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Subio the 2009 Forester 2.5x with Upgrades Galore

182K views 291 replies 63 participants last post by  Kevin 
#1 ·
I recently purchased this 2009 Forester. Subio is the name. It is the first vehicle I have owned that has so much potential for customization. Many of which are factory upgrades. My previous two vehicles have been the Land Rover Discovery and a Freelander. LR pisses me off with expensive repairs, and depreciation value of their vehicles. I'm done with Rovers.

While the 2009 Forester has a new beefy body style, many performance mods are not yet available for this ride.

Here is a brief list of the recent upgrades from base model 2.5x:

PERFORMANCE:
Cosmo Cold Air Intake
MagnaFlow Mufflers with Stainless Steel 4" Double Wall Tips
Volo Performance VP12chip with Fuel Saver chip too
TSW Snetterton 19" Alloy Wheels
Nexen N3000 235/35R19 Performance Tires
Kakumei Blue Alloy Battery Holder
Kakumei Blue Alloy Oil Cap
Kakumei Blue Alloy Brake Fluid Cap

INTERIOR:
NRG Carbon Fiber Shift Knob
NRG Carbon Fiber Hand Brake
Carbon Fiber Dash Paneling Kit
Subaru Tweeter and Woofer Upgrade
Subaru Ipod adapter kit
Subaru Rear Cargo Rubber Floor Mat
Subaru Rear Cargo Side Nets
Blue LEDs in footwells
Racing Silver Alloy Pedals and Foot Rest plate

EXTERIOR:
Carbon Fiber Mesh Grill
Carbon Fiber License Plate Frame
Curt Class III Trailer Hitch and Wiring Kit
Yakima SwingDaddy Bike Rack
Subaru Fog Light Kit
HID Conversion Kit for Lo Beam, H11, Blue 10k color
HID Conversion Kit for Hi Beam, HB3-9005, Blue 10k color
HID Conversion Kit for Fog Beam, 9006, Yellow 3k color


PERFORMANCE:
The CAI from Cosmo Racing is the very first performance aftermarket part that I have seen available. I was at a local performance shop and they could custom build an intake for me for about $350. The Cosmo Racing Intake is complete for $200. Two notable points here. Improved performance with acceleration, especially in the non-sport mode. Subio is an automatic. The second is sound quality. When mashing on the gas, you can hear a deep, throaty throttle response as you would expect from a performance car. It sounds totally cool. Also, it only sounds this way when you need it. The car is quiet when driving normally. Estimated HP increase of 5HP. See my comments in the engine and exhaust forum. The install was a bit tricky. There are some spots where the intake rubs against metal parts and during idle, you would hear an annoy vibration chatter from metal parts smacking one another. This was fixed with some strips of rubber and cable ties.

In this photo you can see the HID ballasts too. They are very slim and easy to install.


Magnaflow mufflers and tips will be installed tomorrow. Estimated HP increase of 5HP.

Volo Performance VP12 chip. Again, I noticed a dramatic improvement in throttle response and acceleration, especially from stop and during high speed passing while cruising at 75mph. I loose about 2mpg in fuel efficiency with these two pieces. I get 24mpg. Stock got about 25.7mpg. I also have the fuel saver chip for the Volo, but I have not used it yet. Estimated HP increase of 10HP.

TSW 19” Snetteron wheels and Nexen Tires add class and Performance to this ride. I picked these up used on craigslist for $450. Great deal and the tires had less than 1000 miles on them. The overall tire height was slightly less than the stock 16” base wheels with hubcaps. Therefore, the speedometer reading is of by 3mph. When speedo reads 60mph, actual speed by GPS is 57mph. Wife likes that.


Kakumei blue alloy caps and battery hold down accessories complete the blue accent color to the engine compartment. It is a nice compliment to the Cosmo blue intake system. The Kakumei kit comes with three oil caps (2 different kinds), and one battery hold down. The standard oil cap is on the oil fill reservoir. The other two are identical round caps with allen screws. One is not used. The other fits nicely over the brake fluid reservoir cap. I had to modify the stock cap to slide the Kakumei over the top and secure it with the allen screws. Worked great.


