Newbie here getting ready to order HP Tuners

[BLKTA]

Hi,
First post here. I'm getting ready to order HP Tuners for my 98 TA A4. Currently the car has head/cams and bolt-ons and also a LS1Edit tune by a local shop.

To say I'm not pleased with the current tune is a gross understatement. The tuner cannot get the car to idle decently and I hardly drive the car anymore because I have to "funny foot it" to keep the car idling. Simply, it sucks and is not fun to drive anymore. To compound the issue it puts out dismal dyno and track numbers just to pour salt in the wound.

But I'm not here to complain, but to seek solid, competent unbiased advice. I have some questions, so please be patient.

1) I need a new laptop and understand a serial port is preferred compared to a USB. Where do I find a good used laptop? My current one has Windows 95 (I know).

2) Can I use HP Tuners if the car already has a LS1Edit tune on it and can I retrieve the stock file as reference point?

3) How robust is the scanner compared to Autotap and can I clear codes and freeze frame data?

4) Does HP tuners offer the same parameters adjustments as LS1Edit for a 98 LS1?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Casey]

1) I need a new laptop and understand a serial port is preferred compared to a USB. Where do I find a good used laptop? My current one has Windows 95 (I know).

Preferred but not mandatory. The Keyspan USB-Serial adapter (part # USA-19HS) will work just fine.
As for used, I have no idea. We are constantly updating the software to do more, so the faster the better.

2) Can I use HP Tuners if the car already has a LS1Edit tune on it and can I retrieve the stock file as reference point?

Yes. But I don't know what you mean by stock file.
If your VCM has been calibrated the stock settings are already gone. You might be able to get a stock calibration from the internet.

3) How robust is the scanner compared to Autotap and can I clear codes and freeze frame data?

As the scanner is geared towards the vehicles we support, it is much more comprehensive than the generic types.

4) Does HP tuners offer the same parameters adjustments as LS1Edit for a 98 LS1?

More.
You can download our help file and take a quick comparison.
http://www.hptuners.com/pub/VCM%20Suite.chm


Regards,
Ken