View Full Version : My positive experiences with RMS


jcarp
05-04-2002, 09:58 PM
A couple of weeks ago psk145 started a thread about his experience with RMS. I’m sorry he had the problems he described and I would never defend someone who knowingly sells a used part as new, but there are always two sides to any story and I don’t think RMS should be condemned and dismissed as a potential vendor by other board members without the opportunity to refute the charges.

They seem to be getting a bad reputation on Internet forums based on a lot of hearsay evidence (psk145’s personal experience aside) and rehashing of the same old stories as if they just happened. I have had a lot of direct experience with Osh and company over the past couple of years and it has been exactly the opposite of what’s been described here.

I also understand and agree with Mcubed’s comments on the software making the package and agree that the first versions were lacking especially if you wanted to increase boost. The hardware was available long before the software (the same was true with Dinan), however that’s not the case anymore. You can now change pulleys and injectors and get your DME remapped to match your configuration and returned overnight.

Lastly I agree with SilverStreak that RMS has had too much turn over with their customer service people, which hurt continuity and the acquired product knowledge that comes with it. Nevertheless I’ve always gotten an answer to my many questions over the past couple of years and Osh has always returned my calls, maybe not until later in the day or early evening after he’s finished working but he’s always called back and answered my questions.

Before I bought my SC from RMS I had spent several thousand of dollars on Dinan products (since replaced) and thought I would go that route for my blower, but the lack of an intercooler option and the less than perfect software (the same cold start and lean fuel mixtures that people complained about with RMS) made me decide that RMS had the best system for the money.

As others have stated the quality of the hardware was excellent. I started out with the Vortec SQII and 6” intercooler, added the ltw flywheel and Sachs clutch, the oil cooler and finally upgraded to the 8 rib belt and pulleys with the larger 9” aftercooler. Everything was always shipped out overnight at my request and if they didn’t have a part for something in stock they’d contact their supplier and have it sent directly to me via FedEx.

Mine was the first SC the talented guys at Carb Connection in Kirkland, WA had ever installed on a BMW so there was plenty of discussions back and forth between them, Osh and myself about the ‘finer details’ (we had a hell of a time getting the fan to stop self destructing – now I no longer even need one).

While dealing with RMS on their products I was also buying parts (transmission, rear ends, brake kit, roll bar etc, etc) from the many other suppliers we all know and as such experienced the whole gamut of customer service against which to measure RMS. I had serious problems with products I bought from people who advertise on this board and a lot of money was spent on labor for replacements, but that doesn’t make them bad vendors and I still recommend them. I understand from my own business that mistakes happen and sometimes customers are just unreasonable in their demands.

My point to the dissertation is this, while some of you have complaints that were not resolved to your satisfaction, many others have had a very positive and satisfactory experience dealing with RMS. I know because I’ve spoken to many of them by phone and email discussing additional upgrades. Unfortunately it’s often only the bad stories that get repeated in forums such as this because people who are satisfied are generally not motivated to write about it as are people who feel they’ve been wronged.

So if you’ve been hesitant to buy a SC kit from RMS, feel free to email me and I’ll give you all the details of my experience (the good, the bad, and the ugly) so you can make an informed decision and I can refer you to many other customers who’ll do the same. Or if you’d rather just flame my opinion in this thread , feel free it doesn’t bother me.

I upgraded to the 36# injectors today, had Osh remap the DME and overnight it back to me. The car has never run better, virtually like it did stock. A/F at WOT is down to a max of 12 .4 to 1 where I wanted it and I’m making a healthy and repeatable 355hp – enough said!

John

paul e
05-05-2002, 01:40 AM
I upgraded to the 36# injectors today

John...just curious...Why did you need to go to 36lb injectors to produce 355 rhwp? Im producing near 350 with the standard dinan, I believe, 28.8lb injectors.

jcarp
05-05-2002, 01:05 PM
I did it to adjust my A/F ratio. I also originally made 350 hp on my very first dyno run with just 7 lbs of boost 2 years ago, but it soon fell back to 320 and was running lean.

I agree with Jim C and Steve Dinan that comparing dyno numbers from the same machine with varying enviromential conditions (yet alone across the country) is virtually worthless. It's not the absolute numbers I'm looking for but the characteristics of the graphs from run to run.

Yesterday a brand new Z06 with a rated 405 hp went ahead of me and couldn't break rw 300hp on that dyno on that day. He was disappointed but I was not surprised. By the way it is a dynojet machine and the temp was cool and humid but airflow is rather restricted (especially since my car only has a small push fan in front).

On a different dyno and different conditions I could see vastly different numbers according to the tuners who know more about this than I ever will.

