How to start chiptuning: the complete roadmap
From choosing your first tool to your first satisfied customer, BOBPerformance supports you at every step.
BOBPerformance works exclusively with automotive professionals: workshops, mechanics and tuners.
- active professionals in 90 countries
- 2,500+
- years experience
- 19+
- tunes a year
- 50,000
- of requests processed by a chip-tuning expert
- 100%
Step 1 of 5
Which chiptuning tool should you buy first?
Your tool is the foundation: it reads and writes the ECU (the control unit that manages the engine). We recommend and sell three tools: AutoTuner, bFlash and Alientech KESS3. Each one has its strengths.
Master or slave? A master tool (any tool that can read a BIN file) lets you work with the file supplier of your choice; a slave tool is tied to a file service such as BOBPerformance, which lowers the entry cost and means you never have to write maps yourself. BOBPerformance pricing is better with an Alientech KESS3 slave linked to BOBPerformance.
| Tool | Strengths | Ideal for | ECUs | Starter Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutoTuner | Reads and writes via OBD, bench and boot; intuitive software with automatic updates; no annual subscription. | Starting out with our customers’ no. 1 tool, versatile and easy to learn. | Supported ECUs | AutoTuner Starter Pack |
| Alientech KESS3 | Reads and writes via OBD, bench and boot; cars, motorcycles, vans, trucks and boats. | Complementing a first tool and widening your reading methods. | Supported ECUs | Alientech KESS3 Starter Pack |
| bFlash | Reads and writes via OBD, bench and boot; cars, vans and motorcycles; multilingual software. | Working in slave mode with a file service, on user-friendly software. | Supported ECUs | bFlash Starter Pack |
Our recommendation: the AutoTuner + KESS3 combo
For a new tuner, we recommend pairing AutoTuner with Alientech KESS3:
- Two tools mean wider vehicle and ECU coverage.
- More read/write methods: OBD (through the diagnostic socket), bench (ECU removed) and boot (direct connection to the board).
- A backup if one of the two does not support a given protocol.
All three tools come in a slave version linked to BOBPerformance, and that is the version you get in the Starter Packs.
The list of supported ECUs for each tool is on its own page and in our ECU list.
Step 2 of 5
Which accessories can you not skip?
A good tool is not enough. Two accessories make the difference between a clean job and a damaged ECU.
A solid diagnostic tool
Read and clear fault codes before and after the remap, check the car is healthy before touching the ECU, and hand your customer a clean report.
CRP MOT EVOA battery charger or stabiliser
Reading and writing an ECU can take several minutes. A voltage drop mid-write can make the operation fail, so a stable power supply is non-negotiable.
GYSFlash 100.12 HFThe shortcut
Everything in one order: the BOBPerformance Starter Pack
No time to spend weeks comparing? Three ready-to-go Starter Packs: pick your tool, the rest is included.
In every pack
- Your tool, slave version
- GYSFlash 100.12 HF battery charger
- CRP MOT EVO diagnostic tool
- Components that work together
- One order, one supplier
- Ready for your first car
Starter Pack Alientech KESS3
2 150,00 € excl. VAT
Previous price 2 915,00 €
The ultimate pack
The recommended combo in a single order: the PRO PACK
AutoTuner and KESS3 together, to handle as many ECUs as possible from day one, with the charger, the diagnostic tool and 100 credits for your first files.
- AutoTuner Slave
- KESS3 Slave with Full Cars/LCV activation
- GYSFlash 100.12 HF charger
- CRP MOT EVO
- 100 free BOBPerformance credits
6 500,00 € excl. VAT
Previous price 7 578,00 €
Save 1 078 € compared with buying separately
Free BOBPerformance credits included: see the product page for details.
Step 3 of 5
How do you get trained in chiptuning?
Learn the right moves from day one, on your own premises, with your own equipment.
A 1 or 2-day in-person session at your location, wherever you are: no country or region restriction.
No limit on participants: train your whole team in a single session.
Price on quote, travel included, so far-away locations cost more.
