My buddy says he has something that can hook up to newer cars, allowing him to get performance stats via his laptop, the new 08 Mustang have this capability? I am not sure about finding somone to do a real dyno test here in VT, am just curious. Anyone hear about this?

 

There are lots of tools to hook up to the OBD II ports, most of them that I am familiar with are standalone, and don't use a laptop. I know the X-Cal can connect to a laptop and the OBD II port and datalog lots of parameters, but not performance stuff. It will log things like oil pressure, temperature, rpm's, speed, intake air temp...etc.

Other tools like the Livewire will tell you 0-60 times, 1/4 mile times, stuff like that, but they don't use a laptop to do it.

 

Yup, you can connect the SCT to a computer to display that stuff. All 05-08 Mustangs have this capability, as do most or all cars made after 2001. I believe it's a law or requirement that all cars after a certain year have this OBD-ii interface.

As edge mentions above, it only shows engine stats. Some OBD-ii readers/programs will also spit out HP numbers and quarter mile times. These are not accurate at all if your wheels spin even for a fraction of a second. That will report you having a better quarter mile time or higher HP number than you actually have, because it thinks wheel spinning = car moving.

 

My Xcal 2 can datalog a lot of things.
Voltage,rpms,speed,spark advance,coolant temp,etc.
The "Live Link" software allows you to do it.
Oh, and my Dyno tuner is in Concord, a short trip from M&M Ford.
Check my sig.
I also have equipment for 1/4 mile times, g-force and such.