I would guess this has been asked a million times, but I am seriously looking at the HP product and would love to hear the forum's input.
I have a loaded 2008 Chevy Trailblazer 3SS with AWD. I have added a IEATSRT8 CAI and now want a tune to finish the project.
Obviously I have 2 choices for getting a tune.
1. Pay a reputable shop to do the work.
I am looking for a simple tune, more horsepower without going nuts, optimize for the CAI, and any MPG improvement I can obtain.
Problem with this strategy is I have not found a shop in Chicago that I can get a lot of customer feedback from specificaly on their TBSS work and the other shops that do have good references are in Michigan or NC. Long drives.
These guys have tunes in the can they have developed. Fast and simple. Many have done hundreds of TBSS's, so I can rely on their expertise.
This is a one time deal and if I have problems or are not happy I am stuck with another long drive.
I don't want to swap the PCM.
2. Go the HP DIY route.
About the same money. But I know nothing about what I may run into or how well it will work compared to plan 1.
I have strong computer skills and medium mechanical skills. Would I be biting off more than I can chew going this way?
Other tuner manufactures seem to have a "built in tune" would the HP unit be harder to set-up?
Are there basic of turnkey tunes for the TBSS?
I like the idea of having more control over the tune and the option to change things down the road as I learn more.
Does HP offer a basic tune to get started with?
So, what do you folks think?
Can I pop the HP unit out of the box, and do a tune in a turnkey manner or do I have to spend tons of time learning the system to get what I want?
Thanks in advance for your answers and advice.
tjl