Sorry to hear that. They where talking up your ass. may i suggest for tunes take it to a well known place. For example CRD or w/e depending on location. Tunes are VERY important to a car and in the wrong hands it can be quite costly. A good workshop will tell you if it's not worth doing something because they understand that word of mouth travels far. If you get a good experience you are likely to send business their way.
Keep an eye out on import moster/ebay/forums here for a PFC and you will find one cheap!