Four tools, four ways of working
- MHD is a phone app with a Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into the car, for BMW's S55 and S58 engines and the Supra. The Super Licence with every map pack costs €499 (flasher only €279, map packs €109 each), and the adapter is sold by MHD's dealers (€88 on sale at TunePoint, one of its dealers). Off-the-shelf maps are built in, and partner tuners write custom files. MHD says a new car needs a new licence (MHD's FAQ).
- bootmod3 works the same way, as an app for phone or computer with its own $99 Wi-Fi adapter, for the same BMW engines and the Supra. A licence costs $595 for one car and includes one off-the-shelf map; all of them cost $100 more on the S55 and S58, $50 on the Supra (bootmod3's S58 page).
- Cobb Accessport is a handheld unit that plugs into the diagnostic port and shows gauges. It is "married" to one car at a time and can move to another after you uninstall it (Cobb's used-Accessport page). It covers the VW and Audi MQB cars, the Mk8 Golf, the Civic Type R FL5 and the GT-R up to 2018, from $770.
- EcuTek is sold only through its tuners, who write a custom file for your car and set the price. You flash with a free phone app and a Bluetooth interface from the tuner, and the licence is charged once per car (EcuTek's terms).
Which tool works on which car
Prices are each maker's list price for the licence or unit. "Unlock" means the engine computer has to be unlocked first, and "US cars" means Cobb lists only US-market versions. Every maker lists model years and markets, so check yours is on the list.
| Car | MHD | bootmod3 | Cobb Accessport | EcuTek |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW M3 / M4 F80 / F82 | Yes, €499 | Yes, $595 | No | Yes |
| BMW M3 / M4 G80 / G82 | Yes, €499 (unlock) | Yes, $595 (unlock) | No | Not listed |
| BMW M2 G87 | Yes, €499 (unlock) | Yes, $595 (unlock) | No | Not listed |
| Toyota GR Supra A90 | Yes, €499 (unlock) | Yes, $595 (unlock) | No | Early ECUs |
| VW Golf GTI / R Mk7, Audi S3 8V | No | No | Yes, $770 | Yes |
| VW Golf GTI / R Mk8 | No | No | Yes, $770 (US cars) | Not listed |
| Audi RS3 8V | No | No | No | Yes |
| Honda Civic Type R FL5 | No | No | Yes, $770 (unlock) | No |
| Nissan GT-R R35 | No | No | 2009–2018, $875–$1,460 | Yes, all years |
Prices as shown on the makers' sites in September 2026, before shipping and import tax. Cobb had a 10% sale until 30 September. None of the four covers the RS3 8Y, RS6 C8, Mustang GT S550, i30 N or A45 S; the guides list the tuners that do.
What to check before you buy
- Locked engine computers. Newer BMWs and Supras come locked: bootmod3 says every G80, G82 and G87 needs an unlock, and MHD says cars built after June 2020 have to send the engine computer to an unlocking service. Cobb says the FL5's computer has to be shipped to Cobb to be unlocked. Ask what the unlock costs and how long the car is off the road.
- The gearbox. On the S55 both MHD and bootmod3 include the DCT gearbox flash. On the VW and Audi cars, Cobb's version with DSG flashing costs $1,195 instead of $770, and on the GT-R the gearbox (TCM) versions cost more.
- Going back to stock. All four can put the factory file back. MHD says flashing back to stock "will always fully remove the unlock", and EcuTek separates a plain stock file from "Return to Factory State", which relocks the computer.
- Flex fuel. All four support ethanol blends on some cars, with a sensor kit, but E85 isn't sold at Israeli filling stations, so the numbers that matter here are the 95 and 98 octane maps.
- The law and your warranty. MHD's pages say "For off road use only". bootmod3 says its tune "may void portions of your vehicle's factory warranty". Cobb sells many Accessports as "50 State Legal" with California approval numbers, which apply in the US only. None of the four says whether a dealer can tell the car was tuned.
Power claims
The makers publish them differently, so they are hard to compare directly. MHD gives horsepower by fuel: on the S58, Stage 1 claims 560 hp on 95 RON and 650 hp on 98–100 RON. bootmod3 gives only percentage gains, and neither says whether the figure is at the crank or the wheels. EcuTek publishes none, because every file is custom. For real figures on your car, open its guide: it lists each tune with the maker's own number and fuel.
Which one should you choose?
On a BMW or Supra the choice is MHD or bootmod3, and the tuner who will write your custom file matters more than the app: ask which one they use. On the VW and Audi cars and the Civic FL5, Cobb is the handheld option (for VW and Audi, see also APR or Unitronic). On the GT-R, Cobb covers cars up to 2018 and EcuTek covers every year.