Hirsch or Maptun

[Audax]

So, I'm thinking about tuning my car, given the choice would you do Hirsch or Maptun? If so why would you pick that option?

Maptun should give slightly better performance, Hirsch is obviously better certified!

I don't want to hear suggestions for other options as they have been discounted for good reasons

[sgould]

I've had two Hirsched 9-5 Aeros and one Hirsched 9-3 1.8t Vector.  Both a significant improvement.  I chose that course because both cars were still under warranty at the time. I've had no problem any of the cars due to the tune.

I believe that Hirsch worked along with Fredrik form Maptun on some special tunes.

Hirsch are only available via a Saab Approved Service Agent.  Some are better than others.  Maptun do the basic tunes via their DIY box.  If you don't want to do it that way, you would probably have to deal with Neo Brothers, who have a fairly mixed reputation with customer relations.

[Audax]

The choice is £475 for Hirsch via Cambridge Saab or £520 via neo for a maptuner....

[sgould]

What extra are Neo's offering?  Their price for the Maptuner box seems high.

https://www.neobrothers.co.uk/maptun-stage-1-performance-upgrade-maptuner-saab-9-3-07-12-18--20-petrol-4032-p.asp  They show £516.   

But if you buy direct from Maptun in Sweden they are listed at €307  + a deposit of €115 for the loan of the device.  So €427 if you keep it, or £371.  Even if the Maptun price is ex. VAT it's still cheaper.

[Audax]

But if you buy direct from Maptun in Sweden they are listed at €307  + a deposit of €115 for the loan of the device.  So €427 if you keep it, or £371.  Even if the Maptun price is ex. VAT it's still cheaper.

If you go through the check out on there you get a price of €544 if you keep the device (which I would want to) which is still £476 so in a way I'd rather the convenience of buying from Neo as I'll get it faster and have someone to speak to locally.

[mikeloadsasaabs]

So, I'm thinking about tuning my car, given the choice would you do Hirsch or Maptun? If so why would you pick that option?

Maptun should give slightly better performance, Hirsch is obviously better certified!

I don't want to hear suggestions for other options as they have been discounted for good reasons

I had a Maptun Stage 1 on my 9-5 Aero, which came from Saabtech - are they no longer Maptun agents? It was plug and play, and was on the car for 8 years, taking it from c.76,000 miles to 230,000 with no issues. I chose the Maptun because at the time it was the cheaper and easier option. I did nothing else to the car, except that it had Hirsch suspension and DS2500 front pads.

[Audax]

I had a Maptun Stage 1 on my 9-5 Aero, which came from Saabtech - are they no longer Maptun agents?

As they are a main agent now I think they only offer Hirsch.

[phoenix]

I'd rather the convenience of buying from Neo as I'll get it faster and have someone to speak to locally.

You *really* wouldn't want the inconvenience of dealing with Neos if there were any problems. They really are the last supplier in the Saab world I'd buy anything off or via.

[phoenix]

Hirsch tunes are known for being conservative and I've heard of a few that deliver more in real life than the figures quoted.

The Maptun tune pushes the hardware further towards the limit of capability.

Torque will be the big difference- unfortunately I can't see any graphs on Maptun to show the characteristics. Will you notice an extra quoted 20Nm? Very little I would say.

If it were myself, I would go with Hirsch.

[Audax]

You *really* wouldn't want the inconvenience of dealing with Neos if there were any problems. They really are the last supplier in the Saab world I'd buy anything off or via.

Oh, I can think of a couple of places I would deal with even less than Neo, but I do know what you mean with their reputation although I've never had a problem with being a personal and trade customer in the past.

Main point being that my credit card company would be the ones dealing with problems rather than me anyway

[Norfolk Jim]

When I got my last of the 9-5' estates with the 2.2TiD engine (had all the Aero toys on it) it had a Maptun on it and I found it was ll or nothing and did nothing for fuel economy. I managed to get a good deal on Hirsch with main dealers and found it to be excellent. Power came more smoothly and I felt gave more when foot right down. Sold car with 168k on it and it's still on the road at 268k with guy that bought it off me.

Previous cars had Abbott tunes which were very brutal in delivery!!!! never a problem but wrist snapping delivery whereas Hirsch was much more progressive yet no slower!

I've decided my 9-3 TTiD is plenty powerful enough and probably too much if I did Hirsch to 200.......... wreck my tyres adding all that extra HP.