these new goodies to work, you need to have the ECU remapped.

If you don't have MINIFlash, then you will have to wait until your tuner comes back to your neck of the woods. A typical retune will run $250 to $450 with dyno time. But if you have the MINIFlash Tuning Kit, then you have a lot more options.

Feature 5: ECU Adjustments => $$$ ($250 for a Retune with no Map access or $5,000 with Map Access)
This feature is what sets MINIFlash apart from all the other software that's currently on the market. No other company offers any user map-tuning function features except us. The companies that offer map-tuning features from Germany and Italy typically charge around $5,000 to enable this feature.

With MINIFlash, you will get a basemap from Mynes for your stage upgrades (in this case, the cam shaft, 550cc injectors, 15% and header) FREE. These basemaps (along with ones for E85 and other Stage 3 mapping for your SC upgrade will be posted for customers to download) FREE of Charge. It's one of the perks of owning the MINIFlash Tuning Kit.

With this software on your laptop, you can communicate, data-log and flash your MINI as many times as you want w/o limitations. If you are not comfortable with adjusting your maps, you can watch the online tutorials (will be posted here shortly) or take it to a local Bytetronik Dealer/tuner that you trust. Your tuner will be able to navigate thru this GUI software without issues and help you with your tune.

So if you add up all the features from above, the customer is actually getting a product that's worth many thousands of dollars for a mere $750 investment. The software does indeed allows you Full Access to your ecu.

Any other questions, feel free to post them here...

 

ok, so for $650, you get to perform Feature #4 ONLY...

So what about Features #1, #2, #3 and #5... can your tool do that for an additional $100?

 

Jim, i think EZput is referring to this person below...