Overwhelmed by tuner/chip choices. Please help me narrow it down.

[bills68camaro]

I've got a late 99 7.3, 4x4, 33" tires, SRW, crew cab, AT, Banks 6-gun, Banks Trans-Command, 4" turbo back exhaust, Big Head wastegate, 6637 filter kit & AIH plug in the mail. It's my work truck as well as my DD. It's on the heavy side weighing in at about 10.5K so it won't get out of it's own way unless I'm deep in the throttle. I'm not looking for a race car, just the most I can reliably get out of it.

I'm not happy with the Banks electronics at all & it's going to go on ebay. So I'm after the best chip/tuner I can get for my application. I don't have gauges as my 6-Gun takes care of that which I like. I was looking into the PHP/Evolution tuner so I don't have to purchase gauges. But then I hear so much about DP, TW, "Beans", etc... I have no idea WTF to go with. Would I have a better combo if I went with a chip & gauge pillar setup vs an all in one electronic tuner? Is there much difference in performance between the above mentioned? I don't want to make a bad purchase as I did with my Banks stuff. As I'm sure everyone is, I'm looking for max fuel milage when I want it, max power when I want it, drivetrain longevity, & a smoke setting to hose down the booming rapper homeboy guys at the stoplights. Please give me your .02. Thanks a bunch.

[CoalRollinRoosterCruiser]

PHP, TW, and DP are all good you wont be disappointed with either of those 3

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[dave75d]

subscribed. I'm in the same boat with an 02, bone stock.

[bills68camaro]

Originally Posted by CoalRollinRoosterCruiser

PHP, TW, and DP are all good you wont be disappointed with either of those 3

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AutoGuide App

Thanks man. I know there are tons of tuner threads & I've spent so much time researching them, I've gone full circle with information overload! HAHA! I'm more confused than when I started. Too many choices.

BTW, what's your chip? What other mods beside the stated have you done? Are you happy with the results?

[NoRalPh]

The only difference I see in those three is, if you have/plan to have HID HeadLights, DON'T go with DP Tuner. They aren't compatible due to their hardware design flaw...

[bills68camaro]

Originally Posted by NoRalPh

The only difference I see in those three is, if you have/plan to have HID HeadLights, DON'T go with DP Tuner. They aren't compatible due to their hardware design flaw...

Nope. I'm a meat & potatoes kind of guy. The factory lights are fine with me. Thanks for the tip though!

[terryknight]

dp has a proprietary chip that only they can reburn. the rest use a TS style chip. i like tony wildman because of the free reburns. there are also gearhead, beans, swamps

[bills68camaro]

Is it foolish of me to want to run a PHP/EVO tuner because it has gauges built in?

[NoRalPh]

Yes, because they are Not "Real Gauges" nor "Real Tuning"

There is no Free Lunch. If you want quality custom tunes you have to pay for that. If you want accurate gauges that give you accurate information you have to pay for that too

Those All-In-One things are just flashy gimmicks. All they do is take the data stream from the PCM and extrapolate little pretend gauges for you and allow you to "play" around with the display (IMHO)....

[bills68camaro]

Originally Posted by NoRalPh

Yes, because they are Not "Real Gauges" nor "Real Tuning"

There is no Free Lunch. If you want quality custom tunes you have to pay for that. If you want accurate gauges that give you accurate information you have to pay for that too

Those All-In-One things are just flashy gimmicks. All they do is take the data stream from the PCM and extrapolate little pretend gauges for you and allow you to "play" around with the display (IMHO)....

Great! This is the kind of info I'm looking for. So the PHP chips are good to go but the all-in-one units are not worth it?