Do chip programers really work and if so how much horse power can I gain, also how much firmer will my tranny shift

 

Yes they work for simple stuff. Probably not as much as advertised. Dyno tune would be better. If you're really serious about it, I would recommend spending a little extra on a laptop tuner program w/ a wideband O2.

 

Dyno is the best way to go. But a good tuner is not a bad investment. It helps out even more if you already have good bolt ons. Filter, exhaust, headers, etc. Diablo is probably one of the best out there for the money. I have read a few test and most guys will gain around 15 horses and 12 ft torque. Thanks to the shift and rev limeter tuning this can be good for a full 0.1 in the quarter not a bad investment at all.

 

Spend the money on the diablo and i think you will be very happy. As i said above there is good power to be found and for the money it is the best tuner for you buck with a ton of good features.