A lot of people would complain how it takes Ron forever to get back to you, well Ron is a busy guy, literally the FA20DIT god of tuners. As long as you follow directions in his detailed emails then everything is going to go smooth. I've been tuned by him back in March. (FBO + FF) and the car is AMAZING, I can not express how smooth his tunes are, he tunes for reliability and drivability instead of chasing numbers. 10/10 in my book! read more

Funny story... I met Ron back in China Lake when I first got hired and he recently just got his GTR. We were shooting our shit, and he suggested I get a WRX. Fast forward several years later... I finally got one and there was no doubt with who I was going to go with when it comes to tuning the car. Le Goat: I recently finish my e-tune with Ron and for the lack of better words, I am very happy with the tune. Ron was very professional and straight to the point when it comes to answering my questions. He was responsive and he would often times email me back with a new map early in the morning. All together we had 8 revisions , 1 beat the car (to the best of my ability) and a final map. The tune: The tune itself is very smooth and pretty strong (considering I only went with stage 1). The car is tame, and all the little noises that used to exist on the car back when it was stock or had an OTS map seem to have disappeared. The car pulls all the way to red line now. Overall, the best way to summarize the tune is, its smooth for cruising and fast when you want it to be. Time to gather up some parts! So we can play some more! read more

Phatbotti Tuning - I have OCD. So it was good Ron was very particular. - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

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I highly recommend this shop. Top notch customer service! Owner/Tuner Ron Watson is the best! I've been tuned by him since 2017 and I am very happy with my numbers... Tbh, numbers don't really matter. I am very happy 'cause my car's still running and it has 0 issues. 2015 Subaru WRX with 60,xxx miles. Went back a couple of days ago cause I just got a Big Turbo for my car. Again, I was impressed with my numbers and how the car runs. Keep it up Ron/Phatbotti Tuning! 10/10 IG @arvreezy read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Car getting tuned. - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

I reached out this shop about installing a performance chip on my car and they responded by saying "sorry dont tune those I just checked into a hotel.  Emails have already been slow due to my shoulder and now the shop move on top.  I am going to spend the next week solely getting caught up and getting the tunes knocked out before dealing with other things.  I sincerely appreciate all the patience and support.   ** I injured my shoulder last week and just having it up to type is extremely painful.  Please be patient with emails.  I am behind right now, but it's getting better and things should be back to normal by Monday.  Sending me more emails will just make the process slower for everyone. ** If I ask you a question when i send you a map, just answer it when you send the logs.  Don't send separate emails. Please give me 4 days to respond, then feel free to ping me.  If you send me your logs multiple times, I am not gonna answer your email for a week.  Choose wisely. Thanks, Ron WatsonPhatBotti Tuninghttp://www.phatbottituning.com/Paypal: phatbotti_tuning@yahoo.com" ^^ WTF does that even mean?? ^^ I would give these guys zero stars if possible. read more

Not my first time tuning with Ron, and I will continue to go back to him only. I cannot begin to explain how professional, knowledgeable and experienced he is. Very comfortable having him work on my car (2020 Subaru WRX). Very highly recommended, especially for anyone with a 2015-2020 Subaru WRX, FA20DIT, or any WRX/STI really. If you're considering tuning your Subaru with him, don't think twice about it. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

If you want a tune go to Ron!!! He was very quick with emails, and I can't thank him enough for the excellent tune. The whole process was seamless and most of the questions I had were all in his writeup/emails. So I highly suggest reading his emails and instruction sheets in its entirety !!!! The car feels amazing on an E85 speed density tune that Ron worked his magic on. I will definitely be coming back. I couldn't wait to try the car out in the canyons and it exceeded my expectations. GO TO RON FOR YOUR TUNES! read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

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I've been emailing Ron with questions for the past year or so and finally got pro tuned by him last week for my 2016 WRX. In short, Ron was extremely helpful throughout the whole process and very responsive via email. I had an EBCS, TGV delete, EGR delete, and catback exhaust and was mainly looking for a slight bump in power with an improvement to my fuel economy and I definitely got both. Attached dyno chart shows very nice and linear hp throughout the rpm band. If you're on the fence about getting tuned, I highly recommend you invest your time and money in someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Ron aka Phatron. read more

