Mike@DiabloSport

Hey guys and gals, we're actively looking for a few vehicles to take part in our Beta testing program for the 2011 Mustangs.

This will include FREE dyno tuning, and a FREE DiabloSport Trinity as part of the deal.
We'll need the car for a day or two at our Delray Beach, FL facilities, and we will gladly provide a nice loaner vehicle to anyone willing to participate.

We're looking for V6 models, GTs, and GT500s as well.

Please post up or PM me if anyone is interested!

Driver72

What that's saying is, "we'll give you a free Diablo tuner that probably cost us only a couple hundred dollars while we beat on your brand new car, so we can make hundreds of thousands or more $$ in the future based on what we learned and did to your car."

Small friendly suggestion for you guys: Do what most tuners do, buy a shop car for yourselves to develop it on, then ask for some beta testers from around the country in different weather and altitude conditions to beta test the "semi final" product that you learned on your own car before mass release.
Give those "beta" testers the free tuner for their time and feedback.
After that, if you don't want to keep the shop car, sell it. Yes, you'll lose some money in depreciation, but at least you aren't asking someone to borrow their own car and risk warranty voiding damage to their own car if you God forbid, make a mistake of some sort during the initial tuning process.

But to ask for a customers car to develop on, beat on and potential make mistakes on for a free tuner that cost you guys no more than a couple hundred bucks is asking a lot for what you will get out of it.
That's like asking someone if you can borrow their brand new car for a couple days to hit up Laguna Seca track for a couple days of abuse, or some high performance driving classes that you'll be learning on, and in return offer them $200 and a rental car in the meantime.

SirDrums

hopefully if you blow their motors in the process, you will replace their cars for them.

Live Wire

So, is that a 'yes'?

Mike@DiabloSport

Wow.

Sorry I asked...

It is not totally common for companies to go buy these vehicles, especially when we can do most of the leg work on the PCM here on the bench. I have been making this same offer for years on other forums, but this is the first time I have been met with such negativity, odd.

Its not like we are not leaders in the Mustang tuning market. We do know a thing or two about how to properly calibrate late model Fords. From bone stock Mustangs, to animals like JPCs 1000+ rwhp monster 05 GT, we have tuned them all.

GTI-Guy

Well handled response by Diablo. It does seem reasonable to be a bit concerned about the testing, and ask some “what happens if” questions. How is the car tested?

Mike@DiabloSport

Well, there has never been a 'what if' situation, in the 8 or 9 years that we have been Beta testing cars in this manner, and I cant imagine there being one, but we would never harm a car and then just give it back and say 'too bad'....

We are a professional establishment, and have been conducting this type of testing for years, and as a result, have been able to stay at the forefront of late model tuning.

In the past several weeks, we have had a few 2010 Challenger SRT8s on the dyno, a few new Camaros (V6 and SS models), a 2010 Z06, and even a couple 2010 F150s and a Raptor...all loaners from locals.

We even recently had a local Dodge dealership loan us a 2010 4.7 Ram for the day for dyno testing, hopefully that lends some insight to how we operate and the type of people that have put their trust in us.


Thanks
Mike

Driver72

I understand what you are saying Mike. All I'm saying is in the years I've modded cars (from Subaru's to BMW's) and the tuners I personally know and have bought products from, they buy their own cars and tune/mod on their own cars.
Then get a dozen or more beta testers to try the product out in the "real" world to get feedback and see if any faults take place, those initial beta testers get free or largely discounted product.
If that all goes well, you get a dozen or so more to test for a week or two (they get 50% off). If that goes well, get a dozen or so more, (they get 30% off)
If that goes well and after finalizing everything, you release product to public.

I've just never seen or heard of a tuning company ask for a guinea pig car from an owner to do all their research and development on, and in return only offer them what's equivalent to less than $200 out of companies pocket. I understand doing that if you are making an exhaust or intake or something as you aren't going to buy a $30k car to develop an exhaust, and you aren't going to potentially f up a car by making an exhaust for it. But a tune, that's a different story.

Again, my friendly suggestion, order up a 2011 Mustang GT, do the development. You'll sell a bunch of your Diablo Sports and make plenty of money. When you don't need the shop car anymore, sell it at a good price to a good customer. This way your insurance (companies) covers any issues or whatnot with the car and their is no issues if a conflict arises with the car, or (there's always a first for everything) a mistake is made and damages the car or **** up the ECU.

I wasn't being negative, I was just sarcastically stating what you were really asking. That's awesome that you guys are able to get people to donate their own personal cars for your development and your large financial gain. But my guess is, you (if you are the owner of Diablo Sport or the shop you are at) can afford more than the people who graciously give up their personal cars for your testing/tuning.

I just don't know of too many business that ask their customers to borrow their expensive personal stuff for the business' R&D and what will ultimately be a large financial gain for the business.

Last analogy: that's like an already well off millionaire businessman asking one of his customers that makes $80k a year if he could borrow a few bucks to go buy lottery tickets, only to then win $10 million dollars and then giving the customer who gave him that money to buy those lottery tickets only $500.

Pay up the guinea pig good, or get your own shop car. It's a better business practice.

MacGyverGTP

I wish this offer had been for a 2006 heavily modified Mustang GT!
You could do much worse than to have a company like Diablosport do your tuning.
It goes without saying that they will go over every aspect of the tune with a fine tooth comb before giving you the car back.

Yeah they get something out of it, but who cares... This is a win win for both the doner & the company. I personally like seeing companies offer these kind of services. It's very American!

Also, per the other post, if I could lend a millionaire a few bucks for a lottery ticket & get $500 back, thats still a heck of a return on investment! Maybe it's just me.

I have the Trinity & I am really glad that they have this thing set up with pre-loaded screens specifically for the Mustang. It's a good product.

It really says something that Justin's had them tune his rediculously fast 05' Mustang.
-Sean

2cokeman

I would personally never lend out my GT500 for any reason but thats just me, and I know that there are some companies that buy a unit for a test mule But Driver72, maybe you just could have been a little more polite about your feelings?? JMO.....