APR stage 2 vs IE integrated engineering stage 2 tune

[Julioab22]

Hi.

I want to tune my car and I am between apr and IE tunes.

Apr tunes for mqb has been in the market for 4 years and even had some recent updates.

IE its newer but I really like the home tunning ability and the 93 octane map for track days and 104 oct map with 432 hp for drag racing events.

I drive hard my car and I will like a safe tune that makes good power but not blow my turbo.
I have downpipe.intake.inlet.throtle pipe.intercooler

What do you guys think it's the best tune between these two.
(I live in colombia,sorry for my english)

[Waffles_s4]

Check out EPL

Am not a fan of APR tunes.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Audizine mobile app

[Kevin quattro]

I've had both apr and IE. My last car was a 2017 A3 quattro and I ran stage 1 for about a year, then stage 2 for nearly a year before I bought my s3. I really enjoyed APRs tune. I never had any issues at all. The power was great. Everything was good. On my S3 I decided to go with IE for a couple reasons. I love the fact that I can tune from home. That's huge for me as the car is still under warranty and I can quickly flash back to stock whenever needed, and if I ever decide to track it, I can run 104 for HUGE power. Also, I just wanted to try something different and IE seemed to be every bit as good as apr if not better for less money.

I am currently running stage 1 high torque with the tcu tune. I love it! It's great. Power is phenomenal, shifts are smooth. The tcu tune actually changes your virtual cockpit to show which gear you're in when in auto, which I love. I mostly drive in manual though. More fun that way! I actually have an IE downpipe sitting in my garage. I still need to buy an uprated intercooler before I switch to stage 2, but I plan on doing that soon. If stage 2 is even marginally better I'll be thrilled. Can't wait for that sound too! I did a lot of research before switching and I would recommend IE, but you'll be happy either way. Let us know what you decide on!

[a4000]

Unitronic!

[MikTip]

but not blow my turbo...

The turbos weakness is not the tune...its the turbo itself.

Its not really designed to be driven "hard" as its a street car.

Several tuners offers upgraded versions of the IS38 turbo.

They have fixed the inherent design issues and improved the turbo greatly.

https://www.hpamotorsports.com/hpa-is38

"The IHI IS series turbos have been known to restrict oil flow under sporty driving conditions which can cause premature failure of the bearings resulting in broken turbine shafts. This can lead to catastrophic engine failures due to oil and debris being pushed out into the exhaust system and igniting. The HPA IS38 Hybrid is an insurance against these types of failures."

[17A3]

I've had both apr and IE. My last car was a 2017 A3 quattro and I ran stage 1 for about a year, then stage 2 for nearly a year before I bought my s3. I really enjoyed APRs tune. I never had any issues at all. The power was great. Everything was good. On my S3 I decided to go with IE for a couple reasons. I love the fact that I can tune from home. That's huge for me as the car is still under warranty and I can quickly flash back to stock whenever needed, and if I ever decide to track it, I can run 104 for HUGE power. Also, I just wanted to try something different and IE seemed to be every bit as good as apr if not better for less money.

I am currently running stage 1 high torque with the tcu tune. I love it! It's great. Power is phenomenal, shifts are smooth. The tcu tune actually changes your virtual cockpit to show which gear you're in when in auto, which I love. I mostly drive in manual though. More fun that way! I actually have an IE downpipe sitting in my garage. I still need to buy an uprated intercooler before I switch to stage 2, but I plan on doing that soon. If stage 2 is even marginally better I'll be thrilled. Can't wait for that sound too! I did a lot of research before switching and I would recommend IE, but you'll be happy either way. Let us know what you decide on!

how come you changed from a stage 2 a3 to s3?

[Kevin quattro]

There were a lot of reasons. I loved the A3(quattro non s-line). It was a great car. It was fast at stage 2. The problem was I wanted super sport seats, quad tip exhaust, bigger wheels, mag ride, virtual cockpit, more power, a sportier look, a flat bottom steering wheel, paddle shifters. I wanted an S badge. The list goes on and on. The A3 was awesome, but it would take a lot of money and time to get it to have the features and performance of an S3. Even just pure power. The intercooler and turbo on an A3 are smaller so tune for tune the S3 is faster. Stage 1.5 on the s3 is a lot faster than stage 2 A3. Most everyone on the planet would've been satisfied with the A3. A lot of people questioned why I did it. Long story short is I wanted an S3. Not an A3, and no matter how much I modified it, it wouldn't be the same. 4 years ago I went into an Audi dealership and they had a brand new S3 in the showroom floor. It was so cool! I wanted it more than anything, but at the time I didn't think I could afford it, so I bought the next best thing when FL came out. Over the last 5 years I have started a career and have more money than I could have imagined at the time so I bought what I wanted all along. I didn't get rid of the A3 because I didn't like it. I bought the S3 because I loved my A3. I was actually more proud of owning the A3 as it was my first new luxury car. It was the fastest car I'd owned by a lot! I just kept wanting more and more out of the platform.

