Is there a chip that will make

[Rep12]

this car run normal?

After 600 miles in a new 04 MM I'm really disgusted at the way this thing drives. I'm ready to sell the darn thing. Shifts into OD, bogs down, slow as a fart.

What do you MM gurus recommend for a chip that will make a stock MM drive like a normal car?

Dave

[MERCMAN]

Slow as a FART?? Obviously you live someplace that doesn't have White Castles or Taco bells. :lol:

To answer your question, if you can make it to Indy for MV2, there will be free PCM flashes that will remedy your problem. Otherwise visit either Lido in Michigan, Dennis in Florida or keep you eyes peeled for Jerry W. to be in a town near you, You won't be disappointed!!

[MarauderMark]

Theres only one cure The DR... (http://www.reinhartautomotive.com) <<<(Click here)he has the stage 1 kit which may be what your looking for....

[MENINBLK]

this car run normal?

After 600 miles in a new 04 MM I'm really disgusted at the way this thing drives. I'm ready to sell the darn thing. Shifts into OD, bogs down, slow as a fart.

What do you MM gurus recommend for a chip that will make a stock MM drive like a normal car?

Dave

The MM drives the way you drive it.
If you are HARD on it it will behave more of the way you want it to,
but it will also cost you in FUEL.
But you didn't buy the MM for the great MPG it gets, did you ???

I've got almost 10k on mine and she drives perfect !!!

[tmac1337]

Sounds like you were expecting something more. I was too when I first bought one. I bought it because I like fast cars and the MM had potential. Over a year later I am still modding it. More to come. Finally it's meeting my expectations. Welcome to the era of modern cars, not like they used to be.

[CRUZTAKER]

^^^What they ALL said^^^

All you need is a good tune from Jerry's files, or his fingers if the opportunity allows. (Fingers and a dyno are preferred with a chip he can flash ON THE SPOT, NEVER TO BE LOST OR ERASED). 4:10 gear set is the other minimal change to help with launch issues, and honestly, for the non-race guru....thats all you need to start with.

You will hear all sorts of advice as far as HOW TO SAVE YOUR TUNE.
Mine will be one, and likely part of the minority on THIS site. Buy one of the new chips from Dennis and have him do a base generic program on it.

The EEC flash only has the inadvertant potential to be erased by the dealership during a normal service visit, which means the $350 for the flash tune you spent is gooooone. You may have the flash saved on a floppy, but you still need to find someone that can re-load it into your EEC.

Now I need put on my flame suit.....as the majority here love this product....

The tuner is nice, but it will have a GENERIC tune that everyone and their brother uses. It also has the potential for ruin if you get an inadvertant reflash from the dealer and you didn't restore your files prior to your visit. Easily fixed...but a PITA none the less. If you need an A/F tune from Jerry down the road, he cannot reprogram these handheld tuners on site. Another 'no biggie', but a PITA none the less mailing it here and there.

My advice...buy a chip.

[RCSignals]

Cruztaker, he has an '04, I'm not sure he can install a chip.

[RCSignals]

Dave, didn't you post that you were happy with the car when you first started driving it? What's changed?

The '04s are supposed to have an improved shift program. What you are describing sounds worse than the shift program of the '03s

[Murader03]

When I had my transmission work and other mods done while I visited Dennis, he told me that even though the '03 shift pattern was crappy, he perferred it over the '04's. Go figure! If he can't use a chip, he'll have to work with the hand helds.

[RF Overlord]

What do you MM gurus recommend for a chip that will make a stock MM drive like a normal car?

Dave:

As RC said, you may not be able to use a chip...some '04s either don't have the service port to plug a chip into, or the port is there, but it's disabled. The Superchips Custom Tuning hand-held tuner is not much more money than a good chip, and it allows you to make changes in the future if you do any mods, without needing to have a chip re-burned. I'd definitely go that route...

[crimzon]

Yeah, Just give Reinhart a call, and get a SCT tuner. Got mine yesterday, and it makes it a completely different car. You may also want to look into swapping to 4.10 gears, to give you more off the line.

[CRUZTAKER]

'04 SPECIFIC for chips.....? I remember talk about that.

I also remember Lidio putting chips in the '04's. Guess that will take some looking into for your specific car.

[crimzon]

'04 SPECIFIC for chips.....? I remember talk about that.

I also remember Lidio putting chips in the '04's. Guess that will take some looking into for your specific car.
I think some of the PCMs do not have the port for the chip. Not sure if there is a specific way to tell, think you just have to get in there, and look at the PCM.

[Ross]

I won't add anything more to the tune/chip issue. You've got plenty of advice on that already, and all I will say is that I totally agree that SOME sort of chip, dyno tune or other electronic adjustments are absolutely necessary.

Now, one more thing---almost everyone that I have seen post on the issue seems to agree that this car "breaks in" or "loosens up" after several thousand miles. Most everyone seems to have experienced better performance once the car has some mileage on it. Don't give up yet. Less than $1K in mods, and a few months down the road, and you should see a noticeable difference.

[CRUZTAKER]

.....this car "breaks in" or "loosens up" after several thousand miles. Most everyone seems to have experienced better performance once the car has some mileage on it. Don't give up yet.
Very true Ross....the car is still in puberty....give it some time, and continue to drive it hard. It WILL learn in time!:P

[cutt]

Very true Ross....the car is still in puberty....give it some time, and continue to drive it hard. It WILL learn in time!:P
i dont know about everyone else but the best improvement i had when it was new was more miles.it didnt really pick up until about 7500 miles.i know for sure because i took it to the track when it was new then went back it was 2 seconds faster completely stock.

[Bigg Cellus]

i dont know about everyone else but the best improvement i had when it was new was more miles.it didnt really pick up until about 7500 miles.i know for sure because i took it to the track when it was new then went back it was 2 seconds faster completely stock.

CUTT-Do you have an 03' or 04'. Is your marauder still stock. Are you going to mod.

[MMSuperFan]

Just received my SCT loaded with a DR program.

The difference is like night and day.

As for losing my investment to a dealer reflash. The SCT stores your stock program for reflashing the EEC prior to returning to your dealer. In the event they reflash with an updated program, the SCT will save the new stock dealer program and then you can return to your High Performance program. No loss of investment.

As far as performance, my 300A did not start to loosen up until it had about 6k miles on it, BUT, the annoying upshift issues and the poor performance at lower rpms have been solved by the DR SCT program.

Need I say more, I am a true Dennis Reinhart convert.

[cutt]

Just received my SCT loaded with a DR program.

The difference is like night and day.

As for losing my investment to a dealer reflash. The SCT stores your stock program for reflashing the EEC prior to returning to your dealer. In the event they reflash with an updated program, the SCT will save the new stock dealer program and then you can return to your High Performance program. No loss of investment.

As far as performance, my 300A did not start to loosen up until it had about 6k miles on it, BUT, the annoying upshift issues and the poor performance at lower rpms have been solved by the DR SCT program.

Need I say more, I am a true Dennis Reinhart convert.
i'm still stock.