Hello everyone
I'm looking to open up my own tuning shop and still haven't figured out which tuning software I can use. Do I have to pay $100 every time customer comes in so that I can tune his car? Did I get that right?
Are there any free good enough software for tuning?
Thanks!
What software/tuners have you used in the past?
Each vehicle requires a license, the amount the license costs will vary between vehicles. I can give you 3 easy examples through GM.
A 2002 Silverado would cost 2 credits, which is $100. A 2014 GMC Sierra would cost 2 credits to tune the PCM/TCM, so that's $100. A 2018 Silverado needs 4 credits for PCM/TCM if it's a 6 speed auto, we have $200 there. But if that truck was an 8 speed auto it would cost another fee to buy an unlocked TCM and then license that TCM separately with another $200. Tuning the TCM is optional of course.
So as you see it can vary alot. One vehicle might be $100 but a different vehicle would be $600 all in.
Heck some vehicles are even more than that just to tune them. Look at the supported vehicles list to give you a break down on credits to tune them. Also Mopar vehicles that are new enough need a special cable to tune them, which is another added cost.
It's not an easy thing to get into with tuning. May take you a few years of doing it non stop to really figure it out because of how different certain vehicles are and how their specific controller functions.
2016 Silverado CCSB 5.3/6L80e, not as slow but still heavy.
If you don't post your tune and logs when you have questions you aren't helping yourself.
I'm a programmer by profession. My two old '67 muscle cars got me into cars lately. Looking into it to see what software and hardware I need.
I think Tunerpro RT will do, but I'm hung up on the hardware. I've MSI laptop but can't find any concrete answer as to what OBD2 cable I need to purchase in order to tune OBD2 cars. Looking to tune 95+ cars mostly. Jz, LS etc.
I'm sure your tuning shop will be a huge success.
Just what I look for in a tuning shop "good enough".Originally Posted by tuningtuner
lol!!!i'm sure your tuning shop will be a huge success.
lol!
Looking for open-source solutions first to learn. Nobody's dumb enough to drop couple of grand on tools without knowing anything about the industry and/or market.
At least I'm not. Maybe you dropped couple of grand on multiple expensive hardware and have been tuning fart sounding burbles for the past 18 years. Who knows.
It's probably guys like me who fix the dogshit tunes you do. You probably block the ECU after your shittune as well lol
Last edited by tuningtuner; 04-30-2022 at 06:14 AM.
I can see this is going well
You are considering opening a commercial tuning facility - without having ever used any commercial tuning software, and by default - having never actually tuned any corresponding vehicle.
Your lack of both experience and knowledge, will come at a high cost - to any potential customer.
Most reputable businesses either develop the expertise prior to opening their doors, or they hire experienced personnel.
Your plan is to use paying customers as Guinea Pigs - while you attempt to gain some experience in this highly specific field.
Also, you are looking for free tuning software - to then monetize through your potential business.
Most successful commercial tuners have invested tens of thousands of dollars, into tools, equipment, and software - to produce highly precise custom tunes for their customer base.
Such investments may be written down / written off at tax time, or depreciated over a period of tax years.
If you are counting on everything being free, then quite obviously you don't have the capital to actually start such a business. The insurance costs alone can be significant.
It is great that you are employed in an I.T. department somewhere - and I have no doubt that you keep the corporate webpage looking good, and everyone's email account functioning - but those skills are not applicable to knowing how to properly calibrate the control systems of an internal combustion engine.
Perhaps SpaceX could you your non-existent skills to help optimize their rocket engines - because, after all, you are a programmer by profession.
Quite clearly, you have no idea what you are doing when it comes to tuning.
Most sophisticated automotive repair / tuning facilities will have invested $100K (or more) in tools and equipment - to provide their customers will quality services.
The best tuning facilities have both GM software and programming interfaces (Tech 2, MDI, etc.), as well as multiple commercial tuning software (HP Tuners, EFILive, etc.).
Regarding commercial tuning software - most busy tuning facilities will have invested tens of thousands of dollars into "unlimited" tuning licence packages.
Currently, you lack the experience to even know what equipment to purchase. At this point the only thing that you could perhaps fix is yourself - hopefully starting with your inflated sense of self worth.
You seem to have the market cornered when it comes to arrogance - but that is about it.
Last edited by Tbranella; 04-30-2022 at 09:31 AM.
The best way to learn is to build a heavy vehicle with a small engine, large cam, and too tight of a torque converter. Once you get that figured out then you can be on your way.
If your plan works out, word of mouth spreads very fast when you grenade a few engines from bad tunes. Ive seen it happen quite often down here.
I started tuning my own truck back in 2003 and learned alot. Then slowly started tuning others trucks and now i tune about 5-6 a week and its usually a huge pain when most of them are over cammed with the wrong torque converter. Then you have to figure out how to ask the right questions before even taking delivery of the vehicle. Most the phone calls i get have really big cams in their fresh rebuilt 6.0L and still have stock 25# injectors and a 20 year old stock fuel pump.
Its best to take some tuning classes before even buying anything. Just like shrek said, be prepared to spend lots of money before even making your first dollar.
Define "figured out" lol. These kinds of shops can just pop and capitalize on the huge industry because Joe Rando doesn't know the difference between a half decent calibration that balances budget/overall performance and the other guy who offers the $200 wham bam thank you maam with a two hour turnaround. Nothing is going to stop those guys from setting up on every other street corner. Best we can do is educate the customers on what to expect and what they should be asking out of the people that sell them their services.
Unfortunately we do not offer any free tuning products. With that said we hope you still consider purchasing our products which can be found at www.hptuners.com
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be done in two weeks...
A wise man once said "google it"