INTERIOR:
The stock sound system lacked stereo separation and low frequency sound production. I immediately added the Subaru tweeters and under-seat subwoofer. It was all that Subio needed. For road trips, we like to use an ipod. The Subaru ipod kit makes a seamless operation. Way better than any other aftermarket input device. It is great to use the factory stereo for controlling the ipod. The stock stero gets excellent FM and AM signals. Way better than the head units in most aftermarket head units and definitely better than the Land Rovers. For example, I can pull my favorite sports radio station from Phoenix 120 miles north of Tucson. A bit of static comes through, but good enough to catch the Suns game.

Carbon Fiber blends well with the platinum interior and dark gray exterior. I am also a fan of ultra light carbon fiber racing bicycles. Yes, I’m a weight-weenie. Therefore, my love for CF extends into car parts. Subio has an NRG Semi-ball shift knob and a CF hand brake handle. NRG does not make a knob that threads directly onto the AT stick. I purchased the knob that has various sizes of plastic inserts. It comes with three allen bolts. Slide on insert and knob, then torque the allen bolts to hold secure. The NRG ring seals up the allen screws and completes the cool looking accessory. The CF brake handle and CF dash kit has not yet arrived for install. Arrgh!


Subaru cargo nets and rear plastic floor matt add some practical storage and protection for the trunk area. Subio came with a top cover, which I really like.

It took me quite a while to locate racing pedals for this car. I stumbled across these, which required removing the rubber brake pad and drilling into the gas and brake pedals. These pedals deliver a solid feel and performance. These work much better than clip on pedals. Avoid those. This kit also included the foot rest plate, which was very difficult to find. I don’t like the pink rubber that comes with the STI pedals, so this kit was a nice option. All for $85. I opted not to drill the holes for the footrest plate. The stock plastic fasteners fit in the upper and lower holes of the plate without any mods or drilling. Aftermarket $15 three lamp blue LEDs were installed in each footwell. These add great color and effects. They are much brighter than the stock LEDs found in the overhead console or the center console cubby hole.



EXTERIOR:
The Carbon Fiber Mesh Grill has not yet arrived. I am very excited to install this product. The stock grill is lame. The Subaru mesh grill is very cool, but everyone has one. This custom made CF grill is sporty and very different from all the others. A CF license plate holder adds more carbon to the sporty-gray Subio exterior.

I don’t really plan to do any towing, but I do need to haul my bike/bikes around. Therefore, I opted for the less expensive Curt class III hitch over the Subaru Class II hitch. I do admit that the Subaru hitch looks more stylish, because it replaces the metal rear bumper and the hitch hole just pokes out from the plastic bumper cover. The Curt hitch bolts to the frame and can be seen hanging below the bumper cover. It is stronger, but there were trade-offs. The SwingDaddy bike rack totally swings away from the car to allow full access into the rear trunk area. Works great!

Subaru fog light kit was installed. This was another painless operation. It looks much harder than it was. Pop off the front bumper cover, slide in the lamps, hook up the wiring harness that is just waiting to be used, snap in bezel rings, then pop out old light switch and slide in the new one. Done in 3 hours (and I work slow). I could do another one in less than an hour now.


Another one of my favorite installs was adding HID conversion kits to all three lamps: Hi beam, Lo beam, and Fog beams. The light intensity of a true HID lamp is amazing. I bought each kit from xenonwholesale (ebay store) for $45 each delivered. 3 kits totaled $135. The price of HID conversions have really come down the past couple years. I considered buying the Phillips Silverstar HID-like lamps at Autozone for $50 each set. I thought I should explore true HIDs first. I’m glad I did. The install was super easy, It is all plug and play. There is no mods necessary. Just clip all the connectors together, find a spot to stick the super skinny ballast, and you are done. I had the first set installed in about 30 minutes. The other two sets were popped in within 10 minutes. The hardest part was finding a spot for the ballasts. I recommend sticky them to a surface that is parallel to the ground. Mounting perpendicular will cause them to unstuck and bounce around the engine compartment; not a good idea.

