Do any tuners offer warranty?
#17
Racer
I honestly wonder how many people actually get any use of a tune.
When i did my PEC delivery and had the demo laps from the pro driver, i was holding on for dear life. Never thought I'd feel like a grandma, but there i was, holding on to the armrest harder than anything I've held onto before, and using all my neck muscles to keep my head from banging around the cabin. It was in that moment that I realized i will NEVER drive this car to its full capabilities.
If you track it and are able to get all its glory out of it, i get it. But otherwise, my unsolicited advice is to take some track lessons and learn how to get all out of the car before getting a tune. Then if you still crave more, make that decision.
But like others have said, dont count on any warranty. just be prepared to drop 80k if something happens.
When i did my PEC delivery and had the demo laps from the pro driver, i was holding on for dear life. Never thought I'd feel like a grandma, but there i was, holding on to the armrest harder than anything I've held onto before, and using all my neck muscles to keep my head from banging around the cabin. It was in that moment that I realized i will NEVER drive this car to its full capabilities.
If you track it and are able to get all its glory out of it, i get it. But otherwise, my unsolicited advice is to take some track lessons and learn how to get all out of the car before getting a tune. Then if you still crave more, make that decision.
But like others have said, dont count on any warranty. just be prepared to drop 80k if something happens.
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AlexCeres (01-22-2023)
#18
#19
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
That's apples & oranges and even less of a reason to use their tune. Virtually all racing teams out there consider all parts down to the pistons to be replaceable/disposable items in their race cars after each race. Can you say the same for your personal car (and the finances that come with that)? If not, then why would you think that is the tuning company for you?
#20
Race Car
It helps to use a tune from a respected, well known tuning outfit with a solid reputation vs a local Joe Scmuck who just bought a dyno at an auction is now in the "tuning" business.
Most of the aftermarket tunes from the supporting vendors here are not overly aggressive and well within the limits of the very stout 911 powerplant.
I have yet to hear of anyone "blowing" a motor with a tune from a first class tuner.
Most of the aftermarket tunes from the supporting vendors here are not overly aggressive and well within the limits of the very stout 911 powerplant.
I have yet to hear of anyone "blowing" a motor with a tune from a first class tuner.
#21
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
It's also a matter of blind trust that Porsche will make an engine that's bulletproof. If there's an inherent problem with the engine AND a tune, the latter will be at fault as they don't actually investigate when they can blame (much simpler and cheaper for VW).
We know they never mess up with their engineer. IMS, GT3 fires, PDK stumble, GT4 boltgate, all the electronic stupidity on the 992, the numerous lemon taycans and so on are just flukes.
We know they never mess up with their engineer. IMS, GT3 fires, PDK stumble, GT4 boltgate, all the electronic stupidity on the 992, the numerous lemon taycans and so on are just flukes.
#24
Burning Brakes
Most off-the-self or piggyback tunes are pretty mild and not likely to damage the engine. The problem comes if something goes wrong with the engine that is unrelated to the tune, the dealer will blame the tune and that will be that.
I would not tune a car if you live in a place with emissions testing. Sometimes you get a check engine light, usually right around the time the emissions testing is due. You can reset the light with the Accessport but it takes a while for all of the parameters needed to pass the emissions test to come back to ready. It is a PIA.
The most successful tuning I ever did was with an E85 conversion on a GTR and a custom tune from a senior Cobb Tuning tuner who did some custom work on the side. This required some major component swap out; intakes, injectors, fuel delivery system, fuel pumps, CATs, spacers and exhaust. If you want to gain a few 100 HP then you have to modify the car to handle that extra air, fuel and exhaust or you will get fault codes and check engine lights. I do not think it is worth the risk to do one of these flash or piggyback tunes just to gain 25 to 50 HP. You could try some BMC filters and a higher flow exhaust to gain maybe 20 HP and not risk doing anything that could void your warranty.
I would not tune a car if you live in a place with emissions testing. Sometimes you get a check engine light, usually right around the time the emissions testing is due. You can reset the light with the Accessport but it takes a while for all of the parameters needed to pass the emissions test to come back to ready. It is a PIA.
The most successful tuning I ever did was with an E85 conversion on a GTR and a custom tune from a senior Cobb Tuning tuner who did some custom work on the side. This required some major component swap out; intakes, injectors, fuel delivery system, fuel pumps, CATs, spacers and exhaust. If you want to gain a few 100 HP then you have to modify the car to handle that extra air, fuel and exhaust or you will get fault codes and check engine lights. I do not think it is worth the risk to do one of these flash or piggyback tunes just to gain 25 to 50 HP. You could try some BMC filters and a higher flow exhaust to gain maybe 20 HP and not risk doing anything that could void your warranty.
#25
Most off-the-self or piggyback tunes are pretty mild and not likely to damage the engine. The problem comes if something goes wrong with the engine that is unrelated to the tune, the dealer will blame the tune and that will be that.
I would not tune a car if you live in a place with emissions testing. Sometimes you get a check engine light, usually right around the time the emissions testing is due. You can reset the light with the Accessport but it takes a while for all of the parameters needed to pass the emissions test to come back to ready. It is a PIA.
The most successful tuning I ever did was with an E85 conversion on a GTR and a custom tune from a senior Cobb Tuning tuner who did some custom work on the side. This required some major component swap out; intakes, injectors, fuel delivery system, fuel pumps, CATs, spacers and exhaust. If you want to gain a few 100 HP then you have to modify the car to handle that extra air, fuel and exhaust or you will get fault codes and check engine lights. I do not think it is worth the risk to do one of these flash or piggyback tunes just to gain 25 to 50 HP. You could try some BMC filters and a higher flow exhaust to gain maybe 20 HP and not risk doing anything that could void your warranty.
