MHD / XHP adapters / maps, coding etc

[Gableguy]

Hi there, apologies for the noob question but can't find a clear answer.

I've got an LCI E88 135i that's currently stock, looking at DIY tuning options to make it more enjoyable and also maybe some very basic coding.

I had my eye on MHD stage 1 til someone suggested that the xHP actually improves the car more overall. I'm not a huge fan of the DCT - it's great when you floor it, with the quick changes & braps etc, but for gentle driving (which is what we bought it for) it's a bit sh*t in my opinion. Holds gears way too long, lurches to & from standstill, takes forever to shift into reverse.

The engine, meanwhile, is decent in stock form but not as exciting as I'm sure it would be with another 70hp. I reckon just the stage 1 would improve it out of sight. Not looking for dragster performance, just that extra nudge to get her running sub-5s 0-100kmh.

Coding ability would just be used for super basic stuff like changing light voltages, checking errors, maybe getting rid of the super irritating CIC start up pay-attention warning...

So! Question:

Do I need to buy different OBD2 adapters for xHP and MHD? And coding? Or can I use the same basic Ethernet cable into my laptop and run software / install maps from there? Can you do coding that way? With what software?

Any guidance on prioritising between ECU & DCT tunes very welcome, if there's anyone out there who's done both. Don't think I can sneak both past the wife so have to pick one... 😬

[DWN-N-OUT]

I can't speak to the difference between stage 1 MHD and stage 1 xHP specifically as I'm stage 2+ and stage 3 respectively myself but I can say in my case the MHD made the bigger difference. It sounds like you have more issues with the DCT than power so that might make that the priority. As for the OBD2 adapters I've used my MHD adapter for MHD, xHP, and coding with ProTool with no issues.

[Gableguy]

Brilliant, thanks for that! Looks like the starting point is an MHD adapter. I'll be able to use it with our X5 50i too, bonus.

So stage 2+ huh? Catted or catless DP? Just how much louder did it get? Love the idea but again not sure the wife will tolerate it...

[DWN-N-OUT]

I'm catless and it made mine quite a bit louder especially on cold starts but I have the BMW performance exhaust with no resonator or flaps. I'm not sure how much louder it would be with the stock exhaust and the flaps closed. The real issue you'll probably have with the wife and going catless is the smell. Hi-flow catted is an option that would cut down on the smell and the sound and still let you get the performance gains.

[anglocanadian]

I have VRSF high flows and the start up was still very loud. had to go for the MHD low noise start option which causes other problems .