[ChristopherWRX]

After 2 1/2 years, and my jealousy for my wife's Elantra, I went ahead and got the Cobb Accessport and flashed the MAPerformance Stage I. The car now responds like you would expect it to from the factory. It feels faster and pulls all the way to 5500, which is as far as I pushed it. There's minimal rev hang and the "enthusiastic" shift from 1st to 2nd feels like a normal car. I'm happy now, but...

<RANT>I almost get the feeling that Subaru purposely handicapped the WRX to prevent it from being too competitive, power-wise, with the STi. I'm disappointed I had to void my warranty to finally enjoy my nearly $30K econobox. </RANT>

Question for anyone running the MAP Stg1, do you run it all of the time or do you flash back to stock frequently? Any particular sensor, aside from knock, that you've had issues with?

TIA!

 

[zax]

<RANT>I almost get the feeling that Subaru purposely handicapped the WRX to prevent it from being too competitive, power-wise, with the STi. I'm disappointed I had to void my warranty to finally enjoy my nearly $30K econobox. </RANT>

No.

Subaru has to deal with the implications of emissions control, poor gasoline quality, and extreme climate/elevation. Cobb does not.

Do not fault Subaru for what Cobb can do in the aftermarket -- Cobb is not bound by the same manufacturer constraints. Besides, you have not driven a Stage 1 STi either...

 

[ChristopherWRX]

No.

Yes! :tongue:

Subaru has to deal with the implications of emissions control, poor gasoline quality, and extreme climate/elevation. Cobb does not.

Understood. However, how is it that other car manufacturers, who also need to deal with the same fed regs and conditions, can produce a car with much fewer shortcomings? Especially in the the power department.

Do not fault Subaru for what Cobb can do in the aftermarket -- Cobb is not bound by the same manufacturer constraints. Besides, you have not driven a Stage 1 STi either...

Not trying to be an ass, but Subaru produced the car. Again, how is it that others can overcome the regs and restrictions? I've driven a Nismo Juke and an Elantra Sport (almost considered trading, but wife beat me to it), both having much less horsepower and torque and both turbo charged manual transmissions. Yet, they both drove much better in terms of responsiveness and mechanics.

 

[Whitefang]

It's probably due to the engine used in those vehicles?

 

[XJman]

Yes! :tongue:


Understood. However, how is it that other car manufacturers, who also need to deal with the same fed regs and conditions, can produce a car with much fewer shortcomings? Especially in the the power department.


Not trying to be an ass, but Subaru produced the car. Again, how is it that others can overcome the regs and restrictions? I've driven a Nismo Juke and an Elantra Sport (almost considered trading, but wife beat me to it), both having much less horsepower and torque and both turbo charged manual transmissions. Yet, they both drove much better in terms of responsiveness and mechanics.

Sell the car then. You knew what you were buying. Look what they have done with the hemi. In nhra they make up to 12000 hp. Why can't my car have 12000 hp

 

[ChristopherWRX]

Sell the car then. You knew what you were buying. Look what they have done with the hemi. In nhra they make up to 12000 hp. Why can't my car have 12000 hp

<Sigh>

 

[zax]

Understood. However, how is it that other car manufacturers, who also need to deal with the same fed regs and conditions, can produce a car with much fewer shortcomings? Especially in the the power department.


Not trying to be an ass, but Subaru produced the car. Again, how is it that others can overcome the regs and restrictions? I've driven a Nismo Juke and an Elantra Sport (almost considered trading, but wife beat me to it), both having much less horsepower and torque and both turbo charged manual transmissions. Yet, they both drove much better in terms of responsiveness and mechanics.

Do I seriously have to explain this?

You are comparing vastly different cars! Each manufacturer has different strategies for how to accomplish CAFE and emissions regs. Not to mention, completely different engine architectures.

Let's ignore the strategy briefly and just focus on the architecture. The boxer engine is notoriously difficult and expensive to manufacture. You bought a (pretty cheap) sporty car with an expensive engine. It logically follows that cheaper strategies were used to accomplish the end goal to cut costs. Hyundai and Nissan also have considerably more R&D resource than Subaru.

 

[XJman]

<Sigh>

I don't understand what your complaint is exactly.

 

[ChristopherWRX]

Do I seriously have to explain this?

My apologies for wasting your time, sir.

You are comparing vastly different cars! Each manufacturer has different strategies for how to accomplish CAFE and emissions regs. Not to mention, completely different engine architectures.

Let's ignore the strategy briefly and just focus on the architecture. The boxer engine is notoriously difficult and expensive to manufacture. You bought a (pretty cheap) sporty car with an expensive engine. It logically follows that cheaper strategies were used to accomplish the end goal to cut costs. Hyundai and Nissan also have considerably more R&D resource than Subaru.

Ok.

 

[ChristopherWRX]

I don't understand what your complaint is exactly.

Ok.

 

[XJman]

Explain it. You bought a car that is exactly as advertised but it's not what you wanted?

Honestly lost.

 

[WRX-maniac]

I, in a way, understand what he is trying to say. However, zax and XJ are right. You bought a car assumedly knowing what it was, how it ran, and what it offered. You can alter any vehicle to run better with aftermarket parts a tune. The wrx in it's stock form is exactly as it advertises. You are the one that maybe expected more than the stock car had to offer. To fix this craving you bought an accessport and flashed a more aggressive map.

