john banks

A quick post to let you know that I am winding up "ECU Scotland" with immediate effect.

I have a few bits of unfinished business with a few customers who I have already emailed, but otherwise I will not be doing any commercial ECU mapping work from now on. Otherwise, all the ECUs I have programmed apart from two STi 7s have programming licenses in them which will allow any other Ecutek tuner to reprogram them freely. I am happy to email ROM files for any of these cars to another tuner to allow them to be further modified from where they were already at with possibly less fuss than necessarily starting again, although styles vary of course.

The reason for this is because of increasing pressure of work from being a full time GP (plus out of hours work) and the need for more personal time. I cannot juggle the demands on my time on a long term basis, and this is the only sensible solution, which I have been putting off for some time really.

I will continue working on my car and continue to be a part of the online and offline Subaru community, but no longer in any commercial capacity.

I want to thank all customers for their support. I want to particularly thank the following for their advice, support, encouragement (hope I have not forgotten anyone):

David, Stephen and Merv
Andy Forrest
T-uk
Alan Garrod
Bob Rawle
Mark Aigin
Mark at EMS
Dowser
Babber

Wasn't sure which was the most appropriate forum, hope this is OK.

Danny B

Too bad are there any other Ecutek approved mappers in Scotland to pick up the work or are they in for a long drive down south?
Cheers

jonmyers

That is a shame but totally understandable.

Good luck John and thanks for your help in the past. My car wouldn't be quite as much fun as it is without you!

Jon

AlanG

May I take this opportunity to wish you well in the path your future takes you.
For someone, who only a short time ago knew nothing about Imprezas but has the ability to listen and learn quickly, you are to be praised for being able to make a living out of the marque and also pass on your learned knowledge to other owners, many of whom are grateful for your help in allowing them to achieve their aims.

Stay in touch

Alan

EvilBevel

Well, it would be presumptuous to say "hey, you forgot me you plonker !" but good decision nonetheless I think.

I always wondered how the hell you found the time to combine it all.

Just don't lose the bug

Abbylad

iTrader: (4)

good luck old boy

WREXY

John,

Sorry to hear m8.

I had Beastie here in Greece with me and I took him for a rap in my car today and he was that impressed with the power and the smoothness in which the car drove that he was considering doing the same mods as me and getting you to remap his ECU. He was impressed with the way you mapped my car and a had psyched him up to go for it.

I too had plans to get you out here sometime next year to remap my car again as I was considering going for an APS FMIC and changing the VF23 for a front entry TD05.

Reconsider m8. You're too much value to us now so don't quit. Plus, who else would come out to Greece to do Tek 3s?

Cheers,

George.

Scott.T

iTrader: (2)

Sorry to hear that John.

It's hard trying to juggle a full time job with supplying the demands of the Scooby Community. Just ask David Wallis or myself w.r.t Pre96 ScoobyECU. Both of us keep saying we are gonna knock it on the head.

Good Luck for the future John, and take care...

JIM THEO

Good luck then John!
JIM

David_Wallis

John,

Just think of all those smiles you have put on peoples faces..

Does this mean your getting a motec / link plus now?

Spare time whats that??

David

Bob Rawle

The main thing is that John will continue to be part of the community and will keep involved. Its not as though he is dissappearing for good. It is a very hard thing to do, I have similar problems, and ultimately there comes a time when choices have to be made, fwiw I think John is probably making the right one for all the right reasons. So despite Johns commercial decision, still looking forward to is input as ever as I'm sure alot of people are.

john banks

Thanks guys. Theo you are a gem m8.

I will continue to bore you all with all the usual banter Lots of exciting things happening with my car - 2.33 coming real soon now, water injection with DIY microcontroller mapping, individual cylinder closed loop knock control, possible speed density conversion/DIY piggyback controller (yes if I get time ), may have a fiddle with one of these standalone ECUs also

teknopete

John,

Hope u r gonna make it up2 the McBig One m8, so i can poke u with the big 5h1tty stick (jus jokin bud m u know it) Nah serious though m8, as most peebs have said it`s a nightmare trying to balance stuff out btwn work n afterwork, so hey see u round m8 n take it easy

Pete

NotoriousREV

Will this mean we can ask medical questions in Drivetrain now? It's just that I have this rash...

talizman

iTrader: (1)

So who's going to be carrying the torch in the Central Scotland area now John?

Pavlo

This is indeed sad news. I remember way back when. John had his PPP and the FCD with restrictor mod. This was the way forward, and we followed the light.

