Focus ST or Impreza WRX?

Hi there

Bit of real word stuff here, colleague at OcUK has a 52 plate WRX which I believe is 227BHP stock. A quick call to Powerstation reveals add exhaust system and ecutek remap would result in circa 280-300BHP. That's pretty much fact a well known Subaru specialist stating exhaust plus ecutek remap results in a good 65-75BHP gain on 2001 onwards cars with 2.0l engine.

On an STI your looking at 350BHP upwards.

Here is a link to their tuning packages:-
http://www.powerstation.org.uk/subaru_tuning.asp

States 270BHP there, Andy suggested to me would be closer to 300BHP so am not quite sure unless he was getting confused.
 
Yep, with a full exhaust system, I do not doubt this - it pretty much ties up with my previous post where they want you to remove two of the cats and change the backbox.

For accuracy, powerstation quote 290bhp for the 2.5 WRX with full 3" exhaust system, filter and remap (And just 270bhp for the 2.0 WRX that I believe ScoobyDoo69 would have had?)

However, we are talking about just a remap. Spending £1400 on a WRX is a far fetch from the £200 for 275bhp out of the ST - which was the original point.
 
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In all honesty i dont think any of it matters, they are two very different cars designed to appeal to different people. Personally i would have either as they are both good at what they do.
 
MikeHiow said:
So its now 280bhp with just a remap and panel filter? I assume you saw before and after power runs for these cars, done at the same rolling road on the same day?
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No I do not have graphs or exact figures to hand. This is stuff I've seen at rolling road days with other Subarus, and from years of being on Scoobynet, seeing people get remaps and rolling road results all the time.
 
MikeHiow said:
So its now 280bhp with just a remap and panel filter? I assume you saw before and after power runs for these cars, done at the same rolling road on the same day?
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Why would he need to see that? The man is obviously pals with a few people with these cars and what they get is what they get.

He's not even saying you are you wrong its Fox thats arguing with you.
 
[TW]Fox;18090421 said:
I cant even bring myself to answer him seriously anymore, he's been looking for so long he once expressed interest in the FTO we sold nearly 2 years ago.
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I was asking for opinions on people who wanted to answer, not annoying little smartarses like yourself, Fox.

yes, I've been looking on and off for a long time, and since then I have bought a house, and just been looking on and off at certain things, sorry for using a public forum for asking for an opinion from people...could have sworn thats what they are here for?
 
DiamondMark said:
Why would he need to see that? The man is obviously pals with a few people with these cars and what they get is what they get.
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Because rolling roads, with so many variables are rarely accurate - especially when they start guessing flywheel figures. Hence why a before and after graph is needed to really verify such claims.
 
TimBrad said:
I was asking for opinions on people who wanted to answer, not annoying little smartarses like yourself, Fox.

yes, I've been looking on and off for a long time, and since then I have bought a house, and just been looking on and off at certain things, sorry for using a public forum for asking for an opinion from people...could have sworn thats what they are here for?
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Well I say either get a Hawkeye WRX as the money your spending will get you a pristine example.

Or buy the shape before the Hawkeye and get something very special like a Spec C STI.

What do you want from the car?

An ST has higher quality interior, better ride quality, good handling and some great tuning ability, but lets not deny its just a Focus ST which is a damn fine car but its not a precision tool.

A WRX is derived from a 4WD rally car, its precise, raw and very chuckable with fantastic all year round handling. But the rawness could be off putting. If you go for something special like a Spec C then those things are ultimate amongst Imprezas, truly razor sharp and not even the Focus RS in my oppinion competes with one of those let alone an ST.

So basically do you raw and precise or do you want fast and comfortable?
 
MikeHiow said:
However, we are talking about just a remap. Spending £1400 on a WRX is a far fetch from the £200 for 275bhp out of the ST - which was the original point.
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Who mentioned spending £1400 on the WRX? :confused:

Unless I've missed something drastic, the bone of contention is that you claim that a otherwise standard WRX will only map to 250BHP which doesn't seem to be the case according to any source (apart from the obligatory "mate" who tunes Imprezas for a living). From what has been said 270BHP mark seems to closer to the mark?

Unless I'm mistaken a remapped ST puts out roughly the same power so map for map, either is drastically better for tuning at the lower end of the spectrum.

Then you've got to remember that we're nit picking and arguing over a couple of Horsepower. Neither is going to out and out trounce the other.
 
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[TW]Fox;18090951 said:
A remapped WRX makes only 250bhp?

Really?
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I think the problem is the relatively low-power turbos used. Keeps spool fast and low, but limits top power. As far as I am aware, it is the main limiting factor on an out-of-the-box WRX. That's why one of the very first serious mods is an up-rated turbo - even to get 300bhp.


M
 
When people say raw with regards to an Impreza, how raw are we talking? When I read raw I get the impression of an Elise, DC2 or along those lines but I can't imagine them to be that raw out the box. It's not a word I'd associate with them, I thought they were friendlier :)
 
MikeHiow said:
If you read the thread, I have provided other references where cars need a lot more than just a remap to reach ScoobyDoo's figures.
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Other references? All I see is a link to one tuner with conservative power estimates (and crucially doesn't seem to mention what a remapped WRX will make without the exhaust work). Not exactly scientific or conclusive...

This is compared to the experience and knowledge of someone who has owned a WRX and has seemingly been in this scene around those cars for years and yet says that he has not heard of this supposed 250BHP "barrier" for modern age WRXs once.
 
Gibbo said:
Well I say either get a Hawkeye WRX as the money your spending will get you a pristine example.

Or buy the shape before the Hawkeye and get something very special like a Spec C STI.

What do you want from the car?

An ST has higher quality interior, better ride quality, good handling and some great tuning ability, but lets not deny its just a Focus ST which is a damn fine car but its not a precision tool.

A WRX is derived from a 4WD rally car, its precise, raw and very chuckable with fantastic all year round handling. But the rawness could be off putting. If you go for something special like a Spec C then those things are ultimate amongst Imprezas, truly razor sharp and not even the Focus RS in my oppinion competes with one of those let alone an ST.

So basically do you raw and precise or do you want fast and comfortable?
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Thanks for your help Gibbo, the current car is only a 1.6 Cicic sport so either would be faster, the current car has stiffish suspension, but nothing compared to some harder core cars, obviously!

Will have a think on it, Imoreza has 4wd, seen 07's for 8K where the Focus is more comfortable, probably a bit better for everyday normal use but more expensive.
 
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