Only Lo Beams are on here




Cheers,
Scott
 
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#40 ·
OMG, I freaked out when I saw the video. I had no idea Proximo was strolling around the car. He probably ran away like crazy when the car started. But, hey, did youi see that cat. . . he could use the exercise. :icon_biggrin:
 
#39 ·
Hambo, that video request will take me awhile to complete. I am leaving out of town for business tomorrow.

I can get some interior shots.

Snoshado, thanks for the compliments. I like it. I read the Intake thread and will likely go back to a hybrid design on the intake.

Maximuspro, will do. Your English is good, don't doubt yourself. Getting the point across is more important than being too afraid to try and communicate.
 
#41 ·
The CF dash kit is made of 3K CF weave. The paneling is somewhat soft and flexible. It comes with a super tacky 3M backing and activator solution for use on round edges. The kit was easy to install. The precision of the pieces are excellent. Only one piece was a bit off, but no one would ever notice unless you said somthing.

I purchsed the kit from a guy on ebay. The only complaint I have is that not all the pieces arrived. He is responsive and hopefully the situation resolves quickly.

The interior is cloth Platinum gray.

The new body/interior design was introduced in 2009. It will likely stay this way for about 4-6 years. It should also be noted that the new body/interior design for the Outback was introduced this year, 2010. The Impreza has the same motor and interior trim as the Forester. However, the Impreza change occured in 2008. Good to know for part purchasing.

Interior Photos:





















 
#43 ·
I have not seen any kits that issue that part in carbon. CF is very expensive and that piece would be almost as expensive as the kit itself. My guess is that no one will make that piece.

I purchased the kit on ebay from AMDtrims.
 
#54 ·
A member had asked me about the MagnaFlow mufflers and thought that it would be good discussion for the thread.

I had actually purchaed the wrong mufflers to start, so I hope my error will save someone else from the headaches. I purchased mufflers with a 2.5" diameter Part# 11226

The stock pipe is 1.75" diameter. When changing mufflers, it is recommended to stay within 1/2" change in either direction. It is prefered to increase muffler size, not down-size. Furthermore, the shop pros will decide how best to install, so don't worry too much about that, but I do like the way my local shop approached the issue.

The shop cut the stock pipe after the factory bend and joint. This allows the shop to weld onto straight pipe versus retrofitting a bunch of extra elbows, parts, and labor. I also like this, because if for any reason I have to go back to the stock muffler, I can just buy it from the factory, unbolt the MagnaFlow at the joint and reinstall a stock muffler.

So, the mufflers purchased were MagnaFlow part#11224. These are 4"x9" oval mufflers with body length 14" overall length 20" (3" pipe on each end). This muffler has OFFSET/CENTER configuration, which is necessary. The OFFSET will connect to stock pipe and CENTER will connect to Tip.

Here is a link to the muffler:
MagnaFlow Performance Exhaust

As for the tips, I was cautious and opted for a shorter tip length. It also cost a lot less money. I paid $28.00 each from WideOpenSpeed on ebay. The longer tips cost $50 each and up. In hindsight, there is plenty of room for the 7" long tips. Those tips would look nicer, becuase the muffler would be hidden further under the car and you would just see a meaty looking tip.

I am pleased with the double wall round design so I would not change that aspect, however, there are a lot of choices to meet your needs. Most tips are 2.25" diameter which is the opitmal tip for 2" pipe. It makes for a very nice weld joint. The tips I purcased are part# 35124. The longer version of this tip is the part# 35126.
 
#58 ·
Well, back in town. I hacked the intake up last night. I was scared about doing it. But, all turned out well.

After reading that performance thread on CAIs I went with a hybrid design. I;ll report back on performance later today after dring it aound for a bit.
Cheers
 
#59 ·
Well, I'm sad to report that the hybrid does not perform as well as the Cosmo CAI. I do notice a subtle difference with a loss of acceration speed compared to the CAI. However, the hybrid does run quieter and that deep noise that occurs during a shift has disappeared. I also notice about 1.5 mpg improvement in gas milage with the hybrid intake design.

Subio still sounds sporty, but not as loud. I had to cut the intake tube to make the hybrid work, however I can easily add a bloot connector boot to easily switch back to the Cosmo CAI.

On another note, I installed a CF rear license plate frame and ordered CF door pillar covers.
 
