Boost Addict's 08 WRX Project! (UPDATE Pg12!!)

[Boost Addict]

As most of you know, my 2007 MS6 GT's life ended short due to an unfortunate event that led to it being deemed a Total Loss. But with a great Lease Special and perfect timing, I'm now driving a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX. While many won't really care where this project goes, I am documenting it solely to meet the interest that some have expressed with my future endeavors. I intend to approach this thread as a One Stop Shop regarding my WRX, so that I'm not all over the forums with it. I intend to eventually fill this thread with Pictures, Videos, Modifications, Reviews and Impressions of this car in comparison with none other than a vehicle very familiar with most of you, the Mazdaspeed6. I have also had a lot of wheel time behind a Mazdaspeed3, so some of my comparisons may mention as such. I will also continually do my best to remain unbiased and objective in my reviews and opinions. With that said, expect a Complete initial review of this vehicle within 2 weeks time, as I do need to establish some more wheel time before I can fairly make any determinations.

So thank you in advance for your interest, opinions, questions and, in general, for joining along with this automotive journey of mine.

Respectfully,

Vim


------------------------------- August 8, 2008 -------------------------------

Today, I picked up my Spark Silver Metallic WRX. It is the Base model to which I have opted for the following: fog lights, custom Coach leather upholstery and Formula One 15% tint. While it is dark out, a friend encouraged me to take pictures of it, so I did. They didn't turn out too terrible. I tried to capture the car from each general angle, giving you an idea of the blank canvas I will be working with. There is a lot of focus on interior shots, as I am very happy with the outcome of the Coach leather. I chose solid black bolsters and perforated black surfaces with white French stitch to commemorate the same theme that was present in my late Speed6. If you notice, the leather looks a bit rippled up top, but I was told that will tighten up within 2 weeks, as the leather needs to dry and shrink a bit. If by then it does not meet my satisfaction, they have agreed to re-upholster the interior at no charge. I've gotta be honest, I am quite happy with it, and I feel it adds a great element of luxury to an otherwise economical-minded interior. I think it makes the rest of the interior look more... upscale. Please Enjoy!

EXTERIOR -






INTERIOR -












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Here, I have put together a list of modifications that we have to look forward to in reviewing their effect on the vehicle. At this point, I will give a synopsis why I've chosen each modification and what I intend to gain from it. I will also post some pictures to complement them.

SUBARU ARMREST EXTENSION - While not the most exciting piece to find on a modification list, I found this extension to be an absolute necessity! With an extremely tall shifter and center compartment that are placed far from one another, I found it difficult to find a comfortable place to rest my arm while cruising. With an 11-mile long, gentle test drive, it became unacceptable to keep my elbow either floating, or placing my resting pressure on the shifter itself while in gear or neutral. After flipping through the Genuine Accessories brochure I found my saving grace to be a modification that I used to once ridicule as, 'Who the heck would waste their money on one of those? hah!' This Armrest Extension from Subaru is made of a nice quality that isn't leather, and appears to be nicer than a standard rubber. It has a convincingly deceptive look of leather and is firm yet supple to the touch, much like leather. I expect this to be a worthy upgrade, considering the factory compartment lid is a very hard plastic piece. This Extension, however, boasts the ability to extend up and forward to meet the driver's elbow in a more comfortable spot.

Armrest Extension in closed position



Armrest Extension in open position



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COBB DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE SHIFTER & HARDENED BUSHINGS - The first time I test dove this car, was when I still owned my 'Speed6. I could not believe the lack of feedback, accuracy, or precision this piece had. It's important to note that I had the TWM Stage 2 Shifter & Bushings in my Mazda which sat the shifter at a perfect height and performed flawlessly, feeling almost like a directly linked unit! In defense of the Subaru's shifter, it does fall into it's gates rather nicely with a confident 'snick'. But to find the gate, one must swim through the vague rod and make assumptions as to where it's going. Also, the throw length, once you find your gear, is quite pleasing! It's not a long throw by any means, it just lacks any positive feedback from the transmission to which it's directly linked to. With the COBB unit, I hope to lower the obnoxious height of the shifter to a more reasonable and sporty position, hopefully lining it up close to the same height as the armrest will rise to. I expect the throw length to decrease as well, allowing for quickly timed shifts to be performed flawlessly. The bushings are perhaps the most important part of this modification, as the vague, swim-through feel of the shifter is about as large a complaint as it's touch the ceiling height. With the hardened bushings, COBB has given the expectation that the shifter should feel more directly connected and provide better feedback to the driver. I am looking forward to this effect, as I feel this upgrade has the potential to really take this shifter from a butter churner to a sporty extension of a more engaging vehicle!

