petro

Pardon the ignorance. That said, I have read many times on here that a tune provides a noticeable performance improvement. I don't want to mod my car too much. I'm thinking maybe a tune and a K&N. I'll leave the exhaust stock I think. I'm not sure I even fully understand what a tune is haha.

Regardless,

1) Will I notice a big(er) difference with a tune and a K&N?
2) How much does a tune typically cost?
3) I'm guessing if I get it done at the dealership that it does not affect my warranty.

I guess I'm just looking for my best bang for buck to get a lil more out of my new girl. Again, please forgive the "newbness."

total0wnage

iTrader: (4)

A tune is basically adjusting your ecu to make your car run better with or without mods.

1. yes u will get a good amount of power just from a tune.
2. depends on what type of tune. Gst offers free basemaps(just buy tactrix cable) or $500 by a tuner with a dyno.
3. dealership will not do tunes and you will void your warranty.

petro

So getting a tune voids warranty? I don't get it. So if I can't get it done at the dealership, where can I go? What kind of shop do I look for? I must sound ignorant, perhaps because I am lol.

p1llar

iTrader: (1)

You'll want to look for local performance shops that:

A: Have experience tuning Mitsu's
B: Have an AWD Dyno.

There are some Calgary/Edmonton guys on here, they could chime in with places to go.

Winnipeg does not have a AWD dyno so we're hooped here.

petro

Thanks. That is helpful. That said, I do worry that it voids warranty. I want a lil more punch, but at the expense of warranty trips me out a bit.

petro

I guess another question I have is; If tuning interferes with one's warranty, why do so many people do it...beyond the obvious? I guess people are just willing to gamble for performance. I really want to tune, but the whole warranty thing creeps me out..sigh.

aaronk

iTrader: (1)

GO see Cam at Lightspeed Innovations in Red Deer. You will need to buy a Cobb Access Port but this will allow you to revert the ECU map back to stock should you ever need a warranty claim.

petro

Thanks man, that is the type of info/advice I'm looking for. I don't want to do something and have it be final (i.e., void my warranty).

RazorLab

iTrader: (8)

That is the same whether you have the Access Port or use ECUFlash.

They both flash the factory ECU. Both can flash the ECU back to stock.

omegis

iTrader: (2)

^ this

NFSLancerRA

iTrader: (8)

That isn't fail-safe.

petro

What in this world is truly "fail safe?" Sigh. Maybe I'll just consider upgrading my intake to make sure the warranty is not influenced. Like I said, I don't want to go mod crazy. I just want get a little more out of the new girl.

aKeio

I'd be careful with intake, since it messes with your AFR you normally need / is recommended that you get a tune with one.

Veronica

iTrader: (2)

^ i see that advice a lot - BUT since it already runs rich from the factory (soot at the tailpipe)at WOT is it really a problem?

-skeptical.

zx-319

iTrader: (2)

You should be careful with the intake mod. It has been mentionned a lot that the intake leans out your mixture. I don't remember seeing any AFR readings to show how much it impacts it.

If you talk about gambling, doing a mod you are not sure about the impacts is much more gambling than a tune.

For sure, if you are afraid or driving without warranty, don't do any performance mod at all... If you have mod, you run the risk of having to defend your warranty claim.

We do it, because the car is a whole different beast with a good tune. If you want to be safe go with GST Basemap... It's free and people have been running it for a while without issues.

There is no proof that the dealer can't tell you had a tune before... The least they will notice is probably the number of flashes, if it is unusually high, they will have reason to say something about it...