WRX vs. A4 1.8T

[WtuRboX]

OK, I'm buying an '03 WRX within the next few weeks, and this kid I know thinks he'll be able to smoke me in his '00 A4 1.8T. He has an exhaust and an intake-venting BOV. His car, stock, is rated at 170bhp, so with his mods he'd be very lucky if he's pushing 180hp. It's a Quattro, but even so, I tell him it's no match for a WRX, especially since I'm buying an intake, exhaust, and BOV within the week I get it. I just want this forum to prove to him once and for all that he's full of ****.

[mr_green]

Originally posted by WtuRboX
OK, I'm buying an '03 WRX within the next few weeks, and this kid I know thinks he'll be able to smoke me in his '00 A4 1.8T. He has an exhaust and an intake-venting BOV. His car, stock, is rated at 170bhp, so with his mods he'd be very lucky if he's pushing 180hp. It's a Quattro, but even so, I tell him it's no match for a WRX, especially since I'm buying an intake, exhaust, and BOV within the week I get it. I just want this forum to prove to him once and for all that he's full of ****.

Actually if you race him when you are stock, he has a pretty good chance of beating you. After you get your mods, maybe he might hang. Don't discredit those 1.8t's they can be damn fast with just a few mod's.

[neptune]

save your money on the intake and get an upipe or MBC or both, then you'll really beat him. But remember it's not how much hp you have it's how you drive. I would get use to your car before challenging him to a race, that could mean the difference between you winning or losing.

later,

[WtuRboX]

Right now I have a '00 Civic EX with an intake and exhaust, and he and I raced. By the end of 4th, my front bumper was at his gas tank. We both had an extra person in our cars and my friend who was in his said he was punching it.

[ellinopedo182]

those 1.8t's run low 16's if im not mistaken. im pretty sure a stock wrx can beat one of those, even if the audi is lightly modded. no offense, but even with a bad launch and him have a quarter of about 15 flat will get him a few car lengths in front of an a4 1.8t with a great launch.

this guy i know has a 99 a4 1.8t with exhaust, chip, and intake, and is only running VERY VERY high 14's.

[NJwrbT-WRX]

I agree with the above post. If you do not know how to launch an AWD drive car, you will won't be going anywhere fast. Also, by exhaust I suppose you mean cat-back, which in addition to the BOV and the intake will give you nothing as far as performance. Spend $30 on a Joe P MBC, set it at 15 psi, learn how to drive the car, and you will be able to run high 13s. Get an intake, cat back, and BOV, have you car sound "cool", bog your launch and run mid 15s and lose to a guy in a slightly modded A4 (if he knows how to drive).

If you have the money to spend, get an uppipe as well, then start thinking about bigger and better things like a turboback and a ECU reflash along with some other small things like pulley and IC hoses.


-joe

[smokey]

Um, I wouldn't be scared of a A4 1.8T and look at what I drive...that should be enough proof for you

Seriously, the A4 1.8T shares the same engine as the Jetta 1.8T...would anyone here be worried about that car? (WRX owners of course)...same thing, heavier car.

Someone cited a 16 sec. 1/4 mile...give him a second headstart, you'll still beat him. Unless that Exhaust gives massive gains that I'm not aware of.

Question for WRX owners: why don't all turbo's get a MBC and replace the uppipe as their first mod? Wouldn't it improve the car just as these mods greatly improve the WRX?

[NJwrbT-WRX]

I think boost control is generally one of the first mods if not the first mod on a turbo as long as the engine can sustain more boost. As far as the uppipe, it is only necessary to replace in the WRX because it is a separate piece that has a cat in it. I am pretty sure that most turbo cars have a single piece exhaust manifold. It is also because of the boxer design, which puts the exhaust manifold down under the engine, so you need a way to get up to the turbo, hence the uppipe. The turbo needs to be placed somewhere reasonable in the engine bay. The Maxxim Works manifold is one piece, no uppipe, just straight from the heads right to the turbo.

In addition to all of that, Subaru loves to build things in pieces to make them interchangeable.

Sorry to be so long winded.

-joe

[Johsti]

I have a 00 A4 1.8T, and I am 100% positive that you will beat him if you can drive. The 2000's came with 150 hp from the factory. The 2001's is when they introduced VVT, and a little more boost making 170 hp. Even if he's chipped, you're looking at 200 hp, and 240 lbs. torque in a 3250 lb. car. A larger diameter exhaust on the A4 without ECU modification will only hurt his torque in the low RPM's, and the BOV won't do anything for his car except make it run rich (oh, and sound cool). So, if he's chipped, and he's a better driver than you, then things could be close. However, 2 drivers with the same skill level, the stock WRX will show the A4 its tail-lights time and time again. Add a MBC, and it will be no contest.

[LemonHerb]

take the money you were going to spend on the intake and the BOV.. Get an up pipe if you had not planned on that, and get an mbc..

Go read through all the profomance forums before you spend your money on stuff that will give you limited to no gains where as for the same ammount you can get very significant gains.

[MustGoFast]

I just wanted to say I hope you aren't expecting much/anything from the mods you plan on buying the BOV & Intake are worth about 0hp and if your talking a catback exhaust 10hp would be a very high estimate there.

[boosted 4]

Originally posted by MustGoFast
I just wanted to say I hope you aren't expecting much/anything from the mods you plan on buying the BOV & Intake are worth about 0hp and if your talking a catback exhaust 10hp would be a very high estimate there.

Yeah the BOV is absolutely WORTHLESS on a WRX. In fact, the theory is that it'll actually hurt performance. As far as the intake, you CAN gain performance with a CAI or short ram. However, it's at the expense of leaning out the AF mixture to gain HP. Personally, I'm running the OEM Subaru airbox and filter.

As others have already said, just get an MBC ($10-200) and an up-pipe ($150-275) and you'll be a head of the game. No need to test what we've already done.

[Tuco]

Ahhh, the old subie vs. A4 debate. Well I have an '03 Avant that's chipped w/ a custom exhaust. While it gets up and scoots in first gear, it is no dragster. Actually, in my opinion, it should've come from the factory with it's current performance level (after my mods). What it does well though is cruise the highway at 80 very effortlessly and get 26mpg...and provides a lot of nice ammenities.

But more importantly as the other posts have said, learn your car cause it kind of takes a few launches to get used to slipping the clutch at 4-5k w/out bogging (i.e. dumping it). But when you get it right it feels like someone just hit the warp drive button. With all of that said, I regret getting this car. I think it looks great, has an incredible interior as well as handles like on rails (has sport suspension)...but I miss the power. I like the simplicity of the Subie and it's incredible potential (especially to be in the 12's for so cheap). I've been so seriously thinking about getting the WRX wagon that I called yesterday to get the payoff on mine to possibly start working a deal...0% till 3/31 : )

T.

[WtuRboX]

Wow you guys really shot me down, but for the better. So I see an MBC and an upipe is the way to go... any suggestions on what brands?

[LemonHerb]

Honestly .. Go looks back through the past post in the engine profomance forum on here or the ones on NASIOC. Read anything that really looks interesting. And ask relevant questions there where there are absurdly smart people to answer.

Thats how I learn stuff, and now I can talk and pretend I know what im talking about.