DaGS1800

OK, I am about to purchase an ECU and after many searches I still don’t have a clear understanding of which one to go with... Can anyone please tell me the difference or why one is better than the other in a simple straightforward message?

RennTech? MHP? Kleemann?

These are all great brands, so how do I choose???

Also, MHP offers an ECU + TCU tune... what exactly does the TCU do?

Again, I am not asking for paragraphs of info here... Just a simple answer that can basically sum up all of the technical data...

BerBer63

Simple answer = do a search there's probably 50 threads on reviews, dyno graphs, complaints, pricing

DaGS1800

I just mentioned that I did many searches, sure I got a bunch of info, but none of it compares one to the other or says why one is better than the other. They all claim to be the best... I am sure it would be helpful for EVERYONE, not just me, if there was a comparison between these 3 in one simple thread...

mthis

just look at dragtimes.com there you can get a beter idea of witch one suits you.

hhughes1

Honestly, without any exhaust or intake mods to increase the variables, I think each of these ECU tunes provide enough power to make you happy. I can't speak about the TCU tune but Keith is very happy with the v2 and he has v3 on the way. What do you want to spend?
Kleemann....$1500
Rentech......$3500
MHP..........$4000+ with TCU less without

DaGS1800

Thanks, that is exactly why I am getting one... I am willing to spend a little more for the better product in this scenario because like you said this will be the most important mod.

Why is Kleemann so much cheaper? Besides price… Why would someone choose to get this one?

I am between Renntech and MHP right now... I am leaning towards MHP v2 with the ECU for $4500. I like how you can select shifting speeds and how the MHP tune is unique (TCU).

However, I am very worried about warranty issues. This is why my gut tells me to go with Renntech even though the MHP tune yields greater gains... They are Mercedes “approved” and are also a larger company with a great reputation...

myblkc63

Warranty, dealer support, etc. that is the exact reason I went with Renntech. Mercedes approved was a big factor for me.

I mean it's not like when I was looking for ECU tuners for my EVO, this is a 70k AMG and I don't want just anyone working on it.

I totally love the performance now. I was told it would take me to 511 HP but I have yet to dyno it. I can say that the butt dyno is very happy.

Merc63

Renntech is warranty approved????

c32AMG-DTM

In a word, no.

No tuner is "approved" by MBUSA for warranty purposes - anyone that tells you otherwise is mistaken. The key to keeping your warranty intact or having it compromised lies with how mod-friendly your dealership may be. Some MB dealers are also vendors for aftermarket tuning (Renntech, Kleemann, et. al.), so they are more likely to "go to bat" for you in case there's a warranty problem.

OP - I tend to agree with hhughes1; there are pro's and con's to all three you listed, but I'm inclined to believe you'd be happy with any of them. Good luck in your search!

taylorcoleman

If you are going to drag race your car at the strip, and want to be the fastest, Renntech and MHP seem to provide the best numbers. You will pay big $$ for the tenths.

For me, I chose KLEEMANN because:
* superb across the band performance, without sacrificing engine safety
* the engine runs rich with this tune as the RPM's climb, which robs a little power, but keeps the engine cooler
* the customer support is steller, meaning that if I need a reflash, or perhaps want to segue into another upgrade, I'll have no worries
* it worked extremely well with their K2 package (headers and high flow cats).

So I'm calling your bluff. Yeah, I'm sure you did search, and I'm sure you did read a bunch of posts. But come on...in 30 minutes time you probably could have assembled excerpts from the posts and created your own comparison matrix. The last thing this board needs is another: "which ECU tune should I go with?"

These are just my two cents. And I have a hell of a lot more cents to go around by saving $ with KLEEMANN while getting an excellent product.

chino1031

With Renntech you still have warranty. I did mine with Renntech and i love it.

arctichaze

We should make this a sticky so that people can stop asking it over and over again.

Besides this is usually the 1st mod that people do.

yaymitch

Did your dealer tell you that or did you get that from MBUSA? The dealer I spoke with does the Renntech mod and said they would honor my warranty but other dealers might not and that MBUSA officially does not.

myblkc63

My deler reommended Renntech and does warranty it as well.

Autoscope

YEP, lots of dealers accept Renntech!!!! Which is AWESOME

groupB

Mercedes "approved"!? When did THAT happen?

groupB

Exactly. 100% right ... and REGARDLESS of the tuner, any MB can by status 8 if the dealer/OE decides they don't want to play with it anymore.

soldier2304

Renntech? Renntech is just name, nothing else. The fact that for $1500 you can get the exact same thing renntech does for about $3500 is a no brainer. And over the years kleeman has proven to be a very well recognized benz tuner throughout the whole world. If you like getting ripped off, go with renntech, if you want value for your money, go MHP or kleeman.

I'm going kleeman!

yaymitch

+1 going w/ Kleeman. Will have it done by end of next week.

Maverick1975

I went with Brabus and recently got a hub dyno test result of a peak 441 hp at the rear wheels and consistent runs at 435rwhp. That represents only around a 17% drivetrain loss versus the 530hp headline number at the crank.

DaGS1800

I didnt know Brabus did an ECU tune... Mav, how much did you pay for it?

Can anyone who has a Kleemann ECU tell me if the tune increases shifting speed??