Generic Tune Vs Custom Tune (What's The Real Difference)

[turbojosh]

Hi all,

Been reading a fair bit on the forums about tuning and mods and everyone suggests getting the car custom tuned instead of running with the tunes that come standard on the xcal 3 box. My question to everyone is what is it that the tuner actually does to these boxes that makes them so much better than what you get in the first place? Or more so, what's so bad about the tunes ready to go in the box? Coming from a newbie to modding cars I'm really intrigued as to what the real difference is. Plenty of people go around saying the custom tunes are better, but what makes them better? Hopefully this can help other people like me who want to justify the other $500 needed to get the box custom tuned. Hopefully us newbies can get some genuine responses. Thanks in advance, Josh.

[Bizkets is Drunk?]

:lol:

Dude go the custom unless you want s#!t going BANG!!!!!!!.

if not I hear intune do good generic tunes. :andlol: :D

Edited 10/11/13 10:31 AM by BiZkets

[AzMahoony]

Generic tune = tune not properly tweaked for YOUR vehicle.

Custom tune = tune properly tweaked for YOUR vehicle.

One is safe, one isn't.

[Z2TT]

I'm wondering what major variances could there be from motor to motor that will make Generic tunes make it blow up?

I talked to Matt Branch from BPR and he said his tunes are tuned conservatively to allow for small variances from car to car.

Edited 10/11/13 11:24 AM by Z2TT

[AirStrike]

Why bother getting a tune if it's going to be some weak limp wristed version.

[Kimberley Scott]

Turbojosh

You can run a generic tune for years and not have any problems and enjoy it.

I did, but the moment I did some minor mods and got a custom tune I understood what people were saying.

Whatever you decide, be safe and enjoy.

[BRK]

Heaps on the forum on this. Being honest. The generic I first tried on mine seemed to run okay. That was in 2009 and the car had <30,000 on it. The car was stock other than the tune. The car obviously went faster post tune but it had a couple of issues:

A bit of surge on part throttle in the mid range.

Occasional poor return to idle after a hard run.

Cold idle stutter.

It was just a plug and play tune and bought off an established supplier. I then decided to just change injectors to the very common bosch 440cc type as a start on another round of mods to yet another car. Pre custom tune, car was driven by the tuner, then run up on the dyno and the AFR's checked, some part throttle and full throttle runs made and by some luck we managed to induce the return to idle issue. Main issues discovered were: uneven power curve, too much timing in the mid range (mild detonation) and a bit lean at the top end. Sounded like not much to me and I assumed that it would be routine to fit the injectors and do the work. Wrong. They did the work - and I sat in the car and watched as they went through the screens on VCM suite piece by piece and explained some of what they were seeing and doing. The power outcome was a small improvement but the REAL difference was in day to day to day driving. Idled better than stock IMO, superior throttle response, no surge or stutter etc.

IMO, there are subtle differences in all cars from day one and once there are a few k's on them those differences slowly widen. I will not condemn a generic tune or the people who do them because some of the developers do put a fair bit of thought and work into what they do. However, I think a custom job from a reputable source will give you something tailored for your car.

Finally, have a think about why the companies re-flash the computers occasionally during factory services. New data emerges as more research is done plus market feedback on issues as cars age. Anyway - for 500 bux over a generic it was / is a simple choice for me.

[_Velocity_]

For what you will pay for a generic tune and flash box you are better off getting a VCM suite tune from an reputable tuner. Might cost you the same money give or take $100-$200.

Edited 11/11/13 12:06 AM by _Velocity_

[Bellato]

Basically a custom tune will give you better power, economy and overall driveability. Every car is quite different, most tuners will tell you that with certain mods they have a starting base of data for which they use but then adjust it for the particular car.

Generic tunes can't do this, they are just set up roughly to suit every car but not every car is the same

[MurdoK]

if all cars were the same then every dyno sheet would be the same with given mods.