Mobile and workshop tuning, Bay of Plenty and Waikato
Tuned in your yard, or at the Papamoa workshop
- Mobile: driveway, yard, farm race or worksite.
- Petrol and diesel. Diagnostics and a custom map from your vehicle's own live data.
- Workshop and dyno at Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa.
- Multi vehicle fleet visits.
- 4.9 from 100+ Google reviews
- 17+ years' mechanical experience
- Travel included
Get a price for your vehicle
Make, model, year and rego. Dave comes back with a price and a straight answer on whether it is worth doing.
4.9 stars
From 100+ Google reviews
17+ years
Mechanical experience
2 ways
Mobile or workshop, same base price
9 towns
Standard service area
You already know what it is doing
It labours up hills it used to walk up. It downshifts when it should just pull. Hitched up to something heavy it feels like hard work the whole way. Or a light has come on, the vehicle has dropped into limp mode halfway through a job, and that costs a great deal more than the repair does.
So you ring around for a tune, and it can mean dropping the vehicle off for a day. No courtesy car. A day off the tools.
That is why Dave will come to you. And when you would rather bring it in, or the job needs the dyno, there is the Papamoa workshop.
The van comes to you
Dave arrives at your address with the laptop, the interface and the tools, and works on the vehicle where it sits. You keep the keys the whole time. Or bring it to the workshop at Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa, for dyno tuning, transmission tuning and performance work.
- No drop off, no pick up, no borrowed car for the day
- Travel inside Bay of Plenty and Waikato is already in the quoted price
- Road testing happens on the roads and hills the vehicle actually works on
- You can stand there and watch the whole job if you want to
- Te Puke, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hamilton, Cambridge and Matamata are all standard
- He has driven as far as Gisborne for a booking, so ask if you sit outside that
The diagnostic call out, $195. Full fault code scan and live data read on your driveway, then an honest answer on whether tuning helps at all. Credited back if you book a tune.
Mobile or workshop, one set of hands
Dave does every job himself, mobile or at the workshop. Four of the main services are below, and fleet work gets its own section under them because the argument for it is different. At the Papamoa workshop Dave also does dyno tuning, transmission tuning and performance work, and fits upgrades such as exhausts, turbos, intercoolers, injectors, lift kits, bullbars, sliders and snorkels.
Diagnostics
$195, at your address. Full fault code scan and live data, then a straight answer on whether tuning is worth it for your vehicle. Credited back against a tune.
Custom ECU remapping
From $1,299 incl GST, mobile or at the workshop. A map written for your vehicle from its own live data, logged and road tested. The original ECU file is kept, so the software tune can be restored, and you get a written report of exactly what changed.
EGR, DPF and AdBlue
Fault diagnosis first. Emissions software is $450 per system, software only, and $1,590 with a remap, both incl GST. Read the WOF section first.
Utes and 4x4s
The bulk of the work. Hilux, Ranger, Amarok, BT-50, Navara, Fortuner and X-Class have all been through his hands, and estimated gains for them are further down this page.
Fleet visits are done at the yard, between jobs or overnight, so nothing comes off the road. One visit, one invoice at the end of it.
And fleets, three vehicles or more
Fuel is usually a fleet’s second biggest cost after wages, and it is the largest line an operator can still do something about. Savings of around 15 to 20 percent are possible, depending on the vehicle and how it is driven. Across a fleet that is a line item, not a curiosity.
The other half of the argument is downtime. EGR and DPF faults putting vehicles into limp mode mid job cost more than the repair does.
- Three or more and the per vehicle rate drops with volume
- Done on site at your yard, between jobs or overnight
- Nothing comes off the road for a workshop booking
- One visit and one invoice for the whole group
- Ring for a per vehicle rate once Dave knows what is in the fleet
What the work actually looks like
Two of the things that decide whether a vehicle is a good candidate, and what happens before a single line of the map is touched.
The lights that start most of the phone calls. EGR and DPF faults are what put a vehicle into limp mode mid job, and on a work vehicle the downtime costs more than the repair.
