Compare Ford S-Max engine balancing or remapping job quotes from specialist garages

Ford was the first carmaker to introduce a vehicle assembly line, speeding up the process of production and bringing cars to more people than ever before. The brand's motorsport credentials are equally impressive. In the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race, Ford ended Ferrari's six-year winning streak, beating the likes of Porsche and Lamborghini to the title with an ever-popular GT40.

Jim Morrison, the lead singer of rock band The Doors, famously adored his 1967 Ford Shelby GT500, the only car he ever owned. It is a mystery to this day where the vehicle ended up after his death.

Find out the average price of a Ford service or MOT here, or read this guide to see how Ford's maintenance costs compare with Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

Car remapping, sometimes called ‘chipping', involves changing your car's engine control unit (ECU) programming by overwriting the manufacturer's settings on the microchip. This process is done by plugging a laptop into the vehicle's OBD port.

Engine remapping is different to engine balancing, which involves altering components in the engine itself rather than making changes to the car's computer.

A car remapping service can give you better fuel economy, improved driveability and control, increased power, and a better throttle response. It is highly customisable, so you can choose which aspects of performance you want to improve, and you can also have multiple remaps so you can switch between them depending on your needs.

However, remapping often makes your insurance more expensive, and it only benefits cars with a turbo; if your vehicle doesn't have one, the difference after remapping will be minimal.