Then there was Ecutek, and John has pretty much led the way despite being the furthest from Ecutek HQ. We have seen some pioneering work it has to be said.

In a way I am glad, because I now realised that I am not the only one with zero time and a million things to do.

However, I predict John will be back, just not for a while (ie I will not get a bigger turbo, I will not get a front mount etc etc)

Paul

midlife-crisis-scooby

John

Thanks for being the embodiment of Scoobynet....Always giving advice and help feely and without prejudice, even to those new Scooby owners who asked pretty simple questions (like me).
I hope you are able to give advice as before (particularly as I have just ordered a Turbo from Andy Forrest).....
For GP's the NHS is a hard task-master and I fully understand your reasons for standing down from commercial work.

Warmest wishes


Midlife...

LG John

Its a shame for the 'subaru' community to loose access to your impressive mapping knowledge but its totally understandable. I've met you about 3-5 times and everytime has been out with normal working hours, i.e. evenings and weekends. I can fully understand that would suck when you've been at the practice all day!

Can you even remember your wifes name

Triple X

iTrader: (1)

I couldnt understand how you managed to do it for as long as you did!
ATB

Creepy

John,

Sorry to hear the news, I'm from Belgium but you helped me with some questions I e-mailed to you !
Thanks for the help and maybe now that you have time, you could come over and join a Nurburgring trip !!!!

Creepy,

7 Foot

Good luck to you mate.

Thanks again for my s.

babber

Well I was gutted when I read the email from John regarding the need to concentrate on GP work and give up remapping subarus I think I had one of the first postal TEK 2.5 (sorry everyone who got pissed off with different name, that I may have or may not have started) and I have been smiling ever since. A few of my friends have also gone down the JB 2.5 route and are well pleased. Mouses RB5 will pop back on demand, which is great fun as you pass a speed trap doing 22 MPH

Took a guy out in his car today with my ECU and both him and his misses were well pleased.

Looks like we'll have to start using Bob now!!

John, thanks for all you help over the years and can I wish you ever success in the future

Cheers Phill

PS edited to say it passed an MOT without the cats on

[Edited by babber - 8/25/2003 7:52:29 PM]

Scotsman

iTrader: (3)

You certainly added massive value to my Scooby ownership.

Best of luck with future projects.

Cheers
Richard.

WREXY

John,

I know I can't persuade you m8. Normal line of work does come first. All those years of hard studying cannot be thrown away. So, good luck with your GP profession and hope you succeed which I'm sure you will. Your still welcome to come to Greece with your wife for a holiday and stay over my place anytime m8. (Well as long as family isn't visiting me from OZ.)

Thanks for the Tek 3 m8. Awesome!

Cheers,

George.

dowser

Good luck John - I also think it's the right decision and have come close to the same myself. People tend not to realise that we do this more as a hobby than for financial gain.

Richard

martyrobertsdj

iTrader: (1)

Boo Hoo........I'm just looking for someone to mod my ECU that isn't "down South" and someone says..John Banks....he's excellent!

So I start to look for his posts and what do I find.....he's packing it in!! Perfect timing by me eh?!

Very sorry to hear you are leaving the mapping world John. I've never had any dealings with you, but by all accounts you are a top blokey!!!

Good luck with your life from now on...I'm sure your technical tinkering will be missed by many!!

regards,

Marty

The Fixer

Sorry to hear that John, thanks for your recent advice and good luck in the future.

iainalpine

hi john,
sorry to here that your giving it up. you were the first point of contact when i disovered the Knock in my car. cant thank you enough for keeping my car going with the tek3.
hope to catch up with you in the future.
iain

GREEN SCOOBY

YOUR ALL WRONG!

ITS SIMPLE! (not me)

I HAVE THE ANSWER!

just give up the GP job and go full time mapping Subarus.There are too many GPs out there any way, and not enough mappers.

Seriously i wish you all the best and thanks for the help you have gave in the past, just MAKE sure you dont forget US ha ha, all the best mate.

john banks

To do it full time you would have to diversify a lot (into things I would not be interested in - like VAG TDis and 1.8Ts ), have premises & staff, ideally a rolling road, get VAT registered and supply other products and services in what is a fairly volatile and quite well supplied market. I find Doctoring more rewarding in terms of satisfaction, profitability and stability, which is no bad thing considering I spent nine years solidly training to do it and started the mapping out of enthusiasm and interest and never made a living out of it.