I would not tune a car if you live in a place with emissions testing. Sometimes you get a check engine light, usually right around the time the emissions testing is due. You can reset the light with the Accessport but it takes a while for all of the parameters needed to pass the emissions test to come back to ready. It is a PIA.
The most successful tuning I ever did was with an E85 conversion on a GTR and a custom tune from a senior Cobb Tuning tuner who did some custom work on the side. This required some major component swap out; intakes, injectors, fuel delivery system, fuel pumps, CATs, spacers and exhaust. If you want to gain a few 100 HP then you have to modify the car to handle that extra air, fuel and exhaust or you will get fault codes and check engine lights. I do not think it is worth the risk to do one of these flash or piggyback tunes just to gain 25 to 50 HP. You could try some BMC filters and a higher flow exhaust to gain maybe 20 HP and not risk doing anything that could void your warranty.
#26
I am with some of the earlier opinions
- tune at your own risk, when it comes down to wire you pay the bill if something breaks - no matter what anyone tells you
- tuning is fun, but just make sure you willingly assume the risk
- ask yourself why you want to tune, i.e. is the car not fast enough for what you use it for or "just because its easy and cheap to get some more power" or its thrills you knowing that you have more oomph than a stock 992.
Last edited by Tobeit; 01-22-2023 at 07:50 PM.
#27
After hearing about John Mclane’s experience on here, and his tune wasn’t even all that aggressive, I would certainly be wary about tuning if you are worried about drivetrain warranty. Period. End of story. Don’t delude yourself.
If you don’t care about warranty then tune away.
I tuned, had fun, and sold a mere 3 months later (having removed the tune). I never had a bad experience, but of course I didn’t own a tuned car long enough for that to happen. Most of my fun with my 992 was during the period I owned it before the tune, and upon retrospect it was already more than fast enough. I am not going to knock the tuner, who made a fantastic product. But when I think about it, after the tune I really didn’t find that I was smiling any more when driving than before the tune.
If you don’t care about warranty then tune away.
I tuned, had fun, and sold a mere 3 months later (having removed the tune). I never had a bad experience, but of course I didn’t own a tuned car long enough for that to happen. Most of my fun with my 992 was during the period I owned it before the tune, and upon retrospect it was already more than fast enough. I am not going to knock the tuner, who made a fantastic product. But when I think about it, after the tune I really didn’t find that I was smiling any more when driving than before the tune.
If they had an issue, there's a possibility the past tune might be found and the warranty might still be denied for them. If that were me and I wasn't told about the tune before buying the car, I'd likely have a lawyer make a call to the previous owner
Last edited by gthal; 01-22-2023 at 08:40 PM.
#28
I think tuning is highly, highly overrated. I think it's easy to build up this fantasy that tuners are these large conglomerates with proper testing labs, a fleet of cars available at their disposal with professionals in lab coats running all kinds of experiments to ensure your best experience.
But the reality is probably much closer to some guy with a mouth-breathing problem and a beat-up laptop with no better working knowledge of a car than those same morons on the Mustang boards talking about "putting in the sauce" in their tunes
Besides, my car is already tuned. It was done by a bunch of PhDs in Zuffenhausen . . .
But the reality is probably much closer to some guy with a mouth-breathing problem and a beat-up laptop with no better working knowledge of a car than those same morons on the Mustang boards talking about "putting in the sauce" in their tunes
Besides, my car is already tuned. It was done by a bunch of PhDs in Zuffenhausen . . .
the guys buying a TTS for the express purpose of drag racing it, and know what they’re doing, and how their car will be un-saleable afterward anyway are basically the only people who should be tuning these cars.
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#29
I honestly wonder how many people actually get any use of a tune.
When i did my PEC delivery and had the demo laps from the pro driver, i was holding on for dear life. Never thought I'd feel like a grandma, but there i was, holding on to the armrest harder than anything I've held onto before, and using all my neck muscles to keep my head from banging around the cabin. It was in that moment that I realized i will NEVER drive this car to its full capabilities.
If you track it and are able to get all its glory out of it, i get it. But otherwise, my unsolicited advice is to take some track lessons and learn how to get all out of the car before getting a tune. Then if you still crave more, make that decision.
But like others have said, dont count on any warranty. just be prepared to drop 80k if something happens.
When i did my PEC delivery and had the demo laps from the pro driver, i was holding on for dear life. Never thought I'd feel like a grandma, but there i was, holding on to the armrest harder than anything I've held onto before, and using all my neck muscles to keep my head from banging around the cabin. It was in that moment that I realized i will NEVER drive this car to its full capabilities.
If you track it and are able to get all its glory out of it, i get it. But otherwise, my unsolicited advice is to take some track lessons and learn how to get all out of the car before getting a tune. Then if you still crave more, make that decision.
But like others have said, dont count on any warranty. just be prepared to drop 80k if something happens.
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detansinn (01-22-2023)
#30
I can;t find the video right now but a bmw influencer guy in UK got a smoking good lease deal on a new M a few years ago. Under 2% apr, incentives. He tuned the **** out of it. Some really cool upgrades. Posted on YouTube. BMW finance saw it. “So, you violated the lease terms and broke our contract. You have 30 days to pay us 100% of the cars original value. All the incentives are retroactively canceled since you broke the contract. What ? You can’t sell it at full value because you tuned it ? Not our problem. You still owe us EVERYTHING”
it’s fun until it’s not
it’s fun until it’s not
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FamousJamisFan (01-23-2023)