[Crazyotter]

Looking at possibly switching to bm3 and wanted to ask a few questions.

1) I currently have the CSL tune on my car. Would the stage 2 tune erase that?

2) Is the power curve as linear as stock? For example the jb4 has a power spike around 3k and then drops off a bit

3) are the data logs useful if I’m not going to use E? I would be doing only the 93 stage 2 tune.

4) are downpipes absolutely needed for stage 2? Or just highly recommended?

5) I think it said a bump of 23% hp with the 93 stage 2, is that 23% of whp or bhp?

Also please share any other experiences bad or good with the bm3 on a s58

Thanks!

[Crazyotter]

Was just informed that femto can’t unlock 2025s
Sooooo…..nevermind 😐

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Was just informed that femto can’t unlock 2025s
Sooooo…..nevermind 😐

Who told you this?

[Crazyotter]

Another member told me that someone with a 2025 sent their ECU to femto for a MHD tune and they sent it back locked because they can’t unlock 2025+

[rons e92]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Who told you this?

Probably me.

I sent my 2025 DME out last Sunday and I got it back this week still locked.

Thankfully I have a pre-2020 X3M DME and Femto was able to do a read, send that to Visconti and we were able to copy my DME onto the donor DME and flash it with ECUtek.

It's not clear to me whether or not it's an MHD+ issue or it's a DME/Femto issue, but my DME is still locked with no MHD+ and it went to Finland.

I'll share a quick screenshot of my texts with Visconti for better transparency.

Before anyone asks, no I'm not bothering him while he's at TX2K to have him explain all of this to me.

[rons e92]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Looking at possibly switching to bm3 and wanted to ask a few questions.

1) I currently have the CSL tune on my car. Would the stage 2 tune erase that?

2) Is the power curve as linear as stock? For example the jb4 has a power spike around 3k and then drops off a bit

3) are the data logs useful if I’m not going to use E? I would be doing only the 93 stage 2 tune.

4) are downpipes absolutely needed for stage 2? Or just highly recommended?

5) I think it said a bump of 23% hp with the 93 stage 2, is that 23% of whp or bhp?

Also please share any other experiences bad or good with the bm3 on a s58

Thanks!

1) yes

2) No, you have way more top end power and it pulls harder up top. YMMV, I've never used an OTS map.

3) yes you should always do logs periodically. Fuel quality can vary and you want to make sure everything is good.

4) yes you should at least have high flow can downpipes for a stage 2 map

5) not sure, but generally they market bhp

Just FYI, BM3 is miles behind MHD+ at this point. Their Rev2 board might bring them up to speed, but that was supposed to be released Q3 last year. I had BM3 last time and was so unhappy I spent over $7k to get my car on ECUtek this time.

[Crazyotter]

Originally Posted by rons e92

1) yes

2) No, you have way more top end power and it pulls harder up top. YMMV, I've never used an OTS map.

3) yes you should always do logs periodically. Fuel quality can vary and you want to make sure everything is good.

4) yes you should at least have high flow can downpipes for a stage 2 map

5) not sure, but generally they market bhp

Just FYI, BM3 is miles behind MHD+ at this point. Their Rev2 board might bring them up to speed, but that was supposed to be released Q3 last year. I had BM3 last time and was so unhappy I spent over $7k to get my car on ECUtek this time.

Thank you very much for that information.
Is the MHD interface as user friendly as BM3?

[rons e92]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Thank you very much for that information.
Is the MHD interface as user friendly as BM3?

I haven't used it personally, but from what I've seen it's just as friendly if not more so.

Also worth noting, MHD flashes maps way faster than anything else. Their dongle also works well. The BM3 dongle sucks.

I would actually run a laptop connected to the car to log. I couldn't use the phone app because the connection was so unreliable.

Before you make a decision I'd wait until a few more people chime in. Myself and people that I talk to are all moving away from BM3 to MhD+ or for us of us who are totally insane, to ECUtek.

