APR Ultralink | Tune Your Mk7 Golf or GTI at home with APR software

APR Ultralink | Tune Your Mk7 Golf or GTI at home with APR software - no dealer required.

Рет қаралды 9,267

Күн бұрын

APR - a brand synonymous with Volkswagen and Audi car enthusiast community recently announced a new product unlocking their enormous menu of aftermarket tunes from the dealer model they've alway used. Meet the APR Ultralink, an at-home tuning solution that plays a bit of catchup with the rest of the industry, while offering some unique benefits and tremendous upside for their current install-base. I'll share an overview, a review of the software and process, and share a few thoughts on how it all went.
Links contained in this video's description are affiliate links. By using these links, you directly help support my efforts to continue to make more videos.
///Buy the Ultralink Today//
geni.us/ultralink
//CHAPTERS//
0:00 - Introduction
2:50 - Unboxing / What's Include
3:30 - Features
5:35 - How it Works
14:42 - First Drive
15:44 - Conclusion
--
//Car Modifications//
Bumper - GTI Front End Conversion
Headlights - Helix 7.5 - geni.us/SZ3sr
Turbo - IHI IS38 - geni.us/coiyY
LED Dynamic Turn Signals - amzn.to/3uJdMKT
Tune - Unitronic Stage 2+ IS38 - geni.us/54r2oj
Intercooler - Unitronic - geni.us/HRBm
Turbo Inlet Pipe - Unitronic
Downpipe - Integrated Engineering 3"
Intake - Integrated Engineering MQB V2 - geni.us/BSWykpM
Coilovers - Bilstein B16 PSS10 - geni.us/52wRF
Whiteline 24mm Rear Sway Bar - geni.us/BsKBi
Moog Sway Bar End Links - amzn.to/3r6w3Q9
034 Motorsport Dogbone Mount Insert
Wheels - 18 x 7" ASA
Tires - BFGoodrich G-Force Comp 2
Rally Armor Mudflaps - amzn.to/301CojT
Racingline Stud Conversion Kit
//Toolbox//
- Neiko Torx Bit Socket Set - amzn.to/3r3jsgx
- Neiko Hex Bit Socket Set - amzn.to/3sCou4c
- Neiko Triple Square Set - amzn.to/3q4bxOW
- Tekton 3/8 Inch Drive Shallow Sockets - 12 Point - amzn.to/3r5o71J
- Tekton 3/8 Inch Drive Deep Sockets - amzn.to/2NN1Ze2
- Universal Joint Set - amzn.to/3bIURY2
- Neko Genius 1 Battery Charger - amzn.to/301nN84
- EWK Oil Extractor - amzn.to/3r8Myv6
//Camera Gear//
- Sony A6300 - amzn.to/3sEJ0Rs
- DJI Mini 2 Drone - geni.us/UePdQ
- GoPro Hero (2018) - amzn.to/3sAZASy
- Rode WirelessGO - amzn.to/2NRunvr
- DJI Osmo Mobile - amzn.to/3b50vop
- Zhiyun Gimball - amzn.to/302e2Xr
//CHANNEL MERCH//
www.dadaworkshop.com
//SOCIAL MEDIA//
IG - / godadwagon
Facebook - / godadwagon

Пікірлер: 80

@karstgeo7290 4 ай бұрын

Great one man! So kudos to Arin/APR for finally getting this done. I have always wanted to try the 100 tune and run it on like E40... I hear it's spicy. I agree with your 100% being that I have done the Unitronic thing, very covert and scary at first hahaha. This APR setup looks very modern/easy to use. I drove Jason M's AT with the APR 93 IS38 tune back to back with mine and we even did some drag racing on our way to Helen a few years ago...honestly, about the same...APR has a little more boost/Unitronic has more timing advance. To me, this really help them out with new customers for those that want a simple set/forget experience. I dig that you can change launch control RPM (I haven't noted much difference in times from 3500-4000 b/c the 1.8 TCU tunes from APR/Uni don't build boost on launch) and the auto upshift/kickdown is great; I really want to eliminate auto upshift on mine but Uni doesn't offer it unfortunately. Yes, having logging would be good, Uni does. However, I get it...most folks have no clue and shouldn't be doing it anyway and often just think something is wrong and I'm sure it's a PITA for companies like this to tell some kid his -1.4 knock is perfectly normal hahaha

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

Thank you thank you thank you! So far, I can honestly tell little difference. I need more time behind the wheel with it and to push it a little harder. I'm most curious if to see if I get some of the similar EPC issues due to cutting, and logic tells me it shouldn't be different. I can imagine the disabling of auto up and down would be appealing for you on the track. Uni only offers disabling kick down? I remember it offers one or the other when selecting.

