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201 Posts
First of all, I’m leaning towards getting Tom’s tune. My Focus SVT is a 2003. My only engine mod is a K&N drop in filter. And next time I change the oil I’m going to synthetic and a K&N oil filter.
Primarily I want to understand the downside. 42 years of living has taught me that things that seem to be good to be true usually are. Apparently the tune improves performance, increases gas mileage and makes the car sound better. So what are the negatives (or potential negatives)?
1)If they know about it, it voids Ford’s warranty. Of course why is that: a) because if they say it caused the problem, whether it did or not, it gets them out of paying for a warranty claim, b) maybe because it actually does have an impact?
2)Does the tune reduce the life expectancy of the engine & related systems?
3)Tom’s tune is described as conservative. I suppose it’s most unlikely that this type of tune would do harm. Maybe a more “aggressive” tune would be more likely to cause problems?
4)I expect letting a “hack” do the tuning could result in serious consequences? Tom seems to know what he’s doing. He has too many satisfied customers not to. So that shouldn’t be an issue.
5)I asked my Ford dealer if it voided the warranty, duh? He told me that he had personal experience where tuning caused $1,300 worth of damage, including the wiring harness. I didn’t ask specific questions. He didn’t say it was a focus. I probably should have. Can anybody offer input on potential problems?
6)Does the increase in HP put additional strain on other parts…clutch, flywheel, transmission, etc…and cause them to wear more quickly? Apparently many of you have already had clutch problems anyway.
7)Does this increase emissions? Is that one of the sacrifices to gain HP and mpg? Would the car fail emissions testing? Luckily for now VA does not test emissions. I think they do check to make sure you’ve got the proper hardware in place.
I can barely afford the tune (I get a $25/week allowance, stop laughing). So I certainly cannot afford to fix damage, especially $1,300. The car would sit in the garage for 1 year (52 weeks x $25/week = $1,300) while I saved the money to fix it. So I need to be careful.
I guess I’ve learned not to mess with things I know nothing about. Car tuning and electronics fit into that category. It makes me uncomfortable but on the other hand a little improvement would make me even happier with my SVT. Again, I suppose normally there are consequences or sacrifices for these sorts of things. Usually an increase in HP causes a decrease in mpg…no good deed goes unpunished…sex can result in children who are often the greatest joy in life only a split second ahead of being the greatest frustration in life. So what are the downsides?
Primarily I want to understand the downside. 42 years of living has taught me that things that seem to be good to be true usually are. Apparently the tune improves performance, increases gas mileage and makes the car sound better. So what are the negatives (or potential negatives)?
1)If they know about it, it voids Ford’s warranty. Of course why is that: a) because if they say it caused the problem, whether it did or not, it gets them out of paying for a warranty claim, b) maybe because it actually does have an impact?
2)Does the tune reduce the life expectancy of the engine & related systems?
3)Tom’s tune is described as conservative. I suppose it’s most unlikely that this type of tune would do harm. Maybe a more “aggressive” tune would be more likely to cause problems?
4)I expect letting a “hack” do the tuning could result in serious consequences? Tom seems to know what he’s doing. He has too many satisfied customers not to. So that shouldn’t be an issue.
5)I asked my Ford dealer if it voided the warranty, duh? He told me that he had personal experience where tuning caused $1,300 worth of damage, including the wiring harness. I didn’t ask specific questions. He didn’t say it was a focus. I probably should have. Can anybody offer input on potential problems?
6)Does the increase in HP put additional strain on other parts…clutch, flywheel, transmission, etc…and cause them to wear more quickly? Apparently many of you have already had clutch problems anyway.
7)Does this increase emissions? Is that one of the sacrifices to gain HP and mpg? Would the car fail emissions testing? Luckily for now VA does not test emissions. I think they do check to make sure you’ve got the proper hardware in place.
I can barely afford the tune (I get a $25/week allowance, stop laughing). So I certainly cannot afford to fix damage, especially $1,300. The car would sit in the garage for 1 year (52 weeks x $25/week = $1,300) while I saved the money to fix it. So I need to be careful.
I guess I’ve learned not to mess with things I know nothing about. Car tuning and electronics fit into that category. It makes me uncomfortable but on the other hand a little improvement would make me even happier with my SVT. Again, I suppose normally there are consequences or sacrifices for these sorts of things. Usually an increase in HP causes a decrease in mpg…no good deed goes unpunished…sex can result in children who are often the greatest joy in life only a split second ahead of being the greatest frustration in life. So what are the downsides?
