bilgladstone Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) Some of us have paid serious money having our smarts remapped. There are devices like KWP2000 out there that allow individuals to download and upload performance profiles to the car's computer, and that's well and good. They can find map profiles online and download them from the Internet and upload them to their cars. Anyone can buy a flash tool for $100 and spend a few hours online learning how to use it, and grab a map off one of the dozens of forums online. But these are not always matched or suited to our exact model, production year, and Canadianized specifications, so it's a "take a chance" proposition at best. Professional tuners have taken considerable time and money developing performance software, and invested thousands and thousands of dollars in the proper equipment to do this work. The remaps have been tested, proven, and are guaranteed to work as advertised. That's why they charge hundreds of dollars to remap your car. Because these cheap devices can read and download a map from one car, save it, and upload it to another car, some people are tempted to ask if you have a professional, costly remap, and if you do, whether you would be willing to let them hook their device up to your car so they can copy the remap profile. WHY would you do this? Will the bootlegger decide to share it with his friends? Will he sell it to others for a fraction of the cost of a remap from an established, professional tuner? Not to mention, some random stranger might press a wring button and mess your car up! We know of a handful of bona fide businesses in Canada -- east and west -- that offer tuning services for your 2005-2006 smart cdi. For some of these guys, remaps are an add-on "cash cow" kind of service; for others, it is a profit centre that can mean the difference between a successful business and closing the door and turning out the light. The number of these cars is small and diminishing, and the cost of remaps is going down all the time. It's more affordable than ever before to get your car properly remapped by a professional. If we want to preserve businesses that offer goods and services to keep our cars going long-term, we need to support these businesses. We've watched several go out of business for various reasons -- Smartcaruniverse, Parts4smarts, Smartieparts, and others. That's what I think anyway. YMMV Bil Edited June 20, 2013 by bilgladstone Quote
Huronlad Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 This discussion is likely 4 or 5 years too late. How much of a market is really left. If there is anyone out there depending on smart remapping sales to keep them afloat they need an exit strategy, like 3 years ago.At this point the general public buying 7 or 8 year old smarts are just going to drive them into the ground or dump them when something major breaks. Why would they spend several hundred dollars to make a cdi only as fast as a gas smart.As far as people stealing maps and reselling them that is an issue between the owner of the software, the pirate and the authorities. Quote
yyzboyz Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 This discussion is likely 4 or 5 years too late. How much of a market is really left. If there is anyone out there depending on smart remapping sales to keep them afloat they need an exit strategy, like 3 years ago.At this point the general public buying 7 or 8 year old smarts are just going to drive them into the ground or dump them when something major breaks. Why would they spend several hundred dollars to make a cdi only as fast as a gas smart.As far as people stealing maps and reselling them that is an issue between the owner of the software, the pirate and the authorities.+1 William Quote
lebikerboy Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 Interestingly enough, there are several people who have recently gotten remaps... Quote
Huronlad Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 Those on this site I would class more as enthusiasts, less general public. Quote
KurtMan Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 I am one of the "general public" who just recently had a remap done, and a pirated one at that! Quote
bilgladstone Posted June 20, 2013 Author Posted June 20, 2013 There is still a small and ongoing market for smart remaps. I recently heard of a guy who just bought a used smart and bought a KWP and is soliciting people with remaps for which they paid $$$ to let him copy their map files for free so he can tune his own car. So the discussion became timely for me. That's all.B Quote
Da Shoumi Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) As for me, I'm right in the process of having a "legal" remap installed for my 2006 smart. The professional I'm dealing with came over to my place today to read my software and will upload the new profile in my car next week. I think this is worth the few hundred dollars I will pay for this, since I'm the original owner after 6 years and a hair under 64,000 km. So yes, I'd call myself an enthusiast. Edited June 21, 2013 by Da Shoumi Quote
scwmcan Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 I agree with you Bil, if you have paid for a remap then why would you let someone copy it ? I will wait till I have the funds to get a legitimate remap ( having gone with the in my opinion very subtle change with no OBDII communications for a couple of months before not going down that road again) you get what you pay for! Quote
