SCT's, whose do you reccomend?

redfirepearlgt said:

A Saleen package like yours is exactly what I started with at Brand "B". Like I said with JUST the SC package the car drove fine. Re-tuning for an SC package is nowhere as complex as when adding other changes such as cams LT's and so forth. Each modification addition adds another level of complexity when doing the tuning.

There is plenty of extensive mud slinging I could go into with regard to how I was mishandled by Brand "B" when things aside from the tune became issues...one larger issue of which required towing the car back to them 4 weeks after it was there for 9 psi pulley, KB BAP, Exedy Mch 500 Clutch, Steel FW, cams, LT's and OR X-pipe. I don't expect special attention for spending my hard earned money with a service provider, but I do expect them to hold up to their end when they fall short. I give praise where praise is earned. I don't give praise for the simple purpose of stroking someone's ego. We're in the same generation. Like you I never received a trophy for participation, only winning.

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Perhaps guys like myself and "Terry" aka Tigerhonaker are the exception as far as far being handled by brand "B" is concerned.. However that is still no excuse for how they mishandled and didn't respect you as a valued customer by requiring you to have your car towed back to them just 4 weeks after spending your hard earned money on the upgrades that were done by them in which should've all been thoroughly checked and tested to make certain everything was spot on before ever handing over your car back to you.. IMHO they should at the very least do whatever it takes to make things right and not require you to fork over even more of your hard earned money to correct the mishandling issues for which they were obviously responsible for to begin with

Ok, gang, I asked who you would recommend for an SCT. I can see there are some strong opinions here and its like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge debate, Everyone thinks theirs is the best. I do not want to have people fighting over a thread I started, I gained a LOT of good info on this thread and will put it to good use. I am waiting for Lito to get back to me. I will make a decision based on his recommendations.

06 T-RED S/C GT said:

Perhaps guys like myself and "Terry" aka Tigerhonaker are the exception as far as far being handled by brand "B" is concerned.. However that is still no excuse for how they mishandled and didn't respect you as a valued customer by requiring you to have your car towed back to them just 4 weeks after spending your hard earned money on the upgrades that were done by them in which should've all been thoroughly checked and tested to make certain everything was spot on before ever handing over your car back to you.. IMHO they should at the very least do whatever it takes to make things right and not require you to fork over even more of your hard earned money to correct the mishandling issues for which they were obviously responsible for to begin with

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^^^ And there is where the rub began. Certain customers received preferential treatment. Nothing against Tiger or Sherrod Mustang (who was getting a phaser problem resolved when I arrived for my next list of upgrades) yet a similar failure on my setup yielded me nothing more than another bill and an excuse for not at least covering the labor cost.

I am glad you have had good results with them. I wish you continued success with them. I have since found a team of guys locally who shoot straight with me and honor their work. They are the most forthright group I have ever dealt with. They turned me to VMP when they saw the issues I was having with my Roush Phase 1 package on the 13. Those guys down there have also provided a service after the sale that speaks volumes. They always are willing to help and to explain things for a guy like me always looking to learn. Alex is awesome. Knowing I have taken the time to read a book on advanced tuning he will go deeper into explanation and redirect if my theory gets side tracked.

Sorry O.P. to get long winded and jam up your thread. It wasn't my intent to go on a spree.

rickf said:

Ok, gang, I asked who you would recommend for an SCT. I can see there are some strong opinions here and its like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge debate, Everyone thinks theirs is the best. I do not want to have people fighting over a thread I started, I gained a LOT of good info on this thread and will put it to good use. I am waiting for Lito to get back to me. I will make a decision based on his recommendations.

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You very likely made a good decision. I can't speak personally of Lito but all of the comments on him are excellent. It wasn't my intent to high jack your thread. Good day.

redfirepearlgt said:

^^^ And there is where the rub began. Certain customers received preferential treatment. Nothing against Tiger or Sherrod Mustang (who was getting a phaser problem resolved when I arrived for my next list of upgrades) yet a similar failure on my setup yielded me nothing more than another bill and an excuse for not at least covering the labor cost.

I am glad you have had good results with them. I wish you continued success with them. I have since found a team of guys locally who shoot straight with me and honor their work. They are the most forthright group I have ever dealt with. They turned me to VMP when they saw the issues I was having with my Roush Phase 1 package on the 13. Those guys down there have also provided a service after the sale that speaks volumes. They always are willing to help and to explain things for a guy like me always looking to learn. Alex is awesome. Knowing I have taken the time to read a book on advanced tuning he will go deeper into explanation and redirect if my theory gets side tracked.

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As for tune itself, I've experienced good results.. However I can't really comment on how they are in person, as I've never met any of them face to face in person.. However when it comes to at least a couple of reps I've spoken with over the phone, I didn't really feel they left a very good impression as far as their customer service skills are concerned to say the very least lol.

rickf said:

Ok, gang, I asked who you would recommend for an SCT. I can see there are some strong opinions here and its like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge debate, Everyone thinks theirs is the best. I do not want to have people fighting over a thread I started, I gained a LOT of good info on this thread and will put it to good use. I am waiting for Lito to get back to me. I will make a decision based on his recommendations.

