Bosnia1992

2016 C450 bare stock

I’ve researched both tuners, AMR ECU TUNE is a little on the pricey side IMO but results seem nice. I’m not very familiar with JB4 and I tried to research as best as I could and found gains to be inconsistent so looking for honest opinions/experience with either tune.

if you had to choose between the two, which would you go with and why?

Thanks in advance

MatthewJ

I have JB4 and im very happy with it. You will see similar times with both. AMR or flash tune will be more set and forget. JB4 is more customizable and also allows you to log and check for codes. JB4 is also the safer option (piggyback in general is safer than a flash).
There is a lot of info on different flash companies and JB4.
Lot of opinions and snakes in the water, do you own research and be careful with where the information is coming from. For example flash company XYZ runs/moderates a popular facebook group so you will see their company heavily promoted and others removed or blocked.

Edit:I have no connection with any vendor or reseller. Just an enthusiast trying to help.

batman719

JB4 over AMR. Here's why: https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...ck-turbos.html

BayAreaAMG

AMR is the way to go IMO. Personally I have tested two different piggybacks on my C450 and the AMR tune I got is simply better. Never tried JB4 but it seems alright based on forum feedback. Everyone has their own opinion about it all, and mine is that no piggyback is better than a high quality reflash tune. I'd rather not rely on extra hardware that only fools the ECU for altering boost/timing/fueling. If that hardware were ever to fail some day, then what? At least with a reflash it is all hard coded to the ECU, no fooling necessary.

People are entitled to their opinion about AMR and there is a lot of bashing recently... but their tune is a great one regardless of their opinion .

batman719

A couple things here, bud:
1. OP didn't ask for data. He asked for opinions. This is mine.
2. I'm really not at all interested in their draggy results. What does interest me is their lack of transparency and their censorship. That speaks volumes.

BMS

Check our FAQ for a few of the differences: https://www.burgertuning.com/pages/faq

allanyeung99

Depends on what you're looking for, you want more performance gains? Go with AMR. Remember that JB4 cannot add burbles or pops unlike AMR. Both companies are great, just depends on how much you want to spend and how scary you want your car to be.

BMS

There are a few things the JB4 can't do like burbles but it will get you close on power and can be removed/resold down the road. If under warranty or lease the flash maps can never be fully removed even if flashed back to factory so that can also be a considerable factor.

RichardCranium3

The resale factor of the JB4 is a tic for you often overlooked. Not only is their system a fraction of the cost of permanent flash, you can get the majority of your money back if you get rid of the car. No one will give you $2k more for your flashed car vs. a stock example.

AMR_Matt

I completely agree with Allan. It does indeed depend on what you are looking for.

There are hundreds of thousands of parameters in the ECU that can be touched with software and not by a piggyback. A piggyback cannot alter ignition timing, cam timing, speed limiter, torque limits, failsafes, etc. All it does is focus on boost, which will it give it a slight gain? yes, however, it is not fully optimizing the car to its full capability.

AMR offers a sleek touchscreen handheld that allows you to:

- Choose between 6 pre loaded maps
- Receive free updates
- Save on re-tuning fees due to the maps provided
- Unmarry/Uninstall from the vehicle and re-sell in the future

Again, it all depends on what you are looking for (nothing against piggybacks or any other products, these are all just facts). With AMR, you are getting a full ECU upgrade that gives you up to 100hp AT THE WHEELS with the option of financing and return of investment in the future. Even if it is slightly more expensive, it is a bargain and a half.

18bora

BMS piggyback forced most ECU "tuners" to go back to the drawing board.... .. more than once.

b6tbfmp

Just providing my input strictly on my tune. As some have stated, I wanted full alteration of a tune. I recall back in the early 90s during my import days, HKS had FCON piggyback and I was deciding on that until I bumped into a Japanese tuner in SOCAL. He explained everything to me and I went with a full tune. He liked the FCON but he stated what AMR Matt said above. The choice is yours but I like a full invasive tune.
In terms of cost, I came from the old school days where a full exhaust was 1200-1500 for a mandrel exhaust and maybe 5-10whp gains. So when I started researching tunes, I noticed tune pricing for 100whp gains resonable IMO. Today's computers are so much more sophisticated. Therefore the tunes including the piggybacks, have to be too. However, tunes have much more to navigate with all the sensors.

