New 2017: Shopping for Tune and Intake

[NewKindOfClown]

Intro:
I've been researching Silverados for 6 months, but I decided to get a new Sonic at the last minute. I come from old V8 Camaros, I6/V8 Jeeps, and V8 Ford trucks, so this little turbo motor is new to me. I've been giving myself a crash course on these things and reading like crazy, but I don't feel comfortable modding my new car without a little encouragement. That, and most of the threads I've found with good info are from 2012-13, and I want to make sure the info is still valid!

I bought my 2017 Premier (1.4T) hatch on Thursday, and I want to give it a little pep. I don't plan to go crazy with mods because I drive 20k miles per year, and I want to retain the warranty. I'm looking at a tune, CAI, and maybe full exhaust later on. My goal right now it to improve driveability and to let the turbo be heard (subtle is fine).

CAI:
I know an intake won't give me any power until the car is tuned, but I'm not worried about that. For now, I just want to hear the turbo. I think I want an MPFab intake because it seems to be the best design. With the velocity stack, the large filter, the MAF being properly located, and the fact that it actually seals against the hood, it seems like the best-engineered design. Brands seem to be a matter of opinion for the intake, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that might change my opinion.

So, thoughts on purchasing the MPFab intake vs other brands?
And does anyone know if his blue powdercoat would closely match my Kinetic Blue paint? If not, I'll get a polished one.

Tune:
This one doesn't seem to be a question. There are a lot of happy people with Trifecta tunes. There are also a lot of people who strongly recommend BNR, but my powertrain warranty is important to me. As far as I know, Trifecta is the only tuner with Transparency mode, so that's where I'm looking.

So, is there any problem with Trifecta for the 1.4T that I'm not aware of?
Or is there another provider that can offer a tune without increasing the flash counter?

Thanks for any help! I've already learned a ton from this forum, and I look forward to being part of a new community.

 

[2014 Blue RS]

After 1yr+ on Trifecta. BNR all the way. I've done almost all mods and never had to visit the dealer. So can't say what problem a count on the ECU would mean. If you're concerned, talk to your service dept. and see if you can get a sense of how they feel about people modding their cars.

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[sonic one]

Welcome NewKindOfClown, congrats on the new sonic. Post some pics soon. I'm seeing a lot of new sonics in Frederick!! The MPfab intake and a Zzp catback made a big difference in the sound of my 2013 1.4t. I had 100k miles (in under 3 years) when i got my tune. A BNR tune can be flashed back to original/stock tune.

 

[NewKindOfClown]

After 1yr+ on Trifecta. BNR all the way. I've done almost all mods and never had to visit the dealer. So can't say what problem a count on the ECU would mean. If you're concerned, talk to your service dept. and see if you can get a sense of how they feel about people modding their cars.

Well you can't say that and not explain why! What don't you like about Trifecta? How is BNR better for you?

I would need a strong reason to use an option that would increase my flash counter, and all I keep seeing is "BNR is better" without any quantitative (or even qualitative) data.

Welcome NewKindOfClown, congrats on the new sonic. Post some pics soon. I'm seeing a lot of new sonics in Frederick!! The MPfab intake and a Zzp catback made a big difference in the sound of my 2013 1.4t. I had 100k miles (in under 3 years) when i got my tune. A BNR tune can be flashed back to original/stock tune.

I appreciate the comment about the intake and exhaust. I know I can flash the computers back, but I'm concerned with the counter. If I do have a problem, I don't want them to void my warranty because it has obviously been modified.

As requested, here's my new ride. All stock and 3 days old

 

[JesusTheAgnostic]

This is probably all you'll find on YouTube about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9uck7RARDY

Most users who have ran both agree though. I know blue rs just recently switched to BNR. By the way I've read that the service department can see the Trifecta tune, from someone on the Cruze forums who said he works in the service department.

If you want a tune that will definitely be covered by warranty you could see if GM still sells their turbo stage kit or whatever they called it. They had an intake, exhaust, and tune for the car. I don't know if they still sell that stuff though or if it would be compatible with the newer Sonic's.

If you want noise you could try getting a ZZP catback. Should be around 350 ish and it shouldn't void any warranty. Make sure you get the one that's just a straight pipe though. It's the one that sounds best if you plan on leaving the cats intact. At least from my perspective. If you run a full straight pipe you hear nothing but whistle!

 

[Hectic]

This is probably all you'll find on YouTube about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9uck7RARDY

Most users who have ran both agree though. I know blue rs just recently switched to BNR. By the way I've read that the service department can see the Trifecta tune, from someone on the Cruze forums who said he works in the service department.

If you want a tune that will definitely be covered by warranty you could see if GM still sells their turbo stage kit or whatever they called it. They had an intake, exhaust, and tune for the car. I don't know if they still sell that stuff though or if it would be compatible with the newer Sonic's.

If you want noise you could try getting a ZZP catback. Should be around 350 ish and it shouldn't void any warranty. Make sure you get the one that's just a straight pipe though. It's the one that sounds best if you plan on leaving the cats intact. At least from my perspective. If you run a full straight pipe you hear nothing but whistle!

Speaking on this, the GM catback is still available for the 17, although no catalogs show it and GM does not list it on the accessory site. In Canada anyways.

I did some digging into the Service Information available, and it is listed. The part number is 84154146. This includes the stage kit tune. I can't tell if there is a difference between the 12-16 RS exhaust and the 17 RS exhaust. More than likely, it is just the tune authorization numbers that are different, and possibly the muffler tips. I can't verify that though, as I believe the ZZP catback will fit the 17 as well.

