[Kelvin1000]

Let me just say ahead of time that I am trying to post an unbiased review. Those of you who have read my previous posts know that I have never ever flamed either tune and I have now tried almost all of them including Dinan. I have no allegiance to any of them and I will try to be as objective as possible:

The numbers tell me that the Procede is very powerful indeed as evidenced by the included dyno which is a stage 1 doomsday map with no user adjustments running only DCIs and 93 octane. The dyno also confirms that the tune is very smooth and consistent. The best way to describe is this: When the windows are down and the stereo is off you can hear all kinds of whooshing sounds that let you know this is a tuned turbo car (especially with the DCIs). However, close the windows and turn up the music and the car will literally feel like you are driving a big, high revving V8. The power comes on silky smooth at any RPM. If you are in the low RPMS , say 1,500, and you put your foot down, you are not going to be as conscious about the transition from no boost to boost. This is how the Procede was engineered and I think it is really quite remarkable.

There are other little differences that I notice every time I drive it. For instance, one of the things I noticed was how smooth it shifts compared to the JB3 especially in the lower gears but also the transition between 4K and 5K RPM where the cam timing event takes place. The Procede seems to be able to assimilate this quite well. It is so smooth in fact, that you don’t really notice the speed that you are picking up and the engine feels like it is operating more freely as it pick up RPMs.

Another unexpected surprise was that the gas mileage is very much improved with the Procede and this will make the tune pay for itself over time (even over stock). Cruising at 75MPH, I was getting constant 33.4 MPG!!! I even saw 36.2 when running at 65MPH. Simply incredible!!! I don’t know if it gets better than this…

Don’t get me wrong, the JB3 1.22 is also a fabulous tune…very powerful, simple in design and operation and it has the gas pedal map switching which is one of my favorite features. Terry has done an amazing job with it and is already working on making it more 32.10 friendly for the next upgrade. It lacks some of the Procede features as it cannot be loaded with new maps from the laptop and it has a lot less user adjustability and no data logging but it is a great bang for the buck. I love map 4 and map 6 is a beast but it needs some adjustment to be fully compatible with the new BMW software. Nobody has ever received their JB3 1.22 and complained about the power or smoothness. The JB3 will not disappoint anyone who chooses it as their tune.

Both of these tunes are starting to reach the saturation point of the performance they can get out of our little snails. They still have a couple of tricks up their sleeves but they are now very seasoned and extremely polished with most of the growing pains nicely behind them.

However, the Procede seems to really have full control over the car and its functions and is very much in harmony with the ECU. There is a big difference between the way the original piggybacks( JB2HR, and Procede 1.47) feel versus this version. It is as close to a flash alternative as you are going to get without actually getting a flash but you keep all the benefits, upgradeability and adjustability. It’s even smoother than stock (even though I believe BMW got it right with their new 32.10 software). This is the direction that Shiv has chosen and I think it is in the spirit of what this luxury car deserves.

At the end of the day it is really hard to determine which of these tunes is more powerful. Both offer several maps which adapt to a full range of modifications and gas octane. Map 4 and Stage 1 are similar in power and I bet those who can get away with map 6 and no mods will also find similar power with stage 2 which I will be trying out very soon. No tune will run away from the other and if it does, just choose a higher map, work on your technique or get an automatic.

It seems to me that both tunes represent far and away the best bang for the buck modification currently available for our cars. You really can’t go wrong here and I hate to pick one over the other as I am really very grateful to both of these guys for their dedication and hard work. They have been able to give us such great performance from our cars. However, at this point in time my recommendation has to go to the Procede for its drivability, smoothness, consistency and overall driving experience. This driving experience with the Procede is no marketing trick or placebo effect… it is as real as it gets!

I have included some dyno runs and I will continue to update this thread with more dynos and driving experiences via the opening post so keep watching…

P.S.

A quick point about customer service: Both Terry and Shiv have been extremely attentive and accessible. They both work on Sundays and answer emails and PMs constantly. Shiv even gave me his cell phone number and called me on Sunday to make sure my install had gone smoothly. You can’t ask for anything more from these guys. They seem to live for this stuff and really don’t get paid enough for what they do.

Corrected Procede 3.22 Stage 1 on 93 octane, user torque standard 90% and DCIs:


02/13/09 Update:

The JB3 strikes back!!!

Well guys I am back from the dyno and I retested the JB3 with maps 4 and 6 but this time in the same dyno where I tested the Procede and with the DCIs installed (just as they were when I tested the Procede). The results are pretty interesting...

This first graph is Procede Stage 1 versus JB3 1.22 on Map 4. You can clearly see that the JB3 is very powerful indeed. You get an additional 10whp down low, then a small 200 rpm blip in power around 4.5K rpms and then the tune comes alive again at 5K and stays stronger than the stage 1 near the redline.

You can see that the Procede is also smoother and more linear as you will notice that the lines wiggle less all throughout which is confirmed by what I noticed and wrote about in the initial review. Peak horsepower is the same but you get more with the JB3 throughout the powerband which makes a clear difference.



This second graph is Procede Stage 1 versus the JB3 1.22 on Map 6. I don't know if this is a fair comparison as map 6 might be more like Stage 2 but it shows more of the same but obviously with more power.

It cranks out about about 10whp more at peak power. More importantly, you see about 15whp more down low and then the blip for 200 rpms, then 10whp to 15whp more power throughout the top of the rpm range and finally a huge difference towards the redline.



