Hello, so I just bought my 2005 WRX yesterday. I was looking around and finding out that basically everything done to this thing requires a tune. Is that correct? Also what are the best upgrades to do to it first? Or any do it yourself/low budget mods you recommend? Any help would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks!
P.S. I'm not sure what TBE and the stg2 map is? or AP?
Am I able to get an intake like this without having to get a tune, and is it safe?
The intake i'm thinking about is AEM cold air or K/N Typhoon AEM Cold Air Intake System
It really is not a good idea to get a INTAKE on our cars. Our STOCK intake can handle up to 300WHP. The exhausts you pick are WONDERFUL. Personally I would go with the HKS CARBON Ti. Looks 10x better than the hi-power.
Stage 2 is a downpipe + catback.
For $2k:
$350 for a bell-mouth designed downpipe (COBB, HELIX, INVIDIA)
$350 for a 3" Catback (COBB, HKS, INVIDIA, HELIX, BLITZ, ETC)
$??? for a tune.
Start with a turbo back exhaust, a better boost control solenoid, and a tune. That will biggest bang for your buck improvement you will see without spending A LOT of money.
If you want to do a cold air intake you will need a tune for it. There is nothing wrong with a CAI as long as you are getting tuned. I love my APS CAI.
____________________________
My name is Ken and I am a HP Junkie.
If your car is 100% stock (I'm assuming it is since you didn't list any mods), the absolute #1 best mod you could do, hands down, is: new tires. I'm sure just about everybody will agree that the stock tires that come on the WRX are complete garbage.
If you're looking for power, I'll second what everybody said so far: get a downpipe, cat back, and tune for it. After those specific things, you'll be at "Stage 2." You can put an aftermarket cat back on any time without a tune and be just fine, but when you get the downpipe, that's when you'll really need the tune.
As far as low-budget mods, you could get a short throw shift lever w/ front and rear polyurethane bushings, a lightweight crank pulley (NOT UNDERDRIVE PULLEYS!), perform the "Snorkus Delete" mod for a little more intake sound, K&N panel replacement air filter, rear swaybar w/ endlinks, make sure your transmission fluid and rear differential fluids are fresh (should be changed every 30K miles), get a nice synthetic oil in your engine... the list goes on. There really are tons of things you can do to your car for not a whole lot of money, but there are just as many expensive mods too, if not more.
If you haven't done so already, maybe you should skim through the information here:
+1 for the advise ^^^^ but you should also look into a catless up pipe since your cars an 05 and has a catted up pipe. Reason for this mod is not as much for power but to prevent the stock cat from the up pipe damaging your turbo.
Catless up pipe is good if you eventually want to add power. Honestly you can run just a downpipe with either EM, or a tune and get you a good gain in power. The CBE is mostly just for noise/sound. Tires are a great idea, and if a 5spd short shifter and busings is such a great difference.
____________________________
Joshua
"2007 WRX-20G- Tim Bailey tuned 326 HP 319 ft/lbs
Stage 2 2005 WRX
Cobbtuning.com"
Sweet.. Thanks guys! I have $2k to spend, and Yeah I'm definitely just aiming for more power right now. Before this car I had a 300zxTT with 380rwhp ran a 12.7sec 1/4. I really miss her so bad, but now tht Im stationed in montana i need an awd car, but now it's time to get this thing faster than my Z was. And with the silencer delete, is there anything u have to buy, or how do u mod the current silencer or do u have to?
So far on my list is a TBE, not sure wht kind of up pipe or downpipes, and then exhaust. I like the hks carbon ti, but it sounds sorta ricey. But i love the sound of the meagan racing and cobb, the meagan racing is hella sikkk. Then for AP is it worth it? I was seeign that the perrin AP and Cobb r the same price, any difference?
No matter what I do, i have to make sure I pass smog when it's time.
Or would I need a tune for those aswell? I was thinkin about buyin the elbow, the maf hose, and perrin filter right now til i decide on the others to go with. And possibly some new headlights, like these? Plasma Yellow XTRA Bulbs
You wont need a tune for the silencer delete. As far as downpipes go, just get you a nice bellmouth designed one. I have the Cobb full TBE, love the look, the sound, the fitment, its great. But not the cheapest piece out there. As far as an upipe goes, just as long as its catless. Some say its better to get one with a flex section, others not. I dont know because I dont have to mess with it on my car. The AP is a Cobb product. Perrin makes premade maps for it they sell with like their TBE. To me its worth it, I have been running it for almost 3 years on my car. I started with stage 1, have been stage 2 for almost a year, and Im getting ready to bolt on a 20G. It has great features, very user friendly. And you can find them for cheaper if they are used, just make sure that its unmarried from the previous car.
____________________________
Joshua
"2007 WRX-20G- Tim Bailey tuned 326 HP 319 ft/lbs
Stage 2 2005 WRX
Cobbtuning.com"
dont touch the engine at all unless you have the money to tune for it as well as the cost of the part. Also since tunes are expensive, you probably arent gonna want to tune it everytime you change something. Go in stages. A good place to start is exhaust, but not just a catback, im talking FULL exhaust. Header + uppipe + downpipe+ catback = exhaust. Do it once, do it right, tune it, be happy. my .02
oh yeah, my buddy put megan racing headers on his is300 and they leak....take that with a grain of salt
Thats the header/up pipe combo? You would be best to get a tune when you install that as you would actually see some decent power gains with but but only after the tune. The intake is the decent, you wont get any power really from the car. But you will hear the stock BPV in between shifts.
____________________________
Joshua
"2007 WRX-20G- Tim Bailey tuned 326 HP 319 ft/lbs
Stage 2 2005 WRX
Cobbtuning.com"
now choosing between that and the cobb ap, wht would u get?
because after this crazy month, I have basically enough for one or the other, and im not too sure which to get. Exhaust or AP, since tht seems to b wht u guys r leaning out. I already bought the silencer delete elbow and perrin MAF hose. My subi does have a K&N panel already in place, so no need to worry about that. And it has a sti intercooler with sti hoodscoop.
You will still get a bump in power by getting the AP and flashing to stage 1.
I have to agree. The AccessPort was the best mod I did. Stage 1 was a big improvement in daily driveability. It smoothed out the RPM range and eliminated a lot of turbo lag. Stage 2 was even better. I'd start with the AP, then do the exhaust.
I wouldn't worry about the intake, if you've got the K&N and Silencer Delete (what I run) you will be fine. It doesn't look as cool as the cold air intake, but probably makes the same power.
Run around with the Cobb Stage 1 for a while, then grab a catback exhaust, and once you get bored with that, get the up/downpipe combo and flash to Stage 2.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Linear Mode