Request a training quoteExamples of topics covered
- Handling your tool
- Identifying the ECU
- Read and write methods
- Working with the file service
- Diagnostic workflow
- Safety best practices
- First live cars
Step 4 of 5
How do you win your first customers?
Being able to tune is one thing; getting customers is another.
A website for your tuning business
BOBPerformance designs the website of your tuning business, with a built-in vehicle configurator. Price on quote, based on your requirements.
Get a website quoteThe configurator on your existing site
Already have a website? Add the configurator: your customer picks the make, model and engine, then sees the available stages and gains. Two ways to do it:
- iFrame
- Quick to set up, no development: paste a code snippet into your site.
- Full API
- Bring the configurator data into your own design and tools.
From €49/month excl. VAT for cars and LCVs (iFrame): full pricing on the Database – API page.
See API pricing- A professional image
- Customers see the gains before calling
- More qualified leads
- An always up-to-date vehicle database
Step 5 of 5
Who helps you when you are in front of a car?
You are never alone: more than 6,000 technician replies every month, from real tuners, not a ticket system.
Every file is paid in credits: €9.50 excl. VAT per single credit, less with packs.
See pricing and packsFile turnaround times
- when the file is available automatically
- A few seconds
- when it is prepared manually
- 15 to 30 minutes
- even on the busiest days
- 60 minutes max
- File service open 24/7: automatic files are delivered within seconds, at any time.
- Full team online Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm.
- Smaller team on duty (on-call cover) Monday to Saturday, 7 am to 11 pm, with longer turnaround.
Two channels, depending on what you need
- File requests (technical support): Monday to Saturday, straight through the file service.
- Chat on the BOBPerformance website (sales questions, orders, quotes): Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm.
Go further
Become a Sparx Performance dealer
For those who want more than a customer/supplier relationship, Sparx Performance offers a complete partnership: you become an official dealer of the brand.
BOBPerformance remains your supplier and file service; Sparx becomes your brand and your network. It is the natural next level once your business is running.
Become a Sparx dealer (opens in a new tab)What the dealer gets
- A listing as an official dealer on sparx-performance.com, so customers find you directly
- A dedicated Sparx email address
- Access to the CRM
- Marketing support
- Dedicated support
Frequently asked questions for a good start
No. With a slave tool and the BOBPerformance file service, you read the ECU, upload the original file and download the tuned file: we handle the files.
To start, a slave tool is the simplest: it works with files from a file service such as BOBPerformance, at a lower entry cost, and BOBPerformance pricing is better with an Alientech KESS3 slave linked to BOBPerformance. A master tool (any tool that can read a BIN file) leaves you free to choose your supplier.
All three read and write via OBD, bench and boot. AutoTuner is the easiest to learn when you start out; KESS3 also covers motorcycles, trucks and boats; bFlash stands out for its user-friendly, multilingual software. For the widest coverage, go for the combo: take the AutoTuner pack and add a KESS3 slave, or the other way round.
100% of requests are processed by a chip-tuning expert.
Yes. The file service is open 24/7, and automatic files are delivered within seconds at any time. Manual files are handled Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 11 pm: by the full team from 9 am to 6 pm, and by a smaller team outside those hours, with longer turnaround.
Yes: it is designed to teach the right moves from day one, on your premises and with your own equipment. Tell us your level when you request a quote.
Yes, anywhere, with no country or region restriction. Travel is included in the quote, so far-away locations cost more. There is no limit on participants: train your whole team at once.
Yes, in two ways. The iFrame goes in with a simple code snippet and no development, which is ideal for a WordPress, Wix, Webflow or Framer site. The full API lets you bring the data into your own design and tools, with the help of a web developer.
From €49/month excl. VAT for cars and LCVs with the iFrame. Beyond that, the price depends on the option (monthly or annual iFrame, API) and on the vehicle types you cover: see the full pricing grid on our Database – API page.
As an BOBPerformance customer, you buy your tools and files from BOBPerformance, your supplier and file service. As a Sparx Performance dealer, you also join a brand and its network: a listing on sparx-performance.com, a Sparx email address, CRM access, marketing support and dedicated support.
Ready to get started?
Order your Starter Pack, try our file service with a free first file, or ask our team your questions.