Fastbandit99 sold a crap tuner

[nicksmachy]

I bought a livewire from Fastbandit99. I checked him out before I bought it and he seemed like a reputable guy to buy from. I got the tuner after sending a $380 money order in good time.

Well I took it to the dyno guy here in nh, and the comp wouldnt read it. He called SCT and come to find out it isn't from this country! I sent him two PMs, saw that he was on and have received nothing.

All I was looking for was a refund.

[Fastbandit99]

The tuner worked fine for me, I don't know where he is getting crap stuff from. I bought the tuner from VMP Tuning, Justin dyno tuned my car and used this Livewire. I returned the stock tune to the car a few weeks ago and traded in the car. The tuner worked fine at that time. I just sent Nick a message and advised he can send the tuner back and I will return the money order as long as there is no apparent tampering. I am a fair person and it is very premature for Nick to be posting negative feedback this fast. I don't know where this out of the country stuff came from. I saw justin open the package. It was brand new. I got this tuner when they first hit the market, I was one of the first to get one. I just hope that nick's dyno man didn't screw it up because I will be holding the bag then.


For the record will you please post the name of your turner guy, his company name and the name of the person he spoke to at SCT, so I can verify he called SCT and to verify that he is authorized by sct to program the tuner.

[nicksmachy]

Pete at Performance Dyno in Concord, NH. I'd have to contact him today to see who he actually spoke with. ----Pete doesn't remember the guys name.

And sorry for the quick negative. I've just had some bad luck lately with getting screwed over. Hopefully we can resolve this soon.

[Jester]

I sold a guy a 'bad' diesel tuner on ebay a few months ago. The tuner was only months old and worked when we took the tune off the truck it was on. Unfortunately this does happen to folks.

[nicksmachy]

Let me clarify. Im not sure that the canned tunes would work if I were to plug it into the car. However, I want a custom tune and that's where the problem is.

My friend has a focus that didnt want to accept an x3. So i said he could try my livewire b4 i put it on my car. Pete had a tune already created and proceeded to put it on the livewire. When he plugged the livewire into the laptop to transfer, the computer wouldn't recognize it. And this is the same computer he uses all of the time. He called SCT, gave the serial number or whatever and SCT told him that its not from this country. SCT said they could fix it for $65, but I'd rather just return it and go a different route.

The tuner was never actually mated to a car yet and still has the 4 unlocks it came with from Fastbandit99.

I just want the money back and nothing else.

[Fastbandit99]

Originally Posted by nicksmachy

Let me clarify. Im not sure that the canned tunes would work if I were to plug it into the car. However, I want a custom tune and that's where the problem is.

My friend has a focus that didnt want to accept an x3. So i said he could try my livewire b4 i put it on my car. Pete had a tune already created and proceeded to put it on the livewire. When he plugged the livewire into the laptop to transfer, the computer wouldn't recognize it. And this is the same computer he uses all of the time. He called SCT, gave the serial number or whatever and SCT told him that its not from this country. SCT said they could fix it for $65, but I'd rather just return it and go a different route.

The tuner was never actually mated to a car yet and still has the 4 unlocks it came with from Fastbandit99.

I just want the money back and nothing else.

Ok now the truth comes out. you want to use it on another type of car.. I used it on a mach and thought you were doing the same.. The computer code would be different on the focus.. I never guaranteed that it would work on a focus. In fact I only guaranteed that it worked on my car. As far as i'm concerned I held up my end of the bargan, but as I just mentioned in my pm to you. I called sct and they have no foriegn models. They advised that you can call them. I spoke to jr and he was very helpful..As I said you can ship it back to me and I will send a refund payment.

[nicksmachy]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

Ok now the truth comes out. you want to use it on another type of car.. I used it on a mach and thought you were doing the same.. The computer code would be different on the focus.. I never guaranteed that it would work on a focus. In fact I only guaranteed that it worked on my car. As far as i'm concerned I held up my end of the bargan, but as I just mentioned in my pm to you. I called sct and they have no foriegn models. They advised that you can call them. I spoke to jr and he was very helpful..As I said you can ship it back to me and I will send a refund payment.