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Not impressed with Ron. Lots of excuses including DropBox crashing which led to lost tune info. C'mon save locally and backup to the Cloud. How expensive is a 6TB NAS server. Read his impressive background and found it hard to believe. Perhaps a little embellished... Very short responses with little to no detail. Difficulty reading and/or understanding emails. Paid for E85 and had to remind him we weren't done after the 91 tune. Acts like a tough guy, but we all know that's just insecurity. All his emails and attachments are cookie-cutter repurposed garbage written by someone that lacks focus. Tangential at best. Offers a Burble map upon conclusion. Thanks bud, but I'm here to go Ricky Bobby fast, not annoy my neighbors. Had mapping redone by Gold certified Cobb tuner. Nice looking facility, but it's all show and no go. read more

I've heard many good things about you Ron and it pains me to give you this one star, but I have been trying to reach you for a long time. And, my credit card company is not helping with my process of a dispute. I ordered a e-tune for 2015 Subaru WRX 8 months ago, in which I have not recieved anything for it. I have also reachout out for a status but have never heard anything. If you recieve this please give me a response if you would. read more

Ron is the tuner to go if you want to extract more power safely out of your Subaru. I inquired about 6 months ago for a flex fuel / dyno package, even though his prices changed, he still honored the price he gave me 6 months ago. Ron is very knowledgeable and friendly. You cannot go wrong going to Ron with a Dyno Tune or e tune. 2015 WRX , Bolt-ons, Catless, Cobb Flex Fuel Kit 292 WHP / 318 TQ on 91 Octane 364 WHP / 349 TQ on E52 The best part is, Ron owned a 2015 WRX therefore he knows the FA20 Platform inside and out, along with the EJ powerplants in his past cars. He also hinted he might start tuning GTR's so GTR owners may want to hit him up. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - 2015 WRX Stage 2 Bolt Ons Catless ,TGV Deletes, PW Verticooler Cobb Flex Fuel Kit - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

Nothing but amazing things to say about my experience with Ron. I purchased a flex fuel tune for my 2018 wrx. Ron's service is exemplary as he answered all my questions/concerns about tuning my car. The dyno cell is awesome as it's a mini wind tunnel as he described. The fans that he uses in there aren't just $50 fans used for construction work/painting, but real powerful fans to simulate real world driving conditions. While I waited for my car to get tuned, I sat in the shop area on a very comfortable couch with snacks and a TV with a car driving simulator along with another TV to view my car getting tuned. After the tune, I was shocked at how well my car was running and how smooth the power delivery was. Ron knows the FA20 very well. Hard to find other tuners on the same level as him. If I had an STI, I would no doubt go to him as well for the tune. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - The shop area/waiting room. - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

I had my e85/91 tune here about 3 years ago and decided to wait on the review until I had time to settle with the car. Most, if not all of these reviews were made almost directly after getting tuned, which is great and all but most of us chain vaping, broke ass wrx/sti owners can't really afford any issues while pushing our blocks to the max. Sure enough with about 60,000 miles put on with Ron's tune my 2017 STI drives the same it did the day it rolled off the dyno. We're not talking freeway miles either, this includes weekly canyon runs and probably around 20 track days. In 2020, I don't think it's too impressive to roll an sti/wrx off the dyno with 350/400 whp/tq, but what is impressive is doing so while delivering a reliable tune. If you're looking for a tune in SoCal, or even an e-tune I believe it's a waste of time looking elsewhere. read more

Ron tuned my '15 wrx on 91 octane and E85 mix, totally different car. He was very professional he kept me in the loop of what was going on with my car. Took his time and made sure everything was on point. Very informative and answered all my noob questions. Very pleased with the end results. Great job Ron!! You're the best, Thanks again. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Went with an ETUNE on my WRX with TGV Deletes, EGR unplug, EBCS, and recirculating BPV. The car was stock for 55k miles and had been running well for being stock. The car did suffer random drops in RPM when idling, rev hang, weird power issues all on stock tune. All of this was corrected with the ETUNE, along with the extra power. Even though I have full metal engine, transmission, and pitch stop mounts along with all the bushings in the car replaced; it feels like it's off when it's idling. Absolutely unreal how smooth the car pulls, idles, and drives. Also the PDFs and communication between Ron and you are going to be fast and clear, no BS. This guy is busy but he makes sure to do his work perfectly if you listen to his instructions and read his in-depth PDFs he sends you. Will re-tune again with him, excellent experience. read more

Ron is by far the best tuner out there!!! I went in about 4 months ago to get a pro tune on my car. He told me everything he suggested me doing before I went and did the tune and really made it an awesome experience. He answered any and every question I had. My car has been running excellent ever since, and to this day, if I am having any concerns with my car, he is always willing to help me figure it out. Thanks Ron read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

what an awesome experience...made arrangements @ February for this! Ron recommended John @ Corner Speed Tuning for some parts-install prior to appt. e-tunes were sent regularly and emails responded to very promptly. nice waiting area with great selection of snack bar/beverages. like everyone before me has said, Ron's knowledge re: Subaru tuning gives the customer the best outcomes. thx boss read more

