Pre Tuning Checklist
Tuning a vehicle relies on everything being in good condition. When you start to push things past their factory parameters, any small issue can be magnified.
There are many tuning companies who will just flash a 'known good' file on to your car, and send you on your way. That is all well and good if your car is in the same condition as the car they made the file for originally. Any slight deviation can have catastrophic consequences.
If the tuner of your choice does not want to drive the vehicle, either before, during or after they do their work, alarm bells should be ringing. How will they know the car is in a fit state if they just kick the tyres before plugging into your OBD port?
Lets start with the basics. Here at Darkside we require all customers that are booked in for any kind of work to check that their vehicle meets certain standards. The minimum we expect are safety requirements for you and our technicians. Beyond that, it's beneficial for everyone involved if your car is in good condition overall so the job is finished in a timely manner and on budget.
For all bookings please ensure your vehicle has all the below requirements:
• Vehicle must be Taxed and Tested
• All tyre tread must be above the legal limit (1.6mm)
• Vehicle must have sufficient Oil, Fuel, Brake Fluid, Coolant and Power Steering Fluid
• Brakes must be in full working order
• Vehicle must be road worthy - i.e. in the condition to pass an MOT
For tuning bookings please ensure your vehicle has all the below requirements:
• The vehicle must not go into limp mode when revved from 1000rpm to the fuel cut in 3rd and 4th gear
• All intercooler pipes must be checked for boost leaks (unless booked in for that issue)
• Ensure there are no warning lights, fault codes or limp mode (unless stated)
• Clutch and Flywheel must be in good working condition
• Static cars that are extremely low must be raised to an adequate level to clear our dyno
• If the vehicle is already tuned we must be made aware of this before we start
If you feel you may have a problem with your car or it does not meet any of the above requirements you must let us know before the arranged date of your booking.
So often do people arrive in our reception with a list of additional jobs without prior notice or any time allowed for extra work. We have a reasonably sized workshop but operate at capacity most days meaning an extra hour or two will have a serious impact on other customer jobs. Please inform us prior to your arranged booking date if you plan on any additional work being added.
We aim for all our customers to be 100% happy and our mechanics and tuners love to work on decent cars that are a credit to their owners, working together this is easily achievable.
We have 250+hp cars with over 100,000 miles travelled since tuning them with nothing more than routine servicing. If you double the cars output, half the service interval, its a simple calculation that works well for all our cars.
Failure to meet the above may result in refusal of work and loss of any deposits paid as a final resort.
By booking with us you have also agreed to our Terms & Conditions