No, no no. I bought it for use on my mach. He just wanted to try it on his focus as the xcal3 locked him out. Its not that it wont work on the car. The laptop wouldnt recognize the livewire to even put the custom tune on the livewire itself before moving it onto the focus.

[2k4mach]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

Ok now the truth comes out. you want to use it on another type of car.. I used it on a mach and thought you were doing the same.. The computer code would be different on the focus.. I never guaranteed that it would work on a focus. In fact I only guaranteed that it worked on my car. As far as i'm concerned I held up my end of the bargan, but as I just mentioned in my pm to you. I called sct and they have no foriegn models. They advised that you can call them. I spoke to jr and he was very helpful..As I said you can ship it back to me and I will send a refund payment.

doesnt matter what kind of car its used on. the livewire will support ANY ford vehicle that is supported by SCT, that can be flashed.

[2k4mach]

Originally Posted by nicksmachy

No, no no. I bought it for use on my mach. He just wanted to try it on his focus as the xcal3 locked him out. Its not that it wont work on the car. The laptop wouldnt recognize the livewire to even put the custom tune on the livewire itself before moving it onto the focus.

did he try uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers for the livewire?

[nicksmachy]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

did he try uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers for the livewire?

I'm not sure. He shouldnt have to because thats the computer he always uses for his tuning. He sells tuners for SCT and tunes a lot there.

I couldnt even get the driver to install on my laptop before I brought it to him.

And thanks for backing me on the compatability thing with the focus deal.

[2k4mach]

Originally Posted by nicksmachy

I'm not sure. He shouldnt have to because thats the computer he always uses for his tuning. He sells tuners for SCT and tunes a lot there.

I couldnt even get the driver to install on my laptop before I brought it to him.

And thanks for backing me on the compatability thing with the focus deal.

i just find it hard that it wasnt reconized unless the drivers got messed up (seen it), bad usb port on the device or the computer. hell ive got a limewire with a corrupt memory module and the computer still reconizes it.

I just dont buy the whole its a foreign model, it shouldnt make a dam bit of difference if it was, it still should be reconized when plugged in.......

when you plug it in to computer does it power up?

[nicksmachy]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

i just find it hard that it wasnt reconized unless the drivers got messed up (seen it), bad usb port on the device or the computer. hell ive got a limewire with a corrupt memory module and the computer still reconizes it.

I just dont buy the whole its a foreign model, it shouldnt make a dam bit of difference if it was, it still should be reconized when plugged in.......

when you plug it in to computer does it power up?

I'm waiting on SCT to shed some light on the foreign model thing.

When I plug it into the car (never tried loading a tune, just wanted to check it out), it powers up and when I plug it into the laptop it powers up.

However, Pete plugged it into his laptop, tried to upload his custom tune onto it using the software (livelink? I have no clue...whatever you are supposed to use) and a message came up on the laptop that he had never seen before basically saying it didnt recognize the tuner (don't remember the exact message). So he couldnt load the custom tune on to the unit, which is the whole point in me buying it. He had to back door it to get the tune on there eventually, but he and SCT said it was no good.

[2k4mach]

interesting he tryed loading the tune via liveload instead of just doing it through advantage3

[nicksmachy]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

interesting he tryed loading the tune via liveload instead of just doing it through advantage3

You lose me there. Like I said I don't know exactly what he tried to load it through. I thought I saw an L, but don't quote me on it.

Why would it be interesting haha

[2k4mach]

advantage3 = dealer and proracer software used for tuning and putting tunes on device
liveload = end user software used to transfer tunes to the device

[Fastbandit99]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

i just find it hard that it wasnt reconized unless the drivers got messed up (seen it), bad usb port on the device or the computer. hell ive got a limewire with a corrupt memory module and the computer still reconizes it.

