[TopJimmy]

Hi All,
I wanted to give you a review of the
Flash for BMW M3/M4 G80/G82”
by our buddy kubax86
over at Bimmer-Remote Coding.
https://bimmer-remote.com/products/c...-m3-m4-g80-g82
(I don’t get paid for this, I’m just a 5x repeat customer.)

What you get:
TCU flash to CS Transmission
Coding update to CS Steering
Coding update to Euro MDM / CS DSC

What you need:
Windows laptop with Internet connected
TeamViewer downloaded and running
Ethernet to OBD2 cable (not a WiFi adapter)
WhatsApp phone app to text the team
BMW G80, G82, G83, xDrive & RWD, Base & Comp, 2021 thru 2024

What I did:
I went to the Bimmer-Remote website using the link above, entered my VIN, and paid using PayPal. I received an email with my order confirmation number in a minute or two, and it included instructions on how to contact the team via WhatsApp to set up my session. I sent a message asking when the next open slot was and they replied with a Monday morning appointment. (They don’t work weekends.)
On Monday morning I drove my car for a little while to charge up the battery and to pay attention to the pre-coding feel of the steering and trans shifts. Then I parked in my driveway (no battery charger), connected the laptop, launched TeamViewer, and WhatsApp’d Kubax. He connected right away and started working remotely. In about 20 minutes he WhatsApp’d back that he was done. Restart the car and go test.

What difference I felt:
Steering - This was an immediate improvement in firmness. I’m used to the F8X with Comfort/Sport/Plus where I was in Comfort all the time because steering is stiff. On the stock G8X the steering feels squishy and disconnected, like 2 notches below F8X comfort level. The G8X CS coding brought the firmness right back to the F8X comfort and sport levels (as the G8X only has two settings). It did not bring the extra firm Sport Plus steering, which I don’t like anyway.
Transmission - The CS pack shifts the ZF8 much faster and with a kick like XHP does. In Comfort mode the shift points are a little sportier, and in Sport/Plus are much sportier. The feel is similar to XHP Stage1 on the DCT in my F82. It took a little driving for the trans to learn adaptations, but after it did the torque reduction and punch/kick at shifts is impressive.
DSC/MDM - Since I’m just finishing my break in period I haven’t had the chance to stomp the pedal and really test MDM or DSC Off. I’m hoping that the coding will help allow a greater wheel offset front/rear before TC complains.

What’s not included:
There is no CS Diff coding…yet.
There is no CS Damper coding…yet.

Overall cost/worth rating:

3 out of 5 Jimmy thumbs-ups!
-The steering is a big upgrade in feel. When I upgraded from the F82 to G80cx the steering was limp, and now it’s sporty again.
-If you’re not tuning with a platform like BM3 that has trans-flashes then this CS Package gets you the trans flash at a lower cost. The CS Trans shifts much better than stock.
-If you are or will be tuning with BM3/MHD, and definitely for XHP, then consider that you might only benefit from the CS steering improvement.

[PS: Next week I plan to test Diff and Damper coding for the team. Hopefully these will be added to the package in the future.]

Wishing you straight lines & fast times,
TopJimmy

[TopJimmy]

…reserved for Diff/Damper update

[Needsdecaf]

Thank you very much for the writeup. This seems like a no-brainer for the cost and ease of install. Between this and the full highbeam functionality I will DEFINITELY be doing this.

Clarification: you mentioned XHP, you didn't have that on this car correct? You're comparing to your F82?

Question: any predicted ETA on the "....yet"?

Thank you again!

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Thank you very much for the writeup. This seems like a no-brainer for the cost and ease of install. Between this and the full highbeam functionality I will DEFINITELY be doing this.

Clarification: you mentioned XHP, you didn't have that on this car correct? You're comparing to your F82?

Question: any predicted ETA on the "....yet"?

Thank you again!

Correct, XHP was not loaded on the G80. I had it on both my F82s previous to the G. My G80 had all factory Comp xDrive software.

For the “when?” please note the PS at the bottom of my post. I don’t know how many people will be tested before features may become standard release.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

For the “when?” please note the PS at the bottom of my post. I don’t know how many people will be tested before features may become standard release.

Aha! I posted before you added that. Many thanks again.

