Lotus NA Yota tuning kit on the way

ryallm · Post by **ryallm** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:55 pm

SteveBanks wrote:£395 is a fcuk ridiculous price for a reflash, especially considering that it should have been a free update from a dealership. If I buy hardware or software, I donâ€™t have to pay again for each driver update or patch so why should I pay for this? I've read that you also have to send your ECU to Lotus Motorsport to get it done.

"I am sure someone is about to jump in and point out that this is a lot for a reflash"

Ahhh - didn't take long

Post by **simon** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:05 pm

SteveBanks wrote:If I buy hardware or software, I donâ€™t have to pay again for each driver update or patch so why should I pay for this?

Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000 etc.

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:17 pm

Extra 200 or there abouts will get you a Emerald ECU with a LOT more to play with .....

SteveBanks · Post by **SteveBanks** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:39 pm

simon wrote:
SteveBanks wrote:If I buy hardware or software, I donâ€™t have to pay again for each driver update or patch so why should I pay for this?
Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000 etc.

These were new versions, not updates!

Anyway, just leave me to get on with my moaning and stop picking at my analogy...

SteveBanks · Post by **SteveBanks** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:42 pm

jamie wrote:Extra 200 or there abouts will get you a Emerald ECU with a LOT more to play with .....

...and I know who I'd prefer to give my hard earned to, I just hope this sees the light of day before I get itchy feet and go the Lotus reflash route.

Emerald really need to get this out there soon or at least make people aware via an official announcement. If folks pay £395 for a reflash now then they are not going to part easily with £650ish for an Emerald when it comes out, regardless of how superior it is. Reduces what is probably already a very small market for them and would be a shame after all the time/money they must have invested.

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:28 pm

Are you nuts -small market! Its rather large if you include the US (which they do).
Guys over there already have been lowering the cam they now want to be able to see perormance from mods like zausts and induction kits.

tut · Post by **tut** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:05 pm

These re-flashes are a bloody joke, Hondata ones included, unless you are the one doing the rip off.

With the Honda engine we have two choices if we wish to re-program the engine data, the K100 or the K-Pro. The first is re-flashable by a dealer, or in Scottish speak, they put a new map in as we do in the Emerald, but basically they are putting a map into the ECU, and charging £300 for the pleasure.

The second is similar to the Emerald, ie you have an ECU with a USB port that you can program yourself from a laptop.

Bottom line is that they fit a daughter board into your own ECU, around 99p at todays prices, cut a piece out of your case for a USB socket, and charge you £750, thank you very much sir.

Roll on the revolution.........

tut

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:58 pm

Tuts right but our hands are likely to be tied.
If we want this reflash we will have to pay for it.

SteveBanks · Post by **SteveBanks** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:32 pm

jamie wrote:Are you nuts -small market! Its rather large if you include the US (which they do).
Guys over there already have been lowering the cam they now want to be able to see perormance from mods like zausts and induction kits.

Wasn't thinking about the US...but my point is that a lot of people will buy the Lotus solution if they don't know anything about the Emerald. I just think they should announce something to keep a lot of potential customers...though I understand that they may not yet be in a position to do so.

LotusLee · Post by **LotusLee** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:24 pm

About time Lotus offered us some upgrades that make a difference

.
If you were to go the Emerald route (if it happens) wouldn't that mean kissing the manufacturer warranty goodbye though?

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:27 pm

What warranty

The ECU reflash is for track use only might invalidate the warranty too

Emerald have been keen on the yota ECU for over a year but the levels of stock and investment required to get a manufacturer to produce the parts - connections was a limiting factor. They have now shelled out the 10k to get the parts made and are just sorting the software.

ryallm · Post by **ryallm** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:14 am

jamie wrote:What warranty

The ECU reflash is for track use only might invalidate the warranty too

Emerald have been keen on the yota ECU for over a year but the levels of stock and investment required to get a manufacturer to produce the parts - connections was a limiting factor. They have now shelled out the 10k to get the parts made and are just sorting the software.

Jamie, take it you have been speaking to Emerald with a view to using their ECU on your own car - your cam change is still at 6.2K, right?

Very tempted to go straight for the reflash, but I think probably the sensible thing to do is to sit tight for a few months and see what becomes available - I don't use my car much over the winter anyway. The Emerald and Piper Cams might be a very cost effective upgrade. On the other hand the reflash of the Lotus ECU has the distinct advantage that it is invisible to insurers...

Mark

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:24 am

Mark, I'm just waiting for you to be the test bunny!

No results from Dan yet.

tut · Post by **tut** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 12:16 pm

Coz all you buggers are taking your cars down there for servicing, so he has no time for the important things...........

tut

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 2:46 pm

tut wrote:Coz all you buggers are taking your cars down there for servicing, so he has no time for the important things...........

tut

faced with that or mmc you can't blame them