Lots of retailers are selling automotive performance chips. Do they really work? Is there a big difference?

Do performance chips really work or is it a hype

There's no free lunch. Every engine has a "sweet spot"--a certain RPM range where the valve timing is perfect and it produces the most power for the least gas. A performance chip can alter the air fuel mixture and play with the timing, but it cannot change the crankshaft, camshaft, or valve design. If the chip gives you better performance at one RPM range, you'll lose it at another.

Think about this: Detroit is going down the tubes. If there was a better way to get more performance simply by chipping a car, don't you think they'd do it?