Ok, I plan on doing some mods to my new 09 SS/TC. Bought her about a month ago. Love her so much. Anyways, I've been thinking of doing mods to her in the future. I do care about warranty, but....I want her to be more powerful, yet dependable at the same time. I've notice there is plastic all over the intake and CP. I plan on getting a K&N SRI, Injen or other available CP, new intercooler and slotted rotors for the first set of mods. The question I have now is that should I get the gms1 or hp tune? What other parts on the car that have been a concern for others on quality/reliability? Should I buy all the mods I want first? Are there other bolt-ons I should consider putting on first?

I want the most reliable and this is my first car (DD).

 

if your worried about the warranty your kind of limited to what you can do. gms1 is your best bet

 

I kind of figured that. Is it possible to do a hp tune after getting the gms1?

Deal with me, I have a lot questions and some may be stupid. lol

 

What about trifecta tune? Honestly i like hptune a little more but theres a few reasons why trifecta may be a better option 1. The on off feature. 2. Its super easy to get and put in. and 3. He has come out with new type of tune called the ecp tune or something. I dont really know much about this tune at all but ive heard that it makes bovs run perfectly without issues. Oh ya and dealers cant see the trifecta tune at all. As long as they dont boost to like 23 pounds of boost they wont know because in the computer it looks like it hasnt been flashed at all. Hp doesnt hide that. I dont have a trifecta tune yet but planning on it once he replies to my emails. And honestly 1st mod you should do is the ottp stage 2 transmission mounts. There so so great. Stock theres a crazy amout of torque steer. With stage 2 mounts the torque steer is gone and so is the wheel hop. And I have heard aftermarket intercoolers really dont do anything. I think they only really are needed if you get a bigger turbo and if you get a bigger turbo you should get a bigger intercooler. Im holding off on buying an intercooler. To me it seems like an expensive thing that doesnt really do anything. But thats my opinion do what you want. I dont know what kind of performance gains you could get out of an aftermarket one but it couldnt be much if any.

 

Gm stage 1
Injen hot side pipe
K &n intake
Forge bpv

Do not touch the brakes

 

The inter cooler isn't going to give you performance....but it will drop your temps

 

The only reason I'm getting an intercooler is that I plan on getting dp and catless. All these kiss might make her run hotter than normal and will be in need for a new one. Better safe than sorry. Trifecta tune does sound tempting, but the price range is crazy. 200 for hp tune from a tuner who did it for a friend of mines or pay for trifecta that will probably be higher? I have enough time think about it. But seriously, can't you put gms1 with hp tune or trifecta? I would think that it is possible...

Side note: doesn't transmission mounts cause frame damage over time....that will result alignment issues

 

It's beneficial, but not necessary, to get the GMS1 sensors before going for an aftermarket tune.

Not sure about getting an IC. I bought mine with a ZZP one already installed (didn't even know it at the time) and it's nice to have for peace of mind, but if I had to pay $ for one right now....well idk if I could justify it.

 

Gms1 to be safe for warrenty or trifecta select a tune and buy the cable at the same time. Well worth it if u wanna adjust the tune or go back to stock

 

No the mounts shouldnt cause any long term damage. And ya hp may be cheaper but gm will definatly be able to see it. Just sayin.

 

Thanks for all the helpful info. I think I made my mind up on what route I will be going. Will probably buy gms1, trifecta tune, aand all other parts for her. Making a list of budgets a we speak.

 

Gms1 and trifecta??

 

I personally say stay away from trifecta. Get the gmstage1 then get hpt by a good tuner later.

 

do a tune and downpipe and then go from there but them two things will be you biggest gain.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Got another question. Accidently put this in the general discussion thread.

Is this particular part as the gms1

Cobalt, Solstice, HHR Stage Kit Harness Adapter 19212670H Description

Does it still give the same power gains? Has anybody got this installed?

 

Bump

 

those are just adapters for an older style kit.
THIS is gms1. You'll still need to get flashed by your local dealership

Cobalt, Solstice, HHR Stage Kit 19212670HK

I had GMS1 for a while. It was a nice upgrade from stock, but once I got sick of warranty, I got an HP tune, it was a big difference.

Quite honestly, if you plan on keeping warranty, don't do anything beyond the stage kit. Some dealerships can be really picky on bolt ons. Any bolt on at all, is enough of an exuse for your warranty to be denied, whether it causes the problem or not. People like to quote the Magnuson Moss Act, though that actually wouldn't help you in a legal battle, which really only covers things like spark plugs and filters.

 

Beat me 2 it^

 

Yea, I am currently aware of that. I'm just doing this for now. To have the right parts and having the tuning controls at tap of a button is something I would like to have. Personally, within 6 months, I'll probably won't Carr about warranty. It's a "economy" sports car....it will be a money pit either way.

 

Get a good Tuner and use HP Tuners, Tune AFTER you install all your new parts.

Check out www.TurboTechRacing.com we carry a TON of parts, in stock, and ship daily.