Getting ready to buy a 04 or 05 E55, and needless to say I am very excited. Been reading everyones posts on here for a few weeks.
My question is can you just replace the chip of the E55 and get respectful gains in hp and torque? Will it void the factory warranty?
Thanks guys. Looking forward to being part of the "beast" family.

 

ECU Mod is about the only thing you can get away with and 100% not have any trouble with even the worst service guys......they can't tell you flashed it and throttle response is really improved.

Let us know how you make out Doc.

 

jakpro1,

What kind of gains can you get? Did you do the ECU mod only? Is there one company that you guys recommend more than another?

 

Tooth,
Several things about ECU mods. As I understand, you have to remove the ecu and send it in to be flashed. No prom. Each time your dealer flashes your ecu for updated software you have to reflash again. Seems like a bit of a pain to me.

Guys, correct me if I got this wrong. I would like to upgrade but have not done it yet.

Another thing. Have you driven the E55 very much. IMO the E55 is already the king of excess and unless you are going to the track, 12 sec quarters are plenty fast for the street. Very few cars of any type will be able to keep up. :p

 

ECU upgrades are more for the improvement of the throttle response more than anything else.

Power gains out of an ECU upgrade are not that noticable for a car that has more than 400+ hp.

That's my observation.

 

One more thing. I would recommend looking for a 05 with a build date after Aug 04. They have quicker steering rack and improved brake modulation as compared to earlier ones.

 

Its my interpretation that hard mods to the chip will not be erased by a dealer flash. Its the chips that are modded via flash only that can be wiped out. Can anybody confirm?

FYI the throttle response change is worth it to me.

 

Vetluver,

I have a 02 Porsche 996 C2. After about one month, I wanted more power. LOL. I have driven the E55 2 times, but both times they were test drives from the dealership. Really couldn't test it they way I wanted to I haven't had the chance to drive one for extended period of time . So, I should go for an 05? Didn't I read on here that service is free on the 04's but not the 05's? Is Kleeman(sp?) the best for ECU upgrades? Is Vetluver right about having to reflash every time software is updated?
Thanks guys.

 

Vic55,

That picture of your E55 is cool. What did you do to it?

 

C2 is a slug compared to the E55. Great handler but definitely down on power. 996TTX50 is a contender. 04 has included service but with a service interval of 10kmiles I'm not sure it's worth it. I have driven both and feel the 05 is better. Not perfect but improved.

 

How does it compare to your M3 Vetluver?

 

It's a cool pic but it isnt mine just something I found off a site a long time ago...here is my car

 

I think your car looks better than the one in your signature.

 

No doubt Vic, that one clean, fast looking 55! Very nice looking car!

 

The M3 is a completely different experience. It's my wife's car. I can't drive it comfortably. The seats suck. The M3 has knife edge handling and braking. It's intimately associated with the road. We drove it 5 hours to Dallas and 6.5 hours to Destin and it definitely wears on you. The same trip in the E55 is a pleasure. Just as comfortable as S430 or LS430 Lexus.

As for the difference in the performance there's no comparison. The M3 can beat the E55 in the twisties but 140+HP is just too much for the 6 cylinder the make up in the straights. On a great day with perfect shifting the M3 will run 13.6 (convertible), the E55 runs a 12.4 or lower every time.

I've owned and driven nice cars all my life and I think that I like my E55 better than any other one I've had. I still have a sweet spot in my heart for my Vette though. It's the antithesis of the E55. Totally outrageous and unrefined but it'll still put a big smile on my face. Amazing what 550 RWHP and 315's in back will do to brighten your day!

 

whats the best chip and pulley setup to go with?