The extra power down low and the big finish are really one of the reasons that people love this tune so much and why it does so well at the track. If Terry can iron out that little hickup at 4.5K rpms that seems to be present in BMW software 32.10 then I think the tune will be just about perfect. I know he already installed the software in his car and is working on an update for version 1.3x

The battle rages on and we, the customers, are the clear winners.

P.S.

Map 6 runs 1 and 2:



A little bonus graph of a Mustang Shelby that was there before me with only software and downpipes. Simply amazing:



02/15/2009 update

Round 3 Final Round:

The Procede Stage 1 won round #1 on feel and consistency. In round #2, the JB3 had a very strong showing on map 6 but the Procede came out in round 3 (stage 2) with a vengeance! This is as close as it gets to a perfect tune with no mods...

2008 6MT E92
32.10 software
No mods except for DCIs (this should be mandatory for all)
93 Shell Gas
Crappy warehouse fan
83 degrees for Stage 2 (Mid 70s for JB3 Map 6 test)
Procede running @ 90% (should have tried 94...)

Take a look at the graphs, same peak but different story...NUFF SAID!

[Bubbles]

Finally, a review I can trust. Kelvin, thanks for the effort. I'm very jealous of your mpg, I'm only getting 23-25 mpg @75

[nick6753]

Good info.

[lawdude]

Yep, thanks for taking the time to post your experience with both tunes.

[enrita]

Great review! thanks!

[Former_Boosted_IS]

I am just starting to wonder about the claims of higher gas mileage. Is there a lean cruise mode being enabled by the tuners?

[munters]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Finally, a review I can trust. Kelvin, thanks for the effort.

+1

[runthis]

Excellent Review.

[NYBMW335]

good review.

[RiXst3r]

Cool! Thanks for the review!

[Bubbles]

Kelvin

Now that you completed the initial drivability reviews re speed runs/dynos. Let's see some real world track reviews for both tunes. I'm more curious which tune, if any, can sustain a high performance level. I'll pay for the gas

[Dackz]

Yea how is the mpg really that much better? That's reason in and of itself to get the tune! I just don't get how it does it

[hotrod182]

Originally Posted by Dackz

Yea how is the mpg really that much better? That's reason in and of itself to get the tune! I just don't get how it does it

I don't know how many miles the OP checked it over, but the best thing is to test it over 175 miles or so. The instantaneous is all over the place. Sometimes I am cruising for a while and it is showing 36mpg +, especially at slower speeds such as 65mph. But influences such as slight grades, tail winds, etc, may be affecting the results. The true way would be a identical test. Drive the same route for at least 100 miles, same speed, (perhaps on cruise control), and fill up the tank physically to see the consumption. And then do the same thing on a different tune.

[scalbert]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

I am just starting to wonder about the claims of higher gas mileage. Is there a lean cruise mode being enabled by the tuners?

It is a combination of functions. Yes, it is running a little leaner but also is advancing ignition timing.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by scalbert

It is a combination of functions. Yes, it is running a little leaner but also is advancing ignition timing.

Scalbert, the difference of over 10 mpg is not possible with slight fuel changes and timing advances. I wonder how that gauge is calculating mpg. Can someone try their setup run in bypass mode and then in their favorite map for a full tank to see if there are real mpg differences. I almost cannot conceive a way that you will end up getting better mpg per tank. This came up on numerous other cars I owned and it was found that the MPG on the gauge with aftermarket tunes were grossly in error.

[Kelvin1000]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Scalbert, the difference of over 10 mpg is not possible with slight fuel changes and timing advances. I wonder how that gauge is calculating mpg. Can someone try their setup run in bypass mode and then in their favorite map for a full tank to see if there are real mpg differences. I almost cannot conceive a way that you will end up getting better mpg per tank. This came up on numerous other cars I owned and it was found that the MPG on the gauge with aftermarket tunes were grossly in error.

Not much leaner than stock, a little timing and more emissions perhaps...

[Kelvin1000]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Kelvin

Now that you completed the initial drivability reviews re speed runs/dynos. Let's see some real world track reviews for both tunes. I'm more curious which tune, if any, can sustain a high performance level. I'll pay for the gas

Any time buddy... I know that the higher maps on JB3 and the later stages of the Procede have little to no IAT decay... but you need the mods to run them.

[scalbert]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Scalbert, the difference of over 10 mpg is not possible with slight fuel changes and timing advances. I wonder how that gauge is calculating mpg. Can someone try their setup run in bypass mode and then in their favorite map for a full tank to see if there are real mpg differences. I almost cannot conceive a way that you will end up getting better mpg per tank. This came up on numerous other cars I owned and it was found that the MPG on the gauge with aftermarket tunes were grossly in error.

It is not 10 MPG better. Maybe 2 MPG.

[FotiosF90M5]

nice review. The procede is a remarkable tune.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by scalbert

It is not 10 MPG better. Maybe 2 MPG.

This guy is claiming 36 mpg on the highway at 65 mph. That is substantially more than 2 mpg.

[scalbert]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

This guy is claiming 36 mpg on the highway at 65 mph. That is substantially more than 2 mpg.

The design is to give, 2, maybe 3 MPG better.

[Sniz]

good review! Glad you are finally happy w your tune after your Dinan issues. Enjoy!

one question, those dyno's you posted, are those from the same shop? I'm assuming you dont have a baseline, but next time you go back there to dyno try running a baseline w/ the Procede....valet mode or whatever would be the most "stock" in HP.