John

paul e
05-05-2002, 02:50 PM
On a different dyno and different conditions I could see vastly different numbers according to the tuners who know more about this than I ever will

Yea..I know Jim C is always saying this....So then dynos are useless for our cars...ie, if there's no consistance between runs, as you said, then there is no reliability or validity to the results. So we who take dyno measurements are just fooling ourselves? It cant even be used to validate performance upgrades. So what good is it? Moreover, if dynoruns cant be trusted, then there's no way, other than circumstantial evidence, to measure how much power are cars are making...the whole thing is a sham!

So where does that leave us?

SilverStreak
05-06-2002, 10:22 AM
I will chime in again and say that I have been very pleased with RMS, their products, and especially their customer service. And Phillip (aka ///M Roadster) has also had a pretty good experience there.

There is a guy I know in Colorado who has had a heck of a time with his RMS s/c on his 2000 M Roadster, high elevation and all, plus he did the install himself, not dyno tune, etc, Osh got on a plane, flew to him, tuned and re-tuned his car for him, brought along his laptop to remap his ECU while on a test run, etc. THAT's customer service when the company's President flies to your house.

Again, I know others have had software issues and psk got a used part (unforgiveable!) but my personal first hand experience with RMS has been very good, and I will continue to recommend them to others...

///MINI
05-06-2002, 12:54 PM
I spent this past weekend behind the wheel of my newly aftercooled M Roadster and all I can say is WOW!!! I love this product. I really notice a bigger difference between Stage 1 and 2. As for RMS, the aftercooler and pulley came in prompt fashion and the software was emailed right on time. No problems there. If I had to do it all over again, I would only change one thing. That is, I would have waited until ALL the parts from the Stage 1 arrived before dropping my car off. That was probably the root of much of my waiting frustrations. But, the performance of my car has erased all the memories of those days of waiting.

I bet my RMS set up versus another M Roadster with the Dinan setup would be interesting to say the least.

By the way, we redynoed my car with the Stage 1 to use as a baseline and it pulled 323hp. I am putting some miles on the car before we do a final Stage 2 dyno, but the intial one after just installing the aftercooler and pulley read 335hp. We are hoping for 340-350hp. Crossing fingers.

psk145
05-06-2002, 12:59 PM
Glad to hear that Osh is finally getting it together. Hopefully his committment to customer satisfaction will remain a priority. They have an outstanding product, and if they can keep their customers as the #1 priority, they have no where to go but up. Glad to hear things are working out for people!!!

LUIS
05-06-2002, 01:05 PM
I a have a 98 M3 with the RMS stage2 setup. The car in the begining had some software problems. But since I have gone with the 36# injectors and a new software program Osh has been working on it been all great fun. The car was dynoed @ 345 @ the rear wheels. So I think it is running great. I have taken the car to the track and my best time was 12.89 @ 109 mph. One thing I am interested in getting is Aquamist but do not know if is worth it. I spoke with Jcarp and he thinks its great. So if any other info on Aquamist please email me.

Thanks

kitwetzler
05-06-2002, 01:54 PM
Wow. Those are some great dyno numbers, and a 12.89 is darn fast. What were your 60 foot times on that run?

Also, what clutch are you guys running?

Jcarp- I hope you're running some sort of electric fan. The M3 is dependent on the engine driven fan for airflow management in the engine bay... it gets pretty crispy hot in there without a fan. I'm running a medium performance spal. It's loud but flow more than the stock fan and fits without a problem... of course, when I go to the 8 rib pulley, I might have to look a little closer.

-kit

jcarp
05-06-2002, 02:49 PM
I used to run 2 electric SPAL fans, one push and one pull, but on hot summer days blowing down the straight aways at WOT would still cause the temperature to rise and I end up running the heater - rather uncomfortable even with the top down at 140mph.

Then I bought a double core aluminum radiator designed by Dinan for race applications without using a fan and it works great. I have the push fan still installed in front of the aftercooler radiator and it runs full time.

LUIS
05-06-2002, 02:57 PM
My 60' time was 1.82. I am using a sachs sport clutch.

SilverStreak
05-06-2002, 03:28 PM
Stock clutch... for now... :D

paul e
05-06-2002, 07:43 PM
The car was dynoed @ 345 @ the rear wheels. So I think it is running great. I have taken the car to the track and my best time was 12.89 @ 109

Sounds like its running well...Similar numbers to mine...I did mine with with 11 redline psi...How much boost do you make at redline? And, on your 345 hp run, what was your peak torque? Mine was 286 at the wheel.

///MINI
05-15-2002, 09:24 AM
bump