[wolfman]

Ford Dealer have launched there Kuga upgrades on their web site - see attached link -http://archersofashby.co.uk/New_Kuga/kuga_cr180/ford_kuga_cr180.htm

 

[Jase1]

Yes Wolfy, i still want this added to mine when i take delivery but.......what happened to the £499 intro price for code red ? is it over now??That offer was blink and you miss it if so?

 

[wolfman]

The £499.00 was a estimated cost based on some of out other TDCi upgrades. However the Kuga/S-Max/Mondeo 2.0TDCi cost a little more. Futhermore Archers dealer pricetakes into accountthe additional support you would get from a genuine Ford dealer.

 

[flanaia1]

My local Motorsport outfit that look after my race car justrolling roaded a Kuga fitted with a spider tuning box at 183 bhp and 408 Nm of Torque all for £375 what a bargin mine sat here waiting until my car arrives. If any one wants details let me know and I'll point you in their direction will also see if I can get them to get the owners permission so I can post the dyno curves

 

[hessisgod]

so what warranty is being offered if Archers are charging more for going to an approved Ford dealer?

 

[wolfman]

When you purchase a Code red upgrade via a dealer like Archers youalso getan addtional new warranty (12 month)to cover the engine and drive train - this can be extended by the customer at a cost of £120.00 pa. The rest of the car continues to be covered by the Dealer.

 

[cornish]

Had a web search on Spider last night after reading the post, be good to see 183 horses as to be honest the Kuga drives really well and needs a few more.


On the BMW forum the pro's/con's of ECU programming / plug in boxes were described and they are horses for courses but ECU's seem to be encrypted on the BMW cars and software upgrades seem part of the service now.



Might be worth talking to them as there was a group buy at £300 which is a bargain, also if you change cars they will reflash the box.



It would be good to get a before/after feeling of one of these boxes once the car has done at least 1000 miles as mine is now getting much better with 3000 on the clock.

 

[wolfman]

Archers are prepared to let potentialinterested customers test drive theire Demo car for comparison

 

[hessisgod]

My local Motorsport outfit that look after my race car justrolling roaded a Kuga fitted with a spider tuning box at 183 bhp and 408 Nm of Torque all for £375 what a bargin mine sat here waiting until my car arrives. If any one wants details let me know and I'll point you in their direction will also see if I can get them to get the owners permission so I can post the dyno curves

]



Would love the details if you can get them as went on the spider website and they don't have the Kuga listed?

 

[flanaia1]

Think it's the same as the Mondeo 2.0 TDCI with a few tweeks. They definitely do one as I have one sat here waiting for my car to be delivered (October now

) I spoke to Mike at Spider who sorted it out for me. If I can't get the data from the otther Kuga to post as soon as I get mine and it's loosened up a little I'll get it on the dyno and post my figures.

 

[flanaia1]

Also worth noting that Ford will very soon be following BMW and encrypting their ECU's so you can't reprogramme via the OBDll port. This will be the case on the New ST Focus and more models through 2009.The reason all manufacturers are doing this is that they are realising they are missing out on a massive potential market, so instead of letting other people re map their cars, they might as well do it and make some money, the encryption just ensures only they can do it legally. Unfortunately yet there is nothing they can do about boxes that plug into original connectors, but I'm sure there will come a time!!

 

[hessisgod]

thanks for the info. Contacted spider as well and it appears their box only does 163bhp, whereas the code red is offering 180+bhp.
Good value at £375, but depends what you want I guess?

 

[flanaia1]

Spider always under state their performance so as not to make wild claims but don't forget air filter and other subtle mods that will get you past the 180 mark which is what i suspect the Kuga i spoke about had.


17 bhp extra for double the price is it worth it? Still reckon spider is the best value and will outperform code red, will tell you when I get mu Kuga

 

[hessisgod]

when do you get yours flanaia?
Mine's not till November so got plenty of time to make a decision. What I do know is that I definitely want a remap done

 

[cornish]

Doub't you will get 17bhp from an air filter, must have had a full zorst etc.


best thing is as you say a before/after dyno run and also an extra 300 sheets for 17BHP is not really worth it.



really like the idea of the Spider, a group buy could be on the cards.



how do they link it to your car as you could always find someone close with one to try it out, also wonder if spider will do a loaner? say pay full price and return it if not happy?

 

[flanaia1]

Hi I get mine end of October and after running in intend to do a dyno before and after fitting the spider.


I was at the motorsport oufit that dyno'd the Kuga yesterday collecting my race car (as I'm racing at the Nurburgring this weekend) They told me the Kuga came to them as standard which should have been around 134 bhp, when they dyno'd it stock it came out at 143 bhp so thats 6.7% up on standard, they fitted a green panel filter which then took it up to 149 bhp. They then fitted the spider (literally 2 minutes as it plugs into the vehicles original connectors) The owner then drove approx 1000 miles so the spider could learn his driving style, he then brought it back and it was re dyno'd at 183 bhp.



This means the panel filter gave + 6bhp and the Spider gave +34 bhp. If you add the + 34 bhp to the stock 134 bhp you get a total of 168 bhp which is in line with spiders website claims. the 6 bhp given by ther panel filter came at a cost of £45 (Trade)



This is the exact mods I will be doing to mine, so an extra 45 bhp and heaps more torque comes to a total of £420 good value I think, and also another benefit is you can take it off before the service so if the dealer flashes the ECU you don't have to re programme, just refit the spider when you get it back, much easier than a handheld programmer crashing whilst re programming and messing up your ECU maps completely.



Will keep you posted on developments, asked the tuner if I could get the owners permission to publish and he says he will ask him but he is away on holiday until the end of the month.

 

[mondeoman]

Spider certainly sounds very interesting. I'd be interested in participating in a group buy!

 

[Titanium]

Sounds a great benefit, easy to remove and reasonably cheap to buy.


I'd be interested as well



Thanks for info

 

[wolfman]

The Code:Red handset system certainly does not crash or damage the ECU - It has been extensively tested in <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Germany</st1lace></st1:country-region> prior to release into the market. The Ford dealers would not sell this system if it created such problems.<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

It also carrries full TUV approval (which means it passes all the latest European emissions and the power output has been independently verified) It looks like the TUV regulations will start to be applied soon here in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">UK</st1lace></st1:country-region>.

 

[hessisgod]

don't know about everyone else, but I'd have the codered as a preference, esp given its Ford main dealer supported, but its disappointing that the price originally was £499, including a discount for kugaownersclub members. The new price quoted is miles more with no discount on offer. Given there are systems around for £375 from companies with a long track record of Ford chipping, I think Archers are pushing it with what they are asking, and its dead cheeky that there is no discount on offer when one was promised.
Each to their own, but thats my opinion