Bought a Nelson Performance tuned car...mistake
#3
Locked it. Now I have to replace the PCM or take the time/money to send them the PCM. I will just change the PCM. This is just a rant and to worn those buying a San Antonio area car. We all know the best in the business don't lock there PCM's. There are ten reasons why not for every lame reason why.
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#8
They will not tune a car and let it leave unlocked. No exceptions. It says it in there diclaimer. For some people this may be o.k. I don't want to be a slave to any shop/tuner. If I want to try a different set of injectors, plugs, or anything for that matter I want to be able to do so for myself. I am not the original customer to Nelson so I am not asking for anything from them. This was just a rant and a warning to others that may not know. You can get your vehicle tuned by many different shops on there dyno and then head out to the track for some more adjustments. If they are worried about someone jacking with the tune and saying they did a shotty job all they have to do is compare the current tune file with the one they last loaded and they will know instantly that the customer will have to pay for a retune. This would be like buying a crate motor already dyno tuned and it showinh up with the distributor welded in place and the bowls glued shut on the carb. It is just lame.
#9
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I had another SA shop try and charge me $100 for just a simple unlock on the computer I had them tune. Told them this was just like a mechanic putting a pad lock on your hood then charging you to get it off not to mention used pcms go for $125 all day. The whole thing is just pure bs.
#13
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Another tuner should be able to upload a similar year car with similar mods as a base point and then be able to continue from there to do a tune on yours. Years ago I had one that was locked by a guy and had it retuned by another tuner who did just that. Paid him the same price as a regular tune to do so.
Most tuners don't want others looking at their work and duplicating it. That is why they lock it. Not saying it's right at all but if you know they are going to do it before hand then you have the choice in whether to use them.
Good luck.
Most tuners don't want others looking at their work and duplicating it. That is why they lock it. Not saying it's right at all but if you know they are going to do it before hand then you have the choice in whether to use them.
Good luck.
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I know 2 guys that had their cars tuned by them and ended up buying new PCM's because they were locked. I think even if its to protect your tune, what about the customer? you are taking away his ability to do as he pleases with his car unless he pays to get it fixed. And last I heard(from my friend whose tune was locked) their dyno has been broken for a while too so its all street tunes.
#17
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So those buying a new PCM, why not take it back to them if they are within reasonable distance and pay to get the stock tune flashed back on? IS that not cheaper than a new PCM? If it was tuned there they should have the original file saved for the car. Then go get tuned wherever you would like. Seems like a lot less work then replacing it.
Last edited by 94form2000z; 07-14-2014 at 10:06 AM.
#18
They are not in reasonable distance from me. I made a long haul to buy the car. We are sending the heads off for port work and adding a new fuel system including injectors. The point is , it is shitty to lock a PCM. Anyone who has been tuning for any time knows that just copying a tune from one vehicle to another will lead to disaster. The way you correct your VE tables and your MAF tables may vary but that can't be seem by looking at the tune file. I have vehicles tuned because of the dyno readings. After that, what I do with my vehicle should be up to me. A good tuner knows that even if his tunes are read by others that they will return to him time and again when they need help because they aren't quite sure how he got there. As far as WOT tuning goes, opinions can vary as far as perfect AF ratio and timing but the truth is there no perfect and every situation can change. One shouldn't have to pay nor take the time for an unlock because it is shitty to begin with.