COBB shifter and bushings



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SPT CAT-BACK DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM - You can spot a modified Subaru a mile away, not by it's looks, but by it's sound. Subaru's Boxer motor with it's firing pattern coupled with their unequal length exhaust manifolds, create a signature rumble that can only be replicated by another Subie. The sound has become it's fingerprint. Once heard, it creates a classically conditioned, Pavlovian response to rear one's head up and look for the nearest Subaru. And my God, does it sound good! I've been in love with the sound since 2001, and have drooled at it ever since. If I'm driving a Subaru, I'm getting it's signature with it, damn it! I do not intend to gain much horsepower from this modification, but I do intend to free up some restriction and back pressure. The sound just so happens to be a effect of this decrease in restriction. But once can achieve this rumble through any Cat-Back, so why SPT? Subaru Performance Tuning is the in-house tuner for Subaru. I'm not sure how far we can get away with considering them a tuner, but I can rather accurately call them a branch of Subaru that hires out after-market tuners to do some R&D and private label parts for them. The private labeling does have it's benefit though, and that benefit rhymes with the word, warranty. This vehicle is a lease, and the less I need to worry about removing in the end, the easier the road for me. The SPT modifications are considered 'warranty friendly' and this one happens to intrigue me with a couple of other unique features. Being an SPT modification, the sound is rather subtle. I consider this a very positive feature, as I believe I can make out what seems to look like a Down Pipe in my very near future every time I rub my eyes. Another unique feature of this specific exhaust is it's size. I've always been an advocate of increasing diameter, but not by too much, as it will retain back pressure which will prevent the loss of torque commonly plaguing excessively free-flowing, large diameter exhausts made for boosted cars. On my Mazdaspeed, I had a MagnaFlow Cat-Back which boasted 2.5" mandrel pipes, which in turn, caused no notable restriction in my 284whp/307wtq application. The benefit was less resonance, preventing the loss of torque, and in general, a smoother, quieter operation. Much like the MagnaFlow, this SPT Cat-Back features 2.5" mandrel bent piping as well... at least in the mid-section. Conversely, here is where things get interesting. Just prior to the rear y-split, the exhaust smoothly increases to a 3" pipe. Upon splitting, the 3" diameter continues out to each respective side, through the mufflers and ends in monster 4" tips with SPT's logo handsomely etched into them. I believe this design is utilized to remove some of the unnecessary back pressure that a y-split design can create by choosing visual appeal over performance efficiency. While on the topic of visual appeal, I am really looking forward to the 4" tips to nicely fill in the large exhaust openings on either side of the rear valance! The SPT Cat-Back has thus far impressed me with the design alone, so I expect fitment to be equally impressive. I also expect this system to exhibit a smooth, mellow note which will rumble with strong presence, but muffle down my full Turbo-Back setup.

SPT Cat-Back laid out



SPT Cat-Back intermediate pipe diameter increase from 2.5" to 3"



SPT Cat-Back y-split detail



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SPT SPORT SPRINGS - The 2008 WRX is notoriously known for it's body roll and 'comfortable' suspension. Even with little time behind the wheel and only a few turns under my belt, I have already uncovered a desperate need for an increased spring rate. Now don't get me wrong, these will get you by just fine around town, but if you intend on doing any spirited driving, or even tackling your favorite corners with a little gusto, the stock springs are far too soft. The stock dampers live up to their task though, providing a firm compression and great rebound. The springs on the other hand, simply do not feel stiff enough for the task. SPT, once again being warranty friendly, offers a sportier option for the WRX. While I do not know what the increase in spring rate is, I am hoping for this to be a suitable option. Wheel gap should also decrease, but not radically, offering a more planted, canyon-ready look without compromising too much ground clearance. I am expecting to have sharper turn-in, less body roll, and a sportier look with these coils. Since there is not much technical detail about them out there, I am going into this with a bit of a gamble. But I believe they are made by Eibach, and my experience with their products have been second to none. I am really looking forward to reviewing this modification.

