Elite Re-Map?
 

My XC70 is in for its annual service tomorrow, and I noticed in the reminder blurb sent a couple of weeks ago, that my indy is now an agent for Elite re-maps. Looking at their site, Stage One for a 2010 XC70 (205) takes the 205bhp to 240 with a significant increase in torque. I'm tempted - but does anyone have experience of this company? No mention of cost - I might ask tomorrow.

Although not specific to Elite, I asked the question on remapping my V70.

Pretty much came back anti independent remapping and polestar remap was the way to go.

Reasoning and thread here - https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=282658

A Polestar remap seems terribly expensive for the benefit gained... maybe worth considering for an auto though, seeing as how the gearbox software is apparently also modified. I've never heard of a remap being overwritten by a subsequent dealer update, at least in Honda diesels with a Bosch EDC16 ECU.

I come from a Honda diesel community, where remapping is commonplace. Celtic are generally favoured over Elite, mostly because their maps featured torque limitation in lower gears to aid traction and protect the clutch... diesel remapping can make startling torque gains at low RPM, which does then overload the clamping ability of the clutch pressure plate. Also Elite maps illegally keep the EGR valve closed, which causes NOx emissions to soar and may give future concerns if/when the MoT checks for NOx emissions. Celtic maps have an option to include EGR or not.

Whatever you go for, ask to see predicted dyno graphs applicable to your model car. The torque delivery needs to be smooth and extended, not merely a giant spike at low RPM!

The major difference is that Volvo ECUs are encrypted.

No third-party remapper can remap the twin-turbo D5, unless they remove the ECU, open the casing, connect onto the pins of the EEPROM and directly write the map in.

Read these threads: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...ighlight=remap

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...ighlight=remap

Remember that when something like that happens, the remapper will not help you. Either they already have your money, or they've refunded you your money but will not help with the repair cost.

Why would you risk a vehicle that is currently worth around £8k for the sake of saving £300 on the remap? That's less than the cost of a set of tyres

As for "minimal gains" - the polestar map on the 205 takes it up to 225bhp, and keeps it JUST within the lowest insurance increase (insurers I've seen listing the modifications tend to have different remap brackets, the cheapest one being 0-10% bhp increase).

As for VEA cars, it looks like they're just offering up closer to the engine's maximum capability as standard.

One of the best "value" polestar options was on the XC60/XC70 D4 AWD - although only 163bhp, the engine was physically actually the same twin-turbo D5 as the D5 205/215. Polestar took the 205/215 up to 225/230 respectively, and unlocked the D4 to a full D5 215.

Seeing as how the Elite website quotes the power figures for their Stage One map on a 2010 XC70 (205bhp to 240) then clearly overcoming that encryption isn't a problem.

Remappers are usually able to remove their map and reload the original one, should problems occur.

To be frank, regardless of what map I would put on my car, insurance company is not someone I would tell.

As they will never know the car has been remapped unless they no download the map on your ECU to check or you tell them.

In the event of a total loss, if they actually do decide to come out and check, it is only a visual inspection of the vehicle that is carried out.

Where that differs is the tuning boxes, with supplement wires, a visual inspection would find it

And that sort of attitude is exactly what pushes the insurance premiums up

What a load of rubbish. Premiums are put up by a multitude of things, crashes, theft blah blah.

Not declaring modifications would actually result in an overall saving as your policy would be void and not paid out if you made a claim and they found out about remap. You could argue there would be cost of admin work.

So I fail to see how/why this would put premiums up.

While even a write off inspection by an insurance assessor might not find a re-map, if you had the gross misfortune to be involved in an accident with a personal injury liability claim into seven figures, it would certainly be worth the insurers while to check your ECU mapping to avoid paying out millions and that would ruin you for the rest of your life. That is what insurance is for and if you decide to risk such losses, that would be your decision but the position of the poor bastard who suffered life changing injuries at your hands would be catastrophic and he would sue you for everything you had which probably wouldn't be enough and his life would still be ruins. Buy the Polestar!

What tends to bother me more about remaps isn't the extra power & torque released, its the ability of other components to deal with the improvements - most specifically the gearbox (and/or clutch if a manual) which must have a torque limit but I have no idea how you would find out what it is.

The engine may be fine but that's not helpful if another major component goes bang as a result