Factory maps leave headroom because manufacturers cover the worst fuel and the worst climate on the planet. Dave works inside what the engine, turbo and transmission can safely take, and the vehicle gets a full inspection before anything is modified.
Tell Dave what you are driving and he will give you a straight answer, including if the answer is that it is not worth doing.
Estimated gains by model
Estimated figures for common models. Actual results depend on the vehicle and its engine condition.
| Vehicle | Estimated after tuning |
|---|---|
| Toyota Hilux 2.8 1GD, 2021 | 250 hp / 650 Nm |
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8 1GD, 2023 | 250 hp / 650 Nm |
| Toyota Hilux 3.0 1KD, turbo and injectors, 2010 | 260 hp / 610 Nm |
| VW Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI, 2022 | 320 hp / 680 Nm |
| Ford Ranger PX2 3.2, 2018 | 240 hp / 580 Nm |
| Mazda BT-50 3.2, 2014 | 240 hp / 580 Nm |
| Mazda BT-50 3.0 4JJ3, 2021 | +60 hp / +140 Nm |
| Nissan Navara 2.3 bi-turbo, 2021 | 215 hp / 510 Nm |
| Mercedes-Benz X-Class V6 | 300 hp / 700 Nm |
| Hino Dutro 4.0, 2012 | +30 percent torque |
These are estimated gains, not measured dyno results. Actual results depend on the vehicle and its engine condition, as well as fuel and what hardware is fitted. Dave will tell you what your specific vehicle can safely make before you commit a cent.
What people around the region say
4.9 stars from 100+ Google reviews. These are from his published reviews.
"Dave tuned my 3.2 Ranger, made a massive improvement. I went for both engine and trans tune. Ute runs way way stronger up hills and towing. Fuel burn has reduced by approx 2 litre/100 k. Great bang for the $$ spent, highly recommend Dave"
John Ryan, Ford Ranger 3.2
"Dave recently did some work on my px3 ranger. An EGR delete, performance tune and transmission tune. It’s like a totally different vehicle. Definitely recommend if your thinking about getting it done give Dave a call. He will sort you out."
Tim Cooper, Ford Ranger PX3
"Dave is awesome, extremely knowledgeable. I called on Monday with big issue with my px1 ranger, he was at my house within the hour to have a look and then came back first thing Tuesday morning ready to go and had everything sorted in a few hours! EGR delete and tune with a bunch of extras"
Michael Vandervlerk, Ford Ranger PX1
"Excellent service and results from Dave and the ute feels like it has a new lease on life, the upgrades have made a massive difference in power and the smoothness of gear changes"
Jonathon Ogden, diesel ute
"Good knowledge and actually told me if there was any issues. Even better I didn’t have to leave home, he came to me and got a great combo deal for 2 trucks. All in all, great experience"
Apiata Maaka, two work trucks
"Dave came over to Gisborne and remap my Mazda bt50 2014. Mean power now, thanks for your mahi."
Herbert Osborn, Mazda BT-50, Gisborne
Tell Dave what you are driving and he will give you a straight answer, including if the answer is that it is not worth doing.
Where it gets done, and what goes in
Where the vehicle gets tuned is your call, mobile or at the workshop. What actually goes into the ECU is where the money goes wrong.
Dave comes to you
- The vehicle stays where it is parked, driveway, yard, farm race or worksite
- No drop off, no pick up, no courtesy car to arrange
- Travel inside Bay of Plenty and Waikato is already in the quoted price
- Road tested on your roads and your hills, and the keys stay with you
A map written on your own vehicle
- Full inspection and a fault code scan before anything is modified
- The map is written from that vehicle's own live data
- Live data logging and road testing before he packs up
- Factory file backed up and kept, plus a written record of exactly what changed
Or bring it to the workshop
- Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa
- Dyno tuning, ECU and transmission tuning, diagnostics and performance work
- Upgrades fitted, from exhausts, turbos, intercoolers and injectors to lift kits, bullbars, sliders and snorkels
- The same base price as a mobile booking
A generic file off a database
- Written for one example of the engine somewhere else in the world
- Written in conditions that had nothing to do with yours
- Bought off a database and flashed in without anyone driving the vehicle
- Dave has been paid to repair the results: failed injectors, cooked turbos, transmission problems
How a booking actually runs
Four steps, and you can stop at the first one with nothing spent.
