DSMStyle Exclusive Review: TCUgo

tpunx99GSX · 03-20-2006

Hello Everyone,
Well last night i was able to install the TCUgo Paddle Shifter kit for A/T DSMs.
First off i would like to say, the support from Hugo from TCUgo was Great. A+ Effort all the way. I would send an email and get a responce that day. Very good shipping and great price. So here goes the Review. Might be nice to Get a seperate forum for Reviews like these.
Product: TCUgo Auto Shifter Kit
Price as Tested: $400 for unit with Plug and play setup and shipping.
Shipping time from payment: 5 days.
Initial Inspection:
Item was in brand new condition, Construction looked good, Could use more of presentation aspect. but you cant expect that much from an item that is one of the first out of production.
Installation:
The install was the easiest mod i have ever done. Although he forgot to send the instructions with the unit so i was unable to find the switch for setting the pressure of the shifts, so i just left it as it was, which was prolly set at 0 or 1. The Plug and play setup is a $60 option and worth every penny. I would NOT recommend going with the wire splicing option, your time is worth way more then $60 and with the placement of the stock tranny control it would be near impossible to splice that many wires and leave it looking clean. All you have to do with the Plug and play setup is unplug the stock TCU and plug the connectors into the harness provided then connect the plugs from the TCUgo into the Stock TCU (for being able to turn the TCUgo off and going off the Stock TCU). after that you mount the Digital Guage for telling what gear you are in, and plug it in. Then just custom mounte the wireless Controller (the buttons for controlling the shifts) and you are ready to go.
Initial Use:
I first started the car with the unit off. so that i would be able to make sure the stock TCU was still in tact. It was. Then i switched the TCUgo on and by default shifts into 3rd gear. I took it out onto the road and did a couple downshifts and upshifts, it would go into gear nice and smoothly under regular driving. I then decided to gun it and see what it could do. OH MAN THIS IS WHAT I WAS WAITING ALL MY A/T DSM LIFE FOR. I downshift into first coming up to a stoplight. Light turns green and i floor it, rev it up to 6.5k rpm hit the button and BAM im in Second, red line that gear and Shift BAM im in third. SOOOO Nice. I then brought the car home and went to bed because it was getting late.
The next day (today) on the way to work i was playing around a bit on the highway with it, Its nice because now i have the ability if some retard is going too slow i can just downshift and blow by him lol. Ive NEVER seen my car react to such a great mod so cleanly. Im simply amazed at this. I really cant wait until he emails me back with how to up the shifting pressure because im sure i will be even more impressed.
The great thing about this unit is that the shifts seem a lot more clean then if you were shifting from L to 2 then to D, And in the Dyno aspect it will be a lot easier to get a better reading without the A/T changing gears on an AWD Dyno.
After a week Impression:
(Coming Soon)
Overall Review:
Overall i think if you have an A/T this should be your Very First Mod. No lie i would have enjoyed my car a lot more the past couple years had i had this. Finally we have a great inexpensive solution to our Slushboxes. By Far i will give this a MUST HAVE for A/T DSMS.

1-10
Customer Service: 9.5
Construction: 8
Installation: 10
Operation: 10
Overall: 10

Onefast99gsx · 03-20-2006

A very nice writeup. Now we'll all be switching to Automatics...

TurboDomestics · 03-20-2006

Wow!

Makes me almost want to start looking for an AT DSM!

**Kracka** · 03-20-2006

Glad its working out well for you! Hopefully I'm able to check it out/feel it in person within the next few months.

npaulseth · 03-20-2006

Awesome! Thanks for the review. I will be buying one of these shortly.

eclipseGSX108 · 03-20-2006

Is there a site for these?? Not that i need one but I know some other people on a forum that would love them

tim · 03-20-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipseGSX108

Is there a site for these?? Not that i need one but I know some other people on a forum that would love them

www.tcugo.com

tpunx99GSX · 03-20-2006

LOL i just got an email from him about how to change the pressure setting, so now i will be able to really see what this is capable of.
Heres a portion of the email for Reference-
"To change the pressure setting , do as follow:

- When NOT in drive, press on BOTH button at the same time and FLOOR the throttle (easier with the motor not running, altough it could be done with the motor running).