#60 ·
Well, I re-installed the Cosmo CAI system. The sound quality is great and notably faster acceleration compared to the hybrid design. I live in Arizona, so I feel safe with a cone filter in the fender well. We don;t get that much water or snow around here. :)
 
#82 ·
#61 ·
I recently purchased the Audio Control Switch for the steering wheel. This was a much easier install than I imagined. It took about an hour to do and was much easier to install than the subwoofer or Ipod kit.

There is a great installation guide located here:
Added Steering Wheel Controls & Tweeters to base model 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX - MP3Car.com

One of the concerns I had is that this guy reports that even if you keep the original radio you have to get a SW control adapter kit. I bought one on ebay but it has not arived yet. The good news is that th econtrols work perfectly without any type of adapter kit. The adapter is really only needed when installing an aftermarket head unit.


I am quoting FordNoMore for the install instructions:
"In the base model, the wiring for the steering wheel audio controls is all there. The switches are a drop-in replacement, and in the stereo wiring harness you'll find a Brown wire and Yellow wire that carry the signal. Of course, you'll need something to interpret the signal -- in my case, I programmed a PIC microcontroller, but you could also use something off the shelf like the PAC SWI-X Steering Wheel Audio Interface. (Cheaper at other websites.)

For reference, here are the resistances you will measure between the Brown and Yellow wires:

Mute - 22 ohm
Vol up - 90 ohm
Vol dn - 200 ohm
Mode - 360 ohm
Seek up - 690 ohm
Seek dn - 1.15 ohm
Nothing pressed - 4.7k ohm

You do have to remove the steering wheel to replace the switches. The service manual does not call for replacement of the steering wheel nut, but for safety I did so anyway. (My old Ford Explorer did require replacement, which is why it occurred to me.) It's only a buck, so I splurged.

If you don't have a service manual (which, by the way, you can access online through Subaru for not too much money) here's the procedure:

1. Make sure the steering wheel is oriented straight so you can get it back on correctly when you're done.
2. Disconnect the car battery and wait at least 20 seconds.
3. Remove the airbag via the T30 Torx bolts on the sides.
4. Disconnect the airbag from the wire connectors at the rear of the airbag itself. There are little yellow clips you pop up with a tiny screwdriver, and then the connectors will come off easily.
5. Mark the steering wheel orientation, and then use a steering wheel puller to remove it. (I didn't have the right kind, and on a brand new car I was able to get it off by just pulling really really hard... but I nearly damaged the airbag wiring, so I don't recommend it.)
6. Pretty self-explanatory from here... Disconnect the cruise control switch, unscrew the cruise control and trim panel from the rear of the wheel, screw in your new cruise control and audio button panels, and put everything back together.
7. Important: Tighten the steering wheel nut to 39Nm or 28.8 ft-lb of torque. Make sure the steering wheel is fully seated. Mine took some wiggling.
8. Probably less important: airbag screws should be tightened to 10Nm or 7.2ft-lb
9. Sweet!! Steering wheel audio controls!"

These instructions are excellent. I have added a few more photos to compliment the instructions:

This is the OEM part number. Cost is about $100 and totally worth every cent!!!


I did not relize it when buying, but the switches come together. Cruise and Audio. They are wired together as a unit. You simply unplug the cruise control and install the new switches with the same plug end fitting the car.



Original 2.5x Steering Wheel


Upgraded Steering Wheel with Audio Control Switches


STEP 3. Remove the airbag via the T30 Torx bolts on the sides.
STEP 4. Disconnect the airbag from the wire connectors at the rear of the airbag itself. There are little yellow clips you pop up with a tiny screwdriver, and then the connectors will come off easily.



5. Mark the steering wheel orientation, and then use a steering wheel puller to remove it. (I didn't have the right kind, and on a brand new car I was able to get it off by just pulling really really hard... but I nearly damaged the airbag wiring, so I don't recommend it.)
I did this step without the steering wheel puller. I had the same issue. When the wheel gives, it really gives, and I was thrust backwards in the seat. The wires got yanked and one of the little yellow plugs flew off. No biggie, but I do recommend taping that wire to the black device that sits behind the wheel. This should prevent someone else from ripping there wires up.