01. You ring with the details
Make, model, year and what is already fitted. Dave gives you an honest read on whether tuning helps and confirms the final quote. If the vehicle is not a good candidate he says so before any money changes hands.
02. A $200 deposit holds the day
It secures the booking and comes off the final price. Then Dave drives to your address, anywhere inside Bay of Plenty and Waikato with travel already in the quoted price, or you bring the vehicle to the Papamoa workshop.
03. Inspection, then the map
Full inspection and a scan first, and the factory file is backed up before anything is written. The map is built from your vehicle's own live data, logged and road tested. A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours.
04. You get it in writing
A written report of exactly what changed, for your own records and for your insurer. The original ECU file stays backed up per vehicle, so the software tune can be restored.
What is included in a tune
Every remap price on this page covers all of the following. There is no line at the bottom of the invoice for any of it.
- Mobile or at the Papamoa workshop, with travel inside Bay of Plenty and Waikato in the price
- Full inspection of the vehicle before anything is modified
- Full fault code scan and live data read
- The factory file backed up and kept safe, per vehicle
- A custom map written from your vehicle's own live data, never a generic file
- Live data logging and road testing on your roads
- A written report of exactly what changed, for your records and your insurer
- A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours, and the keys stay in your pocket
- The same base price mobile or at the Papamoa workshop
Tell Dave what you are driving and he will give you a straight answer, including if the answer is that it is not worth doing.
What it costs
A proper custom tune is not the cheapest thing on the market and it is not meant to be. Every price below covers travel inside the standard service area, and it is the same whether the work is done mobile or at the workshop.
Diagnostic call out
$195
Including GST. Dave comes to you. Full fault code scan and live data, then an honest answer on whether tuning helps. Credited back if you book a tune.
ECU remap
Most people book this one
from $1,299
Including GST. A custom map written for your vehicle. Live data logging and road testing, the original ECU file backed up and kept safe, and a written report of exactly what changed. The same price mobile or at the workshop. A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours.
Remap plus emissions solution
$1,590
Including GST. A custom remap and one emissions software solution, booked together. Software only. Read the WOF and emissions section on this page first.
Emissions solution
Software only
$450 each
Including GST. ECU software for one emissions system. Software only: not a diagnosis, removal or parts package. Which options are open to your vehicle depends on the WOF and emissions section on this page, so this always starts with that conversation.
Hourly rate
$140 an hour
Including GST. Workshop time, modifications and anything a fixed price does not cover.
Fleet, 3 or more
Call
The per vehicle rate drops with volume. Done on site. One invoice, one visit.
A $200 deposit secures a booking and comes off the final price. The final quote is confirmed once Dave knows make, model, year and what is already fitted. If a vehicle is not a good candidate he says so before any money changes hands.
Prices cover travel within the standard service area and are the same mobile or at the workshop. Performance figures vary by vehicle, condition and fuel. Emissions system modifications may affect WOF compliance and it is the owner’s responsibility to declare modifications to their insurer.
If it turns out to be a bad idea, he says so
Dave talks people out of spending money. Several of his reviews are from people he told not to bother. If your vehicle is not a good candidate you will hear it before any money changes hands, and the four things below are true of every job he does take.
Your factory file is kept
Backed up per vehicle before anything is written, and kept safe, so the software tune can be restored.
The $195 comes back off a tune
The diagnostic call out is credited back when you book a tune, so the honest answer about your vehicle costs you nothing.
The software tune can be restored
The original ECU file is kept, so the software tune can be restored to factory. Physical upgrades are a separate job. Small charge for time and travel if it is done later.
A written record
A written spec of exactly what changed, for your own records and to forward to your insurer. NZ insurers treat anything beyond factory spec as a modification.
The questions Dave gets on the phone
Factory maps leave headroom because manufacturers have to cover the worst fuel and the worst climate on the planet. Dave works inside what the engine, turbo and transmission can safely take, and the vehicle is checked before he touches the map. The damage stories come from generic files flashed in blind.
