$1000 budget for new 2010 mods

[economatic]

If you want to strictly stay within your $1000 budget, here are my suggestions:

1. Short shifter with bushings. Bushings are key to this upgrade.

2. Sway bars minus the endlinks (to stay within budget). You should be fine without endlinks as long as you don't get uber stiff bars. Even so, if you break a factory one then replace it.

3. AccessPort using a stage 1 map.

With a bit of bargain shopping and online coupons or sales you'll be within budget. Also, with these mods you'll have your warranty intact for all intents and purposes. I did these three upgrades to my '09 and each one was a noticeable improvement.

.....

I just realized this thread was revived from the dead. ooops.

[mark49brown]

I got the Subaru short shifter as an option when I bought the car. Do you reccomend getting aftermarket bushings for that shifter?

[abhiwan]

i've come to the conclusion that if i ever buy a new car that is going to be my daily driver, i will not mod the engine in any way. this is from my personal experience. keep it stock, follow all scheduled maintenance and you will enjoy your car for many years to come.

[poly_poly-man]

i've come to the conclusion that if i ever buy a new car that is going to be my daily driver, i will not mod the engine in any way. this is from my personal experience. keep it stock, follow all scheduled maintenance and you will enjoy your car for many years to come.

A little bit of engine management (especially a protune, not just generic ots maps) will actually make your engine last longer - better A/F ratio means detonation is MUCH less likely, etc.

[SirVilhelm]

I have been debating going Cobb AP or Opensource but I haven't found any solid info on RomRaider and if they support 2010 wrx. Cobb is attractive because it comes with base maps plus you have the ability to get it pro tunned later on

[poly_poly-man]

I have been debating going Cobb AP or Opensource but I haven't found any solid info on RomRaider and if they support 2010 wrx. Cobb is attractive because it comes with base maps plus you have the ability to get it pro tunned later on

same options with opensource - there are base maps available from various sources, and most reputable tuning shops do opensource tuning. You can, if you so desire, save some money and have someone online help you - you flash the rom, datalog, send it back, repeat. Just some data exchanges and you have a professional tune for VERY cheap.

http://www.romraider.com/forum/topic5676.html - supports 2010 wrx.

[mangostick]

You can, if you so desire, save some money and have someone online help you - you flash the rom, datalog, send it back, repeat. Just some data exchanges and you have a professional tune for VERY cheap.

http://www.romraider.com/forum/topic5676.html - supports 2010 wrx.

meh, comes down to old saying almost every time.

fast, cheap, reliable .. PICK TWO.

not only that but some tuners lock the ecu so you have to go back to them. I'm not down with that in any way shape or form. Personally, I'd go with the AP before open source.

[mangostick]

I got the Subaru short shifter as an option when I bought the car. Do you reccomend getting aftermarket bushings for that shifter?

YES

You will be very pleased Even on the factory standard shifter.. it was a night and day improvement.

just remember.. USE THREADLOCK!!

[poly_poly-man]

meh, comes down to old saying almost every time.

fast, cheap, reliable .. PICK TWO.

not only that but some tuners lock the ecu so you have to go back to them. I'm not down with that in any way shape or form. Personally, I'd go with the AP before open source.

The AP locks the ecu so you have to go back to it...

protunes are the same between the two. The only real difference is that the cobb offers a more all-in-one package, where opensource is more of a build-it-yourself deal (just add laptop, etc.)

[SirVilhelm]

YES

You will be very pleased Even on the factory standard shifter.. it was a night and day improvement.

just remember.. USE THREADLOCK!!

Any particular brand? I have the factory short shifter as well.

[mangostick]

Any particular brand? I have the factory short shifter as well.

I went with Kartboy bushings from Turn In Concepts.

http://turninconcepts.com/product_in...roducts_id=321

Thats what I got.. love it. However there are a bunch of other manufacturers and you dont have to go even that far with the kit.. TIC offers a kit with just the front and rear stay bushing that will still really sharpen things up.

http://turninconcepts.com/product_in...products_id=34

The AP locks the ecu so you have to go back to it...

lol.. this statement is too funny. Reason why is, you OWN the ap.. its YOURS. You can remove it anytime you want and re-flash back to factory. More importantly it wont go out of buiz and leave you fkd if you need to make changes and the tuner locked the ecu. Later if you want to unmarry it and go open source you have that option. How is that more complicated?

