My response to your initial question re mods -install a Throttle Controller. It's a 'plug and play' mod that delivers phenomenal bang for buck! It's far cheaper than a remap or tune and easily reversible, although once you've experienced the added punch, why you'd ever want to go back to stock is beyond me!
There's another Aussie on this forum with an oil burner who installed one and his very positive experience prompted me to pull the pin and get one.
I purchased an Eittar brand unit on AliExpress for $75 AUD shipped to Australia. Install was a breeze and would have been a five minute job if it hadn't been for the oem throttle connector which was very, very tight. In the end, brute force and pig ignorance won the day. Removing the lower dash panel above the peddles makes access to that connector a lot easier.
Bottom line up front: Does it make a difference? To my auto, the answer is yes, does it ever!
The unit I purchased has five settings: four "race" modes; and an econ mode, each with nine sub-settings. You can also turn it off which takes the car back to stock. Aside from the econ mode which, IMHO is really only useful for non sports car owners but off-roaders who appreciate a slow throttle response when negotiating very rough ground, all four "race" modes offer an increase in throttle responsiveness. I've settled on race mode 2, setting 5 which makes my RCZ about as responsive as my Hyundai Kona 1.6 turbo, 7 speed DCT, which in Sport mode is plenty quick enough for me.
Coz I'm a bloke, yes, I've tried all of the race settings up to mode 4.9 which delivers Spaceball's famed, "ludicrous speed" but made me very anxious for my auto transmission. Guess I'm showing my age but IMO, every settling above say, mode 3.5 makes even the RCZ auto a bit of a handful in the 'burbs but would be very grin inducing on a twisty road.
There are plenty of YouTube videos on throttle controller installs on other cars that are worth watching if you're sceptical, as I was initially.
Best bang for $75 bucks you can get I reckon!
There's another Aussie on this forum with an oil burner who installed one and his very positive experience prompted me to pull the pin and get one.
I purchased an Eittar brand unit on AliExpress for $75 AUD shipped to Australia. Install was a breeze and would have been a five minute job if it hadn't been for the oem throttle connector which was very, very tight. In the end, brute force and pig ignorance won the day. Removing the lower dash panel above the peddles makes access to that connector a lot easier.
Bottom line up front: Does it make a difference? To my auto, the answer is yes, does it ever!
The unit I purchased has five settings: four "race" modes; and an econ mode, each with nine sub-settings. You can also turn it off which takes the car back to stock. Aside from the econ mode which, IMHO is really only useful for non sports car owners but off-roaders who appreciate a slow throttle response when negotiating very rough ground, all four "race" modes offer an increase in throttle responsiveness. I've settled on race mode 2, setting 5 which makes my RCZ about as responsive as my Hyundai Kona 1.6 turbo, 7 speed DCT, which in Sport mode is plenty quick enough for me.
Coz I'm a bloke, yes, I've tried all of the race settings up to mode 4.9 which delivers Spaceball's famed, "ludicrous speed" but made me very anxious for my auto transmission. Guess I'm showing my age but IMO, every settling above say, mode 3.5 makes even the RCZ auto a bit of a handful in the 'burbs but would be very grin inducing on a twisty road.
There are plenty of YouTube videos on throttle controller installs on other cars that are worth watching if you're sceptical, as I was initially.
Best bang for $75 bucks you can get I reckon!