CAT charges in one of two ways for dyno time. You always have the option of paying by the hour. Hourly fees vary by vehicle type (2WD or AWD) and by services needed (Do you need a tuner? Do you just want to test parts? Are you tuning your own car?). Your dyno time starts when we begin mounting up the car (the average car takes about 10 minutes to setup on the dyno) and ends when we are either done tuning, or if you are doing the work, you tell us you are done. You are not charged for any time required to dismount the vehicle, torque the wheels, print out dyno plots, etc.
However, for many vehicles and engine management systems, we have so much experience that we are able to offer flat rate pricing. This means that no matter how long it takes us, you pay only one price. But be sure to examine our list of surcharges. Some things are notincluded in flat rate tuning prices. And no matter which billing method you choose, spilling toxic chemicals on our shop floor will cost you a cleanup fee.
Please note, if for some reason we are unable to complete your flat rate tune due to problems with your car that are not Church Automotive Testing’s responsibility (failed part, leaks, etc.), you will be billed the full flat rate price if we spend more than one hour on the car prior to the problem arising. You may bring the car back for completion of the tuning once the problem is fixed, and there will be no additional charges except for an $80 mounting fee. If we take less than one hour, you will be billed for one hour of tuning.
Notes and Surcharges – Please Read!
–Oil or Antifreeze Hazmat Fee – If your car releases a substantial amount of oil or antifreeze you will be billed an additional $25.00
–Spark Plug Gapping – Flat Rate tuning does not include spark plug gapping. If we must gap or replace your spark plugs during the dyno session, you will be billed $25.00 (does not include new plugs!!)
–Valve cover removal – Unless specified (F20/F22 or K-series), cam tuning does not include valve cover removal. If we must remove your valve cover and install our own cut cover, there will be a $25.00 charge. You may arrive early and use our tools to install our cut cover on your car at no extra charge.
–Existing customers tuned at Flat Rate prices will have future visits/retunes for new parts billed either hourly, or flat rate, whichever is lowest.
–PLEASE NOTE, a quote of an hourly rate for retuning does not mean that you will only pay for one hour, just that the billing will be done hourly. Most retunes are quick, but if you have changed substantial hard parts, they can take as long as a full tune in some cases. If you are not sure, please talk to a Church Automotive Testing tuner before we start your tune.
–Once a car is mounted and dyno testing begins, there is a minimum $80 charge. This applies even if the vehicle is untuneable. If you think your vehicle might have issues, ask us to look at them before we mount it on the dyno.