Here's an example of a problem I had with BM3. When using PI it only communicated one way. When I'd floor it with TC on, the car would spin, TC would kick on and close the throttle, but because it only communicated one way, the car kept spraying fuel which throws the car into limp mode for running too rich. I could not floor it in that car without going into limp mode with TC on. As per Botti this is a limitation of BM3.

MHD+ solved that issue. It was never a problem with ECUtek.

[Crazyotter]

Originally Posted by rons e92

I haven't used it personally, but from what I've seen it's just as friendly if not more so.

Also worth noting, MHD flashes maps way faster than anything else. Their dongle also works well. The BM3 dongle sucks.

I would actually run a laptop connected to the car to log. I couldn't use the phone app because the connection was so unreliable.

Before you make a decision I'd wait until a few more people chime in. Myself and people that I talk to are all moving away from BM3 to MhD+ or for us of us who are totally insane, to ECUtek.

Here's an example of a problem I had with BM3. When using PI it only communicated one way. When I'd floor it with TC on, the car would spin, TC would kick on and close the throttle, but because it only communicated one way, the car kept spraying fuel which throws the car into limp mode for running too rich. I could not floor it in that car without going into limp mode with TC on. As per Botti this is a limitation of BM3.

MHD+ solved that issue. It was never a problem with ECUtek.

Yeah sounds like MHD is way ahead in technology.
Are the power numbers about the same?

[rons e92]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Yeah sounds like MHD is way ahead in technology.
Are the power numbers about the same?

Anecdotally I've heard MHD+ has the best OTS maps out there.

I've never used an OTS map though so I'd wait for more feedback. I'm willing to acknowledge the limits of my own knowledge.

[Crazyotter]

Now I’m super confused 🤔

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Now I’m super confused 🤔

My builder has had a number of 2025 G8X ECUs unlocked. This must have been something odd with rons e92 situation.

[Crazyotter]

I reached out to MHD as well and they said they have no problem with the 2025s getting unlocked.

Must have been a one off glitch with Ron

[rons e92]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

My builder has had a number of 2025 G8X ECUs unlocked. This must have been something odd with rons e92 situation.

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

I reached out to MHD as well and they said they have no problem with the 2025s getting unlocked.

Must have been a one off glitch with Ron

Were these ECUs sent to Femto after the dealer update? It's not clear whether they're answering that they can unlock 2025s, or they can unlock 2025s on the new update.

I'm on 03.2025/30.

Really freaking weird.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by rons e92

Were these ECUs sent to Femto after the dealer update? It's not clear whether they're answering that they can unlock 2025s, or they can unlock 2025s on the new update.

I'm on 03.2025/30.

Really freaking weird.

Definitely before on some, not sure if any were after. I will check and advise if any future issues .

Also, that ECU "update/fix" is not a recall (even though BMW is sending messages to people saying it is), its just a SIB (service bulletin).

[Crazyotter]

Does anyone have dyno numbers for the MHD tune? Stage one or two 93

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Crazyotter

Does anyone have dyno numbers for the MHD tune? Stage one or two 93

Some food for thought, dyno figures are great for "bragging rights" and trailer queens but the real key is tuning for the street (a car with lower dyno figures can put the power down better than one with higher figures). That's why data logging and tuning while driving is the most important. My tuner spent close to eight hours tuning for my three maps while driving the car (you can't get that from a dyno). This also why custom tunes are far better than OTS tunes.

[Crazyotter]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Some food for thought, dyno figures are great for "bragging rights" and trailer queens but the real key is tuning for the street (a car with lower dyno figures can put the power down better than one with higher figures). That's why data logging and tuning while driving is the most important. My tuner spent close to eight hours tuning for my three maps while driving the car (you can't get that from a dyno). This also why custom tunes are far better than OTS tunes.

Oh I completely agree with you!
Just curious to see what the stock vs MHD numbers look like.

