A kid and his 2008 WRX.

Still want the wrx badge?

 

I would get the DP and then the AP :naughty:

 

I'd stick to his plan and get the AP. I saw a 30 whp difference wit stage 1 before I got the exhaust.

 

There's absolutely no way in hell I'm doing this...lol. The 08s run extraordinarily lean from the factory when under boost, so a DP without any sort of tuning will probably be a nice death-kiss to my motor. Which would suck. You can do that on the 02-05s I believe, though. Just the way they are.

So, I'm either going with a flash from batlground or topspeed which would enable me to go stage 2 much sooner, or the AP. The "shop flash method" is less expensive (total stage 2 with DP is about 600-650) mostly because i'll lose most of my ability to switch maps on the fly. I'm still weighing my options, but if I could save the money on the AP with the same results and a guarantee on the tune(in case of kaboom-age), then I don't see why I should spend the 700 on the AP.

I'll keep you guys posted.

 

to my knowledge, i thought it was make it run much more rich, not lean......lean for maybe a 1/2 sec up top!!

 

From what I understand, the ECU leans the mixture out up top, so more boost would cause the car to run lean...? Right?

Perhaps I need to do more research, but anyone who knows their shit has been urging me to get the car tuned before I do anything with the boost level...so I'm taking their advice.

 

Nice sound. not hks ( but I'm partial lol) And dont forget our other vendors like Sakari mortorsports too.

 

OK!! I have a kickass job this summer, so I have plans as well.

I might be picking up a set of Subaru sport springs. They were just released for the 2008s. They don't offer much of a drop, but they're a 25% increase in spring rate, and I'm currently thinking that my car is begging for the "sleeper" treatment, so close to stock ride height might be good. Plus, they're being offered for around 160.00 right now, which is an amazing price. I may snag those with my first paycheck.

After that, I have one of two options:

-Springs, swaybars, endlinks, and shifter bushings. I may go with the Cobb springs, still. Also Rallitek offers a matched swaybar set for around 300 dollars, so this setup would be like 600 bucks total with cobb springs and 500 with the Subaru sport springs.

-Stage 2 with an ecu flash. I'm not spending the money on an accessport. Sorry. I just can't justify it.

Both of these things would end up costing about the same. What do you guys think? I can't decide which one I'd enjoy more right now.

I'm really leaning toward the suspension parts for a few reasons:

1) The car really has a lot of room for improvement. It's mushy and pushes a lot. It handles fine I suppose but it could use some serious help.

2) I could do it progressively and see exactly what the car needs as I go along, whereas the downpipe and ECU tune are a one big 600 dollar swoop kinda thing.

3) I could enjoy this kind of setup much more easily at lower, safer, legal speeds on public backroads, whereas 300tq (achievable according to most) may not get used that much on a daily basis....not to mention 93oct is 4.00 and my mileage would almost certainly suffer.

4) The car will more readily handle more power when the time does come to crank the boost. :bigthumb:

Plus, when I get tuned I probably wanna add a bigger topmount IC and maybe some other stuff (VF39 anyone?). Thusly, it may end up being far more expensive to be done the way i really want to do it, and thus should be put on hold.

I know I sound like I've made up my mind already...but everyone is like "OMGGETADOWNPIPE" so maybe it's a lot sweeter mod than I'm giving it credit for? Everyone says it's an amazing difference. Idk, talk to me, those who are more knowledgable! Please? Thank you!

 

Looks like a good mod plan. Dont forget brakes when you get around to getting the thing tuned. Its a common mistake to think and plan about upgrading swaybars and HP but brakes are overlooked. Decent pads and lines go a long way, even if you cant swing the cost of lines, pads make a great improvement over stock.

You'll actually get better gas mileage with a tune if you can restrain yourself from enjoying the added power. That being said, I'm glad we talked last week about EM, and it does make more sense to pick up a VF39 and STI topmount and only have to get it tuned once. You should be fine on the stock ECU with downpipes, there's no way that the car is going to run that dangerously lean in OEM trim; if you're really worried get an EGT gauge and closely monitor it and your boost gauge.

 

very nice, i bet your proud of your new ride. i would be.

 

nice 08 how much are theyu fully loaded

 

more then you can afford pal, subaru

 

Hahaha

 

They sticker about 25, but since we were a second time subaru customer and were trading in a Forester in real good shape, they gave us the treatment.

And lol at all the F&F related posts. You guys are crazy, man.

 

Definitely go with the suspension first, so that when you do all the power mods your car can handle it.

 

That's what I'm thinking. We should have our own little mountain run once I get my springs and sway bars.

 

OK. I CAN HAZ PHOTOSHOP??!?!?! There's some of these for sale on the board (new FXT wheels).



and another:



And I'm curious how they'll look on my car. Which looks almost exactly like this:



I do not have photoshop, so anyone who could slap those together for me, I would really appreciate it!

 

let me yank photoshop off my old hard drive and see what I can do

 

Ok, I just PM'd Matt regarding a stage 2 package. I'm really, REALLY on the fence with my next big mod. I've already got my parts and method picked out for stage 2 should I choose to do it....but say I do go with the suspension:

Cobb, H&R, or Eibach? I want a bit of a drop so the STI springs are out, I think.

FSB will probably come later, as well.

