Stratified Automotive Controls offers a DSG TCU tune for the Mk7 GTI that loads via the Cobb Accessport. The Strat tune was one that during my early rounds of evaluations fell victim to my preference for the APR TCU tune.
Over time I have had exposure to more tunes and the opportunity to identify bits and pieces of each that are to my liking. Through that I determined that every tune I have tried has room for improvement.
With the idea in mind of making an improvement to how my GTI drives I contacted Stratified. I explained what I had seen with their TCU tune and what I thought would be improvements. They were receptive to making changes to my TCU tune and I just received an updated file to evaluate.
My focus has been on shift points; upshifts while accelerating, downshifts while accelerating, and downshifts when coasting. One of the most notable areas for me with the Strat tune was the shift from first to second gear at light throttle, it happened pretty quick. This put the car into second gear at a low rpm that just continued a dull feeling from the car.
Happily this has been addressed by the Strat update and I am surprised by how much better the car feels on that initial move out. What’s been most surprising with the change is how adjusting the shift from 1 to 2 has made some of the later changes feel better.
My suspicion is that how the transmission arrives into second plays into how it exits, and to this operator the transition from gear to gear to gear now has a sportier feel.
With changes off to a positive start I’m looking forward to further tweaks.