integrale

Doubt anyone will be able to help me with this but here goes.....
Booked my dutch sourced WRX into a dutch Subaru dealer to have the PPP fitted and was suprised to be told by them that the dutch PPP kit is different to the UK PPP kit.
Apparently it gives out marginally more power and involves more parts than the standard exhaust, ECU change and high flow bit of blue pipe. They mentioned someting about a stainless steel air splitter for the intercooler ?? also told that they dont replace the ECU with a prodrive one but re-map it onsite instead using Prodrive software. Oh yeah and it's slightly more expensive at £1800.
Does anyone know anything about this as I'm a bit reluctant to fork out for something that i dont know everything about (or seems a bit light on info). Better still does anyone know the names/email addy of some helpfull fellas at Prodrive that could help me out.
Cheers
Steve

Harry_Boy

Try Mike Wood at Prodrive. Mike posts on here regularly. If you ask nicely, he might appear.....

integrale

mike wood, Mike Wood, MIKE, MIKE WOOD !.......seriously mike if you read this thread pls give me your tuppence worth, either that or feel free to email me your thoughts.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I really doubt that Prodrive would release several different packages to several different country as the cost of producing them would increase the price by more than two hundred quid.
The Ecu being remapped on site would cause more problems and give longer times for installation, the replacement ecu is a far better method for a mass production unit, just think if the guy mapping your ecu wasnt quite good enough (and you needed one for every dealership!!).... thus the reason this is released as a package and not a remap.
Also, the standard exhaust would be pretty much replaced as its VERY restrictive as exhausts go, a free flowing exhaust with a cat replacement pipe in the centre is a much better option.
The blue intercooler piping is standard for the WRX PPP anyway, but i dont know about the splitter, but it seems unlikely (as this is the reason that Subaru changed the design of the bonnet scoop )
Hope that helps

Tony

Re-Bitten Hero

Sounds more like confusion between the MY02 and MY03 PPPs? MY03 uses an Ecutek-type system that remaps the existing ECU to a more aggressive map to take account of the freer-flowing exhaust etc; the MY02 uses a piggy-back chip I believe, though they do an ECU exchange so the dealer doesn't have to get the soldering iron out .

Which Model Year (MY) do you have?

I'm sure Mike will clear this up quickly anyway .

Cheers
Richard

[Edited by Re-Bitten Hero - 6/13/2003 4:39:44 PM]

integrale

Mines a new MY03 WRX. Thanks for your comments guys but i already knew about what the uk PPP kit comprised of and thats exactly why i'm confused as to why this dutch dealer is telling me all this.
Apparently the difference is because, and i quote "Subaru Benelux have decided on the safety parameters of what the Prodrive kit for their makret should be and this is not necessarily going to be the same as Subaru UK's". Strange, eh ? On top of all this i've just had a call from the dutch dealer saying that if i want the ppp kit fitted the same day then the installation will have to take place in Belgium (Vilvoord ?) as thats the dealer that remaps the ECU othewise it's a case of going to Holland and them sending my original ECU off to Belgium for the remap and waiting for it to be mailed back and then refitted in the car. To be honest this is soundng like a total pain in the ****......my local dealer has said that they will honour the warranty if they fit the PPP kit.
Still any opinions gladdly recieved.

EvilBevel

Steve,

Confusing isn't it ?

FWIW, Vilvoorde (near Brussels) is the new HQ of Subaru BeNeLux.

For one reason or another, there has always been a, erm, less than optimal communication between Subaru Benelux and Prodrive. Not pointing any fingers, but that's how I perceive it (and quite a few dealers too ).

It is their warrenty, so I suppose they call the shots, but OTOH personally (disclaimers galore) I tend to think that Prodrive has a bit more experience in tuning cars than Subaru Benelux (ho hum)

I hope Mike or Simon Lines read this and can shed some light on this.

My guess is that Vilvoorde is the only place that can reflash the ECU using EcuTek software, but that is just an educated guess.

I am totally miffed as to why their "PPP" would be different from the UK one. Maybe they have other maps/other worries, but AFAIK there is no fundamental climatical difference between the UK and Belgium (maybe Dutch caravan towing calls for different maps ? )

Anyway, the bright side is that a remap (whatever name it is given) works very well on a MY03, and if you keep your warrenty than that's a big plus.

Mail me if you want more details, but certainly try to get in contact with Prodrive as well, if only to check the story you got from the Dutch dealer ?

integrale

Evilbevel - thanks for the info, at last i might be getting somewhere. I just hope now that someone at prodrive reads this and gets back to me (PLEASE !!!!). As it stands I'm not exactly filled with confidence that Subaru Benelux are offering a fully legit Prodrive kit as everything seems a bit vague, plus why hasnt it been mentioned b4 that Subaru Benelux's "PPP" kit is different to the UK's PPP ? obviously if you hear anything else then pls let me know.

theodore

Hi all from 37 degreeed Athens,
I wright down what the local dealer told me about the WRX PPP.
ECU
Intercooler hose.
Rear stainless silencer.
Section 2 of exhaust( replacing the second catalytic converter).
Mounting bolt.
Exhaust gasket.
Prodrive titanium boot badge.
Theodore.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

<<<<Prodrive titanium boot badge>>>

Now THAT's worth 10bhp just on it's own!! :
Alcazar

Beefy

Theres no Prodrive badge for UK PPP is there? Ive never seen one anyway. Wonder if you could ship us a job lot over m8?

uksti

spoils the look of the rear

and makes it slower through the...oh I give up !

Yes I'll have a poser badge too please.

Baz

Nick Wadeson

Hi All....

I can confirm that the PPP supplied to Benelux is identical to the version supplied to Subaru UK (never heard of the intercooler splitter though).

The PPP's fitted to STI 02/03MY and the WRX 03MY have our engine mapping programme downloaded directly into the ECU and Subaru Benelux are only able to carry out the installation procedure at their Vilvoorde site. All dealers have their ECU's supplied by Vilvoorde on an exchange basis (in the same way that the UK dealers have their ECU's exchanged by Subaru UK).

Hope this clears things up.

Thanks, Nick.

EvilBevel

Thanks Nick,

Sorry for leaving your name out, no disrespect was intented !

Your post makes things chrystal clear.

It's clear that the PPP should be the PPP where ever it is sold, and that makes sense.

I understand you are not in a position perhaps to do so, but Subaru Benelux *really* deserve to have their butts kicked. They are playing cavalier seule, have been doing so since I know (1999), thereby confusing all & sundry.

I wouldn't care if they called it the "Hoola Hoop Pack", but they should really decide between "knowing better" and misusing the Prodrive name.

All IMHO, I'm one of these non-warrented EcuTek guys, but fair is fair ?

Oh, did you know that a slightly increased turbo pressure will ruin your airco LOL !

Muppets <sorry, and not all of them, there are some good guys there as well, alas a minority>

Let me put it another way: I'm *really* glad I'm not a nice dealer in Holland with a customer that wants the PPP.