With the new Xcal2 they can email an updated tune when you make modifications. You will have to pay for them to update your tune. Cheaper to do the intake and exhaust first if your are planning to anyway. Have them customize the tunes to your exact setup. If you get heavy into modifying things you can use the Xcal2 to datalog critical engine parameters. Send your data back to your dealer and he can update the tunes for yah. These types of services is one of the reasons I'll pay a little extra up front to get a Xcal2 from a reputable dealer.

 

an intake and exhuast would change a custom tune very little, i would talk to whoever you decide to go with and let them explain it to you, but i think a programmer would be a great first mod

 

There is a shop less than 2 miles from my house that sells the xcal2 for $349, so thats the one I will probably go with.

 

I'm not trying to throw sand in your face or anything, but consider this fact.
You've just paid thousands of dollars for your truck, my Lariat cost me $31,000. Even without your member discount, you're only talking a $150.00 difference. Mike Troyer does the best custom tuning for our trucks, hands down. An XcalII in the wrong hands will destroy your engine. Think my last question is too extreme? Ok, then just go price one cat convertor.
Sure, there are others that can do the job as well as Mike, I have no doubt. It's just that as soon as I finish my other mods, AF1 and catback, I'll be ordering my XCalII from troyer.
That way I'll have no doubt I've got the best.

 

How do you know Troyer is the best out there though?? I am not saying troyer is a great tuner. But I just cant understand how he charges so much more for it than others I guess. I have talked to people that have shared tuners cause they had the same computer codes and everything worked fine. I talked to Troyers about buying one from someone on here that had the same code as me and they said nope..got to send it in for $225 just to get reprogrammed. I started to get into other details and it just seemed like they just wanted my money and didnt really care much about helping this guy get rid of one that he cant use and me getting one a little cheaper. So this guy now basically has to give it away for nothing if he wants any money at all for it. Since it "supposedly" has to come back in to get retuned. I guess I just didnt feel like they were out for anything but themselves. Maybe Troyer is correct and those people I read about just got lucky? I am not trying to start a fight. Just my 2 cents.

 

I don't think any of us can say unequivocally that Troyer is the best. (except maybe JP) But Hey...you can't deny he has a lot of satisfied customers. If you think someone else is better, I encourage you to give them a try. Then come back to the forum and share your results.

I realize you hoped to use a xcal tuner you bought off someone else. It takes a lot of time and money to built up the knowledge and experience to program tuners correctly. To give you the best bang for your buck. By restricting the tuners to work on only one vehicle is just good business. Put yourself in Mike's shoes.

 

Well let me throw my .02c in here. I researched the he** out of these tuners before going with the x-cal2 from Mike. I figure $36k for a new truck is a lot more than $150. I might save by getting it somewhere else. At least I know now when I've got it wide open for 5 minutes at a time in west Texas the motor's not gonna go lean and.........boom! We are playing with extremely expensive complicated equipment here and you really do get what you pay for.

 

Do you want fine dining or Burger King? As far as I know Troyer is the only tuner out there that has specialized in tuning the F150 platform for 14 years; that’s a long time. He is also heavily involved with the development of the hardware SCT makes and markets.

Just think if Wal-Mart sold tuners

 

I think the 1745 tuner is agood option as well. I would say the dealing with Troyer aspect is I would alwasy feel safe buying and dealing with them. They are trully great to deal with.

I really think that if all you want is better reponse and are budget minded the 1745 is the best option.

 

how could anyone say troyer is the best? have you compared it to everyone elses? i think you could say that Troyer is the most popular on this board because they are a paid advertiser and the sheep just follow the flock. im sure they are good, but ive never used them. i can only speak for ive used, and my engine hasnt gone boom.... ive had better customer service with bamachips then Troyer and all ive ever done is try to contact troyer....

as fas as tuner swapping, as long as the original vehicle has been SET BACK TO STOCK, the tuner is unlocked and it can be used on another vehicle with the same engine code and specs. this is a safety feature so that the tuner can only be used on one vehicle. even so, $225 for just custom tuning is WAY too much, esp when you have to wait weeks on end for it

 

Well thanks for letting everyone know what you think of them and their mentality

 

Thats basically what I guess I was trying to say. I just thought he was expensive and I didnt really care for how I was treated just talking to them on the phone as well. I didnt buy that program from another guy cause troyer said it wouldnt work. I was just trying to help this guy out that is trying to sell his a little bit. I have talked to 6 other tuners now that say yes it would work and if it did need to get brought in to get retuned it would cost around $50. Not $225 like troyer wanted. Yes I agree we have nice expensive vehicles and should not worry about a few hunred bucks. But in my personal experience I am not going to buy a six pack of beer for 30 bones cause a lot of guys say its good beer when I can buy it from somewhere else for half the price and get just as drunk . Just my cents.

 

...Days of F-150online.com begins..

 

Well lets see sound...I did follow the "flock" and got the x-cal2. BUT, only after 6 months of reading about it not just here but several online forums. I've read EVERY post on here about people ordering from Mike Troyer and receiving his custom tuning. I have NOT read one thread where someone said they had a problem or "my truck runs like sh@# now with this tuner." I tend to think that with several thousand guinea pigs ahead of me that I made a great choice and my truck runs 500% better than when it was stock. Maybe us "sheep" are onto something huh?

 

Theres a marginal difference between a mail order tune and a person sitting with your truck on a dyno tuning your vehicle. For the most part all you guys need is a *simple* tune. As for the tuner with your truck in hand, he can be monitoring AF, checking the plugs after every dyno run, etc...

Also take for instance a tuner (the guy) with a dyno that can produce a load (eddy current) can tune for cetain ranges in the rpm band, that would mean better towing, better driveabilty if you were at 2.5k rpms or for where you need power the most.