<<NO PICTURES YET - THIS ITEM IS DUE TO ARRIVE ON MONDAY AUGUST 11, 2008>>

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COBB DOWN-PIPE WITH HIGH FLOW CAT - The down-pipe is where the biggest restrictions exist on the exhaust side of the turbo. Removing catalytic converters, or replacing them with more efficient units, will yield smoother exhaust flow and significantly reduce back pressure resulting in earlier boost response and high power across the entire rpm band. This is considered one of the most potent modifications to most modern turbocharged vehicles. A down-pipe provides a lot of power gain, for such a simple replacement! The COBB unit integrates a high flow metallic substrate catalytic converter that keeps things flowing well, while allowing the vehicle to pass emissions, preventing the unappealing smell of a cat-less vehicle, and keeping sound levels acceptable. There is also a very unique sound of the waste gate gases passing through that happens to become very audible with this modification. I expect a lot of power out of this modification and hope it delivers.

<<NO PICTURES YET - THIS ITEM IS CURRENTLY ON A 2-WEEK BACK-ORDER THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER>>

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COBB HEAT SHIELD - Much like the MZR Turbo DISI motor, the turbocharger in a Subaru H-4 lies behind the engine, just in front of the firewall. However, unlike the DISI's location of the intercooler being above the motor, Subaru's intercooler is placed just behind the engine to prevent heat soak from the engine's rising heat. However, this application places the intercooler almost directly above the turbocharger, which is quite possibly the hottest part of the engine bay when under boost. To prevent heat soaking, Subaru employed a thick shield to go above the down-pipe to cover the exhaust side of the turbo and prevent heat soaking the intercooler. It's a great design, but with the replacement of the down-pipe with an after-market unit, the factory heat shield no longer fits. While most individuals will trim or just completely remove their heat shields, I personally feel it is mandatory to keep one in place. Economically speaking, I would have trimmed my factory shield. But with this car being a Lease, I do need to re-install the stock down-pipe with no trace of modification. COBB has created a heat shield that will effectively complete the same task as the factory shield, while looking good at the same time!

COBB heat shield



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COBB AccessPORT - Like Peanut Butter to Jelly, COBB has been successfully re-tuning Subaru's across America, with their sophisticated AccessPORT unit! Their company grew from a tiny tuner to massive market share in a matter of years. They worked hard and passionately to provide top of the line products, often embarrassing the competition with their results! Reliability for this product is top notch and the gains are significant. Not only does one benefit from more power, but it is also more usable and is applied smoother, resulting in a more pleasurable driving experience. The AccessPORT remains an undetectable modification, and is very simply to marry to and un-marry from a car. Maps can be switched on the spot to select Anti-Theft, Valet, Economy, or any of your pre-programmed ECU maps. They have even begun to include Launch Control on many of their applications. I am looking forward to using this modification with it's Stage 1 settings while my exhaust system remains stock, then re-flashing to Stage 2 parameters once my turbo-back system is installed. I also intend to do real world 0-60 runs and possibly 1/8 mile comparisons between Stock, Stage 1, and Stage 2. This is a no-brainer modification for any Subaru owner!

COBB AccessPORT box cover



COBB AccessPORT box contents



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<div align='center'>STAY TUNED!!!

[Boost Addict]

Reserved.

[yoichi]

not bad but shoulda waited for the 09.

[Boost Addict]

QUOTE (yoichi @ Aug 9 2008, 06:50 AM)

not bad but shoulda waited for the 09.[/b]

80% residual, Lease Special... It's the 2009 model that I have to thank for my deal... I wasn't looking to REPLACE my MS6... I was looking for a cheap, filler car for a couple years... like a Yaris, but a WRX was cheaper to lease!!! I'm in no hurry, this will be a perfect in the meantime. After 2 years, I can get into an STI, LGT Spec.B, or new MS6... tons of cars out there... This will keep me entertained for 2 years with extremely low payments

[HAL20XX]

Nice! I went from an '06 MS6 into an '08 WRX sedan too (non-premium)! I guess great minds think alike!

