Cheap car for learning

I'm thinking of buying a cheap turbo car in order to learn how to tune. I need something to learn on and can't risk damaging my daily driver or a friend's vehicle.

I have found both a 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo and a 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo in relatively decent shape for cheap. However, I'm having the same issue with both vehicles. I can't find a tuning device and software for them. From what I've seen so far, there are piggyback devices and then some other devices that come with tunes loaded on them and I don't see a software to use those devices to build my own ECU maps. One of the devices, in particular is the EK1. I think that was for the Fiat.

Does anyone have insight on these two cars and options for tuning?

Jeremy,

Getting an inexpensive vehicle that's not your primary transportation is a great way to start modifying and tuning.

It would certainly be easier to pick a vehicle that has tuning options readily available though. It sounds like you might have something for the Fiat, but I've not heard of it.

I've tuned a few Hyundai Genesis coupes around 2013, but they were both on standalone ECUs on off road vehicles, and I don't know if that setup works on a Veloster. It involved figuring out CAN functionality which goes a bit beyond learning to tune, so perhaps not the best starting point.

Perhaps an older Honda that has Hondata tuning support like an Acura RSX?

I started with Subaru, but they are less forgiving.

I'll be curious to hear if someone knows a good beginner tuning solution for the vheicles you asked about!

If you're looking for accessible and cheap, I have noticed that some of the lower end mitsubishis are good for learning. There are loads of parts in junkyards and they are dirt cheap. The USDM 8G galant, 3G eclipse, and coupe dodge stratus (00-05) are all the same if you would be interested in non-turbo tuning.