@karstgeo7290 4 ай бұрын

@@DadWagon yes, Uni only offers disable of auto kick-down/downshift in manual mode...really not a huge deal but auto cross it sucks to have it auto up shift when you just want to bounce the limiter sometimes. The Uni issue with cutting is due to the aggressive timing and the need to run a bit of E85 to settle the KR; APR likely doesn't have this issue.

@extrememike 2 ай бұрын

That's a sick VWagon!

@DadWagon 2 ай бұрын

Thanks dude!

@philliprollman7421 4 ай бұрын

Great video and thanks for the awesome details...i have a 24 GTI that im getting this for but i don't know what i should set the launch at!!.. what do you recommend thanks.

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

Awesome and glad it was helpful. I really do know the best launch RPM settings. Maybe we'll get some other to way in on their suggestions.

@baconator233 3 ай бұрын

Is there ECU, TCU files available for MK8 through the ultralink?

@axellopez4518 20 күн бұрын

So let’s say I swap from a is12 to a is38 Will this tuner help me make it so it will run right and just alone with the turbo swap will run right without the tune ? or would I need to go to professional tuner to adjust boost and fuel mixtures and all that stuff?

@sheikestrada 2 ай бұрын

Hi! I gonna buy a gti with is38 turbo change, the car have stage 2 plus, if I buy the apr ultralink, i will get that same tune if I start the app with my email? I gonna want change the octane sometimes, but i dont know if i need buy the tune again or that stay in the info of the car in apr

@zaycunningham5865 Ай бұрын

Do you have to use that website to make your tune ?

@TheBigfatclown 3 ай бұрын

You should activate your Windows on your Mac....lol! Good review , just ordered the Ultralink. Cheers, great chanel!

@runrideread 2 ай бұрын

not a chance.

@DadWagon Ай бұрын

@@runrideread Haha, never! thank my man!

@abdullahahmedameer 4 ай бұрын

Hi dude, nice video. i really enjoyed it Fun little device I was wondering about the pricing of the 1.8t tunes . I had a question: Do you advise the is38 upgrade on golf 1.8t speed automatic [ not dsg ].

@TheManPrice 4 ай бұрын

The DSG is the automatic

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

Honestly , I don't know much about the golfs the autos that are not DSG. Is that still the 09G trans? Check out the forums or the facebook groups because I know there are a few guys with that transmission - but not sure if they've turbo swapped or not.

@BOATSAT 3 ай бұрын

@@DadWagonI have that teanny they don’t have TCU tunes for it and is not recommended unless trans is built or swapped since anything above 300 Torque will blow the tranny

@abdullahahmedameer 3 ай бұрын

@@TheManPrice09g is not dsg

@francisbadavi9290 Ай бұрын

Thanks for posting. Great video and very educational. I do have two questions. I have the manual stick shift Porsche Cayman 718. I have plenty of horse power and torque coming out of the stock engine. My only interest in the at home APR tuner is to turn off the F&^%$ annoying "engine stop/start" button. Based on your experience with the APR tuner, if I purchase the tuner for my Porsche, can I go through all the options and program the tuner so that the only mod it does is to turn off the "engine stop/start button"? My second question is about the TCU tuning. Since I have a stick shift, I don't need to worry about the TCU tuning, correct? Frank

@DadWagon 29 күн бұрын

Answer to your second question: Correct - don't need to do TCU. First Question - I don't know the answer to this. I don't believe start stop options are available through UltraLink tuning. I have another video about removing this challenge on a Tiguan. That was done through a small piece of electronic hardware. Check it out.

@stephbarbershop2518 3 ай бұрын

What sort of tuning or adjustability is in a tune? without paying for another. just octane and launch rpm? rev limit?

@Matt-gbbyy 3 ай бұрын

Look into jb4 tune if you want more options. They have data logs too. This is more basic user friendly I think.

@user-yg1wg3bc4y 2 ай бұрын

Hey man, I have a mk7 gti and I’m looking for a stg 2 pops and bangs tune. Does APR offer one on the ultra link?

@DadWagon 2 ай бұрын

You'll have to look it up on their site. I dont know off hand.

@justinnixon2426 3 ай бұрын

I just bought this because I already have stage 1 with low torque output, but have upgraded my clutch and would like to get the high torque output version and it doesn’t give me the option! And wanted to try pops and bangs but that’s not available either! 😖

@n3tfury 2 ай бұрын

Did you contact APR? If so, what did they say?

