Should I tune my car?

Most older vehicles with non-electronic ignitions should be tuned every 10,000 to 12,000 miles or every year, whichever comes first. Newer cars with electronic ignition and fuel injection systems are scheduled to go from 25,000 miles to as many as 100,000 miles without needing a major tune-up.

Is a tune good for your car?

A good tune-up will ensure that your vehicle is running at optimum efficiency before any performance tuning takes place. You should always take your car to the tuner when it's running at its best, not when it needs help to run optimally.

When should you tune your car?

Typically older vehicles that have non-electric ignitions should be serviced at least every 10,000 to 12,000 miles or yearly. Vehicles that are newer with fuel injection systems and electronic ignition should be serviced every 25,000 to 100,000 miles without needing a serious tune-up.

How much does a tune cost?

Money equates to time. Each setup is different, and also depending on what type of system is being used (piggy back, chip, stand-alone, supercharged, naturally aspirated, street or race only, etc) tune costs can range from $250 to $1500. Don't be afraid to spend money on a good tune.

What happens if you don't tune your car?

Naturally, your vehicle should travel straight if not being steered. If it doesn't, it means your wheels are out of alignment, which is bad for your fuel economy, as well as your ability to handle the vehicle. Wheel alignments are traditionally covered in vehicle tune-ups, so get this problem fixed as soon as possible.

TUNING | How it Works

Does a tune increase HP?

For a general stock car (i.e. no additional performance parts), a tune will boost your hp by 10 to 15 percent. What's more is that if you've added performance parts to your vehicle such as cold air intake, exhaust, or turbo, the hp boost you gain from tuning may be as high as 50 percent more!

What is a Stage 1 tune?

A stage 1 tune is simply an ECU remap or chip tune. This is the most cost-effective way to modify any vehicle for performance. Turbo-diesel and turbo-petrol vehicles respond extremely well to stage 1 tuning and commonly see a 20 – 40% increase in bhp and torque.

What is the benefit of tuning car?

Tuning the car engine will offer you a cleaner burn. This will ensure the efficiency and correct functionality of your vehicle. You can get the most out of your engine, timing, fuel/air ratio, transmission and others. The cleaner burn means more power and less build-up.

Do cars drive better after tune up?

Tune ups ensure that all parts of your car are working as efficiently as possible, not just for your safety, but for your wallet. Properly tuned engines can improve your car's mileage by an average of 4%, since these inspections catch small aspects that can hurt your everyday mileage, like improperly inflated tires.

Does tuning your car use more fuel?

So no, tuning usually gives you more power, but even if in theory it could give you a fuel efficiency gain, in fact it will increase emissions a lot more to get that. Example: the FIRE engine from FIAT was developed to run lean and efficient, but it produced NOx.

How much is it for a dyno tune?

Taking your car to a dyno tuning garage is the best way to not only improve performance, boost horsepower, and make the engine run more efficiently. However, initial costs can start at $400 to $700.

What is a Stage 5 tune?

Stage 5: this would be a custom high compression big bore combination. It includes comprehensive headwork and aggressive cam. Requires larger throttle body & injectors as well as additional supportive mods. Would be considered fuel & tune sensitive.

What is a Stage 6 tune?

Stage6 Tuning is the tuning department of Stage6. Tuning parts from engine to transmission, intake to exhaust are constantly being redeveloped, tested and optimized in order to then bring these high-quality tuning components to the market and make them available to everyone.

What is a Stage 3 turbo?

Stage 3 modifications are known by most as a track day modification. Similarly, to stage 2, they will also require other mods to support them but they are usually less ideal for road use due to there aggressiveness. A stage 3 modified car will need to be regularly overhauled and serviced.

Are tuners worth the money?

The bottom line is that high-quality engine performance tuners are absolutely worth the money. The shift firmness on its own makes this a great investment. By retuning your car's engine for performance, you'll boost torque and gain increased power output.

How can I add 200 hp to my car?

Does a cold air intake increase HP?

Cold air intake systems can increase horsepower by replacing the restrictive stock intake, with components that are designed to handle a much larger volume of air.

Is a Stage 1 tune worth it?

A Stage 1 tune will provide a noticeable difference in horsepower while maintaining the same level of fuel economy. The average increase in HP is 20%.

Are tuner chips worth it?

Because this practice continues to be widely spread, it brings many of us to question, “Do performance chips work?” The answer is yes. Performance chips provide a substantial boost in torque output and overall vehicle performance.

Is Stage 2 tune safe?

With a Stage II tune, you're nowhere near the danger zone unless you try it without supporting mods!

What is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 tune?

A stage represents a set of upgrades fitted as a set. As you might expect, a stage is how far you've gone with tuning part of your car. Stage 2 represents a more tuned car than stage 1. Where things can get a bit confusing is that what each “stage” means can vary from car to car, and even from tuner to tuner.

What kind of tunes are there for cars?

There are four basic categories of tuning and customizing vehicles: Engine tuning, suspension tuning, body tuning and interior tuning.

How long does it take to tune a car?

For most vehicles, a tune-up will take between two and four hours. It's likely that newer, computerized vehicles would require tuning at the higher speed end of the spectrum. In order to properly tune an older car, which contains several mechanical elements, it would take longer.

Can you tune a car yourself?

Even though tuning your own vehicle is more difficult than following the tips for driving a lowered car, it can be a very worthwhile endeavor for many car owners. Before you begin, make sure you have an appropriate ECU reflashing tool and corresponding software, laptop, gauges, and access to a dynamometer.