6. Pretty self-explanatory from here... Disconnect the cruise control switch, unscrew the cruise control and trim panel from the rear of the wheel, screw in your new cruise control and audio button panels, and put everything back together.

Remove the two screws holding the plastic housing


Next, flip wheel over and remove single screw holding dummy plate and cruise controls


Install new controls, screw them down, then flip back over and viola! You are done. Ready to reinstall housing and remount the steering wheel.


7. Important: Tighten the steering wheel nut to 39Nm or 28.8 ft-lb of torque. Make sure the steering wheel is fully seated. Mine took some wiggling.
8. Probably less important: airbag screws should be tightened to 10Nm or 7.2ft-lb
9. Sweet!! Steering wheel audio controls!"

That is all. If you are using a stock radio, then you do not need to add any type of adapter for these controls to operate.
 
#291 ·
I recently purchased the Audio Control Switch for the steering wheel. This was a much easier install than I imagined. It took about an hour to do and was much easier to install than the subwoofer or Ipod kit.

There is a great installation guide located here:
Added Steering Wheel Controls & Tweeters to base model 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX - MP3Car.com

One of the concerns I had is that this guy reports that even if you keep the original radio you have to get a SW control adapter kit. I bought one on ebay but it has not arived yet. The good news is that th econtrols work perfectly without any type of adapter kit. The adapter is really only needed when installing an aftermarket head unit.


I am quoting FordNoMore for the install instructions:
"In the base model, the wiring for the steering wheel audio controls is all there. The switches are a drop-in replacement, and in the stereo wiring harness you'll find a Brown wire and Yellow wire that carry the signal. Of course, you'll need something to interpret the signal -- in my case, I programmed a PIC microcontroller, but you could also use something off the shelf like the PAC SWI-X Steering Wheel Audio Interface. (Cheaper at other websites.)

For reference, here are the resistances you will measure between the Brown and Yellow wires:

Mute - 22 ohm
Vol up - 90 ohm
Vol dn - 200 ohm
Mode - 360 ohm
Seek up - 690 ohm
Seek dn - 1.15 ohm
Nothing pressed - 4.7k ohm

You do have to remove the steering wheel to replace the switches. The service manual does not call for replacement of the steering wheel nut, but for safety I did so anyway. (My old Ford Explorer did require replacement, which is why it occurred to me.) It's only a buck, so I splurged.

If you don't have a service manual (which, by the way, you can access online through Subaru for not too much money) here's the procedure:

1. Make sure the steering wheel is oriented straight so you can get it back on correctly when you're done.
2. Disconnect the car battery and wait at least 20 seconds.
3. Remove the airbag via the T30 Torx bolts on the sides.
4. Disconnect the airbag from the wire connectors at the rear of the airbag itself. There are little yellow clips you pop up with a tiny screwdriver, and then the connectors will come off easily.
5. Mark the steering wheel orientation, and then use a steering wheel puller to remove it. (I didn't have the right kind, and on a brand new car I was able to get it off by just pulling really really hard... but I nearly damaged the airbag wiring, so I don't recommend it.)
6. Pretty self-explanatory from here... Disconnect the cruise control switch, unscrew the cruise control and trim panel from the rear of the wheel, screw in your new cruise control and audio button panels, and put everything back together.
7. Important: Tighten the steering wheel nut to 39Nm or 28.8 ft-lb of torque. Make sure the steering wheel is fully seated. Mine took some wiggling.
8. Probably less important: airbag screws should be tightened to 10Nm or 7.2ft-lb
9. Sweet!! Steering wheel audio controls!"

These instructions are excellent. I have added a few more photos to compliment the instructions:

This is the OEM part number. Cost is about $100 and totally worth every cent!!!


I did not relize it when buying, but the switches come together. Cruise and Audio. They are wired together as a unit. You simply unplug the cruise control and install the new switches with the same plug end fitting the car.



Original 2.5x Steering Wheel


Upgraded Steering Wheel with Audio Control Switches


STEP 3. Remove the airbag via the T30 Torx bolts on the sides.
STEP 4. Disconnect the airbag from the wire connectors at the rear of the airbag itself. There are little yellow clips you pop up with a tiny screwdriver, and then the connectors will come off easily.