What intercooler did you get? It's a must before going stage 2. I only had their intake and dp on the A3. My car would smell hot after a spirited run. I was destroying that poor car. Lol

[Khyy]

Unitronic!

As a Stage 2 Unitronic user myself, I would advise OP strongly consider this recommendation depending on what your goal is. If it is to make the best power at stage 2, I would not go with Unitronic. Unitronic does not have a high torque map like IE or APR which leaves it at a huge disadvantage against them (unfortunately saw this first hand when a stage 2 IE tuned sent ya boy to gapplebees).

It's a great reliable tune that is clearly focused on the "safe" side when it comes to tuning your engine. If that is your goal, to stay conservative and get a power boost, then disregard.

[17A3]

There were a lot of reasons. I loved the A3(quattro non s-line). It was a great car. It was fast at stage 2. The problem was I wanted super sport seats, quad tip exhaust, bigger wheels, mag ride, virtual cockpit, more power, a sportier look, a flat bottom steering wheel, paddle shifters. I wanted an S badge. The list goes on and on. The A3 was awesome, but it would take a lot of money and time to get it to have the features and performance of an S3. Even just pure power. The intercooler and turbo on an A3 are smaller so tune for tune the S3 is faster. Stage 1.5 on the s3 is a lot faster than stage 2 A3. Most everyone on the planet would've been satisfied with the A3. A lot of people questioned why I did it. Long story short is I wanted an S3. Not an A3, and no matter how much I modified it, it wouldn't be the same. 4 years ago I went into an Audi dealership and they had a brand new S3 in the showroom floor. It was so cool! I wanted it more than anything, but at the time I didn't think I could afford it, so I bought the next best thing when FL came out. Over the last 5 years I have started a career and have more money than I could have imagined at the time so I bought what I wanted all along. I didn't get rid of the A3 because I didn't like it. I bought the S3 because I loved my A3. I was actually more proud of owning the A3 as it was my first new luxury car. It was the fastest car I'd owned by a lot! I just kept wanting more and more out of the platform.

What intercooler did you get? It's a must before going stage 2. I only had their intake and dp on the A3. My car would smell hot after a spirited run. I was destroying that poor car. Lol

I totally understand!

thanks for that!

I'm looking to go stage 2 with all the required and recommended upgrades in the next 12 months. I feel like making about 330 hp and 375lbs ft tq will be more than enough for me as I already find the A3 quattro to be quite fast. It's not blazing fast at highway speeds but still has decent get up and go. Off the line, it throws you back in your seat. I can only imagine how it feels with the added tune.

[cjacS3]

I've had APR S1 plus TCU tune for over 3 years on 2015 S3. Love it no complaints but I do like the "self tune" other vendors offer. Just keep in mind even if you flash back to stock, the dealer can see that if they feel like digging. Numerous other posts regarding the TD1 flag when ECU is flashed...

[17A3]

exactly! I have an APR dealer around me and the shop got amazing reviews so ill be checking them out when the time comes.

[Kevin quattro]

I totally understand!

thanks for that!

I'm looking to go stage 2 with all the required and recommended upgrades in the next 12 months. I feel like making about 330 hp and 375lbs ft tq will be more than enough for me as I already find the A3 quattro to be quite fast. It's not blazing fast at highway speeds but still has decent get up and go. Off the line, it throws you back in your seat. I can only imagine how it feels with the added tune.

My pleasure man! I was totally satisfied with the power at stage 2. If you drive a stage 2 A3 then hop in a stock s3, you'll think the S3's slow and boring to drive. Your perspective on quick changes the more power you add. When I bought the A3 I thought it was fast as hell stock. I tuned it literally the first day I had it, but remember having a blast on the test drive. At that time I was coming from a stock 2015 ford focus. I've driven the A3 loaner whenever I've had work done and it feels dog slow. You're going to love it. I would recommend once you have the power, upgrade the springs/struts. With that power you lift like a boat taking off. lol It makes it feel faster but is obviously not beneficial to performance.

