iain85

Just getting my wrx serviced at my local garage and the one of the mechanics was chatting to me about mpg and power etc and reckons I can get an increase in both with NO mods but just a custom map. Doesn't sound right to me but thought I'd ask on here to see what people think?

You may ask why don't I just buy the filter, fuel pump and exhaust but I have been on the look out for a decent Prodrive spec zorst and found nothing. I love the car as it is but am keen to see the increase in performance assuming it won't destroy my car!

TIA

Apostle

You're in Kent Iain so you have a couple of options. Use either a scooby specialist or a mobile mapper. JGM aka Simon Roe can come to you and road map. He is one of the best in the UK. Not cheap @ 550 but worthwhile re : drivability and power. A 'decent' panel filter would be a must @ 40 quid or so.

I would say buy a sportscat Downpipe from COBRASPORT and mate it to the stock system - best bang for your buck with the remap.

Good luck. A

forgedmarco

iTrader: (10)

Remap usually brings better drivability and mpg for your car so that's a yes, don't necessarily need an expensive filter can change a standard one more often which would be fine at expected power level, prodrive sports cat for around a hundred and decat up pipe used sti one or something and your looking at an increase to around 280. Upgrade fuel pump would be a good idea and maybe a step Colder plugs but not all that expensive. Think some mobile mappers are a bit cheaper also.

SAM-UK300

iTrader: (8)

I'd recommend Neil @ slowboy racing in Kent, hes spot on and a really nice and helpful fella

Carnut

Hope you don't mind me saying but you don't sound that keen it sound like some grease monkey has sold you the world. I've had this happen to me before although this may not be the case here. It just sounds like your happy with the car and if you go and get this done it will cost £600+ . You may be told that the MPG will be preserved but only when you drive like a granny,as soon as you put your foot down a bit it all goes out the window/wallet. I am not trying to pi*s on your chips but I've been there before and I just think its all or nothing,you can't have it both ways.

belewski1984

iTrader: (1)

+1 for above as i use to do a 160mile trip 5days a week for wrk so i had a focus tdci £60=600milez now i do about 14mile round trip and in the scooby £60= 250/300 miles and all im intrested in is power with this sort of car mpg should never br brought up

Jayjay100

Remap it . The best way . And like someone said u can get away with changing the standed air filter to a better one just by changing the filter inside to a high performos one.
But yes yes to the remap u will love it. Don't chip the ECU

iain85

Thanks all,
Well it will be my main car for me and my family but at the same time realise the power increase is easily achievable. I'm not expecting huge gains but if it's an improvement in mpg when the mrs is commuting and also a better power delivery when I'm driving then it seems like a win win to me.
I take you point about being sold the world but the chap didn't recommend anyone just mentioned it to me so had no vested interest.


Any idea what gains I could expect from an air filter and remap alone? Also £550 does that include parts or is it purely software? Sounds like im in the wrong job : )

Infected by sti

iTrader: (6)

Remap it! 180 miles to a tank then

Seriously tho it does make for a better car, but can't comment on a totally stock remapped car as I've always done the additional bits with it.

Definitely notice a difference I would say

iain85

Also have tried contacting Neil a on a few occasions but hasn't got back to me. Must be busy!
Has anyone used East Kent Subaru in Hersden, Canterbury? If so would be great to hear about experiances there.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Open source remaps are around £350 and I think jgm also does these.

Dave Y

iTrader: (52)

Leave it standard.Its a slippery slope this modding lark.
if you decide to start modifying buy all the bits first then one remap.

dabiscuit

+1 to the above. I am relatively new to modding, but on my second scooby. An industry standard is to get a full exhaust system induction kit and then map it. Always change the spark plugs though for better ones. Some places will do it for around £1000 for stage one.

WRX Blues

Both Slowboy and JGM are great mappers, but the biggest issue you will face with extra BHP is over-whelming the already pants brakes on the WRX. Mine barely coped with the PPP - that was only c260BHP - Neil and Simon will probably get you to c270BHP.
Still, that's the joy of modding....one mod just leads to the next...and the next.....

