recommendation was to post this in a new thread, so here it is.
just got my new MS3 this week, so its been a pleasure joining this forum and catching up on all the MS3 goodies hitting the market.
I must say a few words about the Cobb AccessPort (AP). I just sold my 2005 Subaru Legacy GT to get a MS3. Needed a change of pace.
I purchased the Cobb AP early on during my long journey of heavy-duty modding of my LGT. I must say the AP was the wisest and most cost-effective item that I got.
Don't get me wrong here. I'm not trying to steer anybody away from XEDE or any other ECU tuning device. I just felt compelled to discuss some of my experiences with the AP.
To clarify a key point: the Cobb AP is virtually idiot-proof. It comes loaded with several "base" maps. All you do is plug it into the OBDII port and follow some very simple steps that are displayed right on the AP screen. It takes about two minutes to reflash the ECU with a new base map. Then you unplug the AP and enjoy the show.
I had the older version AP that looks like an industrial appliance. The new AP v2.0 look like a modern cell phone or PDA device. Much smaller with a color screen, etc. A really nice touch is that the AP can be left connected to the OBDII port and it acts like an electronic gauge. It can display dozens of parameters in real-time directly from the ECU. For instance Boost pressure, EGT, temps, etc.
If Cobb follows the same AP approach as with the Subarus, then there is another level to it. These are called "Stages." Stage 1 maps are intended for the vehicle in fully stock form. No upgrades at all. All catalytic converters in place for instance. They provide an assortment of Stg 1 maps that vary only for the octane rating of gasoline available where you live. They even provide separate maps for CA/NV crappy 91-oct gas versus other parts of the country that sell "real" 91 octane. For those lucky souls that live where 92 or 93 octane gas is sold there are separate maps as well to maximize the gains.
Since I live in So.Cal, I had to live with the CAN maps (California, Arizona, Nevada).
Stage 2 maps - at least in the Subaru world that I came from - required modifications to the exhaust hardware. Utmost importance was eliminating the single cat in the stock uppipe (UP). At least if you had a model year before 2007. They removed the stock UP cat and introduced an "air pump" device of some sort that accomplishes the emissions tricks without the cat. In addition to a catless UP, most replaced the stock downpipe (DP) that has two cats with either a catless DP or a catted DP with a hi-flo ceramic or metallic cat.
As the AccessPort market grew, Cobb introduced two companion products: StreetTuner (ST) and ProTuner (PT). ST is a software package that is PC-based. It allows user (AP owner) custom tuning using a very modern, windows like interface. The tables had smart features that would recommend changes and turn values Green, Yellow or Red depending on the risk factors.
My favorite product was the ProTuner option. This was even more powerful tuning software made available only to qualified, certified Cobb tuners. This allows for 100% custom dyno tuning to maximize gains. Once the professional tuner is finished, he/she simply uploads your custom AP map into the unit. Its always there for reflashing the ECU if need be.
Lastly, the AP can be "unmarried" to the car and the stock ECU map is re-written. Then you can resell your AP for probably 75% of what you paid for it.
just got my new MS3 this week, so its been a pleasure joining this forum and catching up on all the MS3 goodies hitting the market.
I must say a few words about the Cobb AccessPort (AP). I just sold my 2005 Subaru Legacy GT to get a MS3. Needed a change of pace.
I purchased the Cobb AP early on during my long journey of heavy-duty modding of my LGT. I must say the AP was the wisest and most cost-effective item that I got.
Don't get me wrong here. I'm not trying to steer anybody away from XEDE or any other ECU tuning device. I just felt compelled to discuss some of my experiences with the AP.
To clarify a key point: the Cobb AP is virtually idiot-proof. It comes loaded with several "base" maps. All you do is plug it into the OBDII port and follow some very simple steps that are displayed right on the AP screen. It takes about two minutes to reflash the ECU with a new base map. Then you unplug the AP and enjoy the show.
I had the older version AP that looks like an industrial appliance. The new AP v2.0 look like a modern cell phone or PDA device. Much smaller with a color screen, etc. A really nice touch is that the AP can be left connected to the OBDII port and it acts like an electronic gauge. It can display dozens of parameters in real-time directly from the ECU. For instance Boost pressure, EGT, temps, etc.
If Cobb follows the same AP approach as with the Subarus, then there is another level to it. These are called "Stages." Stage 1 maps are intended for the vehicle in fully stock form. No upgrades at all. All catalytic converters in place for instance. They provide an assortment of Stg 1 maps that vary only for the octane rating of gasoline available where you live. They even provide separate maps for CA/NV crappy 91-oct gas versus other parts of the country that sell "real" 91 octane. For those lucky souls that live where 92 or 93 octane gas is sold there are separate maps as well to maximize the gains.
Since I live in So.Cal, I had to live with the CAN maps (California, Arizona, Nevada).
Stage 2 maps - at least in the Subaru world that I came from - required modifications to the exhaust hardware. Utmost importance was eliminating the single cat in the stock uppipe (UP). At least if you had a model year before 2007. They removed the stock UP cat and introduced an "air pump" device of some sort that accomplishes the emissions tricks without the cat. In addition to a catless UP, most replaced the stock downpipe (DP) that has two cats with either a catless DP or a catted DP with a hi-flo ceramic or metallic cat.
As the AccessPort market grew, Cobb introduced two companion products: StreetTuner (ST) and ProTuner (PT). ST is a software package that is PC-based. It allows user (AP owner) custom tuning using a very modern, windows like interface. The tables had smart features that would recommend changes and turn values Green, Yellow or Red depending on the risk factors.
My favorite product was the ProTuner option. This was even more powerful tuning software made available only to qualified, certified Cobb tuners. This allows for 100% custom dyno tuning to maximize gains. Once the professional tuner is finished, he/she simply uploads your custom AP map into the unit. Its always there for reflashing the ECU if need be.
Lastly, the AP can be "unmarried" to the car and the stock ECU map is re-written. Then you can resell your AP for probably 75% of what you paid for it.
