Which To Do First?

So I'm thinking of keeping my car.....unless someone gives me what I need for it. I'm deciding on the Cobb Accessport (~$600 shipped) or a Helix Turboback w/ up pipe (~$850 shipped).

Both new, but whick makes sense first......

 

Ap

 

Gains will probably be about the same either way, maybe a little more for the exhaust with no tuning. So it would all come down to your preference. If you go exhaust, you will get the decent gains hp wise. I gained about 30 hp from up/down/mid/ and muffler, before tuning. But you also get that wonderful sound.

AP will give you minimal hp gains alone, maybe 15 to 20 with no other supporting mods, but once you get something new, you can switch maps and take more advantage of the AP. If you go this route, you might want to gut your uppipe also, free, so you can get a little more power from the AP.

If it were me, I would go exhaust first, then EM next.

 

For an 02/03, I would advocate exhaust then EM. For an 04+ I would go the other way around.

 

I dunno having driven a stock WRX with no em then one with just cobb stage 1 and an up pipe it was night and day difference in the midrange. This was on an 03 WRX wagon with no other mods, just UP and cobb 1

 

i would go with exhaust first, but i would definately try and find a used one, its laods cheaper.

 

exhaust

 

exhaust....

 

ditto ^^

 

I see it this way. You could get the exhaust, and it'd flow a lil better, and then you could save up for some engine management and get the real gains or you could do it bass-ackwards and tune, install an exhaust and then tune again....

But do whatever makes sense to you.

 

Well if you get an AP, you can go with the cobb stage 1 map and then just reflash with stage 2 once you get an exhaust.

However personally, if I could do it over again, I'd get an exhaust first. While I don't really regret my decision (because a stage 1 AP does make a nice difference) the exhaust is just a more noticible mod. You get a nice rumble and horsepower gains. With the ap you get a smoother powerband and horsepower gains. I've got a free axleback that's keeping my ears happy but I'm still wanting to get a full exhaust eventually.

 

I hear ya there mang. The only reason I haven't is people keep telling me the stock exhaust flows extremely well up to some crazy hp number.

 

AP you can sell with none to min lost $
Do not need new because all it is just a loader (after married)
With AP you can go various stages with supporting mods

I will have an AP for sale soon (2005 AP/ 5MT)

 

Exhaust then EM. I have a TBE and thats next on my list

 

the car came with some sort of axle back, it seems to be a SPT early edition, but there are no stamps. Its damn near silent even at WOT.

 

cant realize full potential of TBE without AP

AP can be at stg1 and then when TBE installed you can be at stg2 with a simple Flash

Think of UP aswell because if its catted and running STG2 you risk the chance of damaging the UP cat and thats a new turbo