 

[sonic one]

Thanks for the pics, very nice looking sonic. I like the jeep next to it in the one picture. We have a 1990 YJ next to ours!!

 

[navyjag10]

Welcome like that blue

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[Anthony]

I'm also interested in hearing the opinions of those that have had both the Trifecta and BNR tunes. From what I've heard, BNR is better but I still haven't heard anything specific about that.

I personally have Trifecta but I'm going to be pulling the trigger on a BNR tune simply because I have found Trifecta's customer service to be sub par. I've heard great things about Jerry at BNR as well.

 

[4g63gst20]

I have BNR and the car spends more nights at the dealership than my girlfriend spends at my place ! When i bring it in for diagnose I always flash back to stock. Never had a problem with them seeing that it has been tuned before

 

[NewKindOfClown]

Thanks for the pics, very nice looking sonic. I like the jeep next to it in the one picture. We have a 1990 YJ next to ours!!

Thanks! The Jeep is my baby. 1993 Wrangler, 6" spring over lift, normally sits on 37s, but those are 35s. Ford 8.8 rear axle, upgraded D30 front (it'll get a one-ton swap eventually). It lost the front driveshaft at 70mph a couple months ago, and I'm halfway through repairing $3k in damage.

I'm also interested in hearing the opinions of those that have had both the Trifecta and BNR tunes. From what I've heard, BNR is better but I still haven't heard anything specific about that.

I personally have Trifecta but I'm going to be pulling the trigger on a BNR tune simply because I have found Trifecta's customer service to be sub par. I've heard great things about Jerry at BNR as well.

I appreciate your input, thank you.

I have BNR and the car spends more nights at the dealership than my girlfriend spends at my place ! When i bring it in for diagnose I always flash back to stock. Never had a problem with them seeing that it has been tuned before

I'm glad to hear it hasn't been an issue for you. I'm just trying to be as cautious as possible here. I bought an extended bumper-to-bumper warranty because I anticipate 100k miles in the next 5-5.5 years. I don't want to risk losing my coverage.

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I guess my more specific questions are these:

1) Can Trifecta's transparency mode be detected? I keep reading that it's proven undetectable at the dealer level, but someone here said they can tell. If the flash counter doesn't increase, I should (in theory) just be able to flash it back to stock before I take it in for warranty work. If there's a problem with that, can someone please be specific about it?

2) I understand Trifecta doesn't have the best customer satisfaction, but is there an actual problem with their canned tunes? I won't be racing anyone. I just want to improve the car's driveability with regard to shifting and throttle response. The extra power is just a bonus. So, has the Trifecta tune actually caused a problem for anyone? Or is BNR recommended because they can get you a few extra lb-ft of torque?

(On a side note, I ordered an MPFab intake after midnight Monday night, and I got shipping confirmation from FedEx within 12 hours. He even refunded a part of my payment because a shipping discount code didn't work properly! I don't have the part yet, but I'm extremely satisfied with his service.)

 

[4g63gst20]

Same here . Every repair they have made has been covered under chevy or my extended warranty which goes until 120k.

 

[NewKindOfClown]

I found a lot of threads on Cruze and Buick sites, and they all agree. After doing quite a bit more reading, I think I will end up doing the BNR tune as you've all suggested.

First, I'm going to install my MPFab intake this weekend. (It's being delivered tomorrow.) Then I'll reach out to Jerry about a tune after I get my Wrangler back on the road. Gotta remember to keep my projects prioritized...

 

[2014 Blue RS]

Walker is awesome! Get that intercooler when you can. All his stuff is great.

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[NewKindOfClown]

Get that intercooler when you can.

I keep looking at it, but I wasn't planning to drop that much coin on my commuter car. Will it make a significant difference for around-town and highway driving? I had looked at DDM's diverter as a cheaper option to increase airflow to the IC, but it says it doesn't fit on RS models.

 

[2014 Blue RS]

Made the biggest improvement of all my mods bar-none besides the actual tune of course.

SRI and snorkel removal let me hear the turbo. IC let me feel it pull harder. Even better on the freeway. 40 to 90mph comes on quick with no hesitation.

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[NewKindOfClown]

Damn you all, my budget when I bought the car was an intake and a Trifecta tune, and exhaust after the OEM system rusts.

Now I have an intake waiting for me when I get home from work today, and I'm looking at a BNR tune, exhaust, aluminum charge pipes, silicone coolant hoses, a DDM turbo heat shield and coil cover, and an intercooler upgrade. I wouldn't need Green Giant injectors for any of that, would I?

I WON'T CHANGE THE TURBO! That's where I'm drawing the line!

But when I put it in perspective, I could do all those upgrades for about the price of one axle for my Jeep. I suppose that isn't so bad.

 

[2014 Blue RS]

Hahaha, I've done all of the above. It is cheap fun when you put it in perspective.

And you will want those Bosch 42s after you do ask that.

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[DaBlackapino]

Yeah I love what my Sonic has Under the Hood and about the only thing i haven't gotten is a Tune but then again, I've got a 1.8L so after installing a injen air intake and Borla exhaust I'll be lucky if I'm pushing about 147hp but then again I haven't dyno'd it Yet, so I'm just Guessing.

 

[DaBlackapino]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6YdHjBkUIxrnR4YDD0KHRf_s0nf-S6N This is What i had at the time of this Vid