Has anyone out there bought used superchips and if so what was there feed back? I know about computer #s and what not but, how do chips respond to being taken off and put back on, I think it's pretty accepted that the superchip is maybe the best mod for an N/A engine and would like to get one, so if I could get some schoolin' id appreciate it. I read mike troyer's opinion, but no offense, I would like someone who is partial to respond. any help is appreciated.

 

Yup, and once it was reprogrammed it worked as well as the one I purchased new at 1/3 the price.

 

I would be very careful buying a used plug in chip unless I either knew the seller, could try it out first, or had a money back guarantee in writing. There are just too many variables and too many things that can get screwed up by a gorilla handed install or de-install. You could probably get a hold of one at a good price with a little dilligence though. On the other hand, I bought my 1715 Microtuner used for 195.00 (It's about 325.00 for a new one I think). The guy had loaded the tuner program to his truck and stuck it in his closet. He was getting nervous as gas prices started to skyrocket earlier this year and premium crossed the 2.00+ mark in many areas. He wanted to bail out of it after returning to his stock program. It came in like brand new condition in it's original box with full instructions and worked perfectly. Not only that, gas prices have stabilized at somewhat sane levels now too!

 

Like JoeCobra99 stated basically you just never know. Sure you can pull a chip out and put it back in but if not handled properly you can just about render it useless. The other thing to remember about “Superchips” is they are programmed for particular code for your trucks computer code. You and I could both have a F150 with say a 5.4 but they may have a different code, or program in them. It all depends on updates etc. Mike would have much better information on that.

If you get one that is not programmed for your particular computer code you will “have” to have it re-burned or reprogrammed. I can tell you from my own personal experience of reading many of Mike’s responses and other people about Mike’s customer service that it would really benefit you to just give him a call. He will tell you straight and “not” just try to sale you something, if he can help he will give you the information you may be looking for like help you figure out what code your truck has so you will know just what “exactly” you will need from another chip.

However the bottom line is basically as JoeCobra99 it is buyer beware. You may get an excellent deal and then you could find yourself spending more money either having a chip reprogrammed, or worse replacing a chip that does not work at all.

Myself, I have designed software that controls automated test equipment, and have designed a lot of the equipment that the software operates. With that said, I don’t care if someone gave me a free Superchips I would NOT plug it into my truck for fear if something was amiss with the chip there is a “slight” possibility it could hurt or affect the trucks computer. I have seen first hand what can happen with a chip that has a short in it.

Not trying to scare you away from buying used, but you have to think, or at least I would is “Is it worth saving maybe $100 and “hoping” nothing happens” If you damage the trucks computer it will NOT be covered under warranty. Just something to think about.

 

The opinions stated by 01 XLT SPORT are not those of f150online.com, its subsideraries, and/or its sister sites. Please note that all opinions stated herein are those of a guy from New Hampshire and should be taken as a grain of salt.

 

For those that are wondering, RockPick is my comical sidekick. Sometimes when he doesn’t get his free “happy meal” he tends to go a weee bit overboard…

 

Wait a minute... wait a minute...

It's 01 XLT that is a few french fries short of a happy meal. Just thought I needed to clarify

 

See what I mean, guy doesn't get his free toy, and well the rest is history...

 

ROFLMAO! All they had was that Barbie crap. I wanted a Tonka Truck damnit!

 

Hi slappy666,

There are some excellent responses here to your questions already, so I'll just give you a couple of pointers....................

In terms of the basic reliability of the Superchip module, failures are pretty rare whether you buy it new or used, so there is no inherent reason why you shouldn't pick one up if you find a good bargain on a used Superchip. Just be prepared to take a small risk when buying anything used, you won't have any kind of warranty or Tech Support, etc., in other words, no benefits of ownership. That's the trade-off for buying used, of course. There is 1 exception to that you should be aware of, and that is, if you're buying it from the *original* owner, who bought it new from us here at Performance (Performance Products/TroyerPerformance.com), then we will extend basic warranty coverage against outright failure of the module to the *second* owner (only). We don't take on any other responsibilities such as Tech Support, installation problems, or anything else, but we will provide warranty coverage should the module actually fail. That is actually a benefit to our customer who originally bought it new from us, to help them get it sold if and when the time comes. So make sure to ask where the original owner bought it from, as that might get you some basic warranty protection!

When buying a Superchip used, the key thing to remember (and I think you mentioned knowing about this already, but I'll mention just in case) is that the computer code of the used chip must match your vehicle's computer code *exactly*, and there cannot be any custom tuning/programming in the used Superchip module. So just make sure when you talk to the seller that they didn't have anything "custom" done, like tuning for a supercharger, or different tire sizes or gear ratios, or for an aftermarket MAF, etc. You get my point.

If the used Superchip's code doesn't match your vehicle's code, then forget it, as it's usually not going to end up being a good bargain once you pay to have it reprogrammed.

After making sure the code matches, the next thing is getting *ALL* the original documentation, including installation instructions, especially if the original owner bought it new from us, as we write 4-5 pages of additional highly detailed instructions on top of what the manufacturer provides. While there is a decent how-to article on installing the Superchip on this site, it's always nice to have the documentation if possible. Make sure to get their original sales receipt/invoice if it was purchased from us new, as that will be required to get us to extend warranty against outright failure of the module to the second owner!

One important point for owners of 2003 FoMoCo vehicles is that they *cannot* use most of the used Superchips, as for the 2003's Ford changed some aspects of the EEC V PCM's communications thru the J3 port, so all 2003 models have to use the newest "F" revision Superchip modules.

In terms of how many times can you remove & re-install a Superchip, don't worry about that, you can do it a hundred times or more. As long as you don't damage the connector when cleaning it, you can remove & replace a Superchip many, many times, there is no limit to that.

That's just some very basic stuff, & much of it you may already be aware of, but I hope it helps a little bit.

Best of luck in your search!

 

I throw myself in a pit of flames for not directly emailing you in the first place, Mike once again you show that, as said many times before, you da man. I bring most dishonour upon myself.

 

Hi Slappy,

Actually, I completely missed the part in your original post saying you didn't want a response from me, hence my response.

 

Slappy,

By the way, Mike has taken care of the programming of both of my chips (used and new). I had some problems getting the program right after a module reburn (no fault of Mike's). He bent over backwards to take care of me and the problem wasn't his. It goes without saying that this type of service goes a long way. I'm sure as long as Troyer Performance sells parts, I'll keep sending them money.