Apparently, the WRX is a great ambassador. I had to take a couple new friends on a drive and they loved it.

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
05/03/2018 at 08:20 • Filed to: None

It was simultaneously nothing like this and also exactly like this. I am definitely not jaded to (approximately) 320 horsepower yet, shit’s lit!

I rarely mention this crazy hobby when I first meet people. I don’t say much about cars and I drive like a grandpa. Introducing people to their first fast car is always fascinating though. I’m fascinated by different people’s reactions to the hobby. The things they notice, the things they don’t, and whether or not I was able to guess if they’d like or hate speed.

Our skyline... it’s 3 buildings.

Last night I drove a couple new friends into the city. Both are in their late twenties but one doesn’t like driving and the other doesn’t have a car. They were people who I had pegged as not interested in this sort of thing whatsoever. The car makes every tuner noise imaginable and I have an accessport hooked up for boost/coolant temp monitoring so the jig is up as soon as someone hops in. I broached the subject of doing a pull cautiously and they both revealed that they’d never been in a fast car before but were down to experience a little booooooost. My 2009 WRX weighs 3100 LBS and has around 320 horsepower/300 tq so its not insane but definitely pretty quick. I’m not sure what the 0-60 is now because I won’t launch it but it was 4.7 stock and the car is up 45HP/55LB-FT from there. I’m an extremely cautious driver when I’m not on a mountain road and also very cautious about not being “that guy” so we just did a couple 1-2-3 pulls onto the highway.

Like this. Minus the constipation face and also about a foot of room between the driver/the steering wheel because I have the legs of a midget.

I gave them plenty of advanced warning on the onramp but quickly realized that amusingly, I had to explain exactly what was going to happen so they’d be ready. One was still sipping her drink and the other was using his phone. “Um... you might want put that soda down, we’re gonna get pushed back into our seats.” Not gonna lie, this made me feel like Vin fucking Diesel telling Paul Walker how it is in Fast and Furious 1.

I gave us plenty of space and let the revs hang at 3k RPM in first before going full throttle. As I alluded to earlier the car makes every tuner noise imaginable. The catless downpipe cracks and pops, the Nameless exhaust has tiny 5" mufflers on it that blare the sound of my vaping, flat-brimmed people, and the short intake makes the turbo sound like a jet engine taking off. Would it be to much? Or would they get it?

...They got it! Instant visceral cave man adrenaline reaction: “WHOOOOAHHHHMYGOD!!!” The second pull was just as fun, they had asked for another so they were expecting it again but reacted the same way. Very good sports. The grandpa driving resumed after that. And now for the interesting part. What does our madness look like to an ousider?

Things they didn’t comment on:

- the turbo/BOV noise. Beyond the extra power this is my favorite part of the new setup. It’s so ridiculous. Not a word about it though!

- the cracks and pops. They’re pretty loud at WOT upshifts

- it took several minutes of driving before they asked if it was a stick (lol!)

Things they noticed:

- “The seats are cool!” I was very surprised by this. That comment came from the dude sitting in the back. The WRX’s back seat is barely different from an econobox but does have a bucket-esque design in that you’re not really meant to sit in the middle. Even the fronts are very mild buckets, but those were commented on as well.

- “Wow! It’s like time travel!” (referring to covering distance so quickly compared to a normal car).

- “I like the red lighting in the gauges and stuff” Again, I was surprised that this was an element which stood out to these non-enthusiasts in a way that the jet engine under the hood or the firecrackers in the exhaust didn’t.

This was a fun treat. The car hobby is so much harder to describe to people than it is to simply demonstrate. Just gotta let the brap and the g forces do the talking.

DISCUSSION (41)

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:31

The Willys has no doors. Every time I have someone new in it and I go around a corner they freak out as if they’re going to tumble out and onto the pavement. Their screams just make me press the pedal more. You’d be surprised at the amount of body roll a 70 year old vehicle has.

vondon302 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:38

So it’s a stick. Lol

Good read.

Arrivederci > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:41

Always fun to bring others into our insanity!

random001 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:41

I do this in the Abarth to people, but they usually comment more on the noise, because there’s so much of it, and less on the speed, because there’s not so much of it...

