# Best Tune Option If You Are On A Lease



## IndecisionKills (Sep 9, 2020)

Hello all,

Looking for opinions on what would be the best option for a tune if you have a lease vehicle. Obviously I don't want any issues at the dealership if and when I have any service from now until the lease is up.

I have a 2020 SE R-Line Black FWD

So far I am loving the ride. But it just needs a little extra bump in power.


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

Any tune will void your lease agreement. 

If you wanted to tune you should’ve bought the car instead. Technically it’s not your car to modify. APR and Unitronic ECU tunes will trigger the flash counter in the ECU which can’t be undone even if you revert mapping back to stock. 

JB4 and Nuespeed make piggyback tunes but you’ll need to remove for every service so the dealer doesn’t see. These piggyback tunes trick the car into making more boost and more power. Probably your best bet if you want to tune. 

Ultimately though it’s not a good idea to tune a leased car unless you’re planning on buying it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## IndecisionKills (Sep 9, 2020)

D3Audi said:


> Any tune will void your lease agreement.
> 
> If you wanted to tune you should’ve bought the car instead. Technically it’s not your car to modify. APR and Unitronic ECU tunes will trigger the flash counter in the ECU which can’t be undone even if you revert mapping back to stock.
> 
> ...


My dealer use to be an APR authorized but have stated that they no longer do them. I know that it will void the warranty (if they find it), but I was looking for maybe some examples of anyone who may have still added a tune while on lease. Buying wasn't an option this time around on the vehicle. 

I had the JB4 on my Mini Cooper S, which was nice and I know that is plug and play. That or the Neuspeed is going to be the best options I am guessing. Anyone do this? If so what were your thoughts on it?


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

IndecisionKills said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Looking for opinions on what would be the best option for a tune if you have a lease vehicle. Obviously I don't want any issues at the dealership if and when I have any service from now until the lease is up.
> 
> ...


I own the Buger JB4 tuner. It's plug and play, can be installed and removed in about 10 minutes when you know what you're doing. Once removed there's no trace it was there except your fingerprints removing dust.

power gains aren't as good as a true tune, but it's still quite noticable.


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## IndecisionKills (Sep 9, 2020)

gerardrjj said:


> I own the Buger JB4 tuner. It's plug and play, can be installed and removed in about 10 minutes when you know what you're doing. Once removed there's no trace it was there except your fingerprints removing dust.
> 
> power gains aren't as good as a true tune, but it's still quite noticable.


Thanks for the reply. IYO was the power gain worth adding the JB4? I had it on my Mini Cooper S and it was noticeable. I just have no experience with it on a Tiguan and would love some feedback.


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## ckspeed68 (Aug 20, 2012)

I have the neuspeed power module on my Tiguan for a few weeks now. At first, I did not notice a diiferernce even driving in sport mode. You have to drive the car for a few hundred miles before you notice the power difference. In normal, when press hard on the gas pedal it still takes close to a second before the gear drop and rpm increase than power comes on. But if you really want power, switch from normal to sport, that’s where the power is. Anyway, I still don’t like it so I will get the Unitronic stage 1+ next week. Like other said "pay to play" therefore, I will take my chance. If you are interest in trying the neuspeed power module for a great price, PM me.


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

IndecisionKills said:


> Thanks for the reply. IYO was the power gain worth adding the JB4? I had it on my Mini Cooper S and it was noticeable. I just have no experience with it on a Tiguan and would love some feedback.


Overall the module itself is worth doing for drivability. I think it's price is high especally since they nickel and dime you for everything else. If you want to control the module you need either a USB cable or Bluetooth module and both are custom and expensive. Having data access to the module lets you pull performance data and change the tuning. Ex: you don't want to pay for high octane, you can turn the mode down or disable the module without changing any wiring.

The overall build quality of the box and parts is, I think, mediocre to low for the price charged. At least in the version I bought which was pretty early on in the production, I think.

With that APR tune avaialble I'm going to get that done and sell my JB4 for something like $300. I own my Tig and drive my cars until they fall apart so I have no lease or real warranty concerns.


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## mattchatr (Jan 26, 2018)

I've got a Neuspeed PM that I'll be selling as soon as I wreck my lease and go with Unitronic....and before the haters comment, I plan on buying the car at the end of the lease. That being said, the piggy backs are the best way to gain a little without messing with warranty, just disconnect it when you go in for service. As others have said, you're not going to be blown away by the power module, but I gotta say it really is noticeably different.....initial response is really good, and the mid band has more power. I find it good enough for now, not fast, but so much better than stock that I'm actually ticked that VW did this to us in NA. My 2017 CRV that we hated was faster...but the Tiguan is so much better to drive in every way....I say find a used one, there are loads out there. I plan on selling mine and won't lose much. Its worth it. Cheapest mod for power on this car.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

I bought an off lease GTI that already had an APR tune. I just had my lease turn-in inspection on our Tig and it was just a visual inspection. And got an offer from CarMax that was a bit higher than the residual so I don't even need to turn it in to VW at all and can avoid the disposition fee which lets me walk away with some cash in hand. So I wouldn't worry about the tune in regards to turning in the lease. Just in regard to whether you'll need a powertrain warranty claim during the lease.