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Tuners are to modern day Car Enthusiasts as Plastic Surgeons are to Hollywood Elites.

I thought I post a reply earlier but I guess I forgot to send it. I used to have my own shop and my specialties were automotive electrical and carburetors. (anybody remember those things that used to sit on top of an engine?) My best advertising was word of mouth. Lord am I glad that was before the internet!! Yea, I am old, 63! It seems that the most advertising on the net is the bad things that happen to people at a shop and not the good things. There are lots of good things said about the shops but just like in this thread, what is getting the most attention? The bad stuff. I take it ALL in and average it out and then I call the shops myself and get my own idea. What several are saying about the customer service experience at VMP is what I ran into at Steeda. Haven't gone back.

rickf said:

I thought I post a reply earlier but I guess I forgot to send it. I used to have my own shop and my specialties were automotive electrical and carburetors. (anybody remember those things that used to sit on top of an engine?) My best advertising was word of mouth. Lord am I glad that was before the internet!! Yea, I am old, 63! It seems that the most advertising on the net is the bad things that happen to people at a shop and not the good things. There are lots of good things said about the shops but just like in this thread, what is getting the most attention? The bad stuff. I take it ALL in and average it out and then I call the shops myself and get my own idea. What several are saying about the customer service experience at VMP is what I ran into at Steeda. Haven't gone back.

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Oh yes. The days when 4V meant 4 Venturi (aka 4 barrel) E.G 351 Cleveland 4V. Holley 650 Double Pumpers, 6 packs, cross rams, webber setups, Edelbrock Torquer intakes, Cherry bomb mufflers, Headman Headers, Mallory Ignition, Dual point distributors...and the list goes on.

Yea, back in those days when if you achieved one horsepower per cubic inch it was a major accomplishment! Like every other mechanic of the time I fought fuel injection at first and then they tarted working the bugs out of it and look where we are now. 400 hp AND 20 mpg! Out of 300 cubic inches.

rickf said:

Yea, back in those days when if you achieved one horsepower per cubic inch it was a major accomplishment! Like every other mechanic of the time I fought fuel injection at first and then they tarted working the bugs out of it and look where we are now. 400 hp AND 20 mpg! Out of 300 cubic inches.

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Variable Cam Timing, Fuel injection, MAF technology and the programmable PCM has really contributed to HP and efficiency.

And it's gets even better with flat plane crank technology, direct injection and dual clutch 8-10 speed tranny tech as well

^^^ Yip. Still hard to beat the sound of a nicely built 351Cleveland 4V. The thought gives me goose bumps.

Okay guys I know nothing about tunes or tuners. Just got an 05 GT bone stock minus axle back bassanni exhaust. I'm looking to start adding bolt on's and such. Was going to start with a JLT cold air that comes with a SCT X4 Flash Programmer. How do I add tunes, what tunes will I need, and so on?

Avery115 said:

Okay guys I know nothing about tunes or tuners. Just got an 05 GT bone stock minus axle back bassanni exhaust. I'm looking to start adding bolt on's and such. Was going to start with a JLT cold air that comes with a SCT X4 Flash Programmer. How do I add tunes, what tunes will I need, and so on?

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Research like most do. A tuner recommendation is as personal as a doctor recommendation. Everyone has their preference. Ones overall with good reps - Lito, VMP, AED Performance, Palm Beach Dyno, to name a few. Do your research, determine how far you wish to go with the mods and go to it.

So the SCT X4 and the computer programmer for it are the only hardware I really need?

Ive used Bama, Brenspeed, and recently Lito.

The Bama tunes wouldn't let me rev match when down shift and some hesitation.
Brenspeed, was pretty darn good. outside of the communication was lacking between the tuner and I.

Lito, Hands down the most responsive and helpful throughout the process, and the car is really quick, and no issues.

I used Bama when I had simple stuff on my car, but after I installed cams, the Bama tune they sent me had a bouncing idle.

I got ahold of Lito, and his baseline tune (from the basic information for my car) ran better than the tune Bama sent me. I sent him several datalogs and he refined it for me, and I had planned to send another this year but never got to do it (not easy to find a good place to do a third gear pull from 2000 to 5500 RPM as he likes to see on a log).

FWIW, Bama did ask me for logs when I first contacted them about the bouncing idle issue (along with a bunch of other information), but they do their logging with the SCT vs. Lito who has you use a laptop and logging software-he told me he doesn't like datalogging with the SCT because it's not fast enough, so that's just some food for thought.

Avery115 said:

So the SCT X4 and the computer programmer for it are the only hardware I really need?

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the X4 is the programer, it lets you load tune files to the ECU


you buy the device and the tunes either as a package or separately.

as far as who to use:

Lito or Lund IMO


SCT has tutorials on how to load the tunes on their site IIRC

Sweet. Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it.

I feel like I'm throwing a wrench into the rail by saying this but I'm currently having Don at Lasota Racing tune mine. He's been around for 12+ years tuning 2v, 3v, and 4v 4.6 setups and V6 setups, boosted and NA. He also does Coyotes. I'm surprised he is not mentioned more often. Wonder if people had bad experiences with him, but everywhere I look all I see is positive reviews.