I just dont buy the whole its a foreign model, it shouldnt make a dam bit of difference if it was, it still should be reconized when plugged in.......

when you plug it in to computer does it power up?

evidently is does power up because he says it show 4 unlocks left. Can't see that with no power. As for supporting the different models doesn't it need to have the profile of the car you are trying tune uploaded in it. I can't believe that is has enough memory to store all the base tunes for every vehicle the LW will work with. I am not an expert on this. again I have given him the opportunity to return it and I will give him a full refund unless it is visibly damaged.

Nick keeps accusing me of knowing there were problems. If there are I did not
know. I had no way to know. I returned the car to stock and unplugged it. It worked then, after all how would it be unlocked now if it didn't work?

When i got it they needed my computer code from the passenger door tag. That is the reason I believe it is only set up for my computer number.

Nick pmed me and said he does not trust me enough to send the tuner back first. I have never given anyone reason not to trust me on this forum or any other for that matter.

[NHFocus]

Okay, this is Nick's friend, I'm the kid with the Focus. I spent a bit of time talking with pete about this after Nick left.

Basically, heres what happened:

Nick got the Performance Dyno with the tuner. Pete mentioned it was one fo the older models, no biggie there. He tried to plug it into the computer, and the computer said new hardware installed, as the tuner tried to connect. What happened next was it said 'dongle not supported' or something like that. Pete figured he would try to update the drivers on the computer, and did so. Tried to connect again, same thing.

At this point, Pete figured there was something wrong with it. He called SCT (which seems to be a regular occurence lately, given my cars dislike of tuners). Actually got right through for once, and told them the situation. They told him the firmware number to update, he used the number provided, and updated. Didn't work. So they asked Pete to read the firmware number off the tuner, and they said that was older firmware...and had us download the older firmware. Tuner still would not connect to the computer the way it was supposed to.

SCT then asked for the code off the back on the tuner, and asked him what the cvomputer said. When he told them it said 'dongle not supported' (or something with 'dongle'), they told him it was from another country, and thats why his hardware was not supporting it.

That is when they mentioned that we could send it to them to get it fixed for the $65 or so. SCT then told pete that he should be able to get around it by using liveload. That is how he actually got the tune for my car onto the unit.

It may work on Nicks car. The issue here is that it's not really what he thought it was. Any problems we are having now, even if they can be gotten around, are a hassle, and he didn't buy the tuner to have to fight with it every time we try to use it.


NOTES: Pete DOES use advantage3 to tune his cars, he has been an authorized SCT dealer for quite a long time (in fact, he was one of the first companies to buy into the SCT tuning software).

The tuner DOES turn on, and does show the live engine parameters, so in that regards, yes it works.

I believe Nick is just nervous about sending the unit back without receiving his money first, as he already feels he got screwed once (whether it was intentional or not (I doubt it, as he said he did research on you and found nothing negative)).

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."

I make no accusations, I just don't think he got exactly what he thought he was getting. If it worked for your car and your tuner fine, then you had no way of knowing there would be ANY problems.

[nicksmachy]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

evidently is does power up because he says it show 4 unlocks left. Can't see that with no power. As for supporting the different models doesn't it need to have the profile of the car you are trying tune uploaded in it. I can't believe that is has enough memory to store all the base tunes for every vehicle the LW will work with. I am not an expert on this. again I have given him the opportunity to return it and I will give him a full refund unless it is visibly damaged.

Nick keeps accusing me of knowing there were problems. If there are I did not
know. I had no way to know. I returned the car to stock and unplugged it. It worked then, after all how would it be unlocked now if it didn't work?

When i got it they needed my computer code from the passenger door tag. That is the reason I believe it is only set up for my computer number.

Nick pmed me and said he does not trust me enough to send the tuner back first. I have never given anyone reason not to trust me on this forum or any other for that matter.

First of all, I said that it powered up.
Second of all, I don't keep accusing you have knowing there were problems. In the PM I said that "All I want is the money back. I don't want to bash you or aything. I would hope that you didn't know about this although I dont know how you wouldnt" ---straight out of the PM. Note the i would hope you didnt know, but its hard to believe you didnt. That is the extent of what I said. But if you want to turn people on me, twist my words, and act like nothing was wrong, go ahead and try I guess.

