flashier, louder, faster, more performant. There are many reasons why you might want to have your car tuned up. But people often lack the necessary expertise and are afraid of breaking something. We felt the same way. We asked ourselves: where do i get my car tuned?
So where do i get my car tuned? You can have your car tuned at contract, normal car or specialized car tuning workshops. While contract workshops are often bound to the use of original accessories, you have a wider choice and higher expertise at specialized auto-tuning workshops.
After thinking about tuning our car ourselves for a short time, we decided to play it safe and have it done by a tuning professional.
Because if the planned optimization exceeds your own expertise, you should then play it safe and hand over the tuning work to a tuning professional.
In the following article we clarify for you who you can turn to with your tuning plans and what the advantages or disadvantages of the various workshops can be.
Furthermore you will learn what makes an experienced car tuner and how you can tell the quality of car tuning can recognize.
After we have clarified at the end, what the legal situation and also the TuV says on the subject of auto tuning, you are well prepared for your decision where to have your car tuned.
Have your car tuned at a contract workshop or tuning workshop?
Especially if your car tuning project involves somewhat complicated wishes such as engine tuning or optimization of the brakes, you should contact if the tuning company is not competent, it is better to contact car tuning professionals .
Because apart from the necessary approvals and inspections, it is probably mainly a matter of the safety for all road users involved . If you get caught in a traffic control with unapproved modifications or, in the worst case, are involved in an accident, this can result in expensive and drastic penalties.
Car tuning in the contract workshop
The first point of contact for many car owners is often the dealership. Why not turn to them with confidence with your car tuning projects?
Not a bad idea, we think. Because the contract workshops work with functional, sometimes a little too expensive, vehicle parts, which however always eligible for your vehicle model in any case .
The advantage in the quality of auto-tuning can be a disadvantage at the same time. Because, due to the contractual obligation of the contract workshops to the original accessories, are the prices and optimization possibilities prescribed by the car manufacturers.
No possibility to benefit from discounts from other sales platforms, lower prices from third party suppliers or collective orders from tuning communities or clubs.
Car tuning in the special car tuning workshop or normal car workshop
In an independent auto-tuning workshop, on the other hand, you are not bound by the choice of original parts and the car manufacturer’s regulations .
These workshops will tune your car the way you want it! They help you get exactly what you want out of your car – without the influence of the car manufacturer. at the end you can be sure that you will be shown all the possibilities for your vehicle model.
While you can rely on standard optimizations, such as z.B. If you want to have your car tuned by an authorized workshop or by a tuning workshop, you should for special optimizations it is better to go to a special auto tuning workshop .
How to recognize a good car tuning workshop?
A good tuning workshop can be recognized by several factors.
1. Awareness and good reputation
Is the tuning company known for its high quality? Did you get the tuning company recommended by a friend?? Then this is probably the best and most reliable sign that you are in the right place – even if there is unfortunately never a 100% guarantee for it.
2. Initial and final discussion
You can recognize a reliable and serious tuning workshop by the fact that, after the first check, they discuss all the necessary changes with you in detail and point out all the possibilities and problems.
But also when you pick up the tuned car you can see the seriousness. If the tuning shop reports all necessary adjustments and difficulties, you can really feel good about it.
3. Inspection report and parts certificate
Many high quality tuning companies provide after the completion of the auto-tuning work immediately a test report and the parts certificates.
These reports and parts certificates are necessary to report the optimizations to the insurance company. This way you can be sure that in case of damage the complete amount will be paid out.
If the tuning workshop specializes in a particular make of car? This is a good sign of a high level of specialization, quality and up-to-date knowledge of the auto-tuning options suitable for your car model.
Why tuning will become more complicated in the future
Tuning experts agree: car tuning will become more and more complicated in the future.
The reason for this is on the one hand always complicated technology and the increasing protection of the software installed on the control unit . Manufacturers are happy to pay for extra services and are reluctant to pass on these revenues to other tuning workshops.
On the other hand car tuning also affected by increasing regulations . There are more and more stringent emission standards and higher and higher tax rates for powerful engines.
