Like the title says, here is the dilema im faced with. For about the same money I can get an AP and invidia v3 downpipe or I can get a UTEC and wait to get a downpipe. Which would be better? I know the UTEC for its future tunability, but I can get the AP tuned with pro-tuner so that seems almost like a wash. I am going to get an UP as well in a few weeks. My future plans are probably a td05-16g and mods to support it(injectors, intercooler, etc.) I could always sell the AP and get a UTEC at a later time. I am just jonsen for more power right now and the AP and downpipe seem to be how im leaning.

ap and DP now would hold you over on stage 2 for a while. I would do that, and like you said get it PRO tuned ASAP. Then start saving for future mods, do them all at once, go get tuned again.

Utec.

UTEC.

Jeff

+1 for UTEC

why not find a used utec and get both. I got mine for $500 on ebay.

If anybody has a used Utec for sale with the latest board number for an 05 WRX for around 600 to 650 maybe a bit higher, I will look into it(PM me). The lowest number for a used utec is looking like it is still a utec or AP/DP decision.

Get the downpipe and wait to get engine management untill you can get it tuned by a good tuner in your area. I'd suggest the AP/ProTUNER tune over a UTEC tune.

Thanks
-- Ed

If you buy used always be careful. It might be fried or the wrong version.

Jeff

utec.

as for vaus said, i think you should get EM first before a downpipe. just so you can avoid boost creep. and UTEC is a more proven EM imo, thats why i got it.

Man spending a grand or a bit more has never been harder for me. Like I said I could go Utec, AP and DP, Utec and UP, or for a bit more Utec and DP. I am so confused. How are the basemaps for a stage 1 or stage 2 on the Utec and what kind of power will I look at? I will eventually get a custom tune(probably at Axis since I live in STL), but not before injectors, turbo, and the like, so I will be looking at using the base txs maps for a while and learning to tune a little at a time with the Utec. I would like to make a decision this week, its the whole money burning a hole problem ya know.

utec.

as for vaus said, i think you should get EM first before a downpipe. just so you can avoid boost creep. and UTEC is a more proven EM imo, thats why i got it.

Well the important question here is what car do you have? If you have an STI, there's a chance you could get boost creep w/o EM, but if its a WRX that's not a problem. Then again, if its an 04+ WRX (which it very well could be considering your join date), EM is generally recommended as one of the first mods due to the 04+ WRX ECU's OL/CL dellay that causes excessive knock.

As far as UTEC being more proven than a well tuned reflash, I'd like some more info to back that up... IMO the UTEC is outdated technology that has become virtually obsolete with the introduction of Cobb's ProTuner and StreetTuner software. The UTEC's main advantages over reflashes in the past, were that with Ecutek you were limited to a single map and while you could switch maps with the AP, it was limited to a very restrictive set of Cobb's base maps. With the introduction of ProTuner, you can store many custom tuned maps on the AP and switch them at will. Of course to some, the UTEC also had the appeal of being user tuneable. This mainly appealed to people who like to play with things and are interested in learning to tune themselves. Now that the StreetTuner is available, however, this type of user has the opportunity to play with and learn how a propper, well designed ECU works rather than spend many hours constantly tinkering with the many idiosyncrosies, inconsistancies and extremely poor interface of the UTEC.

I know there are still a lot of loyal UTEC users out there, but I honestly think that the majority of them would quickly change their minds if they saw a side by side comparisson with the other options now available. I used to tune UTEC's myself, but after seeing the reactions of the customers who switched to reflashed ECU, I now recommend the switch to every UTEC customer that comes in. A propperly tuned reflashed ECU is simply a much more robust and adaptable platform than the UTEC could ever attempt to be.

Thanks
-- Ed

^^ he said he has a 05 WRX. On that note I agree with Vaus about the UTEC/AP debate, with the street tuner/protuner software out it really comes down to personal preferance. Don't listen to the STi guy, your td04 won't creep.

And UTEC's base maps aren't all that great, probably worse than stock. . .

Get the AP, and DP now, Go to stage 2. Save for a catback and UP, then go get it installed and protuned. DONE>

And Vaus is spot on with his explanation of the brief history of recent EM in our subie world. Once Cobb's ST and PT came out, there's NOTHING comparable on the market, UTEC is not comparable, neither is ECUtek.

I would say DP, UP(get an $80 used STi one, stg2 is pointless with a cat in your UP) and an AP. Try to find a used AP. They can be had for a good discount over new and there isnt much that can go wrong with them.

the only way I would recommend a UTEC is if somehow it can offer a superior tune a COBB protune with the AP.

^^and i dont know if it ca either, anyone wanna answer this for me?

OK, im in St. Louis so I know Ron@Axis is a great Utec tuner, but there is also a guy(Jorge I think) who has the pro-tuner software and was at the last Axis dyno day who is very good with the Pro-Tuner software. I would be running on the stock stage 2 map from either company until I got enough mods that spending a few hundred on a dyno would be worth it. So who has the better stock stage 2 map, im thinking Cobb. I was just about to purchase a Utec and Downpipe for a good deal, but now im thinking for the same money I could get the AP, DP and UP. The specific DP and UP are the new Invidia v3 DP and Crucial UP. I would still probably only get the AP and DP for now and get an UP in a month or so when it cools off a bit and I can spend a few hours in the garage installing it.

dont spend more than $100 for an UP :)

The cobb base map is deffinately better than the UTEC's, although niether can toutch a good custom tune.

Thanks
-- Ed

OK then I guess I am going to order the AP and Inividia V3 Downpipe. I know a basemap is not gonna touch a custom tune, but all things will come in time.

Good call. The AP with ProTuner is a powerful tool. Nothing beats custom tuning.

Don't forget that once you have an AP you can get into the StreetTUNER.

I went with the AP today. I can't wait to get it (should be here by thursday). I know a Pro Tune would have been best, but that's the great thing about AP....I can get it tuned when i'm ready. I'm gonna do a before and after to show what kind of gains I get. Oh yeah, I ran a turbo back setup.....maybe that'll help too.

the base map on my utec felt much stonger and consitent then my ap stage 2 map. However the cobb maps are much smoother, with no transitional hiccup which drove me crazy. The new revision is suppose to cure this. I like how the utec always runs the same settings, so it feels strong all the time. While the AP is adaptive and feels really jeckl and hyde. Oh the great debate of of EM... UTEC also has the ability of the spare selonoid which no reflash will ever have (hello WI). The utec is also very proven, with most high hp cars running them (or in conjuctions w/ a reflash).