Anyone switch to 5EAT from a 5MT and love it?

[1-3-2-4]

did my posting get a edit?

 

and also I still don't think they make a front LSD for a Auto Subaru yet?

[AKLGT]

I'm sure that such a mod must kill the powertrain warranty, though. I only mention this because I've been looking at some low-mileage models, so far.

possibly, but it will prolong the life of your tranny if you do mod it. if you are leaving it stock, than it won't be necessary.

[Siper2]

My only real power plans would be a CBE right away, and later maybe an AP. Honestly the CBE would do me very well for a very long time; I've been running a 165hp RS for 7 1/2 years.

 

Obviously there's a lot of tempting things, but I tend to be conservative.

[AKLGT]

well, i usually suggest the very first mod should be an AP. you will never get much power out of strictly bolt ons unless you have the car tuned for it. a cbe and downpipe is a basic stg 2 set up. tune for it and the car is much quicker and faster.

[Siper2]

Yeah thinking about the Cobb AP. But I also want to be sure that I maximize the warranty, and the AP messes with the ECU so that'd be an instant no-no.

 

Definitely on the short list of goods to get, but, you understand.

[wavewagon]

I was under the impression that you were going to go at least stage 2 with your car. The CBE will not significantly increase hp or tq so I would not spend the money on the VB upgrade now.

 

This car is very mod friendly but you have to be willing to sacrifice warranty. If you are willing to take that leap you will have one really quick ride. Like most of us on this forum you will grow tired of the stock power, go stage 1 or 2, then go bigger. Just accept you modding addiction and enjoy!

[mikeyan]

+1 to that...

 

Stock for 8k, Stage 1 for 4k, stage 2 for 26k, Stage Whatever i'm at for 37K now

 

 

Mike

[Siper2]

I was under the impression that you were going to go at least stage 2 with your car. The CBE will not significantly increase hp or tq so I would not spend the money on the VB upgrade now.

 

This car is very mod friendly but you have to be willing to sacrifice warranty. If you are willing to take that leap you will have one really quick ride. Like most of us on this forum you will grow tired of the stock power, go stage 1 or 2, then go bigger. Just accept you modding addiction and enjoy!

 

I'm not, really. I'm pondering paying for an extended warranty, but I doubt I'd need it. But I'll certainly maintain it until the 36K mark. To me it's foolish to give that up, if you aren't loaded and can risk things.

 

After that, yes like I said I'd go for an AP or something, maybe that VB mod.

[Guest]

 

Your powertrain warranty is good till 5y/60k.

[Guest heightsgtltd]

 

Your powertrain warranty is good till 5y/60k.

 

He doesn't have an LGT yet, RTFthread

[PGT]

 

Your powertrain warranty is good till 5y/60k.

 

 

remember what we said about being negative? yeah....this is what I was talking about.

[Guest]

Sorry, yeah, well 5y/60k is the power train warranty

 

So the OP may want to wait longer with mods...

[Siper2]

Just the ones that would affect the warranty. CBEs don't, and neither does suspension stuff, if you bring it to the right dealership. But even the most mod-friendly dealership can't avoid the rules, and honor a warranty where someone's tampered with the ECU or altered the tranny configuration.

 

Yeah I know about the 5/60K powertrain, just wasn't thinking of it.

[AKLGT]

factory off the shelf cobb AP maps are pretty conservative and i don't see any dealer in the know voiding your warranty because of it. hell, our dealer SELLS and INSTALLS Cobb AP's. we recommend them over other systems out there because they are pretty safe (off the shelf that is).

[PGT]

yeah...I bought my AP from Subaru of Dallas with ScoobyBucks

[Umass94]

I was in the same boat as you last year, here is the story. I bought a 2005 OBXT 5EAT in November 2006, modded it with COBB, F&R SB, light weight main pulley, gauge pack, 18" wheels, STI pedals, etc. It was awesome! super sleeper, a light touch on take offs works better than stomping it, the auto stick was cool. However, after a few weeks, if you baby the car, the ECU learns that and then it is reluctant to go fast quickly again, you have to flog it to get the ECU back up to an aggressive mode. I would reflash my COBB and that would reset it, and it seemed faster. It felt as if the full potential of the car was not being realized because of the ECU and slow shifts. This was a problem when trying to drive fast through traffic, or when someone was trying to make a run at you, there was too much shifting going on. First shift to the auto mode, then downshift from 5th, then go, you lose at least 1.5-2 seconds. The moral of this story is I traded my car in back in August for a 2006 OBXT MT, swapped all my stuff over, and it is way better. Much faster off the line, much more control in corners, a lot more fun. And as a side perk, now my wife does not like to drive it. It is a pain in heavy traffic, however that is a small price to pay for the performance/control gains. The shifts with the 5EAT were noticeably slow, if you drive both tranny's you will see what I mean. if you are willing to give up performance for convenience, go with the 5EAT, if you want max performance, go with the MT. just my $0.02. Chris

[AKLGT]

aww. too bad you didn't do the VB upgrade. that gets rid of a lot of the slow shifting. my 5EAT did the same before that, more slipping in the lower gears once I did the STI swap. after the VB upgrade, very little slowness in the shifts. now i have much faster, cleaner and crisper shifts.

 

wow, i'm going to really miss this car when i sell her next year.

[Siper2]

factory off the shelf cobb AP maps are pretty conservative and i don't see any dealer in the know voiding your warranty because of it. hell, our dealer SELLS and INSTALLS Cobb AP's. we recommend them over other systems out there because they are pretty safe (off the shelf that is).

 

Cool. Annapolis Subaru is probably the closest dealer to me, that would be "cool" with mods like that. The two or three dealerships really close to me (within 45 min.), are not mod friendly. Kind of sucks.

[AKLGT]

imho, i have experience to back this up, but if you add bolt ons, you will NEVER get full potential from them until you can tune for it. even a basic stg 2 Cobb OTS map tune will produce nice and more even shifts than the stock factory tune with bolt ons only.

[Siper2]

Oh yeah absolutely. Car Tuning 101.

[spacejunkiehsv]

It felt as if the full potential of the car was not being realized because of the ECU and slow shifts. This was a problem when trying to drive fast through traffic, or when someone was trying to make a run at you, there was too much shifting going on. First shift to the auto mode, then downshift from 5th, then go, you lose at least 1.5-2 seconds.

I use the sport shift mode when I know somebody is about to try and screw me over, and the car will already be in the right gear. When I need to go NOW, I just punch it with the the transmission in normal "D". My tranny (stock) never takes much time at all to downshift. I LOVE having an automatic when I get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, especially in one particular spot on a hill. That used to bug the piss out of me with my 6-speed GTO.

 

There is one problem with my tranny though. After upgrading to the basic Cobb stage 2 map (stage 1 too), if I was already moving at 10mph or so in 1st gear, and then punched the gas, the car would hit the rev limiter before shifting, resulting in a temporary (~1 second) fuel cut. This never happens when taking off from a standstill or less than about 10mph.

 

I drove my 5EAT back and forth through the Tail of the Dragon earlier this month and had a blast, 318 curves in 11 miles. wooohoooo! A few Harley's got out of my way. I got out of the way of a few crotch rockets, and managed to hang on the tail of one crotch rocket for 2 or 3 miles.

[Siper2]

Cool.