4.9 stars, 100+ Google reviews, 17+ years' mechanical experience
ECU Remapping From $1,299, Written From Your Own Vehicle's Data
- Written on the spot from your engine's own live data, not a file bought off a database.
- A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours.
- From $1,299 incl GST, the same price mobile or at the workshop.
- At your address with travel inside Bay of Plenty and Waikato included, or at the Papamoa workshop.
- 4.9 stars from 100+ Google reviews
- 17+ years' mechanical experience, and Dave does every job himself
- Mobile across Bay of Plenty and Waikato, or at the Papamoa workshop
- Your original ECU file is backed up and kept, so the software tune can be restored
- 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
100+ Google reviews
17+ years
Mechanical experience, one man
From $1,299
Incl GST, same price mobile or workshop
3 to 4 hrs
A typical mobile remap
Before you spend a cent
Two quotes, hundreds of dollars apart, and no way to tell them apart
Most people arrive with the same story. The ute is fine on the flat and runs out of legs the moment there is a hill or a load behind it. Somebody at work has had theirs done and swears by it. Somebody else knows a bloke who cooked a turbo.
So you ring around. One quote comes in well under the next one, and everybody tells you it is safe. It is hard to find out what anyone is actually going to do to your engine.
They are fair questions. Here is what sits behind the difference between those quotes.
- Is this going to cost me an engine, a turbo or a transmission
- What happens if the dealer plugs in while it is still under warranty
- Will it actually save fuel, or just burn more of it
- Why is one quote so much cheaper than the other one
- Can it be put back to standard before I sell it
Lights and fault codes get read and logged before anything else happens. Dave inspects the vehicle in full before anything is modified, and if tuning is not the right spend on your vehicle he will tell you so.
The difference you are paying for
A generic file was written for somebody else's engine
No generic files, ever. Every map Dave writes comes from that vehicle’s own live data, read off your engine while it runs and while it is driven.
A file bought off a database was written for one example of the engine somewhere else in the world, in conditions that had nothing to do with yours. Condition, wear, the fuel it gets and whatever hardware is already fitted all move the safe limits around, and none of that is in a file written before anyone had met your vehicle.
Factory maps leave headroom because a manufacturer has to cover the worst fuel and the worst climate on the planet. That headroom is what a tune uses. Dave works inside what the engine, the turbo and the transmission can safely take, and he checks the vehicle before he touches the map. The damage stories come from generic files flashed in blind.
| What you are comparing | A generic file | Dave's custom map |
|---|---|---|
| Where the map comes from | Bought off a database to match your engine code | Written from your vehicle's own live data |
| Who drives it | Often flashed in without anyone driving the vehicle | Road tested and logged by Dave, who wrote it |
| Your original ECU file | Ask before you book | Backed up and kept safe, per vehicle |
| Record of what changed | Ask before you book | A written report, for you and your insurer |
| Where the work happens | Ask before you book | Mobile across Bay of Plenty and Waikato, travel included, or at the Papamoa workshop |
“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
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.
The assessment is the proof
Every map starts with a scan, a log and a road test
What makes a custom map worth more than a downloaded one is the work that happens before a single line of it is written. Full inspection first. A fault code scan and live data off the vehicle. Then the map, then a road test, then the data logged again.
A full fault code scan and live data before anybody talks about a map. This is the $195 diagnostic call out, and it is credited back if you go on to book a tune.
The turbo, the injectors and the transmission all have a limit. The map is written to stay inside what they can safely take, which is why the vehicle is inspected first.
Driveway, yard, farm race or worksite. Dave brings the gear to the vehicle, or you bring it to the Papamoa workshop.
Estimated gains
What common models can make
| Vehicle | Year | 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 | Not recorded | 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.
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.
How the job runs
Four steps, at your address or the workshop
Nothing here is a mystery. This is the whole job, from the first phone call through to the written record of exactly what changed.
