I tried out the Monster Tuning box for a couple of days on my 118i and i will like to give my views. Surprisingly, the most drastic difference was felt in when I took out the tuning box instead of putting it in. I guess we all easily and unconsciously adapt very well to POWER but not so when it's taken away from us. haha. talk about downgrading. pui.
Ok, this is by no means a very technical, precise of scientific post. More of a qualitative type. I also need to stress that I keep my driving style as consistent as humanly possible, and I am very human. ha.
Impression of the box:
The box is slightly larger than a hand calculator, well made, and water proof. It comes with 3 connectors that reads HP, boost and manifold (dont ask me). Installation is easy and takes a little over 5 min, a totally plug and play x3 process. No error messages, no problems.
With MT.
The car will adapt to the tune gradually mine took about 2 days. In Eco Pro, well, it does feel more powerful, a lot more like the stock Comfort mode. I am no longer the laggard off the traffic light and changing lanes is no longer a flooring move. Well, it's definitely not a 1M but you get the drift. FC wise.. not much diff.
In Comfort mode is where I felt a very significant increase! It's like upgrading a Pentium 3 to a Pentium 4! Sorry, those born in the late 80s won't get this metaphor but most in this forum should get the "ah ha" recognition! During cruising, the car seems to slice through the wind! Response was excellent and felt like it was in sports mode. Ever experience those situation when you are in lane 1 and some taxi come speeding into you and gaining in the rear view mirror? Now all you have to do is just increase throttle by a tad and the taxi will be eating DUST! No more laggard responds, no need to floor the throttle like some racer. The flooring move only reserved when some GTR comes speeding along side you.
How about SPORTS? I didnt get to try cause by the time I get comfortable with COMFORT, it's time to remove it for servicing. Zzz.
Without the MT.
Alas, just 4 days into the enlightened experience, I had to remove the box cause I schedule a routine servicing. This gives me a chance to drive the stock car without all the extra power. Now, I got the 118 cause it promised extra power, extra speed.. but now driving the stock version makes me wonder how I was sold into buying such a unpowered car! In comfort mode, the car does have a significant turbo lag. Acceleration is no longer competition between the seat, your back and G force. In fact, it's like the car is trying to squeeze through butter! How about Eco Pro? Well i dont have to heart to switch to eco pro now that comfort mode makes me feel i am driving truck with 28 banglahs sitting at the back.
My observations:
Key on all your mind must be FC.. well. FC.. i think there's no much difference. Might be a tad better or worse but I cant really tell the difference over a short 4 days trial.
In the tuned mode, the same throttle will give the same RPM, but the torque kicks in much much earlier (as my rudimentary knowledge understanding allows it), thus giving the additional power. I was told the tune profile of the MT is to boost the lower end of the power curve, i.e. you get more kick at lower speed, which is what you need in the very fustrating, overly crowded, infested by crazy reckless cab/lorry/van/bus drivers called home.
One final word.
MTL.
