whats the best tuner/programmers for '09-'10
07-02-2010, 01:41 PM
#22
you'll love it. you may not think the difference is that huge but wait a few months and get use to how the truck drives and reflash it back to stock and you'll really see what a turd it is on the stock tune.
these tunes just make the truck behave like it should from the factory
07-03-2010, 06:48 AM
#23
Senior Member
I think you'll find the majority of tuners out there use SCT. I know people will chime in with their opinions but, myself, I wouldn't use anything else.
I've used SCT for quite a few years now and have been very pleased with the custom tunes. So I would recommend SCT for your truck.
My advice would be to:
1) Use a reputable tuner.
2) get a custom tune, DO NOT use a generic or canned tune, they're junk.
I've used SCT for quite a few years now and have been very pleased with the custom tunes. So I would recommend SCT for your truck.
My advice would be to:
1) Use a reputable tuner.
2) get a custom tune, DO NOT use a generic or canned tune, they're junk.
I looked at the SCT SF3 device. If I were doing constant mods and throwing a lot of money at the truck, I'd need more than what the SCT SF3 does and would likely purchase HP Tuners. That SCT SF3 device allows settings which most other programmers like Superchips do not include. I liked what I saw in the SCT SF3 device. Looks like a great product.
As for a custom tune, well, my race car cost me $450 for the initial tune and subsequent 'tweeks' cost me from $150-$200, which was everytime I changed something. All-in-all, I spent about $2,200 on tuning my race car in about a 4-year time period. When my tuner finally started tuning the car for nearly nothing, what does he do? He moves to Indiana. If I ever get into seriously modding another vehicle, I'll buy HP Tuners and tune it myself.
On my truck, I just want a little better throttle response, firmer shifts, tire size adjustment (when my Michelein's wear out), and just a little more RWTQ/RWHP, which the Superchips device will give me for about $150 less than the SCT SF3, after tax.
My first tune on my Trans Am was a Superchips and it wasn't junk. It was a safe tune and showed good numbers on the Dyna-Jet after a baseline run and a 2-hour cool-down period. Many 'canned tunes' truly are junk, as you say. However, Superchips is just 10 miles down the road from my house and these guys R&D their products thoruoghly and they're good. So, I think I'll stick with a product I have used in the past, but, only because it's the cheapest 'right' solution to take care of my needs/goals for the truck.
Thanks for responding with my quote. I really do appreciate your advice. It's good advice for someone who wants to learn a little about tuning and get the most 'bang-for-the-buck' for a lot of modding.
Last edited by jeb99ta; 07-03-2010 at 06:52 AM. Reason: grammatical error corrections
07-03-2010, 10:21 AM
#24
I looked at the SCT SF3 device. If I were doing constant mods and throwing a lot of money at the truck, I'd need more than what the SCT SF3 does and would likely purchase HP Tuners. That SCT SF3 device allows settings which most other programmers like Superchips do not include. I liked what I saw in the SCT SF3 device. Looks like a great product.
As for a custom tune, well, my race car cost me $450 for the initial tune and subsequent 'tweeks' cost me from $150-$200, which was everytime I changed something. All-in-all, I spent about $2,200 on tuning my race car in about a 4-year time period. When my tuner finally started tuning the car for nearly nothing, what does he do? He moves to Indiana. If I ever get into seriously modding another vehicle, I'll buy HP Tuners and tune it myself.
On my truck, I just want a little better throttle response, firmer shifts, tire size adjustment (when my Michelein's wear out), and just a little more RWTQ/RWHP, which the Superchips device will give me for about $150 less than the SCT SF3, after tax.
My first tune on my Trans Am was a Superchips and it wasn't junk. It was a safe tune and showed good numbers on the Dyna-Jet after a baseline run and a 2-hour cool-down period. Many 'canned tunes' truly are junk, as you say. However, Superchips is just 10 miles down the road from my house and these guys R&D their products thoruoghly and they're good. So, I think I'll stick with a product I have used in the past, but, only because it's the cheapest 'right' solution to take care of my needs/goals for the truck.
