I’ve just bought this lovely specimen and have been trying to read up as much as possible what it has, what it can have, and what I should do. I understand that being auto I shouldn’t aim too high in regards to power and that’s OK. I’m not going to be tracking it, and I hope to keep it for the remainder of its life as was my intention when I bought a 2015 VW Golf R Wolfsburg wagon (one of 300) from new. Unfortunately I had to sell it to pay for bloodsucking lawyers... but I love my sleeper wagons and used to love my first Liberty (MY00 RX) which is also the last car I owned that wasn’t turbo lol. So a TbSTI wagon was a no-brained for me as a <$20k fun practical car.
I like responsiveness, which obvs would’ve been better in a manual, but alas due to physical constraints I cannot get (despite first driving in all manuals and riding dirt bikes as a kid). Is it possible to get the autos on these tuned for tighter ratios as I did with the Wolfsburg? The Wolfie was a DSG so I don’t know if the computer is different for TCs.
I want to take the car to The Rumble Shack as they seem to have good reviews and you guys seem to indicate avoiding MRT. Why is that by the way? What should I be aware of? I would like TRS to do a baseline observation of the car and fix anything that needs seeing to or tightening up (it’s got 164k on clock), before we do anything past that. But I would love to know what things I can bring up with them by having done a bit of research prior. This car seems to be in extremely good condition and owned by car enthusiasts, and I tell you it was miles better than the ‘08 GT we also tested. It’s already got a bunch of cosmetic stuff like strakes(?), STI lip, STI engine cover, upgraded head unit with AC and reversing camera and a few other things the bloke told me but I’ve forgotten. Is the BOV stock? Or added?
I note you usually recommend Whiteline sway bars, new water pump, catback, CAI, possibly new turbo etc. I’m not looking to turn heads on my approach or side by side; that’s why I love my sleeper wagons. With Wolfie I had it TCU and ECU tuned by APR with racing CAI - holy shitballs that thing was a mind blowing dirty one-night-stand that lasted two years. Obvs this Lib isn’t going to be a touch on Wolfie, but that’s OK, she can shine in her own lovely light Once the basics are seen to, I would like to add a bit of a tune to her, basically as much as is safe on the fun:reliable ratio.
Next step though, getting the controls put in so that I can drive the bloody thing when the companies pull their fingers out!
Also:
1. Best way to protect the plastic inside the interior from hard metal (wheelchair) that has scratched my other cars?
2. Possible to make wipers and/or headlights automatic? Def not a big deal, just something that might be nice later.
3. Is the turbo in this car the twin scroll td04? Which turbo would I have had in my ‘06FXT? Is it possible to replace this turbo for other STI turbos as I seem to recall the FXT was interchangeable with 02 WRX STI turbos? Is the twin scroll good coverage across the rev band? I really like power available down low, but I’ve possibly been spoiled with the Golfs which was available from 1500. Or should I just adjust my driving?
4. Which other models can I replace my parts like Intercooler/turbo/exhausts?
5. General notes? Thoughts? I’ve got an ODBII reader coming in the mail, and I’ve been trolling this website, youtube, internet to find as much info as I can with the limited time I have. And I know that servicing on time (or prior), keeping well-oiled, 98 only are the basics.
OH and can you get a turbo-timer put on these? They’ve been stock on a lot of turbos for a while, but it doesn’t sound like there’s one on this unless my partner wasn’t hammering it as much as I hammer my current i30SR lol. And before you laugh, that i30 has a pleasant note and has surprised the nuts off some other cars at times