$500 to spend...Tune or Dump Pipe?

by **Sheik Jabooti** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:23 pm

Well, lucky me has a birthday coming up and I have ~$500 to spend. The way I see it I have 2 cheap performance options:

1) XRT Basic tune for $300 (+ Tactrix cable ~$130) done remotely by West_Minst
http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15993

or

2) Cheap dump pipe from Ultrex for ~$550

Which one is going to give me the best bang for buck? I'm leaning towards the tune but would like some advice from anyone who has a DP and a tune to let me know which one made the biggest difference.

Thanks Subidudes

by **hamish_023** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:23 pm

Dump pipe, that way you can tune after

by **JDGT05** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:31 pm

hamish_023 wrote:Dump pipe, that way you can tune after

+1

by **Sheik Jabooti** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:44 pm

I get your point but I only have $500, so at this stage it's one or the other. It'll be another year or more before I get another chunk of money to spend. The $300 tune is very basic (boost increase and some remapping to suit) so would warrant a retune in the future anyway.

All good feedback...I'm wondering what the crowd consensus will be?

by **t.renshaw34** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:50 pm

Dump pipe. Hoping the ultrex one comes with a cat for $550.

by **Sheik Jabooti** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:52 pm

t.renshaw34 wrote:Dump pipe. Hoping the ultrex one comes with a cat for $550.

Yep, didn't give any spec on it bar it being Euro 3 compliant. I guess it's high flow but am not 100% sure.

by **Jim** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:16 pm

I would go the tune.

You wont notice a dump that much without a tune anyway. The tune will give you better driveability in the mean time.

However, to have the tune you will need to buy a tactrix cable ( Will also need a laptop + and programs ) and a whole lot of patience as it takes quite some time going back and forth with the guy from barbados. Hes excellent to deal with but it takes some time.

by **Sheik Jabooti** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:25 pm

Ok 3 for the DP and 1 for the tune so far...

I'm still thinking along Jim's line but am really quite unsure...

by **imania** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:31 pm

Just fitted a dump to mine a week ago, loving the difference (some could be placebo), should keep you satiated til you can get the tune :good:

by **Jim** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:45 pm

The dump will give you some zorst note and free up the response of the turbo a little more, plus add some extra PSI at full swing. However with the way ECU's are these days, they really need to be tuned and tailored to the mods they have to deal with otherwise its a waste of time. The extra boost you get will be trimmed instantly by the ECU.

I have a full intake, full 3" zorst + turbo beanie, HKS up-pipe, FMIC, Turbosmart BOV ect and i havent noticed that much of a difference over when it was unmodified, aside from all the extra sound coming out of everything.

Once i get a tune, all that will become harmonious and give the results i should expect out of the combination of mods.

Unfortunately its not like the old Subarus when you can smash on any mods add an STI ECU and go for gold.

A tune in practically stock form will get rid of the shitty open/closed loop drama in the factory tune, and also eliminate crappy flat spots that we all get every now and then. It will run a bit richer giving a better AFR and more driveability accross the rev range. They tune these things from factory a bit leaner but fixing up timing, AVCS and AFR's with a tune will give better economy and again better flow when its all going. Im confident you will notice an exceptional benefit.

If you go for some more mods later down the track, west_minist ( cant remember his name ) im sure will be more than willing to help you out and get the most out of the tune + mods.

by **Rome_BRZ** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:19 pm

If you've only got $500 to spend I'd suggest putting it in the bank and start slowly putting away money to spend on a good mod or two that you'll really benefit from

by **Sheik Jabooti** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 7:18 pm

Rome_STI wrote:If you've only got $500 to spend I'd suggest putting it in the bank and start slowly putting away money to spend on a good mod or two that you'll really benefit from

It's not likely to stay in the bank for too long if I do that! :cry:

Also, I would have thought either a base tune or DP would be the best bang for buck starting performance mod.

(My first mod was suspension changes - whiteline sways and SpecB struts and springs and the obligatory panel filter.)

by **augo** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:21 pm

Dump pipe first. No use getting a tune if you're all choked up. You'll get a tune then get bored later down the track, buy a dump then have to get it tuned again! :roll:

by **kiahatsiu** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 4:56 pm

Jim wrote:They tune these things from factory a bit leaner but fixing up timing, AVCS and AFR's with a tune will give better economy and again better flow when its all going. Im confident you will notice an exceptional benefit.

I thought they tuned 'em fat from the factory. That way Joe public could load them em in 5th gear with out them pinging their heads off.
That being said, tough question OP. How much do you plan to mod it in the future? If you are going to go mental, get the dump made, if you aren't going to do much, just get the tune, you may find it is enough.

by **champ** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 1:54 pm

DP first, then tune.

If cannot afford both like you said, then its is DP first, then tune later.

If you tune first, then DP... the next step would be tune again, no?