[MikeyB]

Currently, MY03 WRX (blob eye) is running 264 BHP and nearly identical torque. Its got a 3” downpipe and straight through rage exhaust (provided by Scooby Clinic). The handling has been upgraded to include a 22mm whiteline rear ARB, and also the anti-lift kit.

My boss has just purchased a brand new 80K+ Porsche 997 (Carrera S) convertible running around 350BHP. Were off to a track day in the very near future and I really need to know whether I stand any chance at keeping up with him?

Next question is, I am about to pay £2K to upgrade the engine to somewhere between 320-340BHP, even with that upgrade, would I stand a chance?

He’s giving me so much stick, help!!

Cheers, MikeyB

WRX300MAN

Mate . . .

Me think you will keep up, but not take Him . .Have fun harassing his ***!

MPC-GTR

To be honest driver skill is going to be the most important factor here. Although on paper the porsche would crush your WRX, chances are you would feel more confident pushing the WRX on the limit than a bloke in a brand new £80k car which is rear wheel drive. The standard brakes on a WRX are very poor in my opinion for trackday use and this would also rob you of some decent laptimes. Remember though that trackdays are there for you to enjoy your own car rather than wrecklessly race others.
Don't think that extra horses will make for shortfalls elsewhere for example chances are that when you go on trackdays invariably the elises, exiges and caterhams are the quickest things there.

image doctor

The convertable is quite heavy too.

But you're going to spend 2K to keep up........but his brakes will last more than 2 laps.

WRX300MAN

[MikeyB]

My boss races Formula Vee cars on a weekend and is a good track day driver, I on the other hand have been trained on B-Roads by an ex-traffic cop (John Cave). I've also done 6 or 7 track days so in comparrison, I do reckon my boss would have the edge purely down to skill, but I'm hoping the handling of the WRX will come into play and I hope to god it p*sses it down!!



Also, just to point out, the discs and pads have been upgraded to Tarox, but the calipers are standard.

GC8

The standard brakes are fine? Theyre rubbish and its a widely recognised fact! Is everthing that you post here ****e? It seems to be.

WRX300MAN

Oh GC8 !!. .Would you take a chill pill . . . . .I love you man!

Jeez . .To me, my standard brakes are absolutely fine . .Yes . .Truly, they may not perform like ceramic sports brakes et.c et.c, but let just put the guy in a positive mind set . . . He will afteralll be driving the better car!

Good talking to you !

[MikeyB]

Just bringing this topic back on track....

Will my tarox discs and pads be able to hold up 5 or 6 laps at a time?

starkie2.5wrxsti

u should be fine mate, ive got a classic with a 2.5 conversion and some other decent mods makin it run 340bhp with 380lb's ft of torque an ive wasted porsches, end of the day the scoobys gonna handle better round the track

[MikeyB]

This is all about pride as he's giving me some stick! But then again, I paid £12.5K for my motor, not 84K!!

In a simple drag race, 0-60, I reckon I would pip him?

WRX300MAN

My thoughts exactly!

Useless

iTrader: (2)

I think that the WRX will grip better, the Porsche will handle better.

Whatever happens, you're going to have a good laugh!

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

[quote=GC8]The standard brakes are fine? Theyre rubbish and its a widely recognised fact! [quote]

With respect, I think that's a bit harsh mate. The Subau 4 pots, with some decent pads and discs are perfectly good for road use. It's the kind of repeated stops from 100mph that you might do at a track that they don't cope well with and where the big brake kits would fare much better. That's hardly surprising given that relatively few cars will spend any length of time on a track.

Everyone raves about APs, Brembos etc and I don't doubt for one minute that this is with good reason for trackwork, but has anyone ever published stopping distance figures for a Scooby from 30, 60, 100 mph on trails that are just designed to measure ultimate retardation, not fade, with the std set up vs APs, Brembos etc? I've not seen them. I suspect that in terms of rate of retardation, as opposed to fade resistance, there will not be much in it! These are the kind of figures you'd need to say how the brakes perform objectively.

Does everyone with these big brake kits really exploit their advantages over the std kit frequently enough to warrant the cost.

I think not.

Back to the original poster's question. A 320-340bhp WRX should be able to hold its own against a 350 nicely, have a look at the power and torque to weight figures to get a better idea.

Ns04

The Chief

Not wanting to poo-poo this but if he races often then i dont think you have a chance - this will be down to handling, brakes and driver skill. your brakes wont be a patch on a 997 and pure grip on a track i suspect will be better.

