In case you did not know, the stage 2 tune involves fitting a cat-back exhaust or a turbo-back exhaust or system. The latter one is for turbocharged vehicles, while the first is for non-turbocharged. And as you can tell, it is a lot of work, making you wonder: how much does a stage 2 tune cost?
Stage 2 tune costs generally start at $450. And depending on the tuning, it can climb up to $850. With stage 2, you can gain anywhere from 25 HP to 200+ HP, depending on the settings used. That performance gain justifies the cost.
However, that is not all you need to know regarding a stage 2 tune. There is so much more, and this dyno tune cost can be your next move!
What Is a Stage 2 Tune?
A stage 2 tune basically improves the airflow from the engine. It does that by relying on a turbo-back exhaust, which is for turbocharged vehicles, or a cat-back exhaust, which is for non-turbocharged vehicles.
The stage 2 tune is also known for improving the vehicle’s sound. And now, why would anyone want to enhance the sound of their car? Well, extremely loud engine sounds are not something that motorists prefer. Instead, they want the engine to roar but not too loudly.
Nonetheless, the stage 2 tune demands the right parts and requires the parts to be installed correctly. If anything goes wrong, the tune will not be able to bring all the advantages it can. In fact, the performance can deteriorate.
Additionally, motorists usually install an upgrade induction kit at this stage. It enhances the airflow of the engine and makes it perform better.
How Much HP Does a Stage 2 Tune Add?
In the stage 2 tune, you will need to modify the intake and exhaust and do some tuning. You can enjoy anywhere from 25 to 200 plus HP gains if done right.
The thing is, in the stage 2 tune, things vary depending on the vehicle. However, no matter what the vehicle is, it is safe to say that stage 2 tuning is more aggressive than others.
Another thing that you need to factor in is that the stage 2 tune usually depends on other modifications. For that reason, it is always a good idea to have the essential stage 1 mod. That includes the modification of the exhaust and the intake.
After the modifications of stage 1, you will need to make more mods, such as downpipes for the turbo engines and headers for the NA engines. It is common for motorists to install cooling system upgrades. An example of a cooling system upgrade would be FMIC.
Therefore, the list of upgrades will basically go on and on, depending on how much of a gain you are looking for.
How Demanding Is Stage 2 Tune?
The modifications of a stage 2 tune require a good amount of effort and time. However, some simple bolt-on mods take things further than the stage 1 modification. You might not even find yourself at the point where you need to upgrade the superchargers or stock turbos.
Remember, with the stage 2 tune; you will be looking to maximize your vehicle’s overall performance and power. That is why you need to narrow down your modifications accordingly.
However, most of the time, motorists opt for the mods that are expensive and hard to work with but provide more significant performance gains.
Yes, it can get a bit confusing. You might be baffled by the large variety of mods you can do in a stage 2 tune. Therefore, it is always recommended to rely on a professional and someone who has a good experience with the stage 2 tune.
What Is the Difference Between Stage 2 and Stage 3 Tune?
In the stage 3 tune, you make your vehicle suitable for motorsports and racing tracks. Just like stage 2, the stage 3 tune will depend on other modifications. Those will be the support for the tuning stage. However, for stage 3, you will need to use race-grade modifications.
For example, in stage 3, many vehicle owners install racing brakes, one of a vehicle’s advanced components. They can tolerate extremely high levels of heat. However, they are pretty much useless when they are cool. And during daily driving on the roads, you can not just wait for the brakes to warm up.
So, in simpler words, the stage 3 tune is more for racing, while stage 2 is more for higher performance gains generally for daily driving. Stage 3 combines all the modifications that you make in stage 2 and stage 1. And it changes some aspects of the vehicle and offers as much performance as possible.
What Is a Stage 2+ Tune?
As the name suggests, you get into the stage 2+ tune after the stage 2 upgrades. You will need to get to this tuning before getting into stage 3. And the main aim of the stage 2+ tune is to install some particular modifications. Pulley and camshaft upgrades are good examples of these mods.
At stage 2+, you will be at a point where you plan on getting the maximum output for the current setup. In other words, a stage 2+ tune does not require massive modifications.
In most cases, you will need to work with at least 93 octanes. Sometimes, motorists find themselves opting for race gas blends or E85.
Stage 2 in a Nutshell
Let us recap all the things about stage 2 to make things easier for you. So, stage 2 tuning basically involves:
- Basic modifications from stage 1
- Aggressive tuning
- Multiple power modifications
- Upgrades on cams
- Installation of the supercharger pulley
- Upgrade on the throttle body
- Modification on the downpipes/headers
- Improvement in the intake manifold
- Changes in the inlets and outlets
- FMIC (Front mounted intercooler)
- Requires supporting modifications
- Cooling modifications
- Fuel system upgrades
Although the above list is pretty long, it does not end there. There can be many other things that you would want to add in a stage 2 mod. The thing about the stage 2 mod is that it is pretty complicated to specify. There are a lot of things that can vary from one vehicle to another.
However, the general aim is to add as many modifications as possible and get better power output than the stage 1 tune. That is why the stage 2 tune is more aggressive. But compared to the stage 3 tune, the stage 2 tune does have major modifications. In that sense, stage 2 tuning is more manageable than stage 3 tuning.
Final Words
Are you still asking yourself how much does a stage 2 tune cost? The price range starts at $450 and can go up to $850. Sometimes, you might be looking to spend more than $850. But it will all boil down to how much of a performance gain you are looking for and what modifications you choose.
Hello, I’m Michael Rosales an expert in cars. As a little boy, I have always loved cars. Over the years I became lucky to have the opportunity to work as a car dealer. It was at this stage I became vast in the knowledge of cars, things you need to know when buying cars and how to minimize cost while still getting your dream car.