The only real difference is that the cobb offers a more all-in-one package, where opensource is more of a build-it-yourself deal (just add laptop, etc.)

having tuned standalones from scratch and having in depth experience with that.. I'd go to say that better than 95% of our subaru friends here and elsewhere are not going to be that educated or more accurately MOTIVATED to take on such a project. Not with a brand new car anyway.

As you mention, the ap is self contained, has off the shelf immediate results without guess work and still has the ability to function in the same way as a open source tune if you bring it to a qualified pro.. etc. The all in one type package is very attractive to guys that aren't willing or knowledgeable enough to try the diy route.

All I'm saying is that open source is NOT for everyone.. cobb makes a very attractive package that any average guy can use. No laptop required.

[poly_poly-man]

I went with Kartboy bushings from Turn In Concepts.

http://turninconcepts.com/product_in...roducts_id=321

Thats what I got.. love it. However there are a bunch of other manufacturers and you dont have to go even that far with the kit.. TIC offers a kit with just the front and rear stay bushing that will still really sharpen things up.

http://turninconcepts.com/product_in...products_id=34



lol.. this statement is too funny. Reason why is, you OWN the ap.. its YOURS. You can remove it anytime you want and re-flash back to factory. More importantly it wont go out of buiz and leave you fkd if you need to make changes and the tuner locked the ecu. Later if you want to unmarry it and go open source you have that option. How is that more complicated?

well, you don't have that map to work off of - you have to start from scratch if you move to opensource.

having tuned standalones from scratch and having in depth experience with that.. I'd go to say that better than 95% of our subaru friends here and elsewhere are not going to be that educated or more accurately MOTIVATED to take on such a project. Not with a brand new car anyway.

As you mention, the ap is self contained, has off the shelf immediate results without guess work and still has the ability to function in the same way as a open source tune if you bring it to a qualified pro.. etc. The all in one type package is very attractive to guys that aren't willing or knowledgeable enough to try the diy route.

All I'm saying is that open source is NOT for everyone.. cobb makes a very attractive package that any average guy can use. No laptop required.

Well, I suppose it's a matter of taste.

I personally love to tinker. I run Gentoo linux on my desktop because it gives me better control over what I'm doing. I have patched the major software, including the kernel to get it to do what I want. When I'm forced to use windows, I can use it, sure - but it's not a pleasant experience. I'm forced to do it their way, I have very little choice about how things run, etc.

So personally, even cash aside, I love the idea that I can tinker and tweak, and see what's going on, all from the power of a computer, instead of just the basic, "solution in a box" that is the ap - the ap will just work, but why would I want something just to work? I want more!

so yeah, I guess that's where the difference lies...

[mangostick]

well, you don't have that map to work off of - you have to start from scratch if you move to opensource.
Well, I suppose it's a matter of taste.

I personally love to tinker. I run Gentoo linux on my desktop because it gives me better control over what I'm doing. I have patched the major software, including the kernel to get it to do what I want. When I'm forced to use windows, I can use it, sure - but it's not a pleasant experience. I'm forced to do it their way, I have very little choice about how things run, etc.

So personally, even cash aside, I love the idea that I can tinker and tweak, and see what's going on, all from the power of a computer, instead of just the basic, "solution in a box" that is the ap - the ap will just work, but why would I want something just to work? I want more!

so yeah, I guess that's where the difference lies...

absolutely nothing wrong with that at all I love to tinker too and fully understand where you're coming from. That being said though, I also like that someone else has done the dirty work and I get more play time vs wrench time

cookie cutter as it may be the ap is easier for the average masses to work with. Cost wise, hell yeah open source is cheaper all day every day.. just much more involved. The AP is expensive.. but convenient. Like you said.. both work well.. boils down to matter of preference and skill level.

[Willard]

+1 on the short throw w/urethane bushings. I couldnt get the rear stay bushing in, but the new front bushing and shifter rod are friggn' awesome.

[mangostick]

the rear bushing is a bit of a *****.. I found I had to start each bolt and only thread in a touch at a time alternating between the two until they had enough tooth to stay in place.. then I tightened em up. If you have the rear stay bushing .. I suggest takin another crack at it and changing it. It makes a huge difference in side/side play. You'll get a slight bit more nvh in the cabin.. but not much.

you should see how soft the factory bushing is though.. oh man, it was like jello bonded to a metal bracket.