Pro tune vs over the shelf

[sprz31]

I am going to Verocious to get my car dynod and I am thinking about having them take a shot at tuning my car. I see that mostly everyone on here has bought tune/flashes from our vendors, but I am wondering if anyone has gotten a pro tune . I ordered a new ecm and flash from Performance AutoWerks on the 10th and they told me today its going to be 2 or 3 more weeks. I do not know if I want to wait that long. Anyone have some suggestions?

[zzzybil]

my first tune was from a reputable dyno performance shop tuner and it was crap....

.... theres a lotta reasons / excuses why a tune can be good on a dyno then crap on the street.....??......maybe

my guess is that in my situation the tuner had a good deal of experience on various platforms - had done some many times and enjoyed a following and reputation for that success...... in other words just because someone has done a 100 evo's or mustangs .... has those tune receipes down to a science or an art.......doesn't necessarily translate into bring him anything and you'll get the same result... lol...


i wouldn't underestimate the value of "our vendors" experience........ on our particular platform........... they already know the limitations of software and dealing with issues specific to your particular ecm and platform........

dyno guy can figure stuff out deal with any glitches or bugs ..lol.. "limp mode" .... etc.. afterall the vendors did ......why can't he !
awwwwwww it can't be that hard - it came from the factory already bOOsted....
be a sport and let him try.....
.. his experience will come from you....... on your nickel.... times are tuff - give him some work -

you can always have it reflashed back to stock ( make sure he saves that option for you )............ if you aren't happy


.... if he has already done a FEW sols....... and those people are happy - he has pre/post dyno slips of success and some experience ...... i take it all back..

otherwise should you choose to "take a shot"
cuz you are "in a hurry "
get a price up front for repeat dyno tweak time cuz i doubt he'll get it perfect the 1st time....or the 1st day

...... being in a rush may well cost you more time and $$$ in the long run..... than the 2-3 weeks you "can't wait ".......


if you are gettin it dyno'd now ( pre ) for sure you'll be going back for the (post ) after the ecm tune anyways - nope........nevermind in a perfect world - @ verocious -he'll load it on the dyno ( make a "before" slip.... work his magic ... get a "after" slip and you'll be set !...happy ever after......dream on - nothing GOOD is that easy-

my final answer - ? if you choose verocious to tune you - don't rule out that you'll be running back and forth anyways for 2-3 weeks ........

......our vendors have been at it a while...don't kid yourself that dyno boy @ verocious is a pro and our vendors are not- hahaha as if westers garage is not selling professional tunes here

ok you meant no disrespect - justa poor choice of words -
i assume you meant a canned tune vs a shop tune.....

.. your car came with a "canned" tune from the factory....... ( 1 size fits all - nothing individual or special about the tune on your car now -)
all i mean is once it was professionally engineered - they plugged the same one into every car........ the vendors here worked their tails off developing a product - and support it here....... the pro shop guy can blow smoke up your butt about the advantages of letting him do it........ or you can choose the guys here that already did their homework and are not learning on your car - as in proven product

unless you have done something verydifferent than everyone else - some mod you don't have listed -

the tunes here by our vendors are prolly better -

at the least have a hellava lot more hours and study than you can afford to pay an independent dyno shop guy regardless how "good" he is -

our vendors = canned tunes by a pro that includes countless hours into research and development on this particular ecm and platform - some even have hands on in developin software to crack the dayum ecm

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR VENDORS - imo -its wishful thinking imo ... that anyone can "beat their time " on a 1st attempt especially on an essentially oem stock car.........

theres always exceptions and circumstances such as exotic one of a kind modifications to your gxp that would require "individual " specialized "SHOP" tuning considerations and if that were the case - i still think i'd choose one of the vendors here

- lyndon is a icon in the tuning world..

go check out his web page - ......

gm roadster ,psycho steve has talent - i know he does - he helped me when nobody would or could

rpi ? werks ?
pcm forless ??
some like alvin ??

i don't know how many gxp options you have here.... but just guessin a bunch !

figure out who you think is the best -
my suggestion is go with a proven winner - not a darkhorse or long shot - and don't be in a hurry.........thats a sure way to


why the long wait - from werks - did you ask ? something new ? something worth waitin for - or are the ecms just out of stock ?

theres other vendors here ?
i was ubder the impression anything can be "overnight " expressed

[GMADIGXP]

I would still check out cetain shops.......there are some local tuners in areas that are amazing. THese guy run local race programs and have experience. It just depends on the area. In TX there are some amazing tuners. You got "StupidFast" in Houston, shops like Fastlane and HPE. All of them second to none. The other things to consider are atmospheric and barometric conditions. Take Houston, its extremely humid, the tune needs to be taylored for that climate. I wouldn't discount local and go for the mroe cost effective route. I picked up an additional 32 hp and 43 ftlbs on a can tune off of the forum by working with a dyno. Granted it did take many hours to accomplish. Food for thought......

[Codeman]

I would have loved to have the tune done at a shop so I could see it in process, but unfortunately I do not have anyone in the area that is familiar with tuning on our cars.

Just to toss my two cents. I had some problems with the Performance AutoWerks tune and was never able to get to the bottom of it. No turbo spool randomly on the highway (about died a couple of times because of this), random limp mode, etc... Not intending to bash them whatsoever, my experience may well have been a fluke, but it did happen.

Ended up sending the ECU to PCM4Less and it worked right out of the box. Bryan has been extremely helpful making adjustments for me and their customer service has been phenomenal. Obviously Wester's is another highly touted tune as well.