Though at ~2400 lbs and something like 220WTQ, it’s not bad...

My old Z06 (god rest her soul) would elicit quite a different response, with 3000 lbs and 450 wtq... Oh, and grip. Grip was good.

Nice work!

sn4cktimes > Party-vi
05/03/2018 at 08:49

Used to love putting people in the Wrangler with no doors... some people took a lot of convincing to ride front seat. Some people loved it, some people did not. Wife fell under the “not” category. Friend from work fell into “F-LOVED it” while being simultaneously terrified.

All my hipster friends love my 88' AMC. I could probably sell ride tickets once it’s running again. It’s weird.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:52

I occasionally do this in the ISF but it kind of really scares people how fast it will go. The exception is my wife who trust me apparently and didn’t even say a thing about me trying to go Oppo up Pikes Peak in the rental 300s

kanadanmajava1 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:59

Your example youngsters in the picture look like they are couple of seconds away from hospital/morgue.

So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 08:59

It’s weird what people notice. I had a few people comment on how nice my car was after climbing in and looking around the interior. Thing was I drove a pretty stock Dodge Neon. A car known for it’s plasticy, crap, interiors. Then again I kept it clean and replaced worn and broken things. I like to think they were just shocked that anyone would take care of such a car

Liam Farrell > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 09:03

Did you go to that cruise event last night?

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > kanadanmajava1
05/03/2018 at 09:51

Well, no seatbelts, so, yeah, they probably are about to die.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:15

Maybe your friends were so surprised by the acceleration that they did not ‘remember’ the sounds.

I regularly ride in my friend’s 16 WRX and although it is stock, it took me while to notice the turbo spool noises.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
05/03/2018 at 10:27

Lol I would be screaming too! Never ridden in a Jeep with the doors off

Noah - Now with more boost. > vondon302
05/03/2018 at 10:28

Hahah thanks! Yeah that was probably the funniest part.

Noah - Now with more boost. > kanadanmajava1
05/03/2018 at 10:29

Lol yea I just googled “girl reacts to lambo” this vlogger looks like he’s 12 and has 7 mil subs

Noah - Now with more boost. > So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky
05/03/2018 at 10:32

Yeah I think most people aren’t sloppy with their cars but messy enough to be impressed with someone who keeps an immaculate interior

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:34

It is the best life experience in something owned by Kaiser, AMC, and Chrysler.

Noah - Now with more boost. > random001
05/03/2018 at 10:35

Ooo tell me more about the Abarth? Reliable ish? I kinda want one next. Never had a very small car and there are some very tight roads in the area

Noah - Now with more boost. > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
05/03/2018 at 10:35

That last sentence was glorious lol

So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:36

And I’m certainly no neat freak. But years of detailing cars for my Dad’s used car lot means I do a pretty thorough job. Plus the inside of that car was almost all black plastic. Was really easy to wipe down and didn’t show scuffs at all

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:37

She literally puts up with so much. Don’t know how/why. I’ll scare myself before she admits that she was scared.

Noah - Now with more boost. > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
05/03/2018 at 10:37

Maybe! the new FA turbos are cool, I wouldn’t mind more low end torque (full boost at 3.5k rpm tho with the tune!)

Noah - Now with more boost. > Arrivederci
05/03/2018 at 10:38

Let the brainwashing begin!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Liam Farrell
05/03/2018 at 10:39

Shit! No! What organization? I was in Davis Sq

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
05/03/2018 at 10:41

With the worst being working on an old XJ. Is the fastener metric? Is it sae? Swollen with rust? 10 sockets later...

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:48

I miss my XJ, but I don’t miss the poopy Peugeot transmission.

sony1492 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:55

One Non-car friend used to refer to my car as the hogbeast, or hells chariot. Mostly due to the lack of exhaust and all the snarling burbly noises that the v8 made, also because it rides poorly, the floor gets very hot, and no door handles.