Phatbotti Tuning - WRX-tune - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Ron tuning abilities is . Probably wouldn't go to someone else. Ron gives real honest opinion for what's best for you and your car. The tuning is real solid no knocks or anything while doing a pull. Looking forward to go again for a retune for an e60+meth mix. Highly recommended to get tuned by Ron. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

Got an E-Tune from Ron and went with an E30 mixture for fuel and I have to say, it turned out feeling better than my last E30 tune I got from someone else. I knew he was the GOAT but his tune blew my expectations a way. Now I know for sure I trust only the best with my 17 WRX. Can't wait to retune once I get all my parts together! read more

I only write reviews when I'm genuinely impressed with the customer service and business. Ron deserves it. He was awesome throughout the entire process. Emailed me back everytime with answers to every question and concerns. The car feels amazing and the tune was perfect. I stuck around after the tune to talk with Ron some more and he was generous enough to explain all the dos and donts even though he emailed it to me. I'll be going to phatbotti for all my future tunes. Definitly dont pass up phatbotti. I havent been tuned by other people but dont really care to after coming here. I have ZERO complaints. By far one of best business and person I have dealt with. Already recommended him to other people. read more

Getting a dyno tune from Ron is probably the best thing I've ever done to my car. I've owned my 2017 WRX for a year and a half but up until now there were always a few things I didn't like about how the car drove. The stock tune had a powerband that was way too punchy in the midrange with no power up top and an extremely sensitive throttle. I tried both the Cobb and MAPerformance OTS maps but had more knock and DAM drops on them than I was comfortable with. I decided to bite the bullet and get a protune from Ron along with some supporting mods (TGV/EGR deletes, EBCS, TMIC). From the moment I drove away from the shop I knew the car was a different animal. The power delivery is incredibly smooth throughout the entire powerband and the car pulls hard all the way to redline. I have not seen any knock whatsoever and the car just feels happier with the new tune. The tuning process itself was incredibly easily. Ron was very specific and detailed in his instructions for the pre-dyno logs that he asked from me and was quick to answer every time I had any questions. After the dyno tune, he spent a good 30 minutes with me explaining in detail what he did in the tune to achieve the results that he got, how the car performed on the dyno, things to watch out for, do's and don'ts, etc. Overall, I could not have asked for a better experience. There's a reason this man is so well-regarded within the Subaru community and gets booked up weeks in advance. My only "complaint" is that now that I've gotten a taste of what a tune on 91 octane can do, I find myself hungry for more power...I may be back to send it w/ some Flex Fuel goodness! read more

I highly recommend Ron Watson and Phatbotti Tuning. I was e-tuned for my 2015 WRX and it feels like a brand new car. Previous dyno tunes for my car don't even come close to what Ron accomplished; more power, better torque curve and smoother powerband. Ron was extremely responsive when sending me revisions to test; sometimes I got 2-3 in one day. I can't comment on their work on other platforms, but for Subaru's FA20DIT, Ron and Phatbotti should be your first choice for tuning. read more

My Subaru has 92,000 miles on it and I have been looking for a reliable tuner for the past 3 years. I held back on getting a pro-tune simply because I had been hearing mixed reviews from so many tuners and wanted to do as much research as possible. I had emailed and spoken to almost all the tuners in SoCal, and Ron at Phatbotti was the only one that had answered all my questions. A few other tuners didn't even bother responding to my emails. I had emailed Ron maybe 20 separate times with all types of questions, smart or dumb, and he still answered every single one. I should have gotten the Pro-Tune done long ago. I had been driving with the dreaded "fuel stumble" for 92k miles that I got so used to it. I had the Fuel Stumble Fix installed and Ron tuned it as part of the Pro-Tune and wow, I had to re-learn how to drive the car because it's so smooth now. I was getting about 16PSI on the Cobb Stage 2 OTS map, now I'm hitting 20PSI and it's smooth all the way through. If you're looking for a Tuner and not sure which one to go to, Ron is the man. read more

