Hi everyone,

I'm looking forward to your opinions, especially those who have a CAI and custom tune. I have a 2011 GT with a GT500 axle back, and am wondering whether or not I should spend the $700+ for a CAI and tune.

This car is my daily driver in the summer and will likely never see the track. I know for the money you can't get a better performance mod, but I'm wondering what someone like me, who won't be pushing my car to the max as some others do, would actually notice and feel as a result of doing this mod combo.

For those who have a CAI and tune on your grocery-gettin Stang, do you actually notice much of a difference when you're driving it around town? When you step on it, do you actually notice much of a difference compared to stock? If you had to describe the difference or feel in one word, what would that word be?

Thanks for your input and suggestions!

 

100% absolutely doopalooply YES!

A CAI and Tune really wakes up these cars!

 

How much is your factory warranty worth to you?

 

Is it worth doing?

More power, better driveability, possibly better fuel economy, are those things worth doing it?

Don't mind the warranty nay-sayers, it is a simple matter to put it back to stock if needed.

 

This is irrelevant.

 

Mine is a DD and I mean DD. I would do it in a second with the ghost tune. If i had the money.

 

Yes it is worth it. Makes a huge difference. I do not race mine but that is the fun of having a muscle car, making it faster no matter for street or strip.

 

Excerpt From http://www.payntonperformance.com/page3.html




Will this affect my warranty?

• GM or Ford have never endorsed aftermarket tuning. In fact, GM and Ford are in the process of enacting policies and procedures that can identify aftermarket tuning. GM is already asking Duramax technicians to look for aftermarket tuning in the ECM's before dealing with a major hard-part failure in a powertrain component, and if it is found all powertrain warranty is denied. That is within their rights, because a modified vehicle is a modified vehicle no matter how small the change.
• GM and Ford do not mind people modifying their vehicle, they just don't want to pay for warranty on a modified vehicle.

From Just answers.com:


"There is no TSB or SSM stating that fact there is however this message sent out to dealers and technicians.
Advise your customers against use of aftermarket chips. They exceed the specifications that we use to validate the design. Typically, they up the turbo boost by changing the calibration or by tricking the Powertrain Control Module with a modified sensor signal. We've seen many durability problems in the field -- not only with the engines, but more frequently with the transmissions. As well as causing durability problems, repairs resulting from such modifications are not covered by the new vehicle warranty. The warranty and policy manual on page 3-17 addresses this and in part states: "If, however, the non-Ford product fails or causes a Ford part to fail, the cost of the repair and any related damage are not covered by the Ford New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

For example, the new vehicle warranty does not cover damage caused by:


Alteration or modification of the vehicle including body, chassis or components after the vehicle leaves Ford Motor Company's control (Lift Kits, Oversized Tires, Roll Bars, etc.). Misuse of vehicle, such as driving over curbs, overloading, racing or using the vehicle as a stationary power source (hauling in excess of G.V.W.). Tampering with the vehicle, tampering with emissions systems or with other parts that affect these systems (Performance Chips, Exhaust, Intake Systems, etc.). "

 

Yes it is worth it. Mine is a DD and although I don't run a performance tune, just a street tune (have the option / tunes for performance) it made it a 100% more pleasurable to drive. Smooths out the "lumps" in the power, gets rid of the skip shift, great driving experience all round.

As for the warrenty issue. I asked my dealer about this who was even willing to install CAI and tune. They said that IF anything were to happen, they would have to PROVE that the CAI or tune were a DIRECT cause of the failure. Yes there are some things that go without saying ie. if I put a blower on it and the heads blew then it's a no brainer on what was the cause!!

 

Bottom line, it'll likey be the dealer that'll have the final word. One thing to consider is the fact that in most cases you'll be commited to running 91 plus octane vice the 87 with the factory tune.

 

Where in the powerband and in what gears do you spend your driving time? I have an unmodified 2010 GT that is a daily driver. Given that most of my "spirited acceleration" is on freeway ramps, I didn't see the value of making that modification. Of course, having more power capability, should one choose to use it, is fun!

Is there something else you would spend your $$ on instead?

 

I added a supercharger for mine as my daily driver. A CAI and tune will be fine.

 

It doesn't sound like you're looking for gobs of extra power, but want that improved drivability a tune would give you. Have you looked at the FRPP Power Pak for our cars? I can tell you from experience, it wakes the car up compared to stock, and also is a reliable, safe tune for the vehicle.

 

The myth that a Tune will void your warranty refuse to die for some - no one has ever been able to document a real case where this has happened to a real live human person!

 

Did I miss something in the original post??

I don't see where the OP asked about warrenty....

why do these threads always lead to this discussion??

PS..fossy check out GTAMC..they're having a dyno meet over at Steeda in Milton soon. Might be worth the drive over to talk to the steeda guys and see what they say...I may head over because i'm thinking about doing the same thing...but want to know more info from them

 

Bama offer many tune options. I am running a street tune set for 87 octane and as I said before 100% better driving car.

 

I really appreciate all the feedback provided. A lot of great points have been made and from what I've seen it seems that everyone who has a CAI and tune would recommend doing it for performance, drivability and just a better overall driving experience. Sounds like pretty great value to me!

LLZuB, thanks for the heads up re: GTAMC and the Steeda meet in Milton. If I do this mod I am 90% sure I'll go with Steeda, so this meet would be super helpful for me. I'll check the GTAMC board for details. Any idea if the pricing from Steeda in Milton is better/lower for Canadians rather than ordering through SteedaGus on this board?

-Chris

 

How do you quantify 100% better? Where did you get that number from? Call me skeptical.

 

73% of all statistics are made on the spot.

Chris
Member of Exaggerators Anonymous - One Trillion Strong and Growing

 

This is only true 42% of the time, every time.