L.J.F

iTrader: (31)

Keep trying to get hold of him, he is a very busy person which is a good sign

RS_Matt

I mapped my WRX PPP and took it from 225 (yes 225) to 260. Standard brake set up fades after 4-5 miles of spirited driving at that power level. 5.1 brake fluid and braided hoses cured it for me.

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Yes, of course you should remap it.

A Blobeye WRX barely pulls the skin off a rice pudding in standard form.

Been down the route myself, if you're willing to throw around a grand at it, you'll end up with a hell of a lot more drivable car. MPG won't increase fantastically buy you'll see substantially more power for the same.

It will also actually accelerate in fifth too.

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Did it actually have the PPP fitted?? I've heard of around 245-255ish but never the same quoted power as standard.

Agree about the brakes, the standard items are truly shocking, about 2 hard stops or so and they're no fcucking good.

Need to look for some decent discs and pads as an absolute minimum.

Carnut

Is all this to be done for a grand as you put it .

New discs?£££££££
New pads?£££££
New exhaust?£££££
New air filter?££££££
Maybe some other new parts that tuner recommends?££££££
Remap?££££££
Higher fuel costs?£££££
Looking like a bit of money for a car that the op said he was happy with. How much does the car even cost ,because it looks like he will be spending about a 3rd of the price of the car for small gain.

DTVHSR

I have a WRX, I plan on getting an STI in the future then tuning that, better base to start with, more upgraded parts as standard!

But yeah, once you start modding it, you will never stop, and most people I know who have maps and decent BHP end up getting tweaks several times a year, gets expensive quickly!

MattyB1983

iTrader: (51)

It can be done for a grand quite easily.
Open source map - £300
Panel filter at -£30
Fuel pump - £50
Second hand decat system - £250
Set of 7B plugs - £40
Sti up pipe - £40

That'll leave you £300 for some braided brake lines, fancy pads, brake stopper and a tank of Vpower
A grand is alot of money to throw at an old wrx but make no mistake, it will transform the car.

johnnybon

iTrader: (70)

+1 his a top guy and really no's his stuff and reasonable

RS_Matt

Yeah, it was dyno'd at AET shortly after buying it and made 187atw.

A few tuners have mentioned that the PPP on the WRX is just about worthless. All I can think is that the car has had a new ECU at some stage as the wiring on the ECU was mysteriously badly bodged according to Rick at RE Motorsport.

romford-boy

Many cars do benefit from increased mpg when being remapped - this is because most modern vehicles are manufactured to run on all qualities of fuel. So for example allowing you to take the family car into eastern / rural Europe on holidays and the engine to survive some truly shocking fuel grades.

The remap on most cars will narrow the window of fuel you can use in the car, taking advantage of the better quality fuels we have in the UK.

However

The Impreza is mapped by Subaru to run on high grade fuels already, so a remap on a Subaru is going to have almost no difference to the mpg. In my case a remap on my STi added 70 bhp but reduced the mpg ever so slightly. Remap something European like a Focus ST and you will see a pretty decent improvement in mpg.

iain85

Thanks all,

I hear what your saying about one mod leading the another but this being the one and only 'family' car I don't want to take it to the max so will curb the mods to a one shot only job!
Regarding the exhaust I would like a bit more of a burble than the current stock system affords me without getting a droning noise. Am I looking at just the prodrive back box? Should I get the sports cat mid section?
Cheers, also if anyone is selling one in kent please let me know.
Also I agree the brakes are not great when pressing on. That being said I only recently replaced them all round so will wait for the next time to think about upgrades.

RS_Matt

Remove the 1st and last cat and the car will still pass MOT's with the downpipe cat left in place.

Infected by sti

iTrader: (6)

If the tester ain't a funny ferker

Don't forget the guidelines have changed!

RS_Matt

My last tester wanted to fail it for being noisy, luckily his colleague was an ex subaru owner.