Hi there.

I have an 03 MCS with the Rogue intake and airbox mod. (cut out)

I plan to do the Magnaflow next. Here's why.

If they get the jump on you then you won't catch them, the AWD allows a leap off the line that I couldn't close by 60 but did by ~75 - 80. I got a bit of a jump (not a cheat or an early start) and neither of them were able to CATCH and overtake me.

So IMO most of the advantage of the WRX is 1st gear.

Neither of the "gentlemen" was pleased by the grimace on their face that reminded me of one who was constipated.

Oh, and one of the people was an old friend of mine who thought he would eat the Mini for lunch. The other was a stranger.

Anyone have any experience with a WRX?

:smile:

-Jim

 

Trust me, put a capable driver behind the wheel of a MCS and another in a WRX....the WRX will SPANK the MCS EVERY time. Period.

The only reason you won at all, was because the WRX guys don't know how to drive their cars. The WRX has a far more wicked engine than our beloved MCS.

R

 

>Trust me, put a capable driver behind the wheel of a MCS and another in a WRX....the WRX will SPANK the MCS EVERY time. Period.


So what do they have to do differently?

 

>>So what do they have to do differently?

Not drive like ninnies!!

WRX should definitely be faster off the line.

 

With all due respect: the WRX should make mince-meat out of the MCS. WRX is around 5.4 seconds 0-60 in the hands of a good driver. MCS around 7 seconds. I've driven the WRX and know it will cream the MCS. The trick with the WRX is to get the rpms way up to get the turbo boost going. If you know what you are doing it comes close to scary fast and the MCS never feels that way when accelerating. Granted, it's fast and feels good, but not like a sub 6 second car.
With all this in mind, I chose the MCS over the WRX and am very very pleased with my decision

 

>>Trust me, put a capable driver behind the wheel of a MCS and another in a WRX....the WRX will SPANK the MCS EVERY time. Period.
>>
>>The only reason you won at all, was because the WRX guys don't know how to drive their cars. I agree with everything Davbret said. The Subaru has a lot more motor than a MCS and a lot of owners don't know how to drive their cars. There's a couple important things to note:

1) There is significant turbo lag in a WRX which means it is easy to bog the launch. A fast AWD launch is difficult to do safely, it requires you to "slip" the clutch while letting the turbo build boost. If you just dump the clutch the revs are going to fall and you have to wait for the power to come on. If you red line it and drop the clutch you will go like stink but will very quickly break first gear. I've only launched my car a couple of times in the two years I've had it - it's tricky but wicked fast.

2) It is relatively inexpensive to increase the horsepower on a turbocharged engine. An outfit called Vishnu sells a kit for <$1000 which bumps up the hp from 227 to ~265 on crappy California gas. You can get 15-20 extra horsepower with a $5 manual boost controller, but you may melt a piston (it's easy to get pre-ignition when cranking up the boost)...point is you don't really know what you're up against when you run into a turbo charged car on the street.

3) Did the other driver's know you were racing? It sounds like at least one of them did - your friend. The other guy was probably trying as well, you just caught him flat footed in the wrong gear. 4th and 5th in the WRX are overdriven and it is common knowledge that their top end suffers. In fact, the overall gearing is a little tall for me, particularly 1-2. They designed 2nd gear to be just tall enough to exceed 60mph for "magazine racers".

Please don't take anything I am saying here as disrespect for the MCS. I'm sure a MCS (or probably a regular Cooper) would eat my lunch on an auto-X circuit and set the pace on a twisty canyon, stock for stock. In fact, the naturally aspirated Subaru 2.5RS's usually beat the WRX at the auto-X. At the end of the day it's all about what you want from your vehicle and what you enjoy about driving. I look forward to driving my fiance's Mini when she finally gets it!

Speed (and race) safely!

 

>>.......Anyone have any experience with a WRX?
>>
>>
>>
>>-Jim


I beat one in my SVT Lightning..............twice. Didn't seem to want to give up until after the second time.
Cheers,

 

>>Proud WRX owner here! I agree with everything Davbret said. The Subaru has a lot more motor than a MCS and a lot of owners don't know how to drive their cars. There's a couple important things to note:
>>
>>1) There is significant turbo lag in a WRX which means it is easy to bog the launch. A fast AWD launch is difficult to do safely, it requires you to "slip" the clutch while letting the turbo build boost. If you just dump the clutch the revs are going to fall and you have to wait for the power to come on. If you red line it and drop the clutch you will go like stink but will very quickly break first gear. I've only launched my car a couple of times in the two years I've had it - it's tricky but wicked fast.
>>
>>2) It is relatively inexpensive to increase the horsepower on a turbocharged engine. An outfit called Vishnu sells a kit for <$1000 which bumps up the hp from 227 to ~265 on crappy California gas. You can get 15-20 extra horsepower with a $5 manual boost controller, but you may melt a piston (it's easy to get pre-ignition when cranking up the boost)...point is you don't really know what you're up against when you run into a turbo charged car on the street.
>>
>>3) Did the other driver's know you were racing? It sounds like at least one of them did - your friend. The other guy was probably trying as well, you just caught him flat footed in the wrong gear. 4th and 5th in the WRX are overdriven and it is common knowledge that their top end suffers. In fact, the overall gearing is a little tall for me, particularly 1-2. They designed 2nd gear to be just tall enough to exceed 60mph for "magazine racers".
>>
>>Please don't take anything I am saying here as disrespect for the MCS. I'm sure a MCS (or probably a regular Cooper) would eat my lunch on an auto-X circuit and set the pace on a twisty canyon, stock for stock. In fact, the naturally aspirated Subaru 2.5RS's usually beat the WRX at the auto-X. At the end of the day it's all about what you want from your vehicle and what you enjoy about driving. I look forward to driving my fiance's Mini when she finally gets it!
>>
>>Speed (and race) safely!
>>

sweet reply. thanks for posting.

