Performance Tuning
Performance tuning is exciting, with more horsepower, and an infinite smile on your face.
However, there is a Dark Side to tuning that is never spoken about.
Tuning is basically altering the engine management software to raise limits on fueling, boost, timing, amongst other things to gain more power. Sounds simple enough? Well, there are other factors you should consider:
1. Tuners are always excited about how much power you can gain from their tune, but none will tell you the impact on reliability. Any vehicle, regardless of make or model, when tasked with more load and power, will have a shorter life span. Every component in the vehicle will have to deal with the increased power, meaning more things will wear out faster or break, thus increasing maintenance and repair costs for your vehicle. This is a reality that is deliberately ignored by your Tuner.
2. Most prominent "Tuners" out there are not mechanics, there is very little understanding on the impact of the tune, and how it actually works. This is crucial when performing preventative maintenance and when driving the vehicle while logging all parameters to see how the engine is performing pre and post tune.
3. No two engines are the same! You could have identical golf GTIs or identical BMWs and their condition couldn't be more apart. Vehicles are driven and maintained differently. One vehicle could be driven at redline all its life by a teenager, and the same vehicle could be driven by a grandmother for grocery shopping. Therefore, we tune cars to the condition of the vehicle. All too often the main question a tuner would ask is "which stage would you like?" Flash the software, take your money, and wait for your vehicle to fall apart as he skins you for every dollar you have. It's a very profitable business!!
4. There are many tunes out there, so many options, and they sell you so many supporting mods to go with it. Take cone air intakes, for example, most of the time, they take away horsepower as they suck in all the hot air from your engine bay. A performance cold box is always going to outperform the cone intake. Yet every tuner would sell you one, and they are happy to show you how cool it sounds!!
5. DYNO Time. Most tuners with a dyno are going to either show you how much horsepower you made (regardless of how you got there), even if it was a momentary spike of power, and the vehicle power curve was flat for most of the run, the top number is what they sell you on.
The other trick we noticed is the manipulation of dyno data. Smoothing values, elevations above sea level, humidity, and temperature are all correcting factors that can add or take away horsepower. That's how the new tuner could be showing you more power from their tune than your previous tuner. Pretty convincing, and you hand over your money.
We like to assess each vehicle individually, pair the correct tune that would suit your needs, test the vehicle properly. We may not set any horsepower records in a standard setup, but it will be reliable power that can be used every day.
We don't push any tune brand. However, we do use a tuning platform that we have had great safety features in place and we've seen great results from. We are here purely to provide you the BEST solution for your vehicle
We are Authorized tuners and retailers for MHD tuning, XHP tuning, Motiv Motorsport "Reflex Plus" and much more.
Please contact us on 0800 276968 or email info@eurolab.co.nz and we can discuss power options for your vehicle.