As for not trusting you...I have never met you. I have never talked to you until this purchase. Yes, I researched you on here before I purchased the livewire and I saw you were a good guy (in particular offering to pay a guy like $25 or something because he wasnt happy with something he bought from someone else). And as for now, I have a tuner that I have been told doesn't work like it should. So its hard to just send the tuner back without the money first as I said.

[2k4mach]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

evidently is does power up because he says it show 4 unlocks left. Can't see that with no power. As for supporting the different models doesn't it need to have the profile of the car you are trying tune uploaded in it. I can't believe that is has enough memory to store all the base tunes for every vehicle the LW will work with. I am not an expert on this. again I have given him the opportunity to return it and I will give him a full refund unless it is visibly damaged.

Nick keeps accusing me of knowing there were problems. If there are I did not
know. I had no way to know. I returned the car to stock and unplugged it. It worked then, after all how would it be unlocked now if it didn't work?

When i got it they needed my computer code from the passenger door tag. That is the reason I believe it is only set up for my computer number.

Nick pmed me and said he does not trust me enough to send the tuner back first. I have never given anyone reason not to trust me on this forum or any other for that matter.

yeah the precanned tunes are there for all devices it supports as a pre loaded device.

Originally Posted by NHFocus

Okay, this is Nick's friend, I'm the kid with the Focus. I spent a bit of time talking with pete about this after Nick left.

Basically, heres what happened:

Nick got the Performance Dyno with the tuner. Pete mentioned it was one fo the older models, no biggie there. He tried to plug it into the computer, and the computer said new hardware installed, as the tuner tried to connect. What happened next was it said 'dongle not supported' or something like that. Pete figured he would try to update the drivers on the computer, and did so. Tried to connect again, same thing.

At this point, Pete figured there was something wrong with it. He called SCT (which seems to be a regular occurence lately, given my cars dislike of tuners). Actually got right through for once, and told them the situation. They told him the firmware number to update, he used the number provided, and updated. Didn't work. So they asked Pete to read the firmware number off the tuner, and they said that was older firmware...and had us download the older firmware. Tuner still would not connect to the computer the way it was supposed to.

SCT then asked for the code off the back on the tuner, and asked him what the cvomputer said. When he told them it said 'dongle not supported' (or something with 'dongle'), they told him it was from another country, and thats why his hardware was not supporting it.

That is when they mentioned that we could send it to them to get it fixed for the $65 or so. SCT then told pete that he should be able to get around it by using liveload. That is how he actually got the tune for my car onto the unit.

It may work on Nicks car. The issue here is that it's not really what he thought it was. Any problems we are having now, even if they can be gotten around, are a hassle, and he didn't buy the tuner to have to fight with it every time we try to use it.


NOTES: Pete DOES use advantage3 to tune his cars, he has been an authorized SCT dealer for quite a long time (in fact, he was one of the first companies to buy into the SCT tuning software).

The tuner DOES turn on, and does show the live engine parameters, so in that regards, yes it works.

I believe Nick is just nervous about sending the unit back without receiving his money first, as he already feels he got screwed once (whether it was intentional or not (I doubt it, as he said he did research on you and found nothing negative)).

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."

I make no accusations, I just don't think he got exactly what he thought he was getting. If it worked for your car and your tuner fine, then you had no way of knowing there would be ANY problems.

hmmmmmmmmm not trying to knock your tuner but, did you guys install the drivers manually or just let winders find them and install them?


and im confused on him saying its 1 for the older models

theres only 2 limewires. the 1 that most everyone has and the 6.4 diesel limewire

i only point to the drivers because ive seen it before with the livewire that if you dont use the livewire specific drivers it will not connect like it should.