[sprz31]

wow zzzybil seems like my question upset you lol quite a novel. I was under the impression that when you had you car dynod and they tuned it off that...it was reffered to as a pro tune. Obviously I meant no disrespect to our vendors and I have purchased more than $2000 worth of parts from them in the last two weeks.
I figured that our cars issue with going into limp mode and the fact that our vendors already know our cars engine/fuel limitations would be a huge factor. If I gave them a shot and they did a great job that would be awesome, if not I would still have mine coming in the mail. Verocious is a very reputable shop as well, yet I don't know if they have done any SOLS thats why I asked.

Ill pm you codeman as I would like to hear a little more about your tunes issues.

Also.

[oldskool]

I HPtuned my car myself. There are surely a few more HP to squeeze out on a dyno, but i'm sure on my individual car, I'm ahead of a canned tune.

[zzzybil]

my sleep gets backwards sometimes.....i'll sit here drinkin a pot of coffee waitin for the sun.........

... nope not upset...... not at alllllllll.........

.... if you can find a shop with experience on your car great!!!!!!!! allllll i meant was seems most shops specialize in this or that.......and if they aren't already familiar with your model/platform - itll be a learning experience......

hey go for it.... its bound to be entertaining and you might enjoy it........its only $$$$$$$$$

[GMADIGXP]

We used a dyno and hp tuner and are ahead of the curve over a canned tune. If you got the money try it.

[Speedhawg]

If you have the skill set, or the tuner has done a lnf before, and with the Cobalts and HHR's there is more of a chance that they have go for it, like was stated before. A good tuner does not make a good LNF tuner. HP Tuners is what most tuners will use and very good results can be achieved. I have a bit over 285 on my last run and that was on a very conservative dyno. They since have been a victim of the economy. That was before I got rid of the CAT and got a much more aggressive tune. If I can find a new dyno shop with something other than a Dyno Jet inertia dyno I will test again, but I would bet money I am right at 300 or over. The car is way faster than when I did the 285. Lyndon Wester and maybe others will take the dyno sheets and tune from them, that's how he did mine. Now I have just been sending him HPT scans. Like I said as HPT opend up more stuff, hopefully this week, and more tuners tune the other LNF's there will be the option of tuning on a dyno, if you can find a good tuner always the best option. A friend paid $500 to have his GTO tuned on the dyno, it's an LS1 this guy had a good rep tuned a ton of them, and did a decent tune. We read it with HPT and sent a copy to Lyndon Wester, in 20 minutes he sent it back gained almost 20 hp and the car just ran better. Wester's tunes alcohol funny cars, that's good enough for me.

[bun1t]

I would be hard pressed to believe that a canned tune is tuned to max power. Different climates call for different tunes. Most of the vendors will not be able to see if you have spark knock therefore they have to back the timing off a bit to keep it safe for everyone. I've personally watched a handful of LNF's get dyno tuned and I can say that pretty much all of the canned tunes can be improved.

I would also like to say this is the first time I've seen people recommend a canned "one size fits all" tune over a custom dyno tune.

[domer3001]

My experience was that a canned tuned is okay but the car can be set up differently and to prevent issues they tune a canned tune more middle of the road. The shop that did my tune after getting the SC and tune from DDM did a little more fine tuning and got me more top end power that I had with the canned tune but no real HP gains. My guys specialize in Ecotecs and race them so in my humble opinion that could be an advantage.

[Speedhawg]

I just want to mention that at least Wester's has over 30 so called canned tunes, based on what he has done on the dyno with different mods on the car or on results from his fleet of tester's. It could still be made better by a GOOD tuner, or screwed up by one with little LNF experience. Most tuners are scared by the very high AFR's our cars run at due to the DI. I have heard Trifecta is doing some really cool stuff with the LNF, they are in Seattle.

[zzzybil]

Originally Posted by bun1t I would be hard pressed to believe that a canned tune is tuned to max power. Different climates call for different tunes. Most of the vendors will not be able to see if you have spark knock therefore they have to back the timing off a bit to keep it safe for everyone. I've personally watched a handful of LNF's get dyno tuned and I can say that pretty much all of the canned tunes can be improved. I would also like to say this is the first time I've seen people recommend a canned "one size fits all" tune over a custom dyno tune.

lol.... at 1st glance its reeeeedickulous ..lol.. maybe it is ridiculous....
would you pick the heart surgeon fresh outta school - be his 1st ? or want experience
do your goals include longevity or just max..... ?

no doubt - you could always squeek more out - depends on each individual's comfort zone what margin of safety......etc etc.... lol..

the weather the day of the dyno if you're just talkin "MAX TUNE" .... its july and the results would be diff "better" in january.... the dyno guy still has to hopefully take that in consideration .........

i'm about to get my own lesson in altitude ??? i'm no expert - i think that matters ?? how much i don't know yet

geeeezzz 30 flavors !!...( i was guessing 3-5 versions for various mods or degree of expectations- wow - 30 ??? besides for mind boggling
thats pretty much picking which end of the spectrum lol....


i can't imagine /are there are that many assortments of mods available for gxp owners ? - for 30 choices of tunes ...lol....wow

i'd pick the guy with 30 flavors ..lol...
instead of bring it on and lets see what it'll do......

... i'm old and prefer experince...lol......... been there with the "think i can " some adventures "learn as you go are fine" - sometimes nothing beats experience