If you own a BRZ/FRS/86 and have been thinking about modifying it the options for tuning may seem a bit daunting and confusing. Do you need to purchase license? Do you need to purchase a programing cable or Bluetooth ECU connect kit? Well, worry no more. In this article we are going to explain in detail all of the options for tuning your BRZ/FRZ/86 with EcuTek. This applies to all models 2013-Current.

If you are familiar with tuning a turbocharged Subaru or Mitsubishi you may have heard people talk about a Cobb Accessport or Opensource tuning. When tuning your BRZ/FRS/86 with EcuTek you have options that share similarities to tuning with either a Accessport or Opensource. For the bare minimum to tune your car with EcuTek you personally need nothing and we can supply everything needed to tune your car. If you want to be able to monitor or adjust your tune after you leave our shop there is an option to do all of that through your phone.

What are Flash Fees and Flash Points AKA EcuTek License?

For both Gen 1 and Gen 2 BRZ/FRS/86 EcuTek you need a Performance Flash Fee. The Performance Flash Fee consist of 225 flash points. This is needed to allow the EcuTek software to communicate with the ECU. Once the flash points are applied to the ECU, the software can then flash tunes and log engine parameters. This is a one-time fee. Once the end user has the appropriate flash points applied to the ECU there is no need to purchase them again. These points stay with the ECU even if you sell the car or any cables you may have purchased. Currently the cost for a Performance Flash Fee is $325.

What is a PhoneFlash and what is the PhoneFlash License Activation Fee?

PhoneFlash is EcuTek’s latest innovation to flashing tunes to your ECU. With PhoneFlash you can flash and data log tunes directly from your phone via a Bluetooth dongle. To do this there is a one-time fee to upgrade your current tune to a PhoneFlash capable tune. Once the tune is upgraded you have access to the EcuTek cloud and can receive tunes from your tuner directly to your phone. You can also send data logs from your phone directly to your tuner. The cost is $100 or 50 flash points.

Scenario 1 – Not Previously Tuned with EcuTek

In this scenario you will bring your car to us and we tune it. On the day of the tune, we will apply the EcuTek License to your ECU. After the license is applied to the ECU, we then tune your car like any other car. You pay the one-time fee of $325 along with the cost of the tune. If you ever need a tune again, from us or another tuner, you do not need to purchase a new License.

If you want to monitor your tune after the dyno session you can purchase a EcuTek Bluetooth Ecu Connect Kit.

  • Cost at tune day
    • $325 (225 Flash Points) for EcuTek License
    • Cost of the tune itself
    • Optional $280 EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit.
  • Base Map Cost
    • If a base map is desired you will need to purchase the EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit and PhoneFlash License Upgrade.
      • $280 for EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit.
      • $325 (225 Flash Points) for EcuTek License (paid for at time of base map purchase and will not need to pay again on tune day)
      • $100 (50 Flash Points) for PhoneFlash License Upgrade

Scenario 2 – Your car has ben previously tuned with EcuTek

In this scenario on the day of the tune, we will check to confirm if your car already has a License/Flash Points. If it does there is no additional cost. If for some reason there is no License/Flash Points on the ECU we will have to charge for a new License to tune your car (very unlikely).

If you want to monitor your tune after the dyno session you can purchase a EcuTek Bluetooth Ecu Connect Kit if you don’t already have one.

  • Cost on tune day
    • $0 for License
    • Cost of tune itself
    • Optional $280 EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit.
  • Base Map Cost
    • If a base map is desired you will need to either have or purchase the EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit and PhoneFlash License Upgrade.
      • $280 for EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit.
      • $100 (50 Flash Points) for PhoneFlash License Upgrade
      • $325 (225 Flash Points) for EcuTek License (If ECU does not have one)

Scenario 3 – You have already purchased/own some EcuTek stuff along with a License/Flash Points

In this scenario on the day of the tune, we will check to see if your car already has a license. If it does there is no additional cost. If your car does not currently have a license, one will need to be purchased from us to complete the tune.

  • If you have already purchased a License/Flash Points and have the Cable Programming kit. We will need your License Key and dongle to tune the car.
  • If you have already purchased a License and have the Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit + Hardware License key or Bluetooth Dongle. We will either need your License Key to tune the car or you will need to flash a base map, or any tune, from the company you purchased the License/Flash Points from to apply the License to your ECU.

If you have previously purchased a License/Flash Points and have no way to apply them to your ECU you will unfortunately have to purchase a new License/Flash Points. There is no way to transfer a License/Flash Points that were previously purchased.

  • Cost on tune day
    • $0 for License unless a new license is needed
    • Cost of tune itself
    • Optional $280 EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit.
  • Base Map Cost
    • If a base map is desired you will need to either already have or purchase the EcuTek Programming Kit or the EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect Kit and PhoneFlash License Upgrade.
      • $0 if you have 225 Flash Points on a License Key and will be flashing the tune with USB cable
      • $325 (225 Flash Points) if you have no Flash Points but do have a USB cable and License Key
      • 0$ if you have already flashed a tune on your car with PhoneFlash
      • $100 (50 Flash Points) if you have a EcuTek Bluetooth ECU Connect kit for PhoneFlash License Upgrade

Scenario 4 – You have a 2022+ Gen 2 BRZ/86 and have purchased a Cobb Flash Kit with OTS Tunes

In this scenario if you have the original Cobb Flash Kit you will need to purchase the Cobb Flash Kit Pro Upgrade in order to do any custom tuning. If you have purchased a later version Cobb Flash Kit Pro you do not need additional License/Flash Points and we can tune the car.

  • Cost on Tune day
    • $0 if you have the Cobb Flash Kit Pro
    • $225 – Cobb Flash Kit Pro Upgrade
  • Cost of Base Map
    • If a base map is desired the PhoneFlash License Upgrade is not needed as the ECU already has a PhoneFlash Tune.
      • $0 if you have the Cobb Flash Kit Pro
      • $225 – Cobb Flash Kit Pro Upgrade
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