I drove my 2015 WRX all the way from Nor Cal just to get a tune from Ron. I realized that there are few tuners who know how to tune the FA20DIT properly and Ron is one of them. He might even be the best since he previously owned one before and did lots of testing with it. I had a protune from a tuner up in Nor Cal and after I got an etune from Ron, it was like night and day. The smoothness, the better gas mileage, the boost control, etc was just so much better. After that, I drove down and got both the 91 and a Flex Fuel E53 tune and now my car is really fun to drive. I really can't go back to the 91 tune after the E53 tune haha. His Dyno cell/room was immaculate and he has screens to show you the car. This hobby isn't cheap but you never want to cheap out when it comes to tuning from a reputable guy like Ron. read more

This is my 3d tune with Ron Watson and as always it's Top Notch!!! Ron helped me with my build and advised me on the best possible route to take in modding my car. My car runs excellent and is faster than it's ever been. Best of all I know it's as reliable as it can be for the level it's boosted to. I trust no one else but Phatbotti Tuning. Thanks Ron!!! You're definitely the G.O.A.T!!! read more

This place is AWESOME!!! Ron takes his time to make sure the tune is right. He is very knowledgeable and takes very good care of his customers and their cars. The dyno cell setup is impeccable and professional done by them. I can see how much work is dedicated in research to make sure the room is done right. When the room is done right the tune is right. There aren't enough words to explain how great this place is. If you want the attention and the right tune you have to come here! read more

I heard good things about Phatbotti Tuning and decided to give them a try in tuning my 2016 STi after my mods were installed. Ron, the owner and tuner is very knowledgeable of Subarus. We communicated via email for months before the tune was scheduled. He was able to provide advice of which mods I should install based on my active lifestyle (road trips, track day, and snowborading). His Tuning garage is very profesional and he has a cool waiting area with a TV so you can watch the whole process. After the tune, my car drove amazing. It truly feels like there's more usable safe power for many miles to come. Check out Ron at Phatbotti Tuning. It's worth the drive! read more

Phatbotti Tuning - My 2016 STi on the dyno :) - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

I scheduled with Ron with a Dyno tune for my car and it was worth the trip to drive from San Francisco. His customer service is A1 and he gets back to you via email asap. If there were some things you were sure about your car, Ron will break things down and make sure your car will be at 100%. Most important thing is I am satisfied with my tune and I couldn't ask for anything more. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Flex fuel tune from Ron! - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

Working with Ron was a very smooth and educational experience. As soon as you enter the office it's a relaxed environment. Ron is courteous of those who Dyno Tune with him You have questions? He answers very in depth and honestly. Has an outstanding waiting lounge and you can watch your car get tuned, watch movies, play games, and have a variety of snacks whenever you'd like all at the same time. I waited for my Dyno to get completed for 4 hours. Not once did I have any urge to get out of there because I felt so comfortable. Now getting to the Dyno Tune itself, Ron did a fantastic job flat out from beginning to end. I told him what I was striving to achieve and he agreed its risky, but he'll try. The end result was exactly what I was looking for and I couldn't be happier. I thought just the base tunes before the actual dyno tune was good, but wait until he gets his hands on the car. I was for some reason expecting to be underwhelmed by the power, but actually ended up being OVERWHELMED with joy. Overall experience was amazing. I wouldn't recommend anyone but Ron Watson to tune my motor. read more

Just like the other review said, Ron really take his time with his tunes. I had boost issues with my car and he took all night trying to dial it in. In my case, I may have had boost leaks which he help diagnose as well as provided support after my protune was done. He did not need to do that, but he seems to love his craft and making his customers happy. You'd think spending $$$ for a protune was expensive, but his attention to detail made me actually feel like I should pay more. =) All in all a good and professional experience. Oh yea, he also writes his emails in complete and sensical thoughts. I know a lot of tuners who respond with one word responses such as "lol." For someone who I am entrusting my expensive baby to, its those little things that make me feel better. Thanks Ron! Hopefully see you soon for a retune! read more

I am so disipointed with how he handled our back and forth, my quote and questions, read in full to understand how poorly my car and I were treated. Let me start by saying I didn't even get to have my car tuned here due to him not understanding how to tune 4Eats but after talking to him I'm glad I wasn't. I first wrote him over yelp for a simple quote for my stage 2+ EBCS 02 wrx, I informed him I was going pure E85, just upgraded my injectors and pump (1,000cc denso and 340lph pump) he replied better to email him a list of mods on my car for a accurate quote...seems reasonable so I emailed right away a full list in detail about my car and what I've done to it and what map I'm currently running on my V3 AP... I get a reply over 10 hours later "I don't tune autos"...wait What? Is he serious, what that actually his reply and so short with out reason??? So I reply "you don't tune automatics? Are you serious" I get other short dickish reply, "yes that's correct" at this time I am pissed and most of all butthurt, my poor 4eat subie being singled out yet again lol (I love my car and did all the work on her myself) so I reply "is there a specific reason you dont" and to add salt on my womb he replies "I haven't owned one and they are weak" ARE YOU KIDDING ME lol the 4eat is known for being reliable and even under more mods then the 5 m/t... I don't get how a professional can have such half assed replys and most of all not understand how to tune an automatic lol this guy is supposed to be a top subaru tuner here in so cal but he acts so unprofessional and clueless, didn't go with what I read on here at all... I was looking forward to paying the money for a quality tune but I will be moving on to some other tuner -Cody read more