And as far as safety goes, APR has been around for a while. They have cars on the road that have well over 100k miles still running well. IDK about IE but their numbers are about the same, so it only makes sense they'd have the same lifespan. Im sure you're shortening the turbos life, but by the time any of us get to the point where it might need to be replaced we'll have sold our cars and bought next gen RS3's! lol But seriously, having the intake, inlet, and intercooler will prolong the life of that turbo. Don't drive it like you stole it every chance you get and you'll be fine.

[17A3]

My pleasure man! I was totally satisfied with the power at stage 2. If you drive a stage 2 A3 then hop in a stock s3, you'll think the S3's slow and boring to drive. Your perspective on quick changes the more power you add. When I bought the A3 I thought it was fast as hell stock. I tuned it literally the first day I had it, but remember having a blast on the test drive. At that time I was coming from a stock 2015 ford focus. I've driven the A3 loaner whenever I've had work done and it feels dog slow. You're going to love it. I would recommend once you have the power, upgrade the springs/struts. With that power you lift like a boat taking off. lol It makes it feel faster but is obviously not beneficial to performance.

And as far as safety goes, APR has been around for a while. They have cars on the road that have well over 100k miles still running well. IDK about IE but their numbers are about the same, so it only makes sense they'd have the same lifespan. Im sure you're shortening the turbos life, but by the time any of us get to the point where it might need to be replaced we'll have sold our cars and bought next gen RS3's! lol But seriously, having the intake, inlet, and intercooler will prolong the life of that turbo. Don't drive it like you stole it every chance you get and you'll be fine.

Amazing info! definitely really excited to get this started!

For a little while I was considering a 2011-2012 Nissan GTR instead but honestly, that would set me back about 65k canadian by the time id be ready to pull the trigger on that.
My A3 at stage 2 with all the supporting mods would be WAY less and ive had it since day 1 so I know it's been taken care of, which is a huge plus for me.

I know the GTR will always destroy the a3, even S3's at their full potential lol, it's a totally different beast, but I just dont think the extra 40-50k canadian is worth it for now.

Maybe a GTR will be in my future. Who knows

[Julioab22]

thanks everyone for your answers

[S3DUDE]

I can only speak for APR. I had APR stage 2 on my S3 and I had the car for 2.5 years. The APR is a beast of a tune, the midrange torque hits you like an avalanche. Expect to touch the 12 flats on an APR stage 2, I ran 12.2@114 but I only ran the 91 oct file with a couple of gallons of ethanol and no air filter or intercooler, I also ran the car at higher elevation. Stage 2 is the way to go without breaking the bank.

[Kevin quattro]

Amazing info! definitely really excited to get this started!

For a little while I was considering a 2011-2012 Nissan GTR instead but honestly, that would set me back about 65k canadian by the time id be ready to pull the trigger on that.
My A3 at stage 2 with all the supporting mods would be WAY less and ive had it since day 1 so I know it's been taken care of, which is a huge plus for me.

I know the GTR will always destroy the a3, even S3's at their full potential lol, it's a totally different beast, but I just dont think the extra 40-50k canadian is worth it for now.

Maybe a GTR will be in my future. Who knows

GTRs are wild for sure! you'll be amazed what the tune does though. Although the the gtr can be built to insane power levels, there is not a better 2 liter on the planet than our cars. They can outrun almost anything on the road when tuned.

And S3dude, you've been running stage 2 with no intake or intercooler for 2.5 years?

[lastig21]

I currently run the IE Stage 2 tune and have nothing but great things to say. I went with IE primarily for the tune at home functionality, and the solid numbers when comparing tune-at-home options (if I didn't are about at-home tunes, United Motorsports is probably where I would have landed). When researching, I found IE's support group to be active on the forums answering questions with real time information. They were late to the party for the MQB, but their tune came strong and continues to receive updates. I run the ECU and TCU tunes and am pleased with the both.