Thanks for responding with my quote. I really do appreciate your advice. It's good advice for someone who wants to learn a little about tuning and get the most 'bang-for-the-buck' for a lot of modding.
As for a custom tune, well, my race car cost me $450 for the initial tune and subsequent 'tweeks' cost me from $150-$200, which was everytime I changed something. All-in-all, I spent about $2,200 on tuning my race car in about a 4-year time period. When my tuner finally started tuning the car for nearly nothing, what does he do? He moves to Indiana. If I ever get into seriously modding another vehicle, I'll buy HP Tuners and tune it myself.
On my truck, I just want a little better throttle response, firmer shifts, tire size adjustment (when my Michelein's wear out), and just a little more RWTQ/RWHP, which the Superchips device will give me for about $150 less than the SCT SF3, after tax.
My first tune on my Trans Am was a Superchips and it wasn't junk. It was a safe tune and showed good numbers on the Dyna-Jet after a baseline run and a 2-hour cool-down period. Many 'canned tunes' truly are junk, as you say. However, Superchips is just 10 miles down the road from my house and these guys R&D their products thoruoghly and they're good. So, I think I'll stick with a product I have used in the past, but, only because it's the cheapest 'right' solution to take care of my needs/goals for the truck.
Thanks for responding with my quote. I really do appreciate your advice. It's good advice for someone who wants to learn a little about tuning and get the most 'bang-for-the-buck' for a lot of modding.
Absolutely right. Your third option would be to tune it yourself and I've thought about buying the sotware to tune my Cobra myself. Re-tunes can get a little expensive as you found out.
The average guy though has no idea how to do this and to be perfectly honest, it's a truck, and I would imagine that 99% of the owners just want to install a tune and forget about it.
Most people won't even pick their handheld device again unless they change a gear or tire size which can be can be done using the handheld.
I guess the most important part is to make very certain that whatever handheld you end up using that the person you buy the custom tune from is VERY reputable.
I choose to use SCT since it's what I've always used and like I said before, the majority of custom tuners use SCT software to tune
07-04-2010, 01:44 AM
#25
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you'll love it. you may not think the difference is that huge but wait a few months and get use to how the truck drives and reflash it back to stock and you'll really see what a turd it is on the stock tune.
these tunes just make the truck behave like it should from the factory
these tunes just make the truck behave like it should from the factory
07-04-2010, 09:27 AM
#26
There should be some increase since better mpgs are geneally a bi-product of tuning, my 500 rwhp Cobra gets 25-27 mpg (only if I drive it reasonably. And that rarely happens...lol)
Last edited by TRMIN8TR; 07-04-2010 at 09:29 AM.
07-16-2010, 01:32 PM
#27
Member
I just received my tuner from VMP and am happy with the results. I ordered the 87 perf, 91 perf and 91 towing tunes. The truck is a lot better now, the factory throttle response is really lazy compared to the new tunes. I am running the 91 perf tune now and have noticed about 1-2 litre/100km improvement with this tune. This is driving half highway at 110-115km/hr and a little city driving.
07-17-2010, 04:12 PM
#29
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Yes approx 30 min to flash a custom tune (hook up a 2amp battery charger for "insurance" during flash). Reinstalling flashing factory "tune" is easy and takes less than 8 minutes.
07-18-2010, 11:32 AM
#30
Sounds like this is exactly what I need to do. I hate the poor throttle response. Never used a tuner before.
1 - I see from the VMP site there is a "programmer/flasher" device. Am I correct that I need to buy that, AND the actually tuning that I want?
2 - What is the total average price for this? From above, I'm not 100% certain what is involved.
3 - Easy to do? Does this just plug into the same port as my OBDII reader?
Thanks guys!
1 - I see from the VMP site there is a "programmer/flasher" device. Am I correct that I need to buy that, AND the actually tuning that I want?
2 - What is the total average price for this? From above, I'm not 100% certain what is involved.
3 - Easy to do? Does this just plug into the same port as my OBDII reader?
Thanks guys!