Bosnia1992

Thank you to everyone that contributed to this thread. I really appreciate everyones input. I have some thinking to do and will update once I've decided which route to go. Thanks again!

waisoserious

Go download the Dragy App. You will see that the a lot of the JB4 tuned C43s on the 1/4mile leaderboard. Most of the JB4 C43s trap anywhere from 11.5-11.8@116-118mph with JB4 alone.

My GLC43 had a JB1, before JB4 was available, and I did 12.7@109 with 2 additional passengers and bad tires in 70% humidity.

DLAMG_1979

What exactly is inaccurate?

Howyalivin

Thank you 18Bora. These people are talking about things that they definitely don't understand. For any of the unaware, 18bora is one of the fastest, and has been for a long time. A good BMS piggyback custom tune is pretty well on par with even flashes, and they did it first. There are things they don't and can't control, but they've been safe and supportive, while delivering up to 1+ seconds faster in the quarter mile.

If you add a downpipe, without a cat, you'll need a flash. If you add turbos, or do things that need serious fuel, you'll need a tune. Even then, the JB4 provides value. It's more than just a "slight gain", and it has been for a while. Even when things aren't going well, such as the facelift, they kept working to figure out what was going wrong. The end result wasn't the JB4, it was the new MB hardware being unwilling to hold boost like the old platform. Since then, they've fixed it and numbers look comparable.

18bora

Here's the bottom line: Unless you're racing for money, pick whatever tune you feel more comfortable with.

Lately the roads are empty and almost everyone wants to showoff.
The day before, I had a Julia Quad catch up to me and wanted to run. I was doing around 50mph when we both hit it. We were side by side until I backed off around 100, I didn't want to miss my exit.

Similarly yesterday, a blacked-out debadged model3 caught up and wanted to run. From around 50mph, the Tesla immediately jumped by a nose, but I was able to reel him back and slowly gain on him. A little a head, we ended up at a red light next to each other. I timed the light where I was able to quickly double foot it with out allowing him to take the jump. We were even in first, but he gained about a foot when my car shifted into the next gear, but I gained it back +some, by 3rd gear I was a nose a head of him and slowly gaining. We called it off mid 4th when he was 1/2+ car behind and falling back.

Here's another one from a few months back
https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...ml#post7921139

All on Map2 and 93 octane.

HighSun_Murder

I've heard from quite a few folks that Eurocharged is the way to go. Best gains for the $ and a good reputation

1Gunner

Is anyone with a 2019 or 2020 C43 using a JB4 piggyback system?
What are you impressions?

DVision44

I've had both on 17 and 18 c43 coupes. Nothing against AMR but I prefer the JB4. The performance gains... ease of install and removal...and reliability can't be beat. Much better bang for the buck and the fact that it can be sold after you're done with the car is an additional bonus.

1Gunner

Cool, I have it on order now!
I just hope it's been updated to work optimally with facelift specs.

BMS

100s of them, should be plenty floating around this forum. For 2019+ models get the BCM also for optimal performance at higher boost levels.

1Gunner

Could you please explain what a BCM is? I didn't see anything called this on the web site.
I ordered from Mike at N54 Tuning in Mississauga Ontario the following

2015+ C-Class Mercedes-Benz JB4 .. P/N 201GPW2O94
plus Blue tooth connect kit
plus USB Cable

BMS

It's optional but for 2019+ models can be very useful if you're chasing records. For normal use just adding decent power, no need.

https://www.burgertuning.com/product...8b18cf59&_ss=r

jevsays

Did you pull the trigger?

Stock C450 here before I just received and installed the JB4; night and day with map 2/3 running 93 oct. Still playing with the maps (tunes), logging, and driving difference/experience. Feels like a new car, much stronger, and plentiful in power.