 

I have raced a WRX on the street (5-spd) and got my a$$ beat bad! It was a no contest at all really, and I am a capable MINI driver if I do say so (15.189 1/4 mile time slip on stock MCS to vouch for above statment).

If you despise the AWD, find a talon or eclipse AWD that is automatic and you may have a better chance. I have raced a talon TSI AWD automatic and fared well. We did a rolling start from 30 mph up to 100, and it was even steven, i was in front by 1/2 a car, and he never pulled, but never lagged either.

 

A Mini with Turbo + NOS + AWD maybe able to catch up i think.
but after the wrx sees us catching up, all he needs is to change the boost mode to high and it'll say bye bye to us ..........

just my opinions.



_________________

 

AWD mini = car of my dreams

 

the 2003 wrx has 290hp & 40.2kgm of torque. 238km top speed.......not to mention the centre differential device & AWD, 0-100 in 5.x sec and 1/4 mile is 12.x sec....

a driver with learner's licence driving a stock wrx will still kill us in no time.

 

Yeah the WRX may spank the MCS, BUT so what, if you really really really wanted to speed the$$$ to mod out your MCS to beat it, I am sure you could. But is that why you bought this car, to race a WRX? I didn't think so. Take the turns, dig the ride and smile off into the sunset!!

Can I get an AMEN?

 

I'm happy that I waited to see how things would shake out before I put a deposit to hold my place for the EVO, the STI will have 300/300 vs 271/26? HP/Torque, being the power junkie that I am, Scooby has earned the coveted empty spot in my garage.

X2

 

i'll never race with a wrx no matter how much money i spent on my MCS.....(i'll race him if i hv an evo or GTR tho.....hhehehehe)

 

>>Yeah the WRX may spank the MCS, BUT so what, if you really really really wanted to speed the$$$ to mod out your MCS to beat it, I am sure you could. But is that why you bought this car, to race a WRX? I didn't think so. Take the turns, dig the ride and smile off into the sunset!!
>>
>>Can I get an AMEN?


AMEN MY BROTHER. I agree....the MCS is made to carve the corners...If we were looking for pure off the line speed we should be looking elsewhere....

 

I hate in line power poofs. wheres the fun in going in a straight line? give me a S bend any day. I don't think you have "round-a-bouts" in the US but they are also very good to drive around. The one near my house is brilliant. I always look at my speedo to see what speed i am coming out of it. As much as i love the mini cooper and cooper s, i have to say that any WRX would **** all over our beloved minis. Not many cars could and to be beaten by a WRX isn't anything to be ashamed of.

 

i got spanked by my girl's M3 yesterday... dirty dirty dirty... [shakes head]

 

I spank WRX's all the time.

It's in my M3 though. I have a "few" mods in there.

Seriously though. These cars were not made to go fast in a straight line.

Take it to the track. Drift through some turns. Then come back and talk to me. It's not all about the power. It's how you can use it in the turns that matter.

I'm waiting for Summit Point to open up again!

 

>>I hate in line power poofs. wheres the fun in going in a straight line? give me a S bend any day. I don't think you have "round-a-bouts" in the US but they are also very good to drive around. The one near my house is brilliant. I always look at my speedo to see what speed i am coming out of it. As much as i love the mini cooper and cooper s, i have to say that any WRX would **** all over our beloved minis. Not many cars could and to be beaten by a WRX isn't anything to be ashamed of.

I agree - I don't think either of these cars shine at straight line acceleration like they do in the twisties...OTH the Ford Lightning is all about burning up the drag strip, talk about raw power!

 

>>Take the turns, dig the ride and smile off into the sunset!!
>>
>>Can I get an AMEN?

Yep, Uh-huh.

 

i think wrx will kill mcs in tracks, streets, roundabout & everywhere on earth except it's ugly.

cars that can beat a wrx in twisty roads : evo, elise
cars that can beat a wrx in straights : anything over 300hp with less that 1700kg.

don't mind getting one if it's less ugly.

 

AMEN I8AMINI! It's all about style and flowing through the curves. I was holding out
for the EVO too, but after staring into the headlights of my MINI it was love at first
sight. I'm tired of the all too common, cookie cutter styles of the current trend of cars. My friend's girl owns a WRX and sure it's fast, but IMHO it's ugly. After riding in my MINI she now wishes she held out for a Cooper instead, especially after she got to check out all the cool features and the overall layout of this little motoring wonder.

 

I agree about the 'ugly' factor with those damn WRX's. Good power, and nice to have AWD. But dammmmn, what an ugly child!
Hate to see what kinda chicks one would pick up with that ugly magnet. Nasty.
Cheers,

 

>>I agree about the 'ugly' factor with those damn WRX's. Good power, and nice to have AWD. But dammmmn, what an ugly child!
>>Hate to see what kinda chicks one would pick up with that ugly magnet.
The funny thing is that there are a LOT of die hard Subaru fans that think the same thing, because it's true! Hey, I may be shallow, but at least I understand how the world works!