I've never run APR, so no real skin in that game. APR has some outspoken haters, but I haven't found any substantial evidence on the MQB platform to support the bashing. They were early to release, and personally feel the failures that happened can be attributed to early manufacturing bugs from Audi that would have occurred with or without a tune. They release hardware in lock-step with tune requirements (IC, Downpipes, etc) which should definitely carry some weight when choosing a direction. I actually run an APR IC because the IE wasn't ready when I was. If you have a nearby APR shop that you trust, or you simply want someone else to handle the support risk of a tune hiccup, then APR is great and easy to come by. From what I see, they are the most widely installed... meaning lots of fans and the few outspoken pessimists like I mentioned before. If there is a knock, it seems that APR is quick to release on new platforms but does not continue development as the platform ages. Other tune options with continued development might scrape out a few more HP over your Audi ownership.

[Pitbulldad520]

GTRs are wild for sure! you'll be amazed what the tune does though. Although the the gtr can be built to insane power levels, there is not a better 2 liter on the planet than our cars. They can outrun almost anything on the road when tuned.

And S3dude, you've been running stage 2 with no intake or intercooler for 2.5 years?

So ya, Evos and Subarus with their 2 liter motors have been making power for yrs. Mainly the 4g63 and 4b11t motor i speak of specifically. I love my s3 but not delusional about it being a gift to the automotive industry.

[EROtero]

A3 (FL) w/ APR stg2+ here. Couldn’t be happier with the setup. Remember that there is more that just a tune to get your car setup properly. I went in the dealer with my mind set to purchase an S3, but was lucky to have pirchased my A3 at $10k under msrp and came with sport suspension (same equipment as S3). A no brainer. I do all the work myself, it’s one part of my mental sanity control, so money invested it parts only. Car is fast, in fact faster than some S3’s and RS’3’s and Golf-R’s around the track and also faster than some S2000’s and BRZ’s at autocross. There are only two mechanical differences between A3 and S3. One is thr turbo, IS20 vs IS38, the other is the use of auxiliary coolers for transmission and engile oil which the A3 does not have. If you do not intend to track tour car then the aux coolers don’t make a difference. But if you do there are some very nice options out there to add coolers to the A3.

[Kevin quattro]

So ya, Evos and Subarus with their 2 liter motors have been making power for yrs. Mainly the 4g63 and 4b11t motor i speak of specifically. I love my s3 but not delusional about it being a gift to the automotive industry.

So ya, I'm not delusional about anything. I'm well aware of plenty of 2T cars that are just as fast if not faster. There's a word called hyperbole. It's used when someone is exaggerating to get a point across, usually to show passion about an opinion. My favorite restaurant makes the best food in the world. That's another example of a hyperbolic statement. So you just thought you'd make sure nobody thought Audi actually made the worlds fastest 2.0T? We're all car guys dude. Nobody thought that. Nor was it said.

And my S3 is dope. I wouldn't choose another 2T performance sedan on the planet. I fully stand by my original statement, but thanks for your input and great attitude! Really added to the thread.

[Pitbulldad520]

So ya, I'm not delusional about anything. I'm well aware of plenty of 2T cars that are just as fast if not faster. There's a word called hyperbole. It's used when someone is exaggerating to get a point across, usually to show passion about an opinion. My favorite restaurant makes the best food in the world. That's another example of a hyperbolic statement. So you just thought you'd make sure nobody thought Audi actually made the worlds fastest 2.0T? We're all car guys dude. Nobody thought that. Nor was it said.

And my S3 is dope. I wouldn't choose another 2T performance sedan on the planet. I fully stand by my original statement, but thanks for your input and great attitude! Really added to the thread.

It does not matter, just a forum. The context in which you said it does not imply "hyperbole." If I misread the context in which you meant it, my bad. You had a seperation in thought vs a GTR and then transistioned to the comparison of 2l cars. Again, my bad..."car dudes" you are right on..all good Sir.

[Kevin quattro]

It does not matter, just a forum. The context in which you said it does not imply "hyperbole." If I misread the context in which you meant it, my bad. You had a seperation in thought vs a GTR and then transistioned to the comparison of 2l cars. Again, my bad..."car dudes" you are right on..all good Sir.

Alright I appreciate the response. Felt like an attack. All good here too. peace

[17A3]

I guess I can definitely try the stage 2 tune and all supporting mods, run it for a few years like that until I need more lool, and then jump into a GTR.

Owning a GTR though is a realistic dream car I can actually own one day and will own. Maybe if funds are available I can own both so best of both worlds!

One day at a time I guess :P