So I've got a question: I just had the Hydra Chip installed and I'm wondering if the shop that I had do it is being honest and fair regarding pricing or not. He built my transmission for me last October and I had some issues with him then but mostly because of poor communication and timing on his part.
so I was charged $300 for the chip, $125 to install it and $100 for 6 tunes. I asked him how much extra tunes cost if/when I want to add more and he told me $100 for 6 tunes. What do y'all think? Appreciate any input.

My truck's a 2000 F350 Lariat, CC, SB, SRW 4X4 with with no mods other than I removed the factory air filter box and replaced with an open air filter from Riff Raff Diesel. The transmission was built with Kolene(sp?) Steels & stage 2 clutches and a triple disc billet torque converter.

 

Well.....
The $299.00 chip automatically comes with a free library of tunes available (usually enough to fill all 15 user-programmable positions) for stock or transmission-tuning-not-needed vehicles.

Did the shop actually WRITE the tunes themselves or just load from PHP's library? If the shop charged $100 extra for PHP's tunes, I bet somebody might want to know.....especially if they want to charge $100 for six more.

$125 to install? Worth it if it works I guess but still highway robbery.

Realistically you paid at least $150.00 too much.

 

Whats wrong with the stock tunes from FFD?

https://shop.fullforcediesel.com/php-hydra-chip

 

I'm not sure what stock tunes if any came with it. Here's the 6 tunes that he said are on it now#1- 1200rpm high idle#2- 40hp tow#3- 65hp Daily#4- 80hp Street#5- 100hp Performance
#6- 140hp Race

 

Yeesh. Its been a while since I did mine but I believe 14 or 15 tunes were included, including quiet mode for drive throughs (still way too loud)

Whisper
65DD
80DD
80 Perf
100 perf
120 race
25 tow
40 tow
65 tow
80 tow
1000 high idle
1100 high idle
1200 high idle

Granted, I only use 3-4 of those so thats all you really need, but point is I didn't have to pay extra. $125 for install is steep. I think .5 hour shop time is fair. Or, even better its a fairly easy DIY project. But I understand thats not for everyone.

I was talking to a garage owner a few years ago he told me "I told my wife I wanted to open up a garage to get rich - but I don't need to do it on the back of one customer"

I think your shop is hosing you. Especially after getting your transmission business.

 

I kinda feel like he charged too much. I was charged $325 for the Hydra Chip. I didn't even get an owners manual or the box it came in. The only thing that I got was a piece of paper that he hand wrote on it, the 6 tunes that I listed. My transmission isn't stock and it's got a shift kit in it as well that I forgot to mention. I wasn't told anything about a library of tunes or anything.
I'm not familiar with the chips and such and I'm definitely not a push over. I'm an honest man and I treat others with the same respect and trust that I give and expect in return, until I'm given a reason to treat them differently. This appears to be one of those instances where I'll need to go in and personally educate this guy on his mistake in being dishonest with me and give him the opportunity to make it right. Otherwise I'll educate him as to why he shouldn't have taken my money that wasn't his to take, so to speak

 

Most calibration families in PHP's calibration library have "modified valve body" tunes specifically for shift kits. Still "free".

 

Having a shop do the install , your going to get hosed, he should not have charged you for tunes at all!
125.00 to the install should have included the time to install the tunes!

 

I will not repeat what has been said above because I think you get the idea of what took place. But, I would like to provide you a bit more information on the tunes available to "you", the customer of PHP, not the customer of your shop.

These tunes come "included" with the purchase of the PHP Hydra, but some are not available based on the calibration selected. The software is free to download and use with a Windows computer.

Image source: https://gopowerhungry.com/hydra-chip/

 

Thank you for this information. I appreciate it 👍
I'll check it out now. Again, thanx.

 

Only thing I will add is that you should have an EGT gage if towing. Those towing weights listed above are general only.

 

You are very welcome, but I only expanded a bit on what the others have said. It is too bad your first experience with the PHP Hydra was what it was. It really is a nice platform for people like you and us to get a bit more from our 20 year old vehicles.

We are here for advice or answers when/if you need them.

 

Ya, I was going to go with a TS6 but then this guy told me about the Hydra and I looked into it some and decided to go with it. Glad that I did too. This guy won't be getting anymore of my business and that's his loss also. I've let my contacts know to avoid him also which is already affecting him, as he deserves it. I'm glad that I've got this platform now because I was running an older Edge Evolution Programmer that came with the truck when I bought it 3 years ago. It was better than stock but only had 3 settings and it took forever to change the settings of course and that was a world apart from this Hydra Chip, so I'm happy. I'll learn more about it and have another shop that I know handle it from now on.
Thanx again brother. That's what I like about this forum. The best knowledge I've ever found is right here👍💯🇺🇲

 

The TS6 most likely would have had the same tunes on it, except would have needed to be sent in or purchased with your truck details. They Hydra is pretty much plug and play and when/if an update is needed, you (the customer) can pay for a tune online and it will be emailed to you. Then you use the Hydra Flash software to install the tune onto the chip hopefully with the USB cord that the shop installed and left under your dash for you.

The Hydra really is a solid, reliable and easy to use platform for the customers.

There is nothing wrong with the TS6, but it must be mailed in to be updated where the Hydra is capable of having tunes emailed.

It is good you are looking at this as a learning opportunity, not only for the Hydra, but for the shop and their level of "service" as well. It is tough to find a good shop or good help and it is only getting worse with these trucks as they get older.

You are very welcome for the help as I and others have provided. This truly is a great community and I have met many FTE'rs and made some lifelong friends though this forum. A great resource that is respectful, helpful and will tell it to you straight. Speaking of that, take a look at the black box where your PCM is at and see if there is a black USB cord that comes out of it. There should have been one included in the box that you paid for. If so and if you have access to a Windows laptop, you can load, move, remove and save tunes from the list above really quite easily.

Here is a video created by Bill at PHP on how to use the Hydra Flash software.


Here is a link on how to save your tunes to a local hard drive.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...al-device.html

 

Right on! Another huge thanx!! That's another part of the equation, because I asked him about the USB extension cable and he said that they always remove them because they cut away something on the computer when they install the chip and run the ribbon into the dash to mount the switch... He must've thought that I was dumb or something so I'm gonna make an appearance in person at his shop this afternoon, not much longer now actually and have a conversation with him about the situation. I will leave with the USB cable that I was supposed to get and he's going to change some or all of the 6 settings, that he supposedly wrote himself with what he claims is Minotaur software. I don't believe it tho because the 6 that he wrote down on a piece of notepad paper, are word for word identical to one's off of the list from the 1st attachment you sent me here. I'll even be nice and polite, unless he is acting ignorant, then I'll remain polite but the nice part, not so much.
Thanks again brother and have a great rest of your day and a great mother's day weekend. I've got to jump in my machine and do a little more work before I cut out for the weekend myself and head to the east side of the Cascade's here in Washington state and go see my mom and a sister and brother meeting there too.

This is my little toy