[Fastbandit99]

Originally Posted by nicksmachy

First of all, I said that it powered up.
Second of all, I don't keep accusing you have knowing there were problems. In the PM I said that "All I want is the money back. I don't want to bash you or aything. I would hope that you didn't know about this although I dont know how you wouldnt" ---straight out of the PM. Note the i would hope you didnt know, but its hard to believe you didnt. That is the extent of what I said. But if you want to turn people on me, twist my words, and act like nothing was wrong, go ahead and try I guess.

As for not trusting you...I have never met you. I have never talked to you until this purchase. Yes, I researched you on here before I purchased the livewire and I saw you were a good guy (in particular offering to pay a guy like $25 or something because he wasnt happy with something he bought from someone else). And as for now, I have a tuner that I have been told doesn't work like it should. So its hard to just send the tuner back without the money first as I said.

The problem is now that I believe the tunes that were on there are now gone? Did you talk to anyone at SCT yet. It does sound like it is working
now according to NHFocus. What is it lacking now?

I have two options for you, 1... send the unit back and I will refund, or
2.... I will send you back $65.00 for you to send the unit is for an update and that will be the end of it, those are the only two options I am giving and I like the second option better because of other tunes being added to it. I do not feel that I am being unreasonable.

I would love to hear from others that have other suggestions. I do want to make this right.

[NHFocus]

Pete tunes with livewires all the time, in fact he had tuned with one earlier yesterday. I'm telling you that we did what SCT told us to do, and no luck. They said without sending it in to them we would have to use the Liveload to get any tune onto the tuner.

If anything doesn't sound quite right, it's probably because I'm NOT an SCT tuner, and do not know the terminology- just trying to recall it all from memory.

[NightOfTheCow]

Originally Posted by nicksmachy

I'm not sure. He shouldnt have to because thats the computer he always uses for his tuning. He sells tuners for SCT and tunes a lot there.

I couldnt even get the driver to install on my laptop before I brought it to him.

And thanks for backing me on the compatability thing with the focus deal.

Being an IT guy, I see crap like this all the time. To me it sounds like something other than the tuner has an issue. Odds are, it's driver problems.

What version of windows are you running?

I ask this because I have a Sniper SF Tuner and the install between XP and Vista are much different. These things are finicky.

[NHFocus]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

The problem is now that I believe the tunes that were on there are now gone? Did you talk to anyone at SCT yet. It does sound like it is working
now according to NHFocus. What is it lacking now?

I have two options for you, 1... send the unit back and I will refund, or
2.... I will send you back $65.00 for you to send the unit is for an update and that will be the end of it, those are the only two options I am giving and I like the second option better because of other tunes being added to it. I do not feel that I am being unreasonable.

I would love to hear from others that have other suggestions. I do want to make this right.

The problem lies in the fact that it does not connect to anyones computer like it should. It requires a workaround to load a tune onto it, and it shouldn't. Things like this just cause more difficulties in the end, and it's usually not worth the hassle for the money he saved on the unit.


^^^ And to Knightmeir, Pete is using XP as SCT has told him that therehave been issues with Vista. He has a computer he uses ONLY for tuning, and it has XP on it for that specific reason.

[2k4mach]

Originally Posted by Fastbandit99

The problem is now that I believe the tunes that were on there are now gone? Did you talk to anyone at SCT yet. It does sound like it is working
now according to NHFocus. What is it lacking now?

I have two options for you, 1... send the unit back and I will refund, or
2.... I will send you back $65.00 for you to send the unit is for an update and that will be the end of it, those are the only two options I am giving and I like the second option better because of other tunes being added to it. I do not feel that I am being unreasonable.

I would love to hear from others that have other suggestions. I do want to make this right.

thats fair IMO.


or 1 of you guys should call Justin up and ask him if theres something he can do since it was originally purchased from him and he gives you a 3 year hardware warranty when you buy a flasher from him

[Fastbandit99]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

thats fair IMO.


or 1 of you guys should call Justin up and ask him if theres something he can do since it was originally purchased from him and he gives you a 3 year hardware warranty when you buy a flasher from him

I called him today. Got a voice mail that he was on vacation. I bought
this in March of 2007.