richgreenscooby1

iTrader: (2)

Well said ..

sweden

iTrader: (2)

its the updates/possible trade in that im waiting for hopefully my simtek hasnt just become a throw away object, impressed you bet not but not much i can do about it

MartynJ

Far from it, certainly no more than your 1 year old 3d TV or your Iphone 4.
Throw it away if you feel like it, but I for one won't be throwing mine away.

richgreenscooby1

iTrader: (2)

I would like to get a small part in.

I would like to add a couple of things about the new simtek, I loved it …….. And how do I know well my scoob helped a little in the development... Graham and Steve were doing some final testing on the 99spec model, sorting the start-up procedure off the car... A lot of time, effort and hard work went in to producing the ecu to a very high specification to help your cars up to a very high standard.
I’m running a pretty much stock car; just a front mount and cat back apart from that nothing really...

After a couple of more weeks of development into the start procedure with gems, Graham was finally able to start a map on the car. I was quite excited if I’m honest to have the simtek fitted on the car, especially with knowing what they are capable off.
D-day- we put the car on the dyno and made a start , graham put some start up numbers into the ecu and turned the key … She was away ticking over – I looked to him and said well it runs … A Cheeky grin later we were doing some runs on the dyno ..
We got to a 255ish and we called it a night it was getting very late and car temps had increased a lot.
So the next real test was how it drove, Graham took it for a quick spin and said you will like that...

So I started my drive home , I know you all might say 255 isn’t much but it seemed to me like it was 300bhp , I was totally astonished in the difference that the ecu had made to the car ..

After running the standard ecu for 5 years it was now like driving a different car, The throttle response was unreal, it was like driving a fly-by-wire system, Any touch on the throttle and she wanted to go, It was totally transformed in the hills of north wales, you mainly drive in 2nd 3rd and 4th Out of corner response was amazing it just delivered exactly where your foot was on the pedal.

Next morning was the next test cold start, and it took a little longer to start than expected, but I gave it a chance, told graham and he had another play on the start-up numbers. He changed a few things and said try that tomoz , so I did I was totally astonished it started quicker than the standard ecu …

I know I’m a little biased in this but I am so impressed with the simtek , Its back off again now and I’m running stock ecu , but it was the most fun I’ve had in my Scooby in the two weeks it was fitted ..

Hopefully I will have it fitted again soon when I buy one, and with it fully mapped and the anti-lag rigged up I’m sure I will be fun to drive again. And when it is fitted and you want to experience the car let me know and I will take to for a spin.

Rich

Cannon Fodder

iTrader: (100)

I know exactly what you're saying Martyn but it's the fact that the firmware upgrades still haven't happened and the likelihood of them happening now is all down to Alcatek. This company has hardly covered themselves with glory as quite a few members on here can profess.

A lot of Simtek owners have been kept placated by the upgrades on the horizon but the future of the current Simtek now would appear to be in the hands of the company that dragged its feet in the upgrades development.

There is no immediate reason to upgrade or even throw away the current Simtek but the company now entrusted with its development hardly inspires me with confidence either.

sweden

iTrader: (2)

maybe throw it away was the wrong expression im happy with it dont get me wrong, im just interested in the updates to sort the lamda issue out , and the possability of a trade in deal for the newer version, yes yes i know old tv new tv etc etc.

most admit im surprised that some are having a cold start issue, minus 20 and its starts within 2 cranks of the engine here.

snake1906

iTrader: (4)

ive got an immediate reason to throw it away

mervil

iTrader: (5)

As long as I'm able to get mine mapped I'll be keeping it, any updates are most welcome

A bit on the plus side for Alcatek though, after buying a 2nd hand ECU and EngineTuner finding the ECU faulty, they repaired it free of charge and checked it too, so in essence, I have a brand new ECU

Cannon Fodder

iTrader: (100)

Merv, I sent mine back for a firmware change - I couldn't get even an acknowledgement that they'd even received it and after they'd had it for around 4 weeks (and with a remap looming) I had to put a thread up on here.

It was only when Steve Simpson got involved did anything happen, I tried ringing Andrew Leach over 40 times and left numerous messages requesting a callback and got absolutely zilch in return.

And now the future of the current Sintek lies in his hands, well I won't be holding my breath.

jef

iTrader: (13)

steves being setting up the new simtek in my 2.1 and feeding back regularly with progress

as usual some unexpected mechanical issues rea there head in abuild like mie.

but steve/and my builder been THE men with communicating back to me developments as they occur.
im very happy with progress and hope to be oh sooooo close to things being spot on and ready to get let loose, well happy with customer service so far - good work as far as im concerned. from all ivolved. good job

53

iTrader: (41)

Pmsl at R&D on customers cars and then taking them off again. ..."look at what you could have won"

Sounds a bit pikey IMHO. Not something I'd publicise when selling a new 'market ready' ECU to a less than impressed Subaru community. Simtek is an epic public relations fail... sort out the old, bring in the new and leave out the hype

Cannon Fodder

iTrader: (100)

To be honest any manufacturer needs test mules to iron out unforseen problems and to be run in the real world, we see them where I work and you would be surprised at the amount of car manufacturers cars out there running the next generation of running gear in current generation models.

I personally think that the large percentage of the blame for the lack of development should lie at the feet of Alcatek (I know it seems like I have a vendetta against them but I am just telling it like it is and from personal experience).

I agree that the current generation of Simtek has issues that need sorting out but if the hardware/firmware supplier drags their feet then what can be done to force them?

Although I am not confident in the matter, perhaps now Alcatek are going to market the current Simtek themselves then perhaps this might be the motivation to sort out the outstanding customer issues once and for all.

Andy.F

Yes it does seem like that, or maybe you are just hoping for a free new generation Simtek

I said that in post 57 and yes its happening, the new knock control and Idle control is out there testing in a car at the moment. The last batch of Simtek ECU's I have just bought direct from Alcatek were accompanied by an email confirming dispatch and a note of the tracking number. It was from a name I don't recognise so I'm guessing they have a new employee taking care of this side of things.
A customer who sent his secondhand ECU back for repair also received his ECU back this week. It was returned fully repaired, free of charge, even although it was long out of warranty and the fault was caused by a short in the fan control wiring on the previous owners car.

I agree its been a long time coming but the future looks bright

Cannon Fodder

iTrader: (100)

Andy, I am just going on the level of service I received when I returned my Simtek to Alcatek; I tried for nigh on 3 weeks to try and get a telephone call returned despite having left answerphone messages. I mean, if you were in my position how would you report your experiences with Alcatek?

I work in the motor trade and if I treated my customers like that then quite simply I wouldn't have any.

I definitely am not after a 'free' anything tbh Andy, as they say nothing in life is free apart from fresh air until we get taxed on that as well.

If knock control and revised idle control are forthcoming then that is great news for all concerned because as you say 'its been a long time coming' and if it comes to market then there will be a lot of happier Simtek owners.

I hope that this is the point of return for Alcatek and that things are indeed on the up for them, I wouldn't like to think of anyone in trouble in the current financial climate.

I agree that the FOC repair on your customers ECU is very good customer service and to be commended, but why then do they let themselves down as in my case and various others I have read about? I only hope that they can learn from past problems and focus on customer service.

Personally I won't mind paying for these upgrades to be implemented on my Simtek when they become available to the great unwashed.

swisstonihasher

Has anyone had any response from Andy this week?

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Yes

JTinnovations

iTrader: (2)

Yes.

MartynJ

Yes, check your email !

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

yes - lots

Cannon Fodder

iTrader: (100)

https://www.scoobynet.com/trader-ann...ouncement.html