Great tuner! I will come back for the ethanol tune for my FA wrx

Can't get any better than Ron's service. I drove 4 hours to get tuned by him twice. Communication is excellent. Very knowledgeable and helpful along the way as well. read more

Phatbotti Tuning - Auto Customization Near Me - Anaheim, California

I e-mailed Ron about an E-Tune for my 2017 Subaru WRX Base Model. I was uncomfortable running the COBB OTS Tune. Ron got back to me super quickly and after sending him all the information he needed, and the down payment he sent me a map with instructions, and after each map were new instructions until he was able to fine tune the map to be perfect. I would say give yourself a day for the whole process if you want everything done. You are basically doing a pull, sending him a datalog, and then waiting for new map. Since there are around 5-6 map revisions the time adds up. You could probably send him your logs at a slower pace, but I wanted my car to be running as smooth as possible as fast as possible. The tune he made for me was just to my liking. I asked for a safe tune that would increase the performance of my car but not a send it tune. Thats exactly what I got. The one thing I would mention is that his replies to e-mails are short. Like.. straight to the point short. Don't expect him to write you a fluffed up e-mail about nonsense and casual conversation. He's a busy guy. Expect something like.. "Load this up and do a third gear WOT 2000-6500RPM pull." "load n repeat" Ron is the best Subaru tuner around, no questions asked. read more

This place lived up to the hype resulting in a great experience. I've been contemplating to get some Mods done to the WRX for almost a year and finally pulled the trigger and it was worth every penny. Ron took care of what he does best and even taught me a few things after. Car runs better then ever and man to I love the pops! Will be coming back for flex fuel! P.S. I live in San Diego and would make the drive again any day when flex fuel is ready. Thanks Ron! read more

Ron Watson at PHATBOTTI TUNING is the most knowledgeable tuner for the wrx platform period. I'm so lucky to live in an area close enough to get a dyno tune from him. Thanks again Ron for the tune and the awesome customer service.. Flex fuel King read more

Had my 2018 WRX tuned by Ron today. I began communication with him a few weeks before the actual dyno date for scheduling reasons. One thing about Ron is even though he's super busy he always responds to emails quickly. He asks for at least 24 hours for a response but he usually responds within hours if not sooner; sometimes in minutes. If you are active in the FB forums or on NASIOC you'd be hard pressed to find anything negative about Ron or Phatbotti Tuning. Don't hesitate to use him, either e-tuning or dyno. Just do it. read more

Highly recommend Ron if you want a protune done for your car. I communicated with Ron through e-mail before my scheduled dyno day and he was extremely quick and helpful with his responses. He will take care of you making sure your car is running smoothly and safely. During the dyno day, I met Ron and he was extremely friendly and helpful. He answered all my questions in a way that you could understand and made sure I left with no questions left unanswered. I will definitely return in the future for my next revision and highly recommend Ron if you would like to get your car tuned. read more

There isn't much more than needs to be said about Ron. He's the best there is. His communication and knowledge of Subaru tuning is unmatched. I emailed him back and forth about 40 times prior to my dyno appointment and I don't think he ever took more than even 8 hours to respond. There really isn't any reason to write a long review about him...book your appointment and let him work his magic. Going on 8 months being tuned on flex fuel @ 360whp/347tq without issue. read more

Ron was very patient with me and very quick to respond during the etune process. It was very painless and I wish I went to this guy sooner! Before the Ron's tune, I only had a TBE but was running the Cobb stage 2 OTS map and my AP was reading all sorts of knock and DAM was going up and down. I ran with the OTS tune until I got some other performance parts in and contacted Ron for an etune. Car now feels very quick and I was surprised during the entire etune process that my DAM never dropped and the knock readings were non existent. If I ever need another tune for my '18 WRX I'm definitely going to Ron again! read more

Great informative guy! I've recommended a handful of Subaru owners over to Ron and everyone is happy with the results.