As the title states I am so torn between the two.

I've spent the last two days sifting through various threads on both systems and I can't make a decision on either one.

Before everyone comes in with their $.02, I currently have a mail in flash from a very reputable tuner and I'm extremely happy with it. Car runs like a champ. I have very minimal engine mods on my car and it will probably be like that for the rest of its life. The AccessPort seems like the perfect choice for what I need. Basically a track map, valet mode, anti-theft, and economy map. It has the convenience I'm looking for and it also pulls engine codes. Something I think every Evo owner should have access to. But I just can't get over the price. Its not that its too expensive its just I can buy a decent used laptop for that price and just have EcuFlash and EvoScan. But then I lose the convenience I so desperately love. I know AP is a little late to the game and working out bugs but I can live with that if they have excellent customer service.

Any comments?

 

dude.. ecuflash does everything ap does. you can use alt maps. valet. anti-theft (sorta.. just set you flash valet to a low rpm and the car wont start). you can have 2 maps. one for dd (economy) and a race map, and they are controlled by a push of a button.. on the fly!. i personally would just use ecuflash and i do.. love it... its great.

oh and you can just use scantech for obdII codes with the laptop. works great.. no need to have anything else

 

ecuflash = Free

You'll also find much more support on here and have more choices in tuners to get the car tweaked how you would like it.

Cheers!

 

Both of you have very good points and I've considered both. But I was really trying to avoid having to buy a laptop. Its just more crap I have to lug around in my car or possibly get stolen. I wish the PDA/Palm pilot would work.

 

the support will very likely be a wash, as both cobb as well as these forums are both great resources. I am a little unaware of cobb's warranty WRT something going wrong while using their product though. Should they have a resonable warranty against such things, I'd take that over the promise of "help on the internet" any day of the week, and gladly play the premium... thats just me though.

 

All I have to say is that I started using ecuflash 2 years ago & never looked back. The Access Port is nice, but ecuflash will do everything you're looking for. As for the support issue there are some pretty sharp minded people working on both sides.

 

I'm definitely in the same boat. I love the thought of the AP but then that word free creeps in my head. Then I think, so what, I'll have to lug around a laptop when I wanna swap maps big deal

 

For those people that actually want to tune their own car, I think that ECUFlash is hand-down the better choice. Here's why: The ~$600 price for the AP does not include any tuning software. The tuning software is an extra $350 or something like. And a laptop is required to use it. The AP data logging capabilities are pretty minimal as well. It can only log live data to the AP screen. No means to log data to a file without the tuning software.

OTOH, ECUFlash+EvoScan opens up the entire ECU to the user. How far you want to go with it is up to your desire and ability. Some of the things that can be done with ECUFlash but not with the AP include:

- On-the-fly *instant* map switching with no hardware attached to the ECU.
- Enable/disable valet mode with no hardware attached to the ECU.
- Meth failsafe map switching.
- Direct psi-based boost control.
- Rear O2 simulator built into the ROM code to eliminate rear O2 CELs and still pass emissions.
- Wideband O2 logging via the ECU.
- Speed density-based fuel control.

The drawback with ECUFlash+EvoScan is that they are both somewhat technical products. To use all the features just mentioned requires some ability to use a computer, follow directions carefully, and not be afraid to tinker with the ECU wiring a bit (no hacking, cutting, splicing of the harness required though).

If Cobb had included the tuning software in the $600 price for the AP, I think they would have had a product that could have similar capabilities as ECUFlash. Without it, its just a hardware tool to upload maps, read error codes, and so some very rudimentary performance monitoring.

 

ECU FLASH! You can always switch over later if you're not happy.

 

+1 I'm going to an ECU Flash and once Cobb has all of the bugs worked out of the AP I may switch...

 

I have both and as of right now I have the car tuned on an ecu flash map. Rather than the AP due to the tuner could not control boost due to me not having the boost lines from Cobb. So part my fault but now I just have the AP laying around. Its a good Piece of equipment if you dont plant on messing with the tuning and just want to switch maps or pull codes fast.

 

Are your running ecu-boost with ecuflash or a EBC or MBC?

If you have ecu-boost control tuned via ecuflash, then you could have ecu-boost tuned via the AP as well (protuned).