Sad to hear someone remark like that.
Those cheap chips have much more engineering in them then any of the aftermarkets. I would seriously doubt any of the aftermarket ecms spend .01% of what GM does in a year for engine management R+D. Not to mention that they've cruised along as long as possible before making any changes, and the changes they're making are towards making them more oem like.
With the MEs, and Translators running 9s and 10s, I guess the only real need for the aftermarkets might be when you get into the 7s and 8s.
Ya, there's some chips being sold that are laughable, but the chip systems like the T+, and MEs are well thoughtout and designed items, IMO.
Not to mention fixing the IAC driver in my Gen VI was $200, and lately I've been running 60s with a stock Syclone ecm, which I've bought several of for $35.
IMO, the aftermarkets are gonna have to get a whole bunch better to be worth what they're charging. Granted if you just have more money then time, they can be quicker to get initially up and running. But, it still takes track time to dial a system in. While they like to hype Closed Loop WOT, you still have to make pass after pass to find the best AFR, just as you would without the closed loop. Not to mention Closed Loop WOT has now been done with the oem ecm.
I'm not anti-aftermarket, I just haven't seen one that's really cost effective for me.
