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How did everyone get into tuning your cars?

4.2K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  JoelB  
#1 ·
Since I'm completely new to tuner community, I was wondering how everyone else decided to learn how to tune their cars, and actually getting their hands dirty on your cars.

How did you get started? Where and how did you do your research?

Was it easy or harder than you expected? Did you use a mechanic / professional to help you tune? Were you happy with the results?

What was your first tuner car?

I'm curious :)
Pictures: x2 points
 
#2 ·
Tuning cars in general....I started about 10 years ago just before I turned 16, before I bought this genesis I owned about 7 ford probes, 1/4, track, sound, show, 2 dailys, and a parts car. Tuning is a hobby, like anything else, it was also an addiction that a lot of guys I hung around with were into. Thats how I got started into the scene. As for the genesis, if it wasn't for a chevy dealer giving me a run around on a vette I was looking at I probably would never have bought one of these cars, as it turned out the Hyundai dealership was beside the chevy one, and I asked the dealer what was the chanced of a fat guy fitting into this car. he threw me the keys and that was all she wrote!!!
 
#3 ·
My car (Nissan Maxima) broke down. Poor college student wanted to save money so bought a service manual on ebay and fixed my car. I felt so much pride and accomplishment after that I wanted to learn more. I'm still learning though.

I always like to think of myself as a student(even though I really am), this way you'll always learn new things. There is so much stuff to learn in this world.
 
#4 ·
If I get this car I am thinking about getting into the tuning world. I am fascinated with the street racing style/mods. However, I will never race my car but tune it to go to shows or just as a weekend driver for this one. I would love to just have a money doesn't matter but I am living paycheck to paycheck right now.
 
#5 ·
I started with a Datsun. Reason? I wanted to pass without waiting for an air strip or longer space before the next car came... After that it just stuck though all the cars.
 
#7 ·
always loved cars since I was a kid. I guess tuning a car just came naturally to me :p
 
#8 ·
do you guys look up how to tune a car on the web, look up what the necessary tools are, buy them, and start tinkering in your own garages?

Do you guys do it lone-wolf style or do u guys hook up with the community and have some sort of mentor to help you through the barrier of entry?

Is it a bad idea to figure out how to install new body kits and engine parts without a proper manual or someone knowledgeable around to help you out lol?
 
#9 ·
Eh, I wouldn't say it's 'bad' per say, but the knowledge of doing it right will benefit you in the long run and will keep your car on the road legally and safely lol. So by all means, figure thing out, but never be afraid of asking if it's done correct :)
 
#10 ·
I started tuning with an Eagle Talon 1993 N/a (the vehicule I owened previously my Genesis).

I bought it in 2002, just for the look, but, that became a a perpetual project.

I rebuild the engine three times!
First time because it was old.
Second time because something went wrong with the first rebuilt
Third time to install lower compression piston to convert to Turbo

I sold the Talon 1 month ago and it worked perfectly and perfomed not so bad.

Too, Idid many modification to brake and suspension.

But I was deceived of the result.

A powerful FWD, it's not the best, in my mind.

I was very low mechanical skills when I bought the Talon.

Now, I think I'm a little bit better. :rofl:

I found the majority of information on the Talon on Internet and on forum, particulary on DSM Quebec.
 
#11 ·
I grew up at a drag strip. I was helping build cars before I could drive, and my very first car had a lot of work done to it.
 
#12 ·
I had a buddy who bought a brand new 97 Eclipse GST that I watched him hook up...after that I started learning the basics (oil change, spark plugs, etc.). I would do a little research on all cars either on the web, by talking to other friends or by magazine (Sport Compact Car FTW!!). By the time I got my RSX, I was able to do almost everything except the clutch/flywhell/LSD install

It's a hobby and you eventually start to get a feel for what works and what doesn't especially since how a car performs can be attributed to the sum of its parts...
 
#13 ·
Defiantly not a tuner guy either. Hell, I didn't even know about the term until I bought this car, lol. (I play guitar so my mind went somewhere else when I heard that term for a split second....)

I'm a computer guy with an Electrical Engineering degree from Temple which means I have just enough knowledge to F things up royally on a car.

My only experience with cars is minimal. I had a 76' Honda Civic CVCC where I learned the simple stuff like adjusting the carb and timing, changing plugs... The easy crap. But I did have that beauty humming. Great car.

But this stuff has me foaming at the mouth. I'm hoping I have the bucks to go crazy on this thing when my warranty runs out which should be about 5 years.
 
#14 ·
as a farm boy i broke my truck off roading alot. fixing was easy, making indestructable was hard. repacing stock parts with stronger/heavyer parts so i can get to the hard-to-get-to places. stronger/heavyer parts ment more HP to move the machine.

moved to the city and shed my red-neck ways for muscle cars, same engines as the trucks i worked on. when that was done to hell and back i move into the import tuner culture. big HP from small displacments was a nice new challenge.

from my dads chevy trucks to my chevy cars to the european inspired cars to real import cars.
 
#16 ·
i grew up around a saab 900 turbo, and was at the shop with my grandpa when it was getting serviced, i would even sit in the passenger seat and help him shift(i had to use two hands and pull, and push like nothing else to shift it, usually with help from him) i learned to drive in my backyard at 14~15 and had to get my first vehicle running after 10+ years of sitting in the back yard. the truck is ancient and i had to learn how to work problems out in my head because it isnt rare for it to break down while im driving it. The interwebz helps out like nothing else. I research alot of things just to make sure i have it down, and never be afraid to ask questions, even if it sounds stupid, it can save alot of time and possibly money
 
#17 ·
My father built pro-mods, so I learned from direct hands on experience since age 12 (when I became really interested). After that, I started screwing around with my first car (Nissan Sentra SE-R) (old style), and went from there. I tell ya, sitting in a pro mod that runs the 1/8 in only 5 seconds is NUTS.
 
#18 · (Edited)
i thought girls were into cool cars.

boy was i wrong...

haha, just kidding

I started researching tweaking/ tuning cars. and i liked the idea alot.

so i went over to a local shop, hung out got to know them and started learning.

then started working as a mechanic at a repair shop because i wanted more knowledge. started to use forums for research..... but you have to be smarter than the forum to get the good info....... because ALOT of bad info is floating around the interwebs

and thats that.

(ones i modified )
first car - 1998 honda civic
2nd car - 1985 toyota corolla
( yeah the stickers, about that. kind of ricer... but had to for the sponsorship agreement......)
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changed it up a bit
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rolla - how it started
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how it ended
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#19 ·
It's funny. I started messing with my mom's Geo Storm when I was in middle school since I was heavily into cars then. Then I messed with the motor on my first car (88 Olds Cutlass). That was a waste of time. Then I messed with my truck, Intake and exhaust. Keep in mind, I was just in high school so I had to figure out how to do all this with little $$. Then I had an Escort. Yea, I turned ricer. I figured out how to put potentiometers on the IAT and some other sensor and was able to put the car back into warm up mode. Added a little bit of power. I had I/H/E on there. But then I saw the light. My ricer days ended when I got a 91 Toyota MR2. I still have this and am currently awaiting a built 2.2. Should put me close to 350rwhp. But the body is stock and nothing crazy. Now I am awaiting a Gen Coupe 2.0t to have a nice, fun daily while the MR2 will still be the toy.