5 Star Tuner FAQ – My results

Have seen a lot of questions (including mine) on the 5 Star tune thought I would post up my experience:
I have and installed the 5 Star X3 Tune with the AFE Stage 2 intake with lid on my 2012 Scab.

Everyone’s driving habits differ, terrain, altitude, etc. can have a lot to do
with things but this is my results. These results are over multiple tanks of fuel for each tune before switching.


The initial download/upload on the tuner took 13 minutes to perform.

Switching tunes after the initial download/upload takes apx. 3 minutes

Even though my battery is new and my battery dying while changing tunes should not be an issue, I always run a trickle charger on my battery while changing tunes, you DO NOT want your battery to die while downloading a tune.

With the factory tune, I averaged 13.1 mpg in town using 91 octane fuel. My daily commute consists of all residential streets, no freeway driving.

With the 91 performance tune and keeping an easy foot on the throttle in town, (which is a very hard thing to do) I average 12.8 mpg

With the 91 economy tune and keeping an easy foot on the throttle in town, I average 13.2 mpg

With the factory tune, I averaged 16.0 mpg on the highway. That is keeping the speed control on, driving apx. 78 – 80mph mph (our speed limit is 75 out west and we do have a lot of mountains)

With the 91 performance tune on the highway, traveling the same speed I average 15.6 mpg

With the 91 economy tune on the highway, traveling at the same speed I average 16.9 mpg

Is it worth it? HELL YES! The #1 difference is the feel. Throttle response is 100% better in ANY tune. The shifting is so much smoother. And when you run the performance tune for the 1st time, it is very hard to ever go back to an economy tune! The sound, acceleration and feel of the shifting pattern are so much better.

 

Damn, I was hoping for more then 13.2 mpg. Are you running an after market cat-back?

 

thats hard to believe 16mpg at 78-80, I get about 12-13 at 78+ but near 65-73 gettin 16 is easy (i rock 91oct with 91perf tune)

 

same here..when I run over 75 I cant get any more then 13

 

Rated SVT, no cat-back.

Wheela, I live at +4,000 ft. elevation and all this driving was at elevations at or above 4,000 ft. I don't know why but will all my vehicles I have always had better gas milage at higher elevations than when I drive at lower elevations. When I go up into the mountains at 8,000 to 9,000 ft. I am always amazed that my mgp will sometimes go up 2 mpg.

All of these gas milage calculations are from multiple tanks of fuel and calculated results, I did not use the "instant mpg" from the display as that is never quite correct. I had one tank this summer up in Wyoming where I was on small roads which had a speed limit of 55 and the roads were very flat. I drove for quite a few days on these roads doing some fishing driving between 55 and 60 mph. That ONE tank, I got 19.9 mpg, I threw those results out of the equasion as it was such different driving conditions.

 

Ok, so obviously, we are not changing the stock tune for the mpg gains. 2mpg gains on a 36gl tank. 72 miles per fill up at best. That is a car fart.

Screw it, I will drive the hell out of it and take my 12mpgs and love it.

The 5star tune is great for me. I run the 93 performance and love it.

I also love my Airaid Intake and Magnaflow catback.

 

Totally agree. I am now leaving my truck on performace tune and not going back. And like I said, it's totally worth the price of the tune just for that!

When you think about it for highway driving, and by highway driving I am saying you are on a long trip where you set the cruise control for hours on end, no matter which tune you use, you are still in 6th gear, RPM's are about the same, it does not seem to me that you could do a whole lot to change the results.

Most of the gain/loss is in the starting off going through the lower gears. Is that correct thinking?

 

That is true...great point. you have it if you need

 

Same reason you get better MPG when it's really hot outside...

The air is thinner, and there's less resistance on the vehicle. Yes, it makes a difference! In my STI, I could average 23-MPG on the highway at 80-MPH when it was 100F+ outside. When it was 60-70F outside, that would drop to about 21.