A quick tip for the STi Pinks: Use an open ended socket and an allen wrench to loosen the top bolt off of the strut shaft. Many of us (including myself) have blown out our rear struts due to improper installation. I just put in my replacements today so hopefully that will do the trick. Check out www.3gwrx.com when you get a chance. That's where I migrated to once I got rid of the MS6.

[Boost Addict]

QUOTE (HAL20XX @ Aug 9 2008, 11:09 PM)

Nice! I went from an '06 MS6 into an '08 WRX sedan too (non-premium)! I guess great minds think alike!

A quick tip for the STi Pinks: Use an open ended socket and an allen wrench to loosen the top bolt off of the strut shaft. Many of us (including myself) have blown out our rear struts due to improper installation. I just put in my replacements today so hopefully that will do the trick. Check out www.3gwrx.com when you get a chance. That's where I migrated to once I got rid of the MS6.[/b]

Hey thanks for the website man

I was going to have a local Bridgestone install them for me, as I know the owner and he charges me very low on labor... But now that you mention that, I might just have my local Subaru dealership install it... If they blow out the strut, let 'em fix it Too bad they are charging 1.5 hrs labor on each one! So 6 hours total labor, even at a discounted rate is ridiculous! Yikes!

Did you guys try to shortcut the installation? Like did you guys not remove the entire strut assemblies?

[Mrbobcat]

Interesting post. I'm not sure I would put that much money into upgrades on a leased car (unless you got a heck of a deal). Anyway, I may be getting an 09 and want to do a few upgrades eventially. If you don't mind me asking, how does that accessport work? Do you keep it hooked up or unplug it sort of like a radar detector? I know probably a stupid question, but I'm a newbie to turbo cars and all the electronics.

[Boost Addict]

QUOTE (Mrbobcat @ Aug 11 2008, 11:45 PM)

Interesting post. I'm not sure I would put that much money into upgrades on a leased car (unless you got a heck of a deal). Anyway, I may be getting an 09 and want to do a few upgrades eventially. If you don't mind me asking, how does that accessport work? Do you keep it hooked up or unplug it sort of like a radar detector? I know probably a stupid question, but I'm a newbie to turbo cars and all the electronics.[/b]

Not a stupid question... Just not something you're familiar with.

for details, visit: Cobbtuning.com

Essentially though, it's a reflashing device that is capable of storing different tunes which either enhance power, security, or fuel efficiency. You pay for the unit once and have access to all of their maps in the future. These OTS (Off The Shelf) maps are very safe to run, because they tune all the way out in Salt Lake City, so they deliberately leave a lot of room for variability. You can probably squeeze an extra few percent out of the car if you get the car custom tuned, but unless you're racing, you're over the extra cost.

You can run a Stage 1 map on a stock vehicle... It will remap your spark, timing, air, fuel, boost, etc to make more power and do it smoothly. Once you add a turboback exhaust, then you can reflash to Stage 2 parameters, which increases the power even more, taking advantage of the increased flow properties of your newly added exhaust. They also have anti-theft mode which prevents fuel injection, so the car can't even be started. In Valet mode, the car has a very low rev limiter, I want to say like 3000 rpm, and no boost, so the car can't be abused. In the economy map, the car runs like a N/A 4 cylinder... with boost target values set at 0, to maximize fuel efficiency.

The AccessPORT can also diagnose and erase CEL's, codes, etc... It can record 0-60 times, give you real time read outs on boost, etc... It's a great tool, I love it.

----

Oh and yeah, the car was a VERY good deal Only problem now is that I'm falling in love with it and really hoping I won't want to keep it at the end of 2 years.... eeeep!

[Japan8]

OOooh... that is a "doh!" since the residual on your lease will be painful. Maybe waiting for the 2009 WRX wasn't such a bad idea...

[Boost Addict]

QUOTE (Japan8 @ Aug 12 2008, 02:35 PM)

OOooh... that is a "doh!" since the residual on your lease will be painful. Maybe waiting for the 2009 WRX wasn't such a bad idea...[/b]

Huh? lol

The idea is to drive it for 2 years, then turn it back in.

I'm not buying it at the end of the lease. While I'm really loving the car, just financially it wouldn't make sense to keep it. Plus, I'm thinking LGT Spec.B or STI anyway... So in my case, it would have been a bad idea to wait for an 09.