I’ve found that non-car people really appreciate doing dumb things like sliding or donuts just like we do. They just don’t understand the work and care that goes into it.

random001 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 10:59

Like most cars, some people have issues with them. Mine has been very reliable, never had an issue with it. It’s got 62k miles, so not a lot, but man is it stinkin’ fun. Mine has an FMIC, intake, upgraded diverter valve, upgraded coils, some shifter stuff, and a tune to about 220 wheel torques, and it’s just awesome to drive. It punishes tires, though, so I had to upgrade to some more grippy rubber. And stupid cheap.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
05/03/2018 at 11:54

you had the turbodiesel!? DUDE

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 11:58

Pffttt. No I had the Renix 4.0L. Mine was an ‘88 so it got the pre-Hi Power 4.0L and the crap transmission.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
05/03/2018 at 12:04

you got the best interior though! so eighties!

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 12:24

I miss the bucket seats in it - it was so cool how they would roll or rock forward and back to adjust.

Liam Farrell > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 14:04

https://m.facebook.com/groups/647926488713710

Join that group, they post most of the meets around the Boston area.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 14:05

My WRX is bone stock. I still get a kick out of introducing newbies to the world of boost!

TheRealBicycleBuck > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
05/03/2018 at 14:15

My wife needs to tak e lessons from yours. I get dirty looks if I don’t drive like a grandpa.

Noah - Now with more boost. > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/03/2018 at 14:41

It’s so much fun. Boost is very new to me as well, I love getting into it at like 3k RPM and experiencing that torque surge AND boost building up at the same time. Definitely go for an intake and a tune if you can! Used accessports are all over craigslist. I was already up to 300HP with no engine mods and just a 93 reflash. The intake is like an audio boost gauge of sorts. And is just hilarious in general

Noah - Now with more boost. > Liam Farrell
05/03/2018 at 14:43

reqested a join! Hopefully we will actually run into each other at the Larz this year! If I can finally remember to hit you up here beforehand SMH

TheRealBicycleBuck > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 15:47

I’m waiting for the warranty to end first. Then I will add an accessport. My first program will be to de-tune it so I can let the kids drive it without killing themselves. Think of it like valet mode.

As for noise, I prefer quiet cars to noisy ones. The first time I observed an Autocross, I was annoyed by how loud most of the cars were. Then a guy in a Buick Grand National got to the line. I was amazed at how quiet it was while posting one of the best times of the day. That was when I realized that loud doesn’t always mean fast.

Noah - Now with more boost. > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/03/2018 at 16:52

I’m 25, still in my blatant man child phase. The next car will be quieter though (but not by much). Well... who am I kidding. It’s probably not a phase, I will most likely be standing right next the front straight at PCA events along with the other geriatric toddlers in disguise until the day I die.

That said, its true that some people don’t get that visceral, primal reaction to an amazing exhaust note which may be the case for you? Its definitely uncool for your car to be louder than it is fast IMO, but loud is for personal enjoyment if you’re a true enthusiast, not for automotive virtue signaling of your power levels. That stupid EJ rumble makes me really happy, as a new englander I’ve been dreaming of a turbo subie with an exhaust since before I could drive. And it isn’t too loud if you aren’t WOT under full boost. Think mustang GT with a mild axle back loud, not straight piped harley haha. I retained the stock center section so the car still has one large and two small mufflers!

Liam Farrell > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 18:14

Yes! I’ll definitely try to go to a few C&Cs. They have weekly meet ups in chestnut hill every Thursday. Great group of people, and most are older too which is great.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/03/2018 at 18:49

I spent my youngest years in the city where it was always noisy, but we moved to the country where it was wonderfully quiet (except for cicada season - screw those bugs). When I moved back to the city to go to college, I realized how nice it was in the country. I didn’t have a neighbor waking me up every morning with the loud exhaust from his truck. I didn’t have buttheads blasting everyone off the sidewalk by revving their engine (didn’t matter if it was a car or a motorcycle , I found them equally obnoxious).

I like a nice burble, but if your car makes people cover their ears, it’s too damn loud.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Liam Farrell
05/03/2018 at 19:05

Yeah I definitely vibe with older car guys, half of my car friends are twice my age haha