I'm trying to get an idea of what professional tuners charge per hour -
the tuners who can program various tunable engine management systems whether its on the dyno or on the street or whether you ask them to come to the track to tune... figure one good tuning on a car that needs fuel curve dialed in, ign timing curve dialed in and perhaps even getting a base program done then tuning. What are some of the prices you've seen for both coasts and mid-west.

Remember this is by the hour of tuning or one time tune to get tuner to the track for a day or an entire drag racing event (two days typically)

thanks
Greg

 

Cortney green here in SLC charges $400 per tune, which means 1-2 hours for him.

 

I was charged $200 an hour on the dyno. Tuned with HondataS200.

 

holy ****. i charge 50 an hr maybe i should re-evaluate this

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by johnzm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">holy ****. i charge 50 an hr maybe i should re-evaluate this </TD></TR></TABLE>

thinking the same thing

 

where you guys located, im coming to you!

 

Tuners here usually run around $60-90 an hour on the dyno

 

Are you including the dyno charge in these picks, also?

 

^^^ same question? normally Ive seen $60-$100per hr for the tunner, PLUS dyno time charges

 

$150 an hour here. You get what you pay for.

 

$400 flat fee including dyno and street tune, for as long as it takes until it's done.

 

I've used a few tuners over the years and have paid different rates each time. So far it's been:
1) $150/hour all inclusive - dyno time, dyno & street tuning in single session.
2) $60/hour for street tuning session.
3) $100 flat fee for tuning + $100/hr for dyno time at shop
4) $200 flat fee for tuning + $100/hr for dyno time at shop

 

We charge $60/hour for street tuning.

Dyno tuning is all over the map. At a dyno day we charge $300 for a basic session - that includes dyno time, wide band, fuel tuning, vtec cross over, ignition timing, and cam timing if time permits. $300 will usually net between 1 and 1.5 hours at one of our dyno days.

 

Holy **** I am so happy that I have learned how to tune my own car. Some of those prices are outrageous! For the price of a tune you could buy a decent wideband O2 and some ROM editing software and a chipped/VTEC converted P06 and do it yourself and have the capability to do it all over again after swapping cams/header/intake/etc..

Pirate (though not so much in comparison to Honda Tuners)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PirateMcFred &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Holy **** I am so happy that I have learned how to tune my own car.

Pirate (though not so much in comparison to Honda Tuners)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Me too. $400 is allot of fugg'n money just for a tune.

I spend about $150 for an hour. But I spend allot more than that on Gas and a trailer to get the car to the Dyno.

 

when i travel to tune i charge between 550 and 600 for a full tune depending on how far i have to go. i usually take 1-2 days to tune the car. none of this full tune in 1-2 hour bullshit.. it cant be done.

if someone is local to me and i dont have to travel its $450 for the tune, usually i dyno the car after i get most of the tune done on the road, only takes 1hr or so on the dyno. if the car is local this will also include some after the fact support and track support

This is for aem ems tuning. local chipped ecu's i do for ~500 including dyno time. i dont usually charge by the hour for a "new" tune. if i am retuning something i have already tuned its usually ~100/hr plus dyno time if the customer wants it.

 

$200(Flat Rate) for Hondata + Dynotime @ $100\hr.

$350(Flat Rate) for Neptune + Dynotime @ $100\hr.

You are paying for the fact that I am a perfectionist and will make your car run perfect and make power. My fee is a flat rate because I normally spend time on the street dialing in the fuel curve and idle before the car even sees a dyno. Whip Factory Turbo cars that I build run on minimum 880cc Injectors...some run 1000cc. Driveability and gas mileage is retained...Perfect Idle at 900-1000rpm.

I'm going to make a post today illustrating what a fucked up map from a shop who doesn't know what they are doing, looks like.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDogg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i usually take 1-2 days to tune the car. none of this full tune in 1-2 hour bullshit.. it cant be done.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Word....

 

I have usually seen here in the midwest around $100-150/ hr + time spent on the dyno if one was used.

 

the only thing with tunning is that everyone that comes to a shop to tuned a car they put together them self's usually have a serious amout of work involve that's not icluded in the tunning. i have yet to see a car that comes in just for tunning. they usually have to change injectors, map sensor electrical problems or something else.so in that case i thing that we the tuner should get a little more than the tunning price but people don't semm to think so.also a lot of people spend all the money in the world on the set up of the car and when it comes to tunning theydon't want to spend what it really cost to tuned a car and this is the most important part of the set up cause with out tunning you can have the best parts in the world and the car won't run.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RACER2BE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the only thing with tunning is that everyone that comes to a shop to tuned a car they put together them self's usually have a serious amout of work involve that's not icluded in the tunning....
what it really cost to tuned a car and this is the most important part of the set up cause with out tunning you can have the best parts in the world and the car won't run.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've personally seen this happen at your shop, I think some tuners are too lenient with customers, but then when you try to charge the customer they won't pay, then they go talk bad about the shop etc etc ...

How many shops with dyno charge by the hour and probalby do 10 mins worth of tuning in that hour because of the problems with the car ?
that makes a big difference ...

so I guess you can't really put a price to "tuning" it should be a price all inclusive of tuning and fixing problems on customer's cars.


Greg

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CHEETAH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've personally seen this happen at your shop, I think some tuners are too lenient with customers, but then when you try to charge the customer they won't pay, then they go talk bad about the shop etc etc ...

How many shops with dyno charge by the hour and probalby do 10 mins worth of tuning in that hour because of the problems with the car ?
that makes a big difference ...

so I guess you can't really put a price to "tuning" it should be a price all inclusive of tuning and fixing problems on customer's cars.

Greg</TD></TR></TABLE>

We agree 100% with this - it happens on almost every car we've not worked on previously. If at all possible we request that the customer drop off their car for a "street-tune" before they come to the dyno - especially if you are installing an engine management system for the first time.

Greg - I agree that it is very difficult to charge a single price for "all inclusive" tuning. I beleive it is the job of the company, or tuner, to work with the customer and explain the benefits and steps involved in properly tuning the car - then you need to discuss what their budget is and come to an agreement on what can be done within their budget.

 

yeah, im more of a troubleshooter than a tuner 1/2 the time. most cars i street tune to find all the bugs before i put it on the dyno.

to me, there is no budget tune. the only options are if they want it on the dyno. some cars thats not even an option ( fd3s rx7 for example ). its either tuned or its not, noone gets a 1/2ass "budget" tune from me. once the troubleshooting becomes excessive i start charging by the hour. if i have to wire in a sensor or 2 its no big deal, but when i have to break out wiring diagrams and volt meters and such to get a car to run right i start charging. if the customer dosnt want to pay for the troubleshooting they get no tune and come get their car... simple as that.

 

since were talking about tuners..

I need a socal Hondata tuner..

If you guys know of any names other than church and bubba, let me know!

Does anyone have a number or email i can contact church at??

thanks

 

bump this!