Also the permits for engine performance modifications are becoming more and more expensive . Often it makes more sense to buy a more powerful, fully certified model from the manufacturer than to have it tuned after purchase.
Get your car tuned? Or rather do the tuning yourself?
This is a question that many of us ask ourselves. The questions are more like:
- Can I afford to have my car tuned or do I have to try it myself??
- Am I able to tune my car myself??
Tuning by professionals can be expensive
Although you can rely on most professional auto tuning workshops that you really get what you ordered in the end, this also has its price.
If you do it yourself, you can often save one or the other, often crucial euro. The question here, however, is: you can tune your car yourself?
if you are interested in tuning your car yourself, take a look at our blog post "how to tune your car? We will make you a tuning pro".
Be honest with yourself
While probably everyone of us can manage to stick a sticker or a privacy film on the rear window and the side windows, it can also be dangerous with other conversions or optimizations.
Changes to the chassis in the engine compartment or optimization of the control unit require expertise in any case . Errors can often not be easily corrected, affect the road safety and often cost thousands in apprenticeship money.
Safety first!
In the case of major optimizations to the vehicle, it may even be necessary for the modification to be approved by an expert. You should not let this fall under the table.
If the car tuning is not carried out properly or the modification is not approved, you run the risk of losing your license severe penalties as well as in the end even the immobilization of your vehicle .
Do you prefer to have your car tuned??
Better safe than sorry! If the problem is money, then have the car tuning work done in a car workshop instead of a well known car tuning workshop.
If you only want a new sport exhaust or darkened windows, you can save some money in a normal car workshop.
However, if you want to make unique, really demanding changes, we recommend that you leave the work in the hands of a professional. often the extra costs are worth it, because afterwards you get exactly what you wished for!
Do you want to code your car yourself?? our tip: the carly adapter
If you have decided to code the car yourself? Then we can tell you with the carly adapter car coding is a piece of cake ! You can definitely do it yourself!
Because with the carly adapter, you can find out in a matter of seconds which changes you can make to your vehicle model independently and legally. Sometimes you can even find a function that is only available in the more expensive versions of your car.
You make the (car) world as you like it!
Should the buttons light up red instead of green, or should the navi be displayed in a list view instead of a block view?? Or should there be an acoustic signal when the trunk lid closes??
To do this, all you have to do is connect the carly adapter to the standard oBD interface, open the carly app and select the modification you want from the list of optimizations possible for your vehicle model.
Avoids expensive repairs and service appointments
another advantage of the carly adapter is that you can also use it to read out fault codes or set service appointments to done. Are you also tired of paying a lot of money for the simple readout or the deactivation of the service signal??
We tell you: with the carly adapter you can do it all yourself in the future! Furthermore, you can monitor your vehicle in the long-term analysis and, by means of the easy-to-understand, color-coded evaluation of your vehicle data to get ahead of expensive damages .
Other questions
- Let’s assume that we do outsource some of the more demanding tuning work: how can we save on tuning?
So, how can we save on tuning? If you have your car tuned in an external workshop, you can save money by taking the following measures:
- Buying your own tuning parts
- Special offers (discontinued models / used parts)
- collective orders via tuning communities / clubs
- Tuning in a car workshop instead of a special tuning workshop
No matter how much you can save, in the end you should always pay attention to sufficient quality and the origin from germany or at least the EU.
If your components come from third countries, you should carefully examine the roadworthiness and check the general operating permit of the supplied car parts for their authenticity.
- We now already have some ideas about what all we want to have done to the car. But is this all legal? We asked ourselves: what is allowed in tuning?
So, what is allowed in tuning? When tuning, all modifications must be permissible and classified as legal in the sense of the stvzo (road traffic licensing regulations). Furthermore, all installed car parts must have proof of testing, such as the general operating permit or type approval.
- OK, now we know the advantages and disadvantages of tuning your car yourself or having it tuned. But what can be tuned on the car?
So what can you have tuned on the car? You can have your car tuned:
