How Much Does a Remap Cost? Stage 1 From £250

A Stage 1 remap costs £250 at our Totnes workshop in Devon, or £270 for a mobile remap in Devon at your home, driveway or workplace. Stage 2 is quoted for the vehicle, because the price depends on the hardware fitted.

That is the remap cost. The more useful question is what a quote actually buys, because two quotes for "a Stage 1" can describe very different jobs.

How much does a remap cost at Auto-Cleanse?

• Stage 1 at the Totnes workshop: £250
• Stage 1 mobile, in Devon, at your home, driveway or workplace: £270
• Stage 2: quoted for the vehicle

The diagnostic health check is included in the Stage 1 price, not charged on top.

• Booking: online with a £50 deposit to secure the slot, balance on the day - or by phone

Prices are confirmed when you contact us with your vehicle details.

A mobile remap uses the same OBD and bench equipment as the workshop. A minority of ECUs have to come out of the vehicle to be bench-flashed, and some Stage 2 work is better done at Totnes - ask us when you book.

What can change the price of a remap?

A few things genuinely change the job. They should be explained before work starts, not added afterwards.

1. Faults found by the health check. If the health check finds a DPF, EGR or AdBlue fault, we quote to repair that first, before the map goes on. Any other fault, such as a boost leak or a fuelling problem, should also be put right before a remap rather than mapped around.
2. Stage 2. Stage 2 is a calibration matched to hardware that has already been changed, so it is quoted for the vehicle rather than given a fixed price. Our guide to Stage 1 vs Stage 2 explains the difference.
3. A vehicle that has been remapped before. If the ECU has already been modified, the file inside it is no longer the factory original, and establishing a correct starting point can take extra work. Mention any previous tuning when you ask for a price.

What should a Stage 1 remap include?

Whatever the number on the quote, a proper Stage 1 is a complete process, from checking the vehicle to confirming the result. These are the parts worth asking about, and where cheap quotes tend to cut corners.

A diagnostic health check before anything changes

Fault memory and live data should be checked before the ECU is touched. At Auto-Cleanse the health check is included in the Stage 1 price. Our guide to why vehicle condition matters before a remap explains what that check is for.

Where cheap quotes cut corners: no check at all, so an existing fault is mapped over rather than found.

A backup of your own original file

The file read from your own ECU is the only reliable route back to standard - a database "stock file" for the same model is not the same thing. Our post on why the original ECU file must be backed up explains the difference, and why going back to standard does not always erase the record that the ECU was reprogrammed.

Where cheap quotes cut corners: no verified backup of your own file, so a clean return to standard may not be possible.

A calibration matched to the exact vehicle

The same badge can hide different engines, ECU hardware and software versions. The file should be written for what is actually fitted, not picked because it matches the engine size.

Where cheap quotes cut corners: a generic file chosen for the engine type rather than written for the software in your ECU.

DPF, EGR and AdBlue left working

A Stage 1 on a road vehicle should leave the DPF, the EGR and, where fitted, the AdBlue system intact and doing their jobs.

Where cheap quotes cut corners: delete files. Taking emissions equipment off a road vehicle, or switching it off in software, is not a legal fix and it is not a cheaper version of the same job. We do not do deletes, emulators or delete files.

Checks after the write

Verifying the write and running a fault scan afterwards confirm the new calibration is in place and nothing has been flagged. The check after the remap matters as much as the one before.

Where cheap quotes cut corners: no check afterwards, so a fault stored during the write is found by the owner, not the technician.

Common misunderstanding: "A remap is just a file, so it should cost the same everywhere." The file is one part of the job. The checks, the backup and the matching are where the time goes - and they are what protect the engine and your options later.

Is a remap worth the money?

Gains depend on the engine, the ECU and the condition of the vehicle. Our vehicle performance lookup gives typical Stage 1 figures by registration, which is a sensible starting point before you book. Treat them as typical figures for that engine, not a guarantee for one vehicle.

Budget for the insurance side too. A remap is a modification. Insurers ask about modifications, and most policies require you to tell them about changes, so declare it - it can affect the premium. Remapping and your insurance covers what to tell them, and what leasing and finance agreements say.

If the vehicle is still under a manufacturer or extended warranty, check the terms before you book, as a remap can affect cover.

Questions to ask before you book

Our guide to whether a remap can cause DPF or AdBlue problems lists the technical questions to ask any remapper. On price, these are the ones that matter:

• What exactly does the quoted price cover?
• Is the full price agreed before you start?
• What happens to the price if you find a fault?
• My vehicle has been remapped before - does that change the job?
• Can my vehicle be done at home, or is it better done at the workshop?

How Auto-Cleanse can help

ECU remapping here starts with a diagnostic health check, included in the Stage 1 price, and we only proceed on a healthy engine. The file is matched to the exact vehicle, there is a diagnostic check before and after, and the original is backed up so the car can be returned to stock. You can book online with a £50 deposit, or call 07823 649190.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Stage 1 remap?

At Auto-Cleanse, a Stage 1 remap is £250 at our Totnes workshop or £270 mobile. Every remap starts with a diagnostic health check, and we only go ahead on a healthy engine. Prices are confirmed when you contact us with your vehicle details.

Why do remap prices vary so much?

Because the process around the file varies. The checks before and after, the backup of your original and the work of matching the file to your software all take time, and some quotes leave them out.

How much does a Stage 2 remap cost?

There is no fixed price, because Stage 2 is a calibration matched to hardware that has already been changed. The price depends on what has been fitted and any supporting work the vehicle needs, and some Stage 2 work is better done at our Totnes workshop. Contact us with your vehicle details for a quote.

How long does a remap take?

A remap typically takes 1-2 hours. It can take longer if the health check finds a fault, or if the ECU has to come out of the vehicle to be bench-flashed.

The takeaway

A proper Stage 1 means a checked vehicle, a backed-up original, a calibration for your exact car and a check afterwards. Compare quotes on what they include, not just on the number at the top.

Sources

• Alientech - ECU reading and programming modes: OBD, bench and boot
• Financial Ombudsman Service - decisions on undisclosed vehicle modifications
• GOV.UK - diesel particulate filters guidance note

Prices correct at the time of writing; confirmed when you contact us with your vehicle details.