I'm looking to get an apv3 and going to efi and getting a stage 1 protune. Not planning on going stage 2 with my car. I've seen some real nice gains with a protune stage 1. Looks like it adds around 30-40 whp/tq over a stock baseline. Anyone on here have any baseline and stage 1 dyno sheets?
Efi said baseline on there dyno is around 220whp and I would expect to be around 260whp
I would not pay full rip for a S1 tune on a dyno. A street tune is perfectly sufficient. I had my street tune done by a top NW tuner for $100 back in the day.
Eh the more parts you add the less reliable. And ill be satisfied with just a tune to get rid of this stock one.
And when I go to sell the car in a year or so people will like the fact it was never modded.
Eh the more parts you add the less reliable. And ill be satisfied with just a tune to get rid of this stock one.
And when I go to sell the car in a year or so people will like the fact it was never modded.
Do what you feel like doing. In the end, it is your car not ours. All we can do in weigh in our thoughts but IMO a stage 1 pro tune is not worth the extra money, especially if you are going to up and sell soon... You are much better off using Cobb's OTS Stage 1 map or if you really wanted a pro tune go open source and get an E-tune. It's not worth the money for the minimal gains you will receive, unless you plan to do more modding in the future, but even that still doesn't justify a dyno tune on an AP at stage 1....
Also, let me add that I don't think it's right for people to call the stock tune "junk". If it was "junk" why would Subaru spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on R&D and hire engine management professionals to make a stock map that was worthless... The stock tune is there for a reason, if not then why not have a less conservative map loaded on the ECU from the get go? It's most likely for reliability, engine longevity and for emissions regulations.
I agree with this, coming from a Mazdaspeed 3, the stock tune on the WRX feels "better" than an aftermarket tune on a Mazdaspeed 3. However, I am considering the stage I tune with the Cobb AP ver. 3 and would like to know what the recommended "safest" route would be. With my prior cars, I would dyno and obtain A/F numbers in order to insure the car was not running lean.
So, the question is, with a stage I tune, what is optimal to insure that the car is running "safe" ie within proper A/F ratios and not overboosting or advancing timing, etc...etc..?
A protune may be slightly better in terms of earlier power delivery and slightly more HP because tuners aren't regulated but the EPA. I still would not call the stock tune "junk" because I'll be damned if the stock tune doesn't make the car last for hundreds of thousands of miles.....
Stage 1 IS worth it for just an off the shelf tune. It's not worth forking $600 in addition to an accessport or OP2.0. That said, you seem to think that tunes aren't modifying the car, and you'd be selling it "unmodified", which would be false. For the sake of the future owners, yes, skip the Stage 1.
Stage 1 IS worth it for just an off the shelf tune. It's not worth forking $600 in addition to an accessport or OP2.0. That said, you seem to think that tunes aren't modifying the car, and you'd be selling it "unmodified", which would be false. For the sake of the future owners, yes, skip the Stage 1.
why not try to just get stimikey or phatbotti to do a road tune for you? efi is great, but at $500 that's a hefty price. its your money though, we've said that the shop is awesome, but its up to you
the car was returned to stock after being unmarried... it is no longer stock though. With that extra little bit of power, youre putting extra strain on the internals. depending how you drive it, even more so. if the next guy gets it and abuses it like a red headed step child, even more. If I was going to sell a car in a year, I would leave it as is. I'm not sure why I would buy a car to turn around and sell it in a year.
I'm most likely not staying in nj by next year and will be moving south. And I originally wanted an 04 cobra so I'm going to buy one once I move and buy a pickup truck as a dd
I had a stage 1 open source tune. It was a certainly noticeable improvement. It cost me $400 total. After going to stage 2 though i cant recommend spending the money on the stage 1 tune. I also own a bugeye so it might be different on the newer models.
If you are not going to keep the car for more than another year but want to enjoy for the next year why not just start with the Cobb AP and use the Cobb maps to start? You will be out minimal cash if you sell the AP and you should still notice a bump in power and response. If you start there and still want more than look into a pro tune.
Waste of money. It's pointless to try to squeeze as much power out of a stock car as possible. The only time you will see real benefits is with stage 2.
I am on stage 1 with cobb. It was an improvement, mainly with the power delivery. However, is it with the $650 I paid?? Honestly no...but my plans are stage 2. Sadly I just don't have the kind of money to go stage 2 anytime soon
Finally, consider this. When you change the tune on your, you may notice a difference. But over time, you adjust...and that difference is no longer noticed. Paying that much for a protune over cobb will equal miniscule differences in the end. Everytime you get behind the wheel You probably won't say, " OMG! I'm so glad I protuned over cobb!!!". When I first got my wrx, I have a 99 Ford Taurus lol, I was like OMG this is fast!!! Now, it's just normal. I crave the stage 2 power. Which in all honesty, I would want stage 3 once I became accustomed to stage 2.
If you are wanting to enjoy the car for only a year and are so worried about power and delivery...sounds like you're gonna be driving that car pretty hard while you have it. Otherwise stock/cobb would be completely sufficient. Seriously, you'll only have it a year. I wish I could throw money like that, especially on a stage 1 protune... which is pretty much pointless. No offense, but I wouldn't want to be the second owner...
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