5. Mark the steering wheel orientation, and then use a steering wheel puller to remove it. (I didn't have the right kind, and on a brand new car I was able to get it off by just pulling really really hard... but I nearly damaged the airbag wiring, so I don't recommend it.)
I did this step without the steering wheel puller. I had the same issue. When the wheel gives, it really gives, and I was thrust backwards in the seat. The wires got yanked and one of the little yellow plugs flew off. No biggie, but I do recommend taping that wire to the black device that sits behind the wheel. This should prevent someone else from ripping there wires up.



6. Pretty self-explanatory from here... Disconnect the cruise control switch, unscrew the cruise control and trim panel from the rear of the wheel, screw in your new cruise control and audio button panels, and put everything back together.

Remove the two screws holding the plastic housing


Next, flip wheel over and remove single screw holding dummy plate and cruise controls


Install new controls, screw them down, then flip back over and viola! You are done. Ready to reinstall housing and remount the steering wheel.


7. Important: Tighten the steering wheel nut to 39Nm or 28.8 ft-lb of torque. Make sure the steering wheel is fully seated. Mine took some wiggling.
8. Probably less important: airbag screws should be tightened to 10Nm or 7.2ft-lb
9. Sweet!! Steering wheel audio controls!"

That is all. If you are using a stock radio, then you do not need to add any type of adapter for these controls to operate.
How was the control for audio? Does it works? Cause I'm planning to install mine as well. Cheers!
 
#62 ·
I have a few more pictures of the Carbon Fiber Dash kit to show. However, I am still having problems with this kit. Several items have a poor fit and 3 items were missing. So, I have to get a third shipment from the seller. The good thing is that he is cooperative, but this is a PITA.

CF Dash Console with a few pieces missing:


This is the dash look after installing radio CF piece. It was a perfect fit and really completes the radio console area.


Illumination CF cover:


Right door switch panel insert:



This is one pimped ride. . . loving it! :Banane17:
 
#63 ·
Oh, one more mod to mention. I installed a Funkwerk Ego Flash Bluetooth Hands-free integration system. In the picture above, you can see the Flash installed next to the clock controls. I bought this $300 unit from a guy on ebay for $75, new. He still has a few remianing, last I checked.

The thing I do not like, is that I had to splice the radio wire harness. I spliced into the subwoofer add-on wires, so no biggie. But, I later learned that you can buy a wire harness adapter kit from HFVT, part number HF-NIS-TH2-AMK/ISO. Cost is $50. I have this on the order.

The other thing I do not like about this install, is that the kit only splices into the right front speaker. So, that means during a call, the right front speaker will mute radio sound and phone sounds come through that speaker. There is no way to have the call on all four speakers without the HFVT kit. Another concen is that the other three speakers continue to play radio. You have to turn the radio down or off to hear the sound. Sound volume is pretty quiet too. No way to adjust it. The kit comes with a mute wire, but the Forester does not have a dedicated mute signal.

So, I am hoping that the HFVT kit will enable me to remove the splices and
mute all four speakers with calls (this is automatic because all four speakers will be prioritized to the call). Sound volume should be adequate too. I do worry about the subwoofer sounds. I may have to decrease volume anyways, but maybe not. I will report back with some install photos later.

Oh, one other really cool thing that I did. I saw another guy had installed the microphone above the rear view mirror. Well, I stuck the Ego Flash Microphone in the stock dash location. Most of you probably never even noticed it. But if you look very closely at the radio console control photos above you will notice several small slits in the dash centered with climate controls off to left side of them.

The Flash microphone comes with two mounts, a fixed mount and a clip mount. I used the clip mount and clipped it to the internal panel with the microphone perfectly centered and secured behind those slits.

No wires, no mess:woohoo:

Totally need some photos on this mod. I never took them on the first install. So, when I add the HFVT harness, I will take some pictures.

Cheers,
Scott
 
#64 ·
Feeling the need for some spoilers. Might pick those up next week.

I've been debating installing a roof rack, but the car does look slick without it. Any comments or suggestions on the topic?

I wonder how Subio will look with a rear spoiler and no roof rack?

Cheers
 
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