I'm sure you guys can offer me some feedback on your experience with (at least) each brand's previous MY suspension upgrades. Maybe even some of you 08 guys out there can help me out. Thanks a lot guys!

 

definately lower it. The 08's look 10x lower IMO. I have swift springs and they have a decent drop thats not too drastic like the Tein S-techs (Although lower does look better) and perform pretty well on the mountain. Make sure you do front sway bar before a rear too

 

Ooooooook. So it's official. I'm going Stage 2. I just PM'd Matt from Batlground about (hopefully) setting up an appointment next week sometime. I'll be going with an invidia catless DP, along with a K&N drop in filter. Matt also agreed to cut me a great deal which made the whole thing possible for me to begin with. :bowdown:

He says I'll likely be in the 275 to 300whp range when all is said and done. :eek3: It's also probably going to be louder than fcuk all. :wiggle:

I understand this is probably going to be too much power for the stock suspension setup, so in the next couple of months...as in before the end of the summer....a set of Cobb springs and a FSB will find their way onto my party wagon. Add an STI TMIC, and then I think it's going to be mostly small stuff from there. No GT35Rs for me. lol

I'm keeping the stock rims, i believe. I'm already researching my next set of tires. Something reasonably sticky in a 215 width should be enough for my purposes. I'm aiming to give the car a mostly stock appearance. Not to say if a set of 04 STI BBSs come along for a really good price I won't buy them. :naughty: Sure it's a money pit... But it's gonna be a fast money pit!

Anyway, just a little update. I'll let you guys know what's up with the stage 2 stuff. I'M SO EXCITED!!!

 

I'm anxious to see how that turns out. I'd like more power of course, but i'm a worry wort when it comes to parts failing. hnoes:

This car does have to be my daily driver for a bit.

 

The stock tire width is a 205. I think 245 would just be silly on a 7in wide rim.

 

get 225 atleast, congrats on going to stage 2

 

Thanks guys. 225 it is I guess. And yeah, the wheels are the same size as the 07s I believe...just a different style.

Anyway, I'm working on an appointment next week. Matt's been awesome about being in touch despite no doubt being busy with Formula D. I'll keep you guys posted!

 

on a stock turbo? 300WHP? wow

 

Yeah...mostly down low though I would imagine. I believe it. There's a shop online that pulled 350 or so hp and 420tq out of a td04 08 wrx. That was pretty much just a downpipe and bigger TMIC. There's a whole youtube series on it.

I doubt that guy's transmission (or anything really) will last long, though.

 

Getting tuned at Batlground thursday the 26th!!!

W00t! Thanks to Matt Ball for being a total badass. And everyone else there.

I'M SO EXCITED!

 

Well the tune had to be pushed back to next wednesday. :unamused: The downpipe hadn't shipped yet from batlground's supplier, and my extensive efforts to source another turned up nothing. I'm going in this wednesday to put a deposit down and take care of all the paperwork, since i'll be in the area anyway.

In any case, I'm still excited. It's just proving a challenge to get all the parts in one place. Thanks to Matt at BG for talking to me the 5646873249687 times I called today. Cheers.

 

got a link to that? i gotta see this to believe it.....

congrats on gettin tuned soon!!

 

So its next wednesday? What kind of DP did you order? Stevens got a brand new catless invidia sitting in his garage wrapped if you've got one coming of equal value you can give him when it gets here.

 

Steven like Kingwrex?

It's the same downpipe as your friend, but unless his is for the 08 wrx or the 05 legacy it's not gonna work. I did order the same one for the 08 through BG that should be in next week.

In short, if it'll fit my car, fuck yeah I'll take it. But I doubt it will. Thank you, though.

And scoobyblkwrx, I'll find the video for you.

 

yea kingwrex

 

Downpipe is sitting in Matt's office. Bump for anyone who wants to come hang out tomorrow. I'll be at BG around 10-1030am.

And Dana, I returned your PM but your box is full.

Also I changed my oil with Rotella 5w40. Car feels 10000000x better than with the regular penzoil. It just seems happier.

 

So I went in today, downpipe goes on without a hitch, and while I'm waiting to be tuned Matt discovers that the necessary elements (tactrix cable, definitions) to tune my car are not yet available for the 08s.

Woops. :unamused:

It was a fair assumption...just turned out to be incorrect.

Not worry, however. We arrived at a short term solution that will involve an OTS stage 2 map for the 08s that'll go in my car next monday as a sort of "loaner map" . This way I can run the car safely until the stuff becomes available (month or so according to tactrix), at which point Dan will protune my car with a custom map. :wiggle: So we should see a dyno plot sometime in august I would guess. While everyone agreed this was kind of a big oversight, the guys at batlground more than made it right. Big thumbs up to them. Thank you guys!

In the meantime I've got the downpipe on, as all this only came to light well after it was on the car. Even on the stock ECU, the car seems to like it for the most part. No CEL so far, and while I've been very gentle with it, I've given it a poke here and there while merging and whatnot. I can say that I CANNOT WAIT until the car is ready for a proper flogging. It pulls so much harder even at part throttle. Also, so far no boost spikes or other issues.

Plus, the sounds that come along with a downpipe are so glorious, aren't they?

Just an update. Big Thanks to Matt, Dan, and Brandon! BATLGROUND FTW.

 

I've done it before.

It works.

 

but how would it look

 

Probably pretty fucking knarly.