g-man

Hey everyone,

I drive a 2010 GT Auto completely stock as of now. I was pretty set on ordering a Brenspeed tune from their website, but my dad is completely against getting one because of the possibility of something going wrong with the car, voiding the warranty and having to pay out of pocket.

Now, i'm pretty sure you can just plug the tuner back in and put the original tune in the car, but does this guarantee no trace of the brenspeed tune is left in the computer?

How can I convince him this is a safe upgrade and he shouldn't be worried? Thanks guys!

cidsamuth

When you put it back to stock, the only "trace" will be that the ECM will register the last time the computer was accessed, i.e. when you put it back to stock. Its a small risk, as it is somewhat unlikely a tech would notice that when diagnosing a problem, and even more unlikely he would care and press you on it.

The tunes from folks like Brenspeed and Tillman have been used by many people for some time with nothing but success. I'm convinced that Ford programs them conservatively to allow for enthusiasts to play with them.

While modifications make me nervous too, this one is easy to reverse.

Highly recommended.

Driver72

Is your dad the owner of the car?
If so, there's nothing you can do, his car, his rules.
If that's the case, be happy you have a dad that allows his son to own and drive a very nice car to begin with.
I got my first 5.0 Mustang back in 1989 (was a 1988).
I was stoked to have such a fast car for still being a teenager.
We didn't have tunes back then.
Your car now is quite a bit faster, and plenty fast for anyone who is not paying for, or paid for, the car him/her self.

If it is your dad's car, or financed by your dad, respect his wishes and just enjoy the car as is. You can mod your cars someday when they have been bought or paid for by you.

That's my .02
Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear.

branman1

I would show your dad some posts on this forum maybe of peope reviewing a tune from brenspeed or tillman and show him that it is very safe and there are a ton of people with just a tune with zero issues. Just a thought really I know dads are stuborn though. Good luck

Slickvic_

The tuners from Brenspeed and Tillman are not just some kids hacking ECM's in a garage.

You can trust that they are professionals who know how to properly tune your car.

Your worries are unfounded.

Lax07

It seems his main worry is voiding the warranty. Give him credit for wanting to know. There is a change it could void your warranty as the tech can see if the CPU has been re-flashed. There is a chance

Rollin Thunder

I think that these teach the young kids a lesson are getting old. How about treat him like an adult and just answer his question?

remicks

I can agree with that.

I agree the worry about voiding the warranty is a big one. That is why I haven't bought a tuner for my truck yet. Now we do have the Magnuson-Moss Act protecting us from them unjustly voiding the warranty. Basically they cannot deny you warranty work unless they can prove that the modified part is at fault for the issue. That protects you from them just voiding your warranty when you bring it in for normal maintenance or using the mod as an easy excuse to make you pay for the work. Still if the mod is associated or in the same system that failed you can have a fight on your hands to prove that that mod did not cause or contribute to the issue. That's just a headache I'm not willing to deal with for something as small as just a tune in a truck. You may still want to do it but I do still recommend taking it off if you need them to work on your car.

paulbrl

Hi G-man,

I have the same concerns about modding my 2010 GT and have been looking seriously at a tune, maybe with a CAI.

To add to Cidsamuth's post, I read a post on the Diablosport forum (makers of the Predator tuner which is commonly used with Mustangs along with SCT's range) that the "computer last accessed" date would also show up if you just unplugged the battery. This post was from the lead tech guy at Diablosport.

My feeling is that if I go with the CAI (probably the C&L) and either a Brenspeed, Bama (now with American Muscle) or Tillman tune I would take the CAI off then return the ECM to stock programming before I take it in for any servicing or warranty work.

Going with a tuner alone will make this operation a few minutes' hassle only and have many of the benfits of the improved firmware. Apparently, it's also a good idea to drive 50 miles on the stock tune after returning to stock so the ECM's adaptive learning tables get filled up, further camouflaging the use of an aftermarket tune.

Based on the Diablosport dude's assertion, if the stealership started moaning about the computer's date, I'd just give them some smoke and mirrors about I had the battery on charge!

Whatever you decide to do, congrats on having such an awesome car!

g-man

Thanks for all of the help so far. My dad just told me that he is leaving the decision up to me, but if something goes wrong, and for whatever reason they void the warranty, I will have to pay out of pocket.

Let's say something goes wrong... What could the tuner possibly do to my car in terms of damaging it?

Please help push me over the edge! I really want a Brenspeed tuner.