Performance w/ Tune Only?
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
From: Ohio
A 5 RWHP gain is tough to feel if you drive the car "mildly" both before and after the swap. I usually recommend a "spirited" drive before and after loading tunes. The same would apply to most any performance mod.
Not everyone says they notice the exhaust note change. I didn't but at the time I loaded my CAI & tune I had the FRPP/Borla Stingers installed.
Not everyone says they notice the exhaust note change. I didn't but at the time I loaded my CAI & tune I had the FRPP/Borla Stingers installed.
Since you posted that about the sound, I did some more searching and did find several people who indicated that they got a deeper note w/ CAI. So that alone might be enough excuse for me.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
From: Ohio
I gotta agree. For me, the premium fuel is worth it - unless it's in the dead of winter.
Go with a CAI/Tuner combo kit from Bama/AM and you'll be happy you did. We have different tunes for different driving styles. We have free tunes for life, and all of our tunes are developed and researched on the dyno, street, track and have thousands of satisfied customers. Dyno tunes are great, but they're only as good as the dyno tuner itself. There are dyno tunes that are slightly better than mail order tunes, there are dyno tunes that are about the same and there are times where a dyno tune gets schooled by our mail order tunes. It really all depends on who you take it to. There's about 10 people in the country I'd trust with my 99+ Mustang (especially 05+).
Go with a CAI/Tuner combo kit from Bama/AM and you'll be happy you did. We have different tunes for different driving styles. We have free tunes for life, and all of our tunes are developed and researched on the dyno, street, track and have thousands of satisfied customers. Dyno tunes are great, but they're only as good as the dyno tuner itself. There are dyno tunes that are slightly better than mail order tunes, there are dyno tunes that are about the same and there are times where a dyno tune gets schooled by our mail order tunes. It really all depends on who you take it to. There's about 10 people in the country I'd trust with my 99+ Mustang (especially 05+).
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 802
From: PA
If you can get a dyno tune including programmer for less than $379.99 (the price of a Bama tuner with Free tunes for life), that's a hell of a deal.
If you already have the programmer, it's $150 for the free tunes for life program. If they'll dyno tune your car for that, again... hell of a deal.
If you already have the programmer, it's $150 for the free tunes for life program. If they'll dyno tune your car for that, again... hell of a deal.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
From: Ohio
If you can get a dyno tune including programmer for less than $379.99 (the price of a Bama tuner with Free tunes for life), that's a hell of a deal.
If you already have the programmer, it's $150 for the free tunes for life program. If they'll dyno tune your car for that, again... hell of a deal.
If you already have the programmer, it's $150 for the free tunes for life program. If they'll dyno tune your car for that, again... hell of a deal.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 802
From: PA
It's possible that I misunderstood. Was told 2 hrs on the dyno @ $120/hr, but maybe I'd need an SCT tuner on top of that? I assumed that they'd be able to use their own SCT tuner (or something similar) to load the tune, but maybe not. Either way, for $379.99, I think I'm better off due to flexibility down the road. I can't see a dyno tune getting much more than a good email tune since my engine is stock (or maybe with a FRPP CAI).
Ohhhh, I see what you're saying. That's 240, and then the box is (whatever they charge you) but normally $379.99.
Yeah, I think that you'll find a GOOD mail order tune from us or another reputable vendor out there is going to be fine, until you're forced induction (except nitrous which we can do well). Even then, our basic S/C tunes are very accurate.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
From: Ohio
Either way, If I have to buy an SCT unit, I'd rather have the free tunes for life. I'm leaning towards a tune/FRPP CAI combo now, but since the weather is still keeping the car in the garage, I'll probably wait a bit (maybe I can even catch a sale). I'm guessing I'll want 93 tunes for all three, so I'll need to empty the tank of 87 before I can load them anyway.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,182
From: PA to KY ('07) to IL ('09) to MS ('10) to FL ('11)
I'd throw an 87 custom tune in there. I travel frequently and have had at least 2 occasions where I couldn't get anything higher than 87 octane. Besides, the 87 custom tune is a huge performance gain over the stock 87 tune. The gains from the custom 87 to the higher octane tunes aren't quite as large.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
From: Ohio
Where can you not get anything higher than 87? I don't think I've ever seen that anywhere. Since the Mustang isn't my daily driver and I don't take it on trips anywhere, that's not a huge concern to me. That being the case, I still agree that it would be good to have an 87 tune as an option (if for no other reason than because I have a tank of 87 now). The only problem with that is I'm thinking I'd like to try all of the tunes as 93. The Street might be the one I'd want most often since I am more concerned with low end torque and if that's the tune I'd use most, I'd want it to be 93. It seems like most people who get an 87 tune opt for that to be the Street rather than the Performance or Race...
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 27
From: WA
I ended up ordering all 3 tunes (street, performance, race) at 91 octane since the premium gas in my area is 92. I have a tank of 87 in there right now but after that I'll put in 92. I had the same thought about perhaps liking the street tune so why waste that on an 87 when I'll probably be running 92 octane from here on out. I just have to burn through my tank before I can change my tune!
BTW, I ordered a Steeda CAI/Bama tunes from AM. Should arrive soon!
BTW, I ordered a Steeda CAI/Bama tunes from AM. Should arrive soon!