[DrewNewM2]

Just when I’m getting close to deciding on Femto unlock there’s this. I don’t have the lastest update but still never liked the idea of no more software updates once you get unlocked and tuned. Won’t you lose functionality of the car, screen, need “fixes”etc. over time? Would be much easier if someone could figure out how to unlock stateside. It’s been 5 years.

What functionality of the car/displays do you lose going clone and ECUtek?

Tempting to just do piggyback,JB4 or Dinan for a warranty for a couple of years and see if tuning ease improves for s58. 600 whp on these cars with out DRs or slicks probably isn’t that fun traction wise anyway unless you’re into drifting 😀

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by DrewNewM2

Just when I’m getting close to deciding on Femto unlock there’s this. I don’t have the lastest update but still never liked the idea of no more software updates once you get unlocked and tuned. Won’t you lose functionality of the car, screen, need “fixes”etc. over time? Would be much easier if someone could figure out how to unlock stateside. It’s been 5 years.

What functionality of the car/displays do you lose going clone and ECUtek?

Tempting to just do piggyback,JB4 or Dinan for a warranty for a couple of years and see if tuning ease improves for s58. 600 whp on these cars with out DRs or slicks probably isn’t that fun traction wise anyway unless you’re into drifting 😀

The unlock process will not change (it can only get worse). Even if it were stateside, you would lose the use of the car after an update and have to take the ecu out each time to be unlocked, reinstall and retune (or upload tune, assuming you had the ability). As far as timing with femto, they are really fast with turnaround time...even if there was a stateside option, I couldn't see them being any faster.

[DrewNewM2]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

The unlock process will not change (it can only get worse). Even if it were stateside, you would lose the use of the car after an update and have to take the ecu out each time to be unlocked, reinstall and retune (or upload tune, assuming you had the ability). As far as timing with femto, they are really fast with turnaround time...even if there was a stateside option, I couldn't see them being any faster.

I guess it just seems easier if it’s closer to home and less risk. How do you know the process won’t change? There’s a thread in the G80 forum with a company claiming US unlocks are coming eventually…..”We did not yet promise any exact dates concerning the US unlocks. It’s coming, sure, we see US as our main potential market. However, we do not set any availability deadlines. So if you were planning to send ECU to femto - just do it, dont wanna hold you down guys with some blank promises.”

My main concern isn’t shipping the ECU or warranty, etc. it’s losing functionality of the car after not accepting updates for X amount of years. Like will my screen still turn on? Cameras work, recalls, etc. it’s almost like you would have to plan on occasionally accepting updates, having ECU get locked and then unlocking again. I’ve had my car just over a year and been a bunch of updates. Some are probably totally unnecessary but I think the new one is for a CEL for oil pressure and you would want to accept that.

[Crazyotter]

Originally Posted by DrewNewM2

I guess it just seems easier if it’s closer to home and less risk. How do you know the process won’t change? There’s a thread in the G80 forum with a company claiming US unlocks are coming eventually…..”We did not yet promise any exact dates concerning the US unlocks. It’s coming, sure, we see US as our main potential market. However, we do not set any availability deadlines. So if you were planning to send ECU to femto - just do it, dont wanna hold you down guys with some blank promises.”

My main concern isn’t shipping the ECU or warranty, etc. it’s losing functionality of the car after not accepting updates for X amount of years. Like will my screen still turn on? Cameras work, recalls, etc. it’s almost like you would have to plan on occasionally accepting updates, having ECU get locked and then unlocking again. I’ve had my car just over a year and been a bunch of updates. Some are probably totally unnecessary but I think the new one is for a CEL for oil pressure and you would want to accept that.

Good point!
Obviously we can prevent the updates but if one comes through as mandatory it puts that person in a shity situation.

Do you have to pay the full price again if they’re unlocking it for the second time?
Honestly they should give one discounted re unlock as a courtesy and to ease people’s minds who are on the fence