Just Bought MPVI2 And Credits. Think I Messed Up...

[NFA Fabrication]

I bought this with the plan to do several 5.3/6.0 truck motor swaps into older cars. I will basically be using only 2000-02 Suburbans as donors. I see that if you buy 6 credits, it appears you can then tune endless vehicles that fit your credit type (2000-06 Suburban I think it said). I bought 2 universal credits with my MPVI2 that just showed up today (Haven't even opened the box). Here are my 2 questions...

1.) Do you have to buy all 6 credits at the same time to get the unlimited deal, or can I buy 2, then 2 later, then 2 later to get the unlimited deal?

2.) Can I exchange my 2 universal credits and get the Suburban Credits? I thought I had done enough research when I purchased this, and then stumbled upon a YouTube video highlighting my mess up!

Thanks for any assistance! VERY excited to get to play with this. I have done a lot of tuning on standalone cars over the last 17 years, very much liking the idea of OEM ECU tuning! My '64 SS Impala is up first...

[TCSS07]

Yes. You need to buy all 6 at once to do the entire year unlock. I mean you can buy 2,2 and 2 if you want to that doesnt matter but you need to have a total of 6 to do the unlock. The mpvi2 credits are now all universal. They dont have ford,gm and dodge specific anymore. Its just a total amount needed.

[NFA Fabrication]

So I just need to buy a total of 6, and then use them for that same year range Suburban when I use them? You said I needed to buy them all at once, then you said I didn't, so I am a little confused. Just trying to make sure I do this correctly! I also have to return my MPVI2 Unit, it showed up yesterday, but the side expansion port appears to be bent and is not centered in the hole.

[5FDP]

It's not a year range, it's a specific year.

It costs 6 credits to unlock each year. So each computer must be a 2000 or a 2001 or 2002. Using 2 credits on a 2001 computer will put those credits towards a 2001 year unlock only. If the other computer(s) are a 2002, then those go towards that specific year.

If you did more than 3 vehicles that were one specific year they would become free eventually if you kept doing that same year computer.

This is why in the past most shops would spend the 30 credits up front to unlock all GEN3 truck computers because they know they will be doing way more than just 15 vehicles. I don't see it listed as this way on the site but I thought that option was still available though I can't confirm that.

[BrianPeppers]

You need to HAVE 6 unspent credits available when you unlock the first computer of the model/year you want. It dosen't matter how many you BUY at a time.

Clear as mud?

[NFA Fabrication]

So when I go to unlock an ECU, I will be given the option to use 2 credits for just that ECU, or 6 to unlock unlimited of the same model/year? Would 2 Suburbans be considered the same if they were both 2003s, but one was a 5.3, and one was a 6.0?

[BrianPeppers]

Yes, you'll see the options to unlock when you try to unlock an ECU, the options screen that pops up will explain exactly what you'll get. You can even connect and look at the options before buying all 6 credits (to confirm it takes 6 for what you want). If you select 2 and unlock it you're screwed out of the 2 though, just read the credit popup and leave.

4.8, 5.3, or 6.0 shouldn't matter (double check the options screen when you read it, it should be all suburbans for 2003 regardless of engine).

[5FDP]

The 2 credits still end up going towards a full year unlock, it just takes longer/more vehicles to get you there. After a certain amount of vehicles using single VCM licenses it would end up being free.

[NFA Fabrication]

Thank you for the replies! I think this clears up most of my concerns. So if I did do several 2000 Suburbans individually with 2 credits each over time, it would still eventually unlock unlimited 2000 Suburbans, but it would likely end up being more than just 6 total credits?

[TCSS07]

I dont think it works like that. If you use 2 credits to unlock a single ecm all youve done is just unlocked that ecm. It will still cost 6 credits to unlock the whole year. But if you know youre going to do more than 3 or more of that year ecm it would be better for you to just unlock that whole year but thats my opinion. Contact support about this to get futher clarity or maybe someone else will chime in and correct anything ive said

[5FDP]

It does.

Open your VCM editor, then click the help tab. From there click the license information tab, on the new window click the license upgrade path. That will show you how many license you have bought and how many it will cost to unlock the full year.

If you bought just 1 VCM license for say a 2002 Surburban you are now 5 credits away from the full year.

[TCSS07]

Thanks for the better understanding 5fdp

[Russ K]

Actually, you get a 75% (rounded down) trade in towards a model year license. So it takes more than 6 credits for a model year if you're just licensing one vehicle at a time.

Russ Kemp

[NFA Fabrication]

Thanks guys! This really helped clear things up! Now if I could just find the AFR target table (Possibly referred to as a "PE Table"). I have dealt with many standalone systems, but am new to this software, trying to get the basics figured out! Planning on some basic VE table tuning, but assume I will be fighting the AFR targets if I don't also alter that.

[TCSS07]

Yes. The afr target table will be the pe ratio table.