01. The phone call
Make, model, year and what is already fitted. Dave confirms the final quote once he knows all of it, and if your vehicle is not a good candidate he says so before any money changes hands. A $200 deposit secures the booking and comes off the final price.
02. Mobile or workshop
Dave drives to you, with travel inside the Bay of Plenty and Waikato included, or you bring the vehicle to Papamoa. Full inspection before anything is modified, then a full fault code scan and live data.
03. Backup, then the map
Your factory file is read, backed up and kept safe. The new map is written from your own live data, then road tested and logged again.
04. The written record
You get a written report of exactly what changed, for your own records and for your insurer. A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours from start to finish.
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.
In their words, not ours
4.9 stars from 100+ Google 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
What is included in a remap
- A custom map written for your vehicle, from its own live data
- Live data logging and road testing
- Your factory file backed up and kept safe, per vehicle
- A written report of exactly what changed
- A straightforward mobile remap typically takes three to four hours
- Travel inside the Bay of Plenty and Waikato
Booking, deposit and the final quote
A $200 deposit secures a booking and comes off the final price. The final quote is confirmed once Dave knows the make, model, year and what is already fitted.
The $195 diagnostic call out is credited back if you go on to book a tune, so the assessment costs you nothing once the work goes ahead. If a vehicle is not a good candidate, he says so before any money changes hands.
Three or more vehicles
The per vehicle rate drops with volume and the work is done on site, one invoice and one visit, so nothing comes off the road. Ring Dave with the list and he will price it.
WOF, emissions and your insurer
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.
Prices, mobile or workshop
What it costs
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. A $200 deposit secures a booking and comes off the final price, and the final quote is confirmed once Dave knows the make, model, year and what is already fitted.
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 common choice
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.
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 goes wrong for you
What stops this being a gamble
- The original ECU file is backed up and kept, per vehicle, so the software tune can be restored
- The $195 diagnostic call out is credited back against the price if you book a tune
- The software tune can be restored. There is a small charge for time and travel if you have it put back later
- A written record of exactly what changed, for your records and for your insurer
- He talks people out of spending money. Several of his reviews are from people he told not to bother
Before a dealer service
Be realistic about this one. A dealer can detect a remap on their diagnostic gear. What happens in practice is that manufacturers decline the affected components rather than the whole warranty. Because your original ECU file is backed up, the software tune can be restored before a dealer service.
Restoring the software tune
The original ECU file is kept, so the software tune 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, and you keep the written record of what was changed in the first place.
The questions people actually ask
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, the turbo and the transmission can safely take, and he checks the vehicle before touching 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. The 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 as it did before. 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 of that: failed injectors, cooked turbos and 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 at your location anywhere in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, with travel included, or at the workshop at Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa.
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. That is the safest path and it is what Dave recommends for most road vehicles. Removing a DPF, an EGR system or an AdBlue system is a different conversation, and the WOF section above sets out the rule that applies.
It depends on the engine, its condition and what hardware is already fitted, so nobody should hand you a number over the phone to win the job. Dave will tell you what your specific vehicle can safely make before you commit a cent, and the table above shows estimated gains for common models.
Tell Dave what you drive
Ring him with the make, model, year and whatever is already fitted, and you will get a straight answer on what your vehicle can safely make and what it will cost. If it is not worth doing, he will tell you that on the phone.
“Dave came over to Gisborne and remap my Mazda bt50 2014. Mean power now, thanks for your mahi.”
Herbert Osborn, Mazda BT-50, Gisborne
Prefer to talk it through? Ring Dave on 021 656 416. He answers his own phone.
Advanced Tuning Solutions
Unit 1, 2 Ashley Place, Papamoa, Bay of Plenty
Phone 021 656 416
Email bookings@advancedtuningsolutions.co.nz
WhatsApp 021 656 416
Serving Te Puke, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hamilton, Cambridge and Matamata.
Family owned and registered in New Zealand since 2023. Dave trained first as an electrician in Germany, has 17+ years’ mechanical experience, and does every job himself.
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.