Woolich racing and their gotcha clause

first, I apologise if this should not be posted here. if so feel free to move it or delete it. I just ran into an issue with my woolich racing software and found out something that's not sitting well with me and wanted to let others know.

woolich racing is a company that makes flashing kits for your ecu. much like FTECU. I bought $1253 worth of it. I have the onboard flash cable, logging device, quickshifter with autoblipper, and the zietronix wideband O2 sensor setup for auto tuning. basically everything they offer for the R1 except the pit lane limiter button for the handle bar. I don't have a problem with their system as it works as intended even though it has a few quirks. I do have a problem with how they don't tell you if you don't flash your bike often (every 3 months) they deactivate your account and you have to open a support ticket and wait days for someone to re-activate it. I spent a lot of money on this system, I should be able to use it whenever I feel like it. it's as if my purchase is always being held hostage. what happens if WR goes out of business and my account is dead? I means I can't log into the software and I own $1253 worth of paper weights. the reply I got back from support was snippy. he said you didn't just use this a few months ago it was in 2017. that is not true first of all. second what does that matter? I did just use it a few weeks prior to that. I have a bin file and creation date to prove it. their software dows say the last flash was in 2017 but it's wrong. besides, they have my money, the agreement was I give them money for a product, they send it to me and I own it. apparently not.

there is only 1 guy responding to help tickets apparently. he was a nice guy in the previous contact I had with him. but this time he was snarky. and the company's policy is complete bullshit. I don't feel this is legal in any way so I sent a complaint to the Ohio AG. we will see how it goes.
if anything comes of this at least they should be made to put this "agreement" in the product description before they have your money.

so if you're looking at buying one of these systems just beware that this is how woolich racing conducts business after your purchase, you don't technically own it. I would only recommend FTECU instead after knowing about this "gotcha" clause in their agreement.

if there is any of you guys with issues with FTECU or Woolich please share. I'm not purchasing systems from companies with this kind of policy ever again.

 

It’s slowly going this way with CAD/CAM software . You’ll never actually own the software. Which is what WR is basically doing here.

You still have all the hardware you purchased but, the software needed to use it will be on a subscription type setup.

It sucks but apparently it’s legal

 

the difference here is the stuff I bought wont work without the software letting me log in. I shouldn't have a window of time to use it or it goes away. I was really pissed the morning I was going to make a change to the bike(the quick shift points and auto blip settings) and go hit the track. instead I got a popup that says my account has been deactivated. so i had to basically forget all that for the day. it's bullshit. if you call their help phone number the guy never answers the phone. now I wonder if this is why they closed their forums so many guys complaining publically.

I guess my only option now is to flash the bike every few weeks just to keep my account going so I'm not out in the cold again. the only problem now is after I flashed my bike again just to be sure, it still says the last time I did one is in 2017.

 

Reflashing the bike every few weeks will ensure you have the latest updates. Just trying to give you a "Glass is half full" perspective on it.

 

I just noticed something. their software is showing the wrong computer's name. I have re-installed windows since then due to upgrading to a new SSD drive and changed the name of the laptop. now I wonder if this is the actual problem. i'm going to try to change it to what they show and see if that changes anything.

 

son of a bitch this must be part of the reason. now it says I have it installed on too many computers and I have to contact support lol. if this is all that's going on I will delete this thread.

 

true.. but if your bike is running fine, you shouldn't need to continually update just for the sake of updating. What if someone takes time away from the bike for a few months, for whatever reason ? you can't ride the bike without going through the arduous task of a service ticket? that sucks.
I get zero discounts with FTECU but at least my bike will start and run as it did the last time i rode it if i don't open the software every so often. It is a PITA that you must be connected to the internet to do ANY changes to your mapping, engine braking, shifter kill times, etc.

Edit: saw OP's post above about might be installed on too many computers.

 

Suddenly loving my carb'd bikes even more................

 

I'm just going to put it out there. Don't buy a new 2020 Vette. Lol. Cad. Photoshop. Amb. Lots of places have realized you need this stuff and have figured out how to get you to keep paying for it. I wouldn't want to have to reflash my bike every few months. Especially during the off season

 

Glad the OP may have realized what's going on.

To Melk-Man's point here..Maybe I need to clarify, Sorry. My point about reflashing wasn't about how the bike was running. It's more about the possibility of Woolich wanting their clients to connect their bikes to their service on a regular basis as a way to keep their latest and greatest software releases on all their client's computers as well as the machines they manage with Woolich's software.

 

You have a 2020 Vette? Pics please.

 

Can't send you pictures without express written permission from Chevrolet.

 

It's OK...I'm still kinda thinkin I actually like the ZL1 Camaro better anyway...and it costs less.

 

Gm apparently has made the new ecu unflashable. Crack it and it bricks. I'm just watching to see what the work around will be.

https://www-autoblog-com.cdn.amppro...06/01/2020-chevy-corvette-c8-tuner-proof-ecu/

The Camaro is cool.

 

Yup, Adobe started that shit probably 15 years ago or so claiming you don't buy the software, you buy a license to use the software.

 

Adobe didn’t start that. Software has always been licensed. You don’t own any software unless you wrote it, or legally acquired the source code.

The difference here is between paying for a perpetual license, or paying for a renewable/subscription license. And Adobe didn’t start that either.

 

I think it's complete bullshit you have to have an internet connection to change any of that anyway. Of course they are basically spying to see what everyone is doing. Loving my yec kit more and more. If people stopped buying the bullshit software and buy the kit parts for their bike, companies pulling fucked up stunts like this would stop.

 

i think you are mistaken, you dont have to "flash" your bike to keep your account current (but, i could be wrong). you probably (and should anyway), connect to woolich for firmware/account updates (which are free), to keep your account active and current. we have flashed with both woolich and ftecu, through Hoffer Performacnce, and We Prefer the Woolich stuff, at this time. Ski

 

I am currently in a situation with FTECU over my GSX-S1000s flashed ecu they fucked up and I can’t get it unlocked by them to get it tuned properly.

Pos company and I’ll never touch their shitty product again. Couldn’t get them to unlock it so I bought a ecu used online but it ended up being a California non abs model and it won’t work in my non abs 49 state bike. Found out the hard way and had it shipped directly to Dano’s performance for a flash and found out later after sinking $300 In it that it wouldn't work in my bike. So I’m back to square one with a shit flash in my stock ecu from FTECU. And a $300 paper weight ecu laying on my shop bench.

Called Livengood about it since he’s a Flash Tune dealer and FTECU says they’ll authorize him the license bs to unlock it and flash it back stock so Brian can put a PCV on it and dyno Tune the bike like I shoulda done to begin with. Only problem is he’s backed up next two months before he can get my bike on his dyno.

Screw these ecu flash companies I’m done with using their stuff.