[Rodizzle]

Thank you ,they got me in on the weekend. I’m have my set for this Saturday.

I’m looking followed for this

[christianb5s4]

Thank you for the review, this is on my short list for things to do when the car comes in.

Has anyone logged the performance difference between the CS TCU tune versus XHP?

[yfzkid989]

Excited for diff review!

[Mapper]

3 out of 5? So 60% worth cost saving? What do you not like about it? Too expensive? Reading this I thought maybe 4.5 out of 5. For worth/ cost.

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by Mapper

3 out of 5? So 60% worth cost saving? What do you not like about it? Too expensive? Reading this I thought maybe 4.5 out of 5. For worth/ cost.

If it already included the diff and dampers then it would be 4 or 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Mapper]

Thanks for clarification

[Adrien]

Coding the steering is easy, I've done it with comfort, sport and sport plus and it really makes the steering wheel much harder in sport plus, but it took a bit of research to figure it out...

[Needsdecaf]

How much improvement in downshift quickness did you feel?

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

How much improvement in downshift quickness did you feel?

I noticed a kick more than a faster shift time.

[SaMaster14]

Thank you for the review!

I am planning on having Alex@Alpine do the tune for me. Coming from 2 F8xs and also having a new-to-me e92 M3 in the garage, the transmission really just feels lazy in the G80 (despite how insanely fast the car is... it's more about when the car *isn't* going fast, like on downshifting to a stop).

Hopefully this makes the car just about perfect.

Does the CS tune change anything with the exhaust or how/when the flaps open?

That would be another thing I would potentially want to do, but unsure if the only way is still to hook something up under the car (versus just an OBDII mod or flash like in the F8x series, which was apparently a much simpler valved system).

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by SaMaster14

Thank you for the review!

I am planning on having Alex@Alpine do the tune for me. Coming from 2 F8xs and also having a new-to-me e92 M3 in the garage, the transmission really just feels lazy in the G80 (despite how insanely fast the car is... it's more about when the car *isn't* going fast, like on downshifting to a stop).

Hopefully this makes the car just about perfect.

Does the CS tune change anything with the exhaust or how/when the flaps open?

That would be another thing I would potentially want to do, but unsure if the only way is still to hook something up under the car (versus just an OBDII mod or flash like in the F8x series, which was apparently a much simpler valved system).

I noticed no change in valving. That would be in a Flash instead of in a Coding service.

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

I noticed no change in valving. That would be in a Flash instead of in a Coding service.

Makes sense; thank you!

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

I noticed a kick more than a faster shift time.

Thanks, I think that's the bigger benefit. Biggest weakness in modern autos is "slurred" downshifts. Compared to a PDK in aggressive settings where it "pops" both aurally and physically. Sounds (pun intended) as if that's what you got from the coding?

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Thanks, I think that's the bigger benefit. Biggest weakness in modern autos is "slurred" downshifts. Compared to a PDK in aggressive settings where it "pops" both aurally and physically. Sounds (pun intended) as if that's what you got from the coding?

Sorry, I’m not sure about any burble pops at shift since I have those turned off.

[Needsdecaf]

Sorry, didn't mean exhaust burbles. More like the pop from the engine note. The way the engine sound changes in frequency because of the speed of she shift. If you've heard a Porsche PDK in action, it would make more sense what I'm asking. Sorry, sometimes I use the wrong words....

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Sorry, didn't mean exhaust burbles. More like the pop from the engine note. The way the engine sound changes in frequency because of the speed of she shift. If you've heard a Porsche PDK in action, it would make more sense what I'm asking. Sorry, sometimes I use the wrong words....

Hopefully this helps with this as well.

One of the best sounds my F82 competition made (with exhaust valves "forced" open) was when upshifting and simultaneously letting off the gas after accelerating and hearing that nice "bang/pop" from the engine (although I would argue that the F8x exhaust was a bit too raspy and burbly, which I think the G8x does a nice job of fixing, stock). Just a lack of shift speed more at lower speeds when upshifting when not accelerating full WOT and when slowing and coming to a stop and engine breaking by downshifting (can't be the e9x for this when you're at about 2500-3000 rpm though)

[JTO24]

Interesting... perhaps they should offer a coupon code for us manual guys who want the steering and DSC but obviously can't use the CS transmission flash.