A dealer can detect a remap on their diagnostic gear. In practice manufacturers decline the affected components rather than the whole warranty. Your original ECU file is backed up, so the software tune can be restored before a dealer service.
Usually, but only if your right foot behaves the same. More torque low down means fewer downshifts and lower revs at cruise. Savings of around 15 to 20 percent are possible, depending on the vehicle and how it is driven. One customer reported about two litres per 100 km less on a 3.2 Ranger after an engine and transmission tune, which is one customer’s result, not a typical one. If you use the extra power you will not save fuel.
A cheap tune is usually a generic file bought off a database and flashed in without anyone driving the vehicle. Dave has been paid to repair the results: failed injectors, cooked turbos, transmission problems.
The software tune can. The original ECU file is kept, so the software can be restored to factory. Physical upgrades are a separate job. There is a small charge for time and travel if it is done later.
A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours. Diagnostic jobs, modifications and workshop dyno bookings take longer. It can be done wherever the vehicle is parked, or at the workshop at Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa.
He will tell you before any money changes hands. Several of his reviews are from people he told not to bother. The final quote is confirmed once he knows make, model, year and what is already fitted.
WOF, emissions and the law
The rule that applies. The Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007 says at clause 3.2 that a vehicle’s exhaust emissions system or exhaust control equipment must not be modified so as to prevent the vehicle passing the metered test in Schedule 2. That applies to most cars, utes, vans and trucks certified for entry into service in New Zealand on or after 1 May 2008. Removing a DPF, an EGR system or an AdBlue system on a vehicle in that group will normally prevent it passing that test, so the modification is not permitted whether or not anybody spots it. The Rule also defines emissions control equipment as including on-board diagnostics, so the software side is inside the same regime. Clause 5.1 puts a duty on the person doing the work as well as the owner.
A remap on its own. If the emissions hardware stays fitted and the vehicle still passes the visible smoke test, there is no exhaust emissions reason for rejection at WOF. This is the safest path and it is what Dave recommends for most road vehicles.
DPF removal and the WOF. For a vehicle first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 May 2010 and manufactured from 1 January 1990, removing the DPF is a named reason for rejection at WOF unless you hold written evidence from an entry certifier that it passed a prescribed metered emissions test in that condition. Vehicles first certified for entry before 1 May 2008 sit outside that reason for rejection.
EGR and AdBlue. Neither is named as a reason for rejection in the WOF inspection manual the way the DPF is. That is a point about the inspection, not about clause 3.2, which still applies to in-scope vehicles. The visible smoke test also still applies.
Insurance and certification. Tell your insurer. NZ insurers treat anything beyond factory spec as a modification, and an undeclared one is how claims get declined. Dave gives a written spec of what changed so it can be forwarded. LVV certification is a separate structural and safety regime and is not a route to legitimising emissions equipment removal.
This is general information about New Zealand rules current at the time of writing, not legal advice, and the rules change. Sources: Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007 clauses 3.2 and 5.1, and the NZTA in-service WOF inspection manual, exhaust emissions. Dave will walk through your specific vehicle and situation on the phone before any work is booked.
Tell Dave what you are driving
A phone call is the fastest way through. Have the make, model, year and anything already fitted handy and he will give you a straight answer, including if the answer is that it is not worth doing.
Prefer to talk it through? Ring Dave on 021 656 416. He answers his own phone.
Workshop at Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa. Mobile across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato: Te Puke, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hamilton, Cambridge and Matamata are all standard, and travel inside that area is already in the quoted price.
Advanced Tuning Solutions
Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa, Bay of Plenty
Mobile across Bay of Plenty and Waikato, or at the Papamoa workshop
021 656 416
bookings@advancedtuningsolutions.co.nz
WhatsApp 021 656 416
Family owned and operated, registered in New Zealand since 2023. Dave Seuser does every job himself, with 17+ years’ mechanical experience. Trained first as an electrician in Germany, and pulled a first moped apart at twelve.
Service area: Te Puke, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hamilton, Cambridge and Matamata.