It is what it is.

 

[XJman]

This is what I don't understand. You had to modify the vehicle to make it faster. It's not like that stock because something somewhere required it not to be. Emissions, fuel economy regulations and goals, engine safety.

So with the flashing of the ECU it is no longer road legal technically it's part of the emissions system and any modification of that system renders the vehicle non road legal.

However we all do it. If I bought exactly what I wanted in a car without compromise it would never be a Subaru. I knew what the vehicles were, how they ran, what they were good at, and what they sucked at. I don't understand how in 2018 and the limitless information available to you at the tips of your fingers you can say the vehicle is anything besides exactly as advertised.

It's a turbo charged 270 horsepower 4 cylinder awd vehicle that weighs 3300lbs with a 60/40 weight distribution. What exactly are you expecting? I honestly have no idea what there is to complain about. There are no claims made about the vehicle that are outrageous or amazing.

 

[mjmwrx]

After 2 1/2 years, and my jealousy for my wife's Elantra, I went ahead and got the Cobb Accessport and flashed the MAPerformance Stage I. The car now responds like you would expect it to from the factory. It feels faster and pulls all the way to 5500, which is as far as I pushed it. There's minimal rev hang and the "enthusiastic" shift from 1st to 2nd feels like a normal car. I'm happy now, but...

<RANT>I almost get the feeling that Subaru purposely handicapped the WRX to prevent it from being too competitive, power-wise, with the STi. I'm disappointed I had to void my warranty to finally enjoy my nearly $30K econobox. </RANT>

Question for anyone running the MAP Stg1, do you run it all of the time or do you flash back to stock frequently? Any particular sensor, aside from knock, that you've had issues with?

TIA!

Congratulations on finally enjoying the car. Is the difference of power and drive ability really that drastic? I can understand the frustration. There's no doubt there are some serious issues with the car that you just wouldn't expect from a new modern vehicle and I've never witnessed. The shift from first to second is an embarrassment. The drop off at 4500 ish is demoralizing. And honestly I am sure that subaru knows it customers by now. I think subaru would be much happier if every owner voided their warranty. They probably save many millions because of it.
It's not something I care to argue about though because it's either a . subaru builds them to encourage modding. Or b. They can't figure out how to make an econobox right after all this time.

I know. ..buyer beware and all that....blah blah blah. Still not a good look for subaru.

All that said. ..any info you can give me on the map tune is appreciated. I'm still in mod or sell mode

 

[Germz to Japz]

When I was shopping for a new car I did something very crazy...

You ready? *ssshhhhh*

I went to different dealerships and actually convinced the individuals in charge of selling the vehicles that I was interested in potentially purchasing one of their products for sale. In fact, after hearing such wonderful news from my end, they allowed me to drive the vehicles.

I think they called it a *cough* test... d-d-drive? Am i saying it right? Test drive? Yea... that's what it was.

So after TEST DRIVING multiple vehicles (especially WRX vs STI) I was able to see the differences between the cars.

- Sorry about your warranty
- Sorry you think you got duped
- Sorry we're only revving out to 5500

 

[Germz to Japz]

https://media1.tenor.com/images/4b5e8155eb7d8397b26b0d156c39898c/tenor.gif?itemid=4012892

 

[Firefighterjake]

My WRX doesn't drive like a rally car . . . just saying.

 

[XJman]

I think subaru would be much happier if every owner voided their warranty. They probably save many millions because of it.

Subaru is regarded as one of the most reliable brands with superior customer satisfaction levels. That is the exact opposite of what they would want.

It's not something I care to argue about though because it's either a . subaru builds them to encourage modding. Or b. They can't figure out how to make an econobox right after all this time.

Because you have no legs to stand on. Your argument is bunk.

A. Subaru builds a vehicle to comply with federal and international regulations regarding fuel economy, safety, and emissions that is fun to drive.

B. Can you tell me any vehicle that is a direct competitor to the WRX that it doesn't manhandle in basically every single aspect of performance?

Considering Subaru knows it's customer likes to do auto cross, hit the strip, and do track days and the vehicle dominated it's competitors in those markets it's doing pretty darn good.

Is it going to beat a Dodge demon in a quarter mile? No not designed to. Is it going to beat a Porsche 911 around Nuremberg? No, it's not supposed to. Is it going to beat a mustang GT in a highway pull? No, it's not supposed to.

Replace all of those with it's competition like a gti, gli, focus st, lancer rally art. Civic si, cobalt ss, srt 4 etc. Then it suddenly dominates the field. "But they feel faster" that's what the losers say to feel better.

 

[ChristopherWRX]

<Sigh> to most. Thanks for all of the disingenuous comments. I appreciate opinions. I just don't understand the bashing from this forum. Obviously, not everyone has matured yet.

 

[XJman]

<Sigh> to most. Thanks for all of the disingenuous comments. I appreciate opinions. I just don't understand the bashing from this forum. Obviously, not everyone has matured yet.

No one is bashing anyone. This is the entire issue being defensive for no reason.

Everything is public information on the vehicle. Every possible performance metric. Yet all of those are completely ignored because you think it should be a certain "fast".

My question to you. If you test drove the car, read the ample information available about the platform, compared it to it's competition, and bought it, how can you decide it's not what you thought it should be?

If the competition is better, why didn't you buy it?