Honestly there isn't a whole lot more to go on a NA V8 car with a tune... vehicles with superchargers and turbochargers are where you see large, easy gains from a tune.

Trenton O. Gibson
tgibson@highline-autos.com
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777

 

Honestly there isn't a whole lot more to go on a NA V8 car with a tune... vehicles with superchargers and turbochargers are where you see large, easy gains from a tune.

Trenton O. Gibson
tgibson@highline-autos.com
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777

I 100% disagree.

I have a 2012 V8 and used the VF engineering tune after a ton of research.

The throttle response is a million times better.
The digital delay in throttle plates is all but gone.
And there is more oomph through my entire rpm band.

Cost was trivial in the grand scheme

I have done exhaust and BMC filters.


Good tuners offer a money back guarantee.

Natural aspiration power gains are low compared to forced induction platforms.
No denying that.

But a 20k turbo/supercharger cost versus a grand (give or take) for more usable street power......

Come on man....

 

Do you have a V8 R8?
Have you tried one without and then with a tune?

Numbers are just that.
The driving characteristics change for the better.
Zero effect on fuel consumption or reliability.

So I stand by my first comments.

 

Relax my friend, I've driven a V8 and a couple V10 R8s, and I've driven enough tuned vs non-tuned forced induction cars to know tunes on NA cars are no where near as impressive, that is all, no need to get aggressive over it.

Trenton O. Gibson
tgibson@highline-autos.com
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777

 

We are specifically talking about a V8 R8 here.

Comparing it to other platforms isn't helpful.

I'll say it again, the more reliable companies offer a money back guarantee.
Ask them how many refunds they do.

 

I have a 14 v10 and did the VF tune. While I hate saying this it’s really about disposable income and desire/emotion. Math wise the VF tune supposedly provides 65hp on the v10. Does it. Ehhhh. I didn’t do a controlled study by doing a Dyno before and after but it was worth the $1k for me to have it. After about a year I did the VF supercharger which does make a crazy difference. Again math wise the $/hp gains probably don’t justify but it’s something I wanted and something to differentiate the car. Net, if you’re not hurting and want it, go for it. If things are tight might want to do an exhaust or air filter upgrade first. Just thoughts. Glad your enjoying the ride.

 

Just throwing this out there for the cost/value/gain conversation. A local Gen1 owner had a tune on his V8. I don't know the details of the tune or how it was done, but it ended up frying his ECUs. He had to buy two news ones and it cost him $15k.

Again, I don't know the details, but just offering this up for perspective. I 'aint messing with my ECUs after hearing that story lol

 

Proper software from a reputable company is definitely worth the $1k price IMO even if its just for the drivability improvement and the +15hp, even if it is minimal. And on the grand scale, $1k is a small invoice in comparison to some of the other maintenance items these early v8 cars require. I dont know anyone whos gotten a reputable tune that has regretted it or been disappointed.

As for the frying ECU's... sounds like someone was messing with things they shouldnt have been messing with.

 

If you have a warranty still, I would not. If you don't, it may be worth it to you. I tuned my V10, it didn't really do it for me, so I also ended up supercharging. Yes, it's expensive to do so, but the car is awesome and in a different league compared to stock.