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## MetaWolf5280 (Jul 6, 2020)

socialD said:


> I bought an off lease GTI that already had an APR tune. I just had my lease turn-in inspection on our Tig and it was just a visual inspection. And got an offer from CarMax that was a bit higher than the residual so I don't even need to turn it in to VW at all and can avoid the disposition fee which lets me walk away with some cash in hand. So I wouldn't worry about the tune in regards to turning in the lease. Just in regard to whether you'll need a powertrain warranty claim during the lease.


This is very interesting. So Carmax offered you more for the car than was listed as the residual value on your lease? How does that process work? I see that you still had the inspection done, but did you have to purchase the car at that time to avoid having to turn it in, and then went to carmax? To be more clear did you have to spend money out of pocket up front to make this happen?


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

MetaWolf5280 said:


> This is very interesting. So Carmax offered you more for the car than was listed as the residual value on your lease? How does that process work? I see that you still had the inspection done, but did you have to purchase the car at that time to avoid having to turn it in, and then went to carmax? To be more clear did you have to spend money out of pocket up front to make this happen?


In reality it is a lease buyout, then Carmax buys it off you. But they just wrap that in one transaction for you. No out of pocket, just money in your pocket if value is more than buyout(only have 16k miles on it after 3 years).

Could get a couple thousand more out of it if I actually bought it out and then listed it for private sale...but that's a much bigger hassle.

Talking about the pre-turn in inspection which occurs up to 90 days before turn-in to give you an estimate on any charges. But you don't have to do that or go to the dealer at all. Carmax will handle the buyout process for you.


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## MetaWolf5280 (Jul 6, 2020)

socialD said:


> In reality it is a lease buyout, then Carmax buys it off you. But they just wrap that in one transaction for you. No out of pocket, just money in your pocket if value is more than buyout(only have 16k miles on it after 3 years).
> 
> Could get a couple thousand more out of it if I actually bought it out and then listed it for private sale...but that's a much bigger hassle.
> 
> Talking about the pre-turn in inspection which occurs up to 90 days before turn-in to give you an estimate on any charges. But you don't have to do that or go to the dealer at all. Carmax will handle the buyout process for you.


Awesome, thanks for the clarification!


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## mattchatr (Jan 26, 2018)

socialD said:


> In reality it is a lease buyout, then Carmax buys it off you. But they just wrap that in one transaction for you. No out of pocket, just money in your pocket if value is more than buyout(only have 16k miles on it after 3 years).
> 
> Could get a couple thousand more out of it if I actually bought it out and then listed it for private sale...but that's a much bigger hassle.
> 
> Talking about the pre-turn in inspection which occurs up to 90 days before turn-in to give you an estimate on any charges. But you don't have to do that or go to the dealer at all. Carmax will handle the buyout process for you.


Exactly, I can even get my dealership to buy out my lease and give me money towards a trade in if it gets them a new sale. Either way, at the end of my lease I generally can get more than the buyout from a private sale - especially when its been cared for as well as I keep my cars and with some of the mods to peak the interest of the right buyer. Its a gamble but has never failed me yet.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

mattchatr said:


> Exactly, I can even get my dealership to buy out my lease and give me money towards a trade in if it gets them a new sale. Either way, at the end of my lease I generally can get more than the buyout from a private sale - especially when its been cared for as well as I keep my cars and with some of the mods to peak the interest of the right buyer. Its a gamble but has never failed me yet.


Yeah, doesn't need to be Carmax. Traditional dealers may be interested in buying it off you as well even if not buying from them as will the newer online oriented dealers like Carvana.


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## bendaddyo (Feb 17, 2015)

try carvana and vroom they buyout leases as well, shortage of used cars. vroom offered me $1800 and carvanna $1300 for my passat.If you Buy the car and sell it on your own you have to pay the sales tax on the car which probably will kill your profit.I would owe the $350 disposition fee and $400 in extra mileage if I turned in and didnt lease a new VW. If you want to walk away from your lease and go to something else its a great way to do it. This is just a temporary situation because of a used car shortage. May keep my car because VW is not offering any real good lease deals they are selling all the cars they can get because of the corona factory shut downs. This will change as the car companies catch up and make way more cars then they can sell. But now its not a buyers mkt but a sellers mkt.


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

The old saying: fast, cheap, easy. Choose two.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

bendaddyo said:


> try carvana and vroom they buyout leases as well, shortage of used cars. vroom offered me $1800 and carvanna $1300 for my passat.If you Buy the car and sell it on your own you have to pay the sales tax on the car which probably will kill your profit.I would owe the $350 disposition fee and $400 in extra mileage if I turned in and didnt lease a new VW. If you want to walk away from your lease and go to something else its a great way to do it. This is just a temporary situation because of a used car shortage. May keep my car because VW is not offering any real good lease deals they are selling all the cars they can get because of the corona factory shut downs. This will change as the car companies catch up and make way more cars then they can sell. But now its not a buyers mkt but a sellers mkt.


Yeah, Carvana's not in my area. But Vroom offer is $550 more than Carmax and I wasn't aware of them. So thanks for that!


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