@puzzy12 Ай бұрын

Also interested in this as I have stage 1 already. Any more info?

@shannonmcatee9610 2 ай бұрын

I'm already apr is38 , 2+ Would this let me add anything I didn't have tuned? Launch, louder pops, etc

@DadWagon 2 ай бұрын

Depends on what engine you have (1.8 vs 2.0) and what maps are available for your vehicles. You should be able to go to APRs website and see which maps are available for your vehicle.

@gabrieldetwiler7078 4 ай бұрын

How does the Apr tune feel compared to Unitronic

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

it's been about 15 minutes of driving... so not much to compare yet. mostly the same.

@jeffreyroche1193 2 ай бұрын

I had my apr tune take off my stage 2 so I could pass emissions. so I go to put it back on and they said APR has stage 2 file locked now, Im so pissed! I paid a couple hundred buck to have it removed, now I cant re instll they said only stage 1 now

@lunaticleone8534 3 күн бұрын

Contact them wtf

@user-ne7nl5mo4s Ай бұрын

Hello I have a question. what is the stage level IS38 ? Thank you.

@DadWagon Ай бұрын

Stage 2 + IS38

@Realericpickens 4 ай бұрын

APR saying the battery needs to be above 14v during tuning, looks like it worked fine below that here, right?

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

It did work just fine at 11.4v or whatever I was at. I was also on the battery tender.

@raykupal 3 ай бұрын

it is very risky.... flashing takes time and if it drops and cuts off in the middle of flash, you could brick your ECU

@admsoccer 2 ай бұрын

@@raykupal but what would you do if you had a battery tender already attached and still showed 11.4v? Buy a new battery?

@raykupal 2 ай бұрын

@@admsoccer is the battery tender the right size for your battery? I guess the idea is to have a constant voltage and amperage to keep the electronics powered up while in progress.

@lilbrownboy7919 2 ай бұрын

will the IS38 tune work in a tiguan?? or does it depend on the engine.

@DadWagon 2 ай бұрын

No, because the tiguan does not have an IS38 turbo.

@lilbrownboy7919 2 ай бұрын

@@DadWagon do you know what tunes i can run with the tiguan?

@roquesolorio8842 3 ай бұрын

is stage two available in the US?

@JShayy 15 күн бұрын

Install in while your on a vpn lol idk

@joelcendejasluna3576 4 ай бұрын

Does it work with a manual ?

@DadWagon 3 ай бұрын

Yes

@Need.more_boost 3 ай бұрын

I dont see a Is38 tune for my 19 gli, anybody know why?

@morganschroeder8179 Ай бұрын

Pretty sure gli and gti has the is38 tune under stage 2. Go read the information on the website at the bottom of the page when you select the tune you want, should have a mandatory and recommended hardware list somewhere aswell

@Peylix 4 ай бұрын

For map swapping. Is that through the web portal too? If so, oof. I understand initially buying and flashing needing it. But if you have all tunes made. If you need the web portal (which requires online). That's a huge miss. I know you can hotspot phone data on the go. But that's not a fool proof way.

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

Yes, my understanding and what I saw is that it's all through the marketplace and reflashing the ECU.

@Peylix 4 ай бұрын

@@DadWagon RIP. That's unfortunate. There's a station that I've used for 100 that has nearly no reception for cells due to location. If I was still with APR and wanted to swap to that file after filling up. It would be a struggle. Could always go fill a few 5g cans and go drive to a spot that has it to fill and then flash. But that would get old fast lol Hopefully they build a phone app or PC app that can store and allow offline flashing. APR, if you're reading this. I know that you know, that locking this to an always online web portal is going to be a huge point of contention for many.

@mrjkstark 4 ай бұрын

@@Peylix Seems like it's geared more toward folks who just want to set it and forget it but don't necessarily have easy access to an APR dealer.

@karstgeo7290 4 ай бұрын

@@Peylix most folks that want to do that kind of thing aren't the target audience here anyway, they are Cobb tunes or something more custom like Simos etc.

@Peylix 4 ай бұрын

@eo7290given one of the most requested features from APR has been on the go map switching like the MK5 and MK6. I find it hard to believe that this is a non issue. Something as simple as map swapping should be simple and not locked through a web portal. One of the main reasons why I left APR was because of how out of the way one had to go for a simple map swap. Now that we can flash anywhere is a huge plus, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have data. It's 2 steps forward, 1 step back.