- You will then have the little dot that will be blinking. With the dot blinking, it will show you the stage you are at. To change the stage, click both button at the same time, it will scroll form 0 to 5 and then reset to 0 and so on.. Stock pressure is stage is 0. Stage 1 is like Stage 0 but with full pressure on upshift when a WOT. Stage 2 to 4 are firmer pressure and full pressure at WOT for upshift. Stage 5 is full pressure for upshift/dowshift no matter what TPS.. that stage should be used for drag racing and do not try a 2nd to 1st gear downshift with the car moving or you're going to slam your into the dash

- once you're done, put it into drive or turn off the ignition key. "

TurboDomestics · 03-20-2006

Well Im looking at an AT DSM tomorrow. LOL, this sounds really awesome, and hopefully by the time the summer comes ill own one.

SlowWhite · 03-20-2006

Nice, Doubt prices will stay so low once word spreads. Hopefully it'll maintain it's work ability over time.

How does the wireless paddles get power?

1slowdsm · 03-20-2006

Alright! Time to sell my 5spd and switch over to an A/T! Heh Heh. Although starting all over fresh sounds pretty damn nice to me right now.
Man, you make it sound like a hell of a lot of fun! Are there any bad cons to this TCUgo? Like shorter tranny life or whatever? I'm just curious, thats all.
Glad you like it.

GSXMatt · 03-20-2006

Sounds sweet but I'm sticking to my 5 speed thank you.

howslowcanyougo · 03-20-2006

Thanks Thomas for the nice and detailed review of the TCUGO.

I'm going to do the IPT Stall, End clutches, reworked Valve body, cooler and shiftkit first and then do the TCUGO once I have my tranny built up some.

Hate to start finally beating a stock tranny hard with the TCUGO and then have her all let go cause the foundation isn't built properly.

Between both IPT's and Hugo's engineering it finally looks like us poor A/T guys may no longer have to hang our heads in shame when fellow DSMer's find out "yep, she's got an auto".....

tpunx99GSX · 03-20-2006

On the way home i went to stage 4 and OH FUCKING GOD. Ive Never felt an auto actually pull immediatly after switching gears. It jerks a little bit but its just slamming into gear.
It has instilled a new fun to my car, and if im in traffic and dont wanna continue shifting, i can just switch it off on the fly. and of course being that i dont have to lift to shift that big ol' 50 trim stays spooled.
The buttons are connected to a small key fob looking unit that is powered by one of those miniture AA looking batteries.

A//// Guy · 03-20-2006

How will having having this affect longetivity of the tranny? I mean if you leave it at 0 isnt there still more grab into gears than stock, or did I read it wrong? Anything above 0 for the setting I would think will really decrease the lifetime of the tranny. Maybe im wrong but I hope there are no long term affects because its a pretty new product.

rst95eclipse · 03-21-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by howslowcanyougo

I'm going to do the IPT Stall, End clutches, reworked Valve body, cooler and shiftkit first and then do the TCUGO

The way it should be done. Yet, that was just an awesome write-up. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, could you post up some pics of the easy install and what the shifter looks like. This looks like a promising mod that has a bright future.

howslowcanyougo · 03-21-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by rst95eclipse

This looks like a promising mod that has a bright future.

Even more so because there are still so many nice & yet undervalued A/T DSM's out there that aren't beat to death...........yet........:->

Now they might actually have a chance to compete!

gstjoker · 03-21-2006

Haha, wow! Sounds very cool. Unfortunately, I'm sticking with my 5-speed also but good to hear that it works like a wonder. Hopefully, there is no bad long term affect. Good luck and have fun.

Enes · 03-21-2006

wow, i feel bad for the rebuild costs already...

faster shifts = more wear = dead trany... i had to replace bands on my truck 2 times already, but not sure if this trany uses bands or not. we'll see hows the trany holding up in 2 months..

Glad you like it so far tho...

-E

tpunx99GSX · 03-21-2006

Yeah im sure its really not the best to have it at stage 5 all the time, but thats why its so easy to switch it. And when your in the stage 0 1 and 2 its smooth shifts. Much more smoother then stock. When you get in the stage 3,4 and 5 its more Jerky almost like your speed shifting a manual. and if your really worried about the life of your tranny but still wanna race. Only switch it on for races but for daily driving have it off. all it is is a button on the unit itself.
Today at lunch i did a quick pull down this back road by my work, I just cant get over how crazy this is. The shifts are just so nice and fun.
He updated his site with some of the customer cars that use it. Couple really nice Times.