
- #CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER UPGRADE#
- #CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER SOFTWARE#
- #CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER LICENSE#
#CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER SOFTWARE#
HP Tuners has a suite of tuning software that’s included with the purchase, and at GRM we’ve found it to be extremely feature complete, even if it isn’t the most intuitive program in the world.įour or five years ago, HP Tuners came to a realization: They dominated the GM market, but they wouldn’t be able to keep growing unless they expanded their offerings. These costs are in addition to the purchase of the MPVI (the current version retails for $299.99). If you frequently tune the same thing–Gen III LS PCMs, for example–then HP Tuners offers unlimited tuning of the same application for a few more credits (6, in the case of the ’98-’02 Camaro PCM).Ĭredits meant a steady stream of income for the company, as well as pricing that scaled with tuners: A DIY tuner in their home garage would pay about $100 to tune their Camaro, while a professional shop that tuned all sorts of GM products would need to invest a few thousand dollars in HP Tuners credits.
#CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER UPGRADE#
costs a certain number of HP Tuners credits to tune, but once it’s been tuned for the first time, it doesn’t cost any more credits to change or upgrade the tune.Ĭredits cost $49.99 each, and most of GRM’s favorite applications cost two credits to tune.
#CIRCUIT TOOLS VS. RACERENDER LICENSE#
Over the next 10 years, HP Tuners became the king of GM aftermarket tuning, introducing their Multi-Purpose Vehicle Interface, or MPVI, and adopting a credits-based system to license tunes. After a few friends showed interest, they realized they’d just started a new business, and HP Tuners was born. For starters, the leading program required removing the PCM from the car for tuning, and it could be very slow and temperamental.įrustrated and out of options, the founders of what would become HP Tuners wrote the first version of the tuning tool for their own use, developing something that was easier, faster, and more reliable than other options. Also like many enthusiasts, they were trying to tune their LS1 with early software aimed at DIY builders.īack in 2003, there wasn’t a great solution for that. Like many enthusiasts, they were discovering the affordability, compact size, and high power output of the Chevrolet LS1, a relatively new engine that was just starting to show up in junkyards and used car lots.

HP Tuners’ owners prefer to avoid the spotlight, but they’re not hands-off businesspeople: They’re gearheads, and they started the company in their garage in 2003. We spoke with Nader Rayes, the company’s Brand Manager, and asked him a simple question: How did the niche GM tuning firm turn into one of the industry’s largest, with a list of supported vehicles covering 39 marques? HP Tuners… they’re the LS1 people, right? Nowadays, they’re one of the largest tuning firms on the planet, building their business on one thing: giving everyday enthusiasts the ability to modify factory ECUs to their heart’s content.