If it pees it down maybe - if its dry forget it.

forget 0-60 but if you actually look at the stats a 997S does 0-100 in 10.5 seconds - about the same as a Type 25 or a modified Spec C.


Good luck - you'll need it

Edited to add - i own a Scoob but i know when somethings quicker

[MikeyB]

Think your spot-on mate, just didn't want to hear it.. lol...

Maybe I'll slip some good old dirty diesel into his tank before we set off!

The Chief

TBH mate - i'm not saying you wont win - its just if he has had loads of track experience then that counts as a lot - for example our very own Smacs member 'Supertouring' is a very, very, quick driver - due to doing loads of track days - yet at Cadwell recently due to his limited knowledge of the track was overtaken by two 106 rallyes - His Modified STi is pushing anywhere between 330-360bhp!!!!

RB5_245

Would be nice but unfortunately impreza handling is flawed on a dry track, you really need some good scottish B roads to make the most of them

You'd need a bit more handling mods to get there. I think if you drive well you'll have brake fade after a couple of laps. The 4 pots are fine for hard road use but fall short on the track.

GC8

I bit my tongue until some other people said this..... Subaru Imprezas dont have particularly good handling; in fact theyre poor granny-handling cars with terrible understeer. Porsche handling is massively superior. What the Impreza does have in its favour is massive 'grip'; itll take more than that though.

chrisola

it'll be fun for you both anyway!

remember his £84K didnt just buy him a badge, it bought him a proper drivers car with it

I wouldnt expect a Scoobie to win anymore than something like a Vectra VXR or someother hot saloon.

Porsche is a supercar, scooby is an everymans muscle car

Mangel

Just a suggestion but I'd probably just shadow hime round, then when he continues with the HA HA I won praps bring up the 60 grand deficit then get you 3 passengers comfortably in the car and go home!!!

I love doin this to supercar owners, works even better when you lob ya golden retriver in the boot too before you leave

PS, the brakes really are ****e!!!!

Daz34

He was criticising the standard brakes.
If you change the discs and pads, how are they standard?

hall84

i think u should use this as a tester to see how each car performs on the limit and go from there wether it be handling upgrades or a big brake upgrade but most importantly.....just have fun mate!

j

Gutmann pug

I have been driven away from by a 997 at the ring. The car has superior brakes, suspension and is much better at getting the power down out of corners. My car had 329bhp at the time.

All told with two equally experienced drivers my money would be on the 997


To add to the debate the std brakes on the STi are ****e, so the wrx must be worse than ****e I pressume.

N*UFO

Not talking from track experience, But on more than one occasion i have made a 997(model or bhp unknown) look slow leaving a slip road onto the A14 in my 03STI PPP, ( it really is about the driver getting on the gas at the right time!) I just bottle it when the speed reaches 120ish, but for some reason porsche 997 owners seem to think they they need to be flat out! I'm sure on a track my car would be a match, so a few quid spent on a wrx should be MORE than a match!

cat7

this will also have a big effect eg. bedford kills brakes and the porker will walk away as a result (standard wrx brakes are not up to track work), around somewhere like brands indy there will be nothing in it.

jimbob6242

Having spent the weekend driving round cheshire in a 996 standard Poker believe me the 997 will really take you apart.

I run a standard ish 03MY WRX and although ~i love my car and for the money they are such a capable car, even the porsche 996 is superior in everyway. He will really take you apart under braking and top speed and if he knows what he is doing carry far more corner speed

i think you will have an amazing day but the boss is going to give you a real beating - sorry mate. i would like to point out though it's a real unfair test, you ought to make him carry the extra 60 grand in coins as a weight penalty - then you would have him

marklemac

The main thing is that you have a good day out.

Don't get caught up in trying to 'race'

Be safe and have fun

Martin2005

You'd better hope it rains, because otherwise you're toast!

A 911 will be better in pretty much every department than a Scooby (it's not really a fair comparison is it?)

Scooby's a great cars for the money, but a porkers is in a different league.

The biggest differences will be cornering speeds and braking:-
Unless really well set up the scoob will understeer hugely on the limit.
As for brakes, anyone who says a WRX's standard brakes are good obviously hasn't taken one on a track, they just cannot handle the thermal loads, and will be cooked in a couple of laps.

Should be good fun though, let us know what happens - enjoy

The Chief

Shhhhhhh!!!! i've got a plan

Put sugar in his tank