KurtMan Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 I don't see much difference between streaming a movie or television show, downloading music, or having a "bootleg remap". In all these cases the property was used without permission, if you have NEVER done any of these then I take my hat off to you. I'm comfortable with my position and accept your viewpoint gentleman. That was a little dig at our southern friend... You know who you are. Quote
tolsen Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Remappets are dishonest tamperers and should be castrated to prevent their cancer from spreading. They don't remap your original map file but simply save a previously illegally acquired map file to ECM, usually under file name similar to original file in your car. More than 99.9% of map files remain as original. The map file is the intellectual property of Smart and trade in these files without proper authorization is therefore illegal. Tampering with these files is also illegal and should be punishable by castration. Quote
bilgladstone Posted June 21, 2013 Author Posted June 21, 2013 Come now, TK, don't be shy. Tell us what you really think Bil Quote
tolsen Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Come now, TK, don't be shy. Tell us what you really think Bil I've already stated my opinion but may add that the remappers you have such high opinions of are indeed the real bootleggers. Can any of them provide evidence that they are authorised to trade in these MAP files? I think not. Quote
bilgladstone Posted June 21, 2013 Author Posted June 21, 2013 I know of at least two who pay formal licence fees to their European providers for each and every copy of the remap issued. These are highly reputable traders whose word I have no reason to doubt. There is yet another advanced, competition race tuner in Calgary, Alberta whose specialists have written their own custom EDG/ECU map files from scratch.These are not your 99.9% cowboys, cousin.B Quote
tolsen Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 ... These are not your 99.9% cowboys, cousin.B Cowboys and bootleggers they are indeed.I have looked at dozens of remap files and confirmed all of them were poorly and dangerously modified files stolen from Smart & Bosch. Send me your own remap file and I will check it out and tell you which Bosch map file they had mutilated. Quote
bilgladstone Posted June 21, 2013 Author Posted June 21, 2013 I do not possess the smart-foo to do this for you. Your comments are interesting. Not that I fully credit that opinion, but... interesting.B Quote
MikeT Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 I wonder if the BRABUS SD-1 map that was briefly available through that supplier was the only "legitimate" one for the cdi? Certainly BRABUS sold many SB-1 kits through the smart dealer network so I am suspecting that it was at least one of the legitimate ones, done with smart's consent. Quote
wetcoastnoel Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 I wonder if the BRABUS SD-1 map that was briefly available through that supplier was the only "legitimate" one for the cdi? Certainly BRABUS sold many SB-1 kits through the smart dealer network so I am suspecting that it was at least one of the legitimate ones, done with smart's consent.Ive searched many of the threads, and cant find a list of where to get the remap done, Im in Victoria, and would like to get the 05 convertable done. can anyone send me either a PM or what ever about this?Thanks Quote
MikeT Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 Eddy's shop is on the Westminster Highway in Richmond BC. He charges $300 these days when offering special pricing. Well worth the ferry trip and $300.... Quote
wetcoastnoel Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 Eddy's shop is on the Westminster Highway in Richmond BC. He charges $300 these days when offering special pricing. Well worth the ferry trip and $300.... do you have a email or phone or anything? Ferry is now $100 each way, $300 for the map, wife will want IKEA, $1000. Im better off to find how to contact and courier it over....I think we should get a discount for the smart cars and all the other sub-compacts that take up half or 1/3 the room as some of the F350s and such... Quote
MikeT Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 Contact info. You can remove the engine ECU and send it over to Eddy. I agree about the ferry but that's a lost cause. Quote
dmoonen Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 do you have a email or phone or anything? Ferry is now $100 each way, $300 for the map, wife will want IKEA, $1000. Im better off to find how to contact and courier it over....I think we should get a discount for the smart cars and all the other sub-compacts that take up half or 1/3 the room as some of the F350s and such... http://flyingtiger.ca/contact.php Quote
stickman007 Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 Bil told me that Eddy can remap your ECU if you bring it in to himGlenn did mine with just the ECU shipped to him Quote
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