APR Ultralink | Tune Your Mk7 Golf or GTI at home with APR software – no dealer required.

APR - a brand synonymous with Volkswagen and Audi car enthusiast community recently announced a new product unlocking their enormous menu of aftermarket tunes from the dealer model they've alway used. Meet the APR Ultralink, an at-home tuning solution that plays a bit of catchup with the rest of the industry, while offering some unique benefits and tremendous upside for their current install-base. I'll share an overview, a review of the software and process, and share a few thoughts on how it all went.

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///Buy the Ultralink Today//

//CHAPTERS//
0:00 - Introduction
2:50 - Unboxing / What's Include
3:30 - Features
5:35 - How it Works
14:42 - First Drive
15:44 - Conclusion
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//Car Modifications//
Bumper - GTI Front End Conversion
Turbo Inlet Pipe - Unitronic
Downpipe - Integrated Engineering 3"
034 Motorsport Dogbone Mount Insert
Wheels - 18 x 7" ASA
Tires - BFGoodrich G-Force Comp 2
Racingline Stud Conversion Kit​​

//Toolbox//

//Camera Gear//

//CHANNEL MERCH//

//SOCIAL MEDIA//

[karstgeo]

Great one man! So kudos to Arin/APR for finally getting this done. I have always wanted to try the 100 tune and run it on like E40... I hear it's spicy. I agree with your 100% being that I have done the Unitronic thing, very covert and scary at first hahaha. This APR setup looks very modern/easy to use. I drove Jason M's AT with the APR 93 IS38 tune back to back with mine and we even did some drag racing on our way to Helen a few years ago...honestly, about the same...APR has a little more boost/Unitronic has more timing advance. To me, this really help them out with new customers for those that want a simple set/forget experience. I dig that you can change launch control RPM (I haven't noted much difference in times from 3500-4000 b/c the 1.8 TCU tunes from APR/Uni don't build boost on launch) and the auto upshift/kickdown is great; I really want to eliminate auto upshift on mine but Uni doesn't offer it unfortunately. Yes, having logging would be good, Uni does. However, I get it...most folks have no clue and shouldn't be doing it anyway and often just think something is wrong and I'm sure it's a PITA for companies like this to tell some kid his -1.4 knock is perfectly normal hahaha

[juancarlosvloz]

You sir earn a thumbs up & also a a subscription.

[enzoreis]

If i buy the dealer option, do I still have to pay the extra $500 for a stage 1 tune for example? Just seeing because if so I think it’d be more worth my buck to diy.

[Nitramrec]

O.K. At least you have tuned your VW Golf.
But what does "IS38" and "Stage 3 - IS 38" mean? What did you get and could you experience on your test drive?

[SeaSnake]

Would and ultra link be able to provide me if my car is already tuned with APR? I believe the previous owner tuned with apr but don’t know what they did. Thanks

[philliprollman]

Great video and thanks for the awesome details...i have a 24 GTI that im getting this for but i don't know what i should set the launch at!!.. what do you recommend thanks.

[evanhaddad]

I'm a bit confused about the pricing. So the ~$100 or whatever is just for ultralink device. But then you still have to spend $500 on a stage one ECU tune, only you have to do it yourself, no? That's about what it costs at a dealer, if not more expensive because you have to pay for the device. I was hoping you'd get the tune for a couple hundred less in the device because you have to do it all yourself, which isn't easy if you don't have a garage with internet outdoors, outlets, battery chargers, etc. Seems like it would cost much more using this device, whose only convenience seems to be letting customers spend more $$ more easily rather than making this a cheaper and more accessible option. What am I missing?

[jeffreyroche]

I had my apr tune take off my stage 2 so I could pass emissions. so I go to put it back on and they said APR has stage 2 file locked now, Im so pissed! I paid a couple hundred buck to have it removed, now I cant re instll they said only stage 1 now

[spoudaois]

Whats different about i 38 and stage 1 tune? Also is ther TCU for Manual trnasmission.

[axellopez]

So let’s say I swap from a is12 to a is38 Will this tuner help me make it so it will run right and just alone with the turbo swap will run right without the tune ? or would I need to go to professional tuner to adjust boost and fuel mixtures and all that stuff?

[abdullahahmedameer]

Hi dude, nice video. i really enjoyed it
Fun little device
I was wondering about the pricing of the 1.8t tunes .
I had a question: Do you advise the is38 upgrade on golf 1.8t speed automatic [ not dsg ].

[stephbarbershop]

What sort of tuning or adjustability is in a tune? without paying for another. just octane and launch rpm? rev limit?

[sheikestrada]

Hi! I gonna buy a gti with is38 turbo change, the car have stage 2 plus, if I buy the apr ultralink, i will get that same tune if I start the app with my email? I gonna want change the octane sometimes, but i dont know if i need buy the tune again or that stay in the info of the car in apr

[Realericpickens]

APR saying the battery needs to be above 14v during tuning, looks like it worked fine below that here, right?

[justinnixon]

I just bought this because I already have stage 1 with low torque output, but have upgraded my clutch and would like to get the high torque output version and it doesn’t give me the option! And wanted to try pops and bangs but that’s not available either! 😖

[francisbadavi]

Thanks for posting. Great video and very educational. I do have two questions. I have the manual stick shift Porsche Cayman 718. I have plenty of horse power and torque coming out of the stock engine. My only interest in the at home APR tuner is to turn off the F&^%$ annoying "engine stop/start" button. Based on your experience with the APR tuner, if I purchase the tuner for my Porsche, can I go through all the options and program the tuner so that the only mod it does is to turn off the "engine stop/start button"?
My second question is about the TCU tuning. Since I have a stick shift, I don't need to worry about the TCU tuning, correct? Frank

[shannonmcatee]

I'm already apr is38, 2+
Would this let me add anything I didn't have tuned? Launch, louder pops, etc

[WolfnWool]

Ok.. so the battery doesnt need to be at 14.14v, just on a charger it seems. Good to know, i was about to spend 300 dollas on a snapon one 😅. Btw, what was that song in the vid?? That shit was knocckin!

[gabrieldetwiler]

How does the Apr tune feel compared to Unitronic

[TheBigfatclown]

You should activate your Windows on your Mac....lol! Good review, just ordered the Ultralink. Cheers, great chanel!