@user-pw2zv4vi7g 27 күн бұрын

Does it fit the Mexican jetta gli?

@DadWagon 22 күн бұрын

No idea

@evanhaddad1960 4 ай бұрын

I'm a bit confused about the pricing. So the ~$100 or whatever is just for ultralink device. But then you still have to spend $500 on a stage one ECU tune, only you have to do it yourself, no? That's about what it costs at a dealer, if not more expensive because you have to pay for the device. I was hoping you'd get the tune for a couple hundred less in the device because you have to do it all yourself, which isn't easy if you don't have a garage with internet outdoors, outlets, battery chargers, etc. Seems like it would cost much more using this device, whose only convenience seems to be letting customers spend more $$ more easily rather than making this a cheaper and more accessible option. What am I missing?

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

you hit it. it really comes down to 1. whether you want to work through a dealer or not and 2. if you want the ability to make adjustments or be in control of your tune without the need of going back to the dealership. For me, $150 is totally worth not having to call a dealer, work it in to my schedule, dropping off the car, scheduling pickup... and I just prefer to DIY in general.

@raykupal 3 ай бұрын

well at least with this, you can tune back to factory if you need to and go up to higher stages when you are ready.... you just have to pay more of course... like everything else... except for pirated stuff

@curmudgeon76 3 ай бұрын

The convenience is worth the extra $ IMHO. The tax time sale saw $25 off the ultralink & $50 off each tune. Essentially, I paid retail for the ecu/tcu tunes and got the ultralink for $25. I have top tier 93 readily available near me, so that's the tune I purchased. If I'm taking a road trip and I'm uncertain about available fuel, I can flash to the 87 tune in 10 minutes at no cost. When the weather warms up and I install the is20 that's been sitting on a shelf in my garage I have the ability to upgrade the software immediately. I'd say it's well worth it.

@robertwinston2496 3 ай бұрын

You got it, but remember, even if you chose to buy the tune and have a dealer/tuner shop do the install, you still pay THEM the labor as well. The only benefit to having a shop install the tune is if something else proves wrong in the process. I have a '16 Golf R 6MT Stage I 93 High Torque tune installed, and when they did the install, we found that my turbo waste gate rod was out of spec, causing an EPC error code as soon as I got into boost. The shop then took care of correcting that as part of my install purchase cost.

@ccv1616 2 ай бұрын

I see that on the tune for my Audi 3.0T, the cost of the tune is reduced by the cost of the Ultralink so well worth it to be able to tweak the tune at will.

@AshleySchirripa 3 ай бұрын

I thought you couldn’t use a Mac?

@n3tfury 2 ай бұрын

he's got windows on it. whether that's a VM or dual boot, not sure, but you need windows.

@veryblank3797 Ай бұрын

You sound like DailyDose

@DadWagon 29 күн бұрын

Thank you?! Who's that? Send me a vid.

@sonnyjunior6321 4 ай бұрын

Why anyone would buy this over an Accessport is beyond me.

@DadWagon 4 ай бұрын

I don't know much about the AP, but i just did a quick look up of Cobbs available maps and their website doesn't currently show any stage 2 or IS38 maps available for the 1.8T... so there is a reason for me.

@sonnyjunior6321 4 ай бұрын

@@DadWagon I don’t understand why so many people in the VW crowd think that if you get an accessport you have to use cobbs maps lol literally no one uses them. Stratified and EQT are the top two tuners for VW/Audi via the accessport. They offer both staged and custom tunes.

@n3tfury 2 ай бұрын

because people that want a mild tune and want something that's very reliable? not hard.

@sonnyjunior6321 2 ай бұрын

@@n3tfury and you can get both of those things from an accessport…. whilst still spending less money than the ultralink+tune somehow lmao As far as reliability, a properly done custom tune from a professional will ALWAYS be more reliable then some off the shelf cookie cutter tune like APR. Custom tunes also allow you to decide how mild/aggressive you want the tune to be. Funny enough, apr tunes are actually quite aggressive when it comes to cranking on the turbo. They’re very boost heavy. Probably why we see most instances of premature oem turbo failure on Apr cars lol Apr has done a very good job of brainwashing it’s customers. Do your research, not hard.

@hovan2yourjunk 8 күн бұрын

@@sonnyjunior6321Help me out…I just picked up my GTI under 2 months ago. Have some a few bolt-ons but not tune yet. This is all new to me. Was leaning towards APR because my intake is from them and the process seems simple. However…I’m all about saving money and putting towards my wheels!!