xiLLtegRax

Hey guys,

Im in the process of purchasing a 2010 evo x. (still debating between new wrx)
I found a private seller who is selling a used evo x with mods and wanted to get some input on it. (i usually HATE buying cars with mods but.....)

Evo X GSR WW with 30,000 miles for 25k (clean title and accident free as seller states)
Mods list:
HKS intake
AMS FMIC
Downpipe and exhaust
upper intercooler pipe
Cobb stage 3 ecu upgrade

I usually hate buying modded cars but it is very hard to find evo without mods.....
It seems like he used quality parts so its a plus but i wonder about using cobb stage 3 map on the mods that he has. Im coming from s2k world so i am not too familar with accessport (i understand the basics). Can someone please comment? Also things to look out for when buying used EVO X.

Thanks guys!

Epyon

iTrader: (1)

The mods list looks fine, nothing too crazy and he didn't do anything with engine internals, so that's a plus. The Cobb AP map is kind of a downside though, the OTS (off-the-shelf) maps are garbage for the evo x if you use anything other than actuall cobb parts exactly as specified in the map. You can somewhat modify the maps on the Accessport (AP) but they still aren't nearly as safe/good as a pro-tune from a real person.


A compression test is always recommended when purchasing a used evo, so I would recommend asking if they could have one done to check the engine health. And if you do purchase the car, buy a tactrix with EcuFlash and EvoScan and get an e-tune or pro-tune from a known evo tuner. Then you'll be good to go!

jayt27

The mods are pretty mild and look like a good starting point (as in you'll probably end up buying similar parts if you bought a bone stock Evo) I would definitely get a Pro tune or an open source tuned if you decide to get it though. And definitely a boost and wideband gauge. Gluck!

xiLLtegRax

yea since the mods are mild and used with pretty quality parts, im considering it.
I will go for test drive tomorrow so wanted to get some input on what to check. it does have a boost gauge, what psi should i expect to see with these mods??
i think a kid owns this vehicle so im extra paranoid especially because its modded turbo car or evo......

ChipperEvo

iTrader: (3)

what is a Cobb ECU upgrade? are you talking about the AP and the OTS maps?

Epyon

iTrader: (1)

Well, the mods shouldn't change the boost at all. But the cobb map might.


I'm guessing when you say ecu upgrade you mean the stage 3 map from the cobb accessport.


Almost nobody here uses the Cobb AP, so I haven't read anything how it affects the boost level. But stock psi is around 18-19psi but will taper down as the rpms climb. If he has an Air/Fuel ratio gauge I would monitor that too, make sure it doesn't climb too high because a lean mixture is dangerous.


As far as a kid owning the car, maybe have him drive the car first and watch how he shifts. If he sucks at driving a stick you might want to look elsewhere so you aren't replacing tranny parts in a month or two. Yea he might have driven it hard, but that isn't going to hurt the car very much other then the clutch. It couldn't hurt to ask him if he's launched it, I doubt they would say yes, but you never know. launching = bad.

xiLLtegRax

im not sure what he meant by cobb ecu upgrade but im assuming he has stage 3 ots map from AP. (I was going to ask this in person tomorrow.)

I know he has boost gauge installed but i doubt he has a air/fuel gauge or wide band fuel sensor....

i know lot of subie guys use cobb AP and i always had a second thoughts about it because of ots map they offered....

Epyon

iTrader: (1)

On a subbie the AP is an amazing tool. But on the evo, not so much lol

hoobastnk90

Im not sure why such the hate on Cobb tuner I like it for the logging purposes and the ability to just change maps if want. But anywho some of the boost levels your looking for like if you just mash on the gas while cruising in 4th it will prolly spike up to like 25-28 psi and then drop down to around 17-19 psi most likely. I have run the cobb stage 2 for awhile now and not had any issues.

.M.

If you don't know what you're looking for, take someone who does. Nothing wrong with mods as long as you know what you're looking at. I bought mine used as well and the previous owner had it lowered on no name suspension and a knock off vta bov. I corrected it right away.

Also running the cobb ap stage 3 for over a year now. No issues here. Car runs great. Guess it's looked down upon because of the safe/conservative ots tunes.

xiLLtegRax

i turned wrenches for years and have been modifying hondas as well as turboing them.
im just cautious about purchasing an evo because i do not know the ins and outs of evos and especially because its modded turbo vehicle.

Just wanted to get some ins and outs of checking out evo x and any specific things i should watch out for such as transmission/engine/turbo/ayc etc....

As for cobb ap stage 3, what mods are you running with that map? do you know what modds are recommended with a stage 3 map?

.M.

Same here. Turned wrenches for 8 years before my current job. So you know what to look for (basic wise). Like I said, if you have any doubts just bring someone along. If possible.

Cobb stage 3... intake, full exhaust (high flow cat or test pipe), and ebc. If you need a map for a specific intake, email cobb and they'll send you the correct file. Check their site for more info.

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

See what kind of interest rates you can get on a new 2015 Evo X. Usually banks (or better yet a Credit Union) will give better rates on new cars. There are enough 2015 X's still sitting on lots that there are deals to be had (like 31-32K range). You might be able to get into a new X for not much more of a monthly payment.

Dandbest

stage 3 cobb maps run a peak of 26 psi. Not that it matters a whole lot, as there are many more factors that determine how the car runs. The AP is only as good as the tuner. I had Sean Ivey tune my old 2011 Evo with a AP v2, and he made me two maps, one for HPDEs and one for the street. Having the AP obviously made life much easier, it could read codes, log (the v3) and monitor different parameters. It seems those that talk crap really don't know the product at all. Also, $25k for a 2010 sounds very high. I'd be looking for a 2011+ since they have the newer timing chain. A new car might be a better option as nemsin pointed out, simply because its only $7k more, but the lower interest rates will likely make up about half of that, so a 2015 might end up costing you something stupid, like $50 a month more.

xiLLtegRax

Well the plan was to negotiate with him to bring down the price if i like it. Somewhere around 22k is where im looking at but it does have low miles so we shall see.

As for the cobb AP, i dont know too much about the unit so correct me if im wrong but with AP you can get ots maps from their site or cobb or you can take it to a tuner to get it customize tune correct??? What would be the difference between the opensource and customize AP tune from a tuner???