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Old 01-31-2013, 10:51 PM   #1
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AVO Base kit Review/Thoughts...

To preface this, This is an HONEST review, that I'm doing for the community not for a vendor. I'm not a vendor myself, I'm just a guy who has had a lot of experience with driving and modifying cars...

So this past weekend I had a chance to drive the @AVOturboworld development car. I had been thinking about the AVO kit for a while. It is, by design, the most OEM style kit on the market (as far as turbo location, fit, etc) - call that opinion if you want, but when you look into it vs other kits I'd say you'd be hard pressed to disagree. In the next couple paragraphs (forgive me but I tend to be long winded), I'll describe the situation my opinion on the kit...

"So how did you end up being able to drive this thing?"
Well I have talked with Paul thru IM when the first bits of info on the kit came out, met him at the NW mega-meet and kept him about an hour past the end of the meet talking about the kit (and cars in general). After talking with him (calling it quizzing if you like), I decided AVO is at VERY LEAST, a very competent company (After dealing with them for a bit now, I'd say they're a lot more than just very competent, but this thread isn't about that). I decided to follow the thread and see how it goes. I kept in touch with Paul and also met and spoke with Bob from Drift-Office regarding tunes and such. After a few more meetings and long conversations in person I decided it was the kit for me if I was, in fact, going to go with forced induction. However I also really wished (and expressed this to Bob and Paul) I could drive a car with the kit. The reason for this was not because I had a need for power/to thrash a car, but more because I was truly unsure if I wanted to keep my FR-S long term, or just try and do 200whp all motor and trade/sell it in winter 2013 for a new project. More to the point, I was wondering if it was worth the money.
I decided at very least I wanted to get my car tuned at Drift Office. So I made an appointment... Paul happened to be there with the AVO car and was nice enough to loan me the keys for a few minutes.

So how was the power delivery and overall power?
I'll preface this by saying I drove the car while it was on 5psi, which is the boost level of the base kit, the only other performance related mod I'm aware of on the car was the AVO catback exhaust.
The power delivery is smooth and linear and the torque dip is completely gone (as you'd expect it), and the torque is comes in smoothly but powerfully (relatively speaking) early enough that the car was usable in the 2500-4000 rpms band. This torque made navigating thru traffic a lot nicer than my personal car. Over all power didn't knock my socks off, but I was pleased with it. Why didn't it knock my socks off? Simple, I am used to 400+whp cars... I felt this car is a good starting point for a guy like me... Please read on tho for more on that below.

Was it loud/annoying/etc - Can you DD this car with the kit?
Without a doubt you can DD with this kit. Easy peasy. It was quieter at WOT than my car as the turbo silences the exhaust very well (my car has an injen intake and stock exhaust) and my car has intake growl -which this car does not, and at part throttle its barely louder than my car as you don't hear the intake in my car as much, but on the AVO car you hear the exhaust a bit. Ironically, I was annoyed it wasn't loud enough - at WOT the turbo was barely audible (this can be attributed to the low boost level) and there was no familiar blow off valve sound typical of an aftermarket turbo charged car.

So what are your personal thoughts? Would you buy the kit?
Personal thoughts...
-The kit is VERY OEM -like. Remember how I said this kit is almost too quiet and it would be "a good starting point for a guy like me" ? - Well that's because it feels like this car was built buy Scion/Subaru as a factory turbocharged car. It's quiet, has good manners, and short of a little burble from the cat-back, it feels completely like a stock car. I'm not the type of guy to leave a car stock. So I feel the "Stage 2" mods or (very likely) beyond that will be for me, as I'm in the mindset that 300whp is "a good start" for a street car.
-The day I drove the car, we did a dyno on the car my girlfriend recently purchased, a Focus ST - which dyno'd 251whp/293wtq - The AVO car, while making a little less power, felt very much like the powerband of her car (with less torque obviously, but an ST runs 13ish PSI stock, not 5). And not only the powerband, but the factory like-ness of it. In fact, her ST has more noise under WOT than the AVO car did (again, intake growl).
-Would I buy the kit? Yep, I'm glad I reserved a spot for the March kits, I will be on my back in my garage putting the kit in then driving it to Drift Office for a tune.


If you guys feel I missed anything or have specific questions, feel free to ask. Again, I don't work for AVO, Drift Office, or anyone (I actually work from Microsoft) on this forum. If this is in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it.
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Last edited by seven; 02-01-2013 at 02:35 PM. Reason: forgot to tag AVO
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Old 01-31-2013, 11:45 PM   #2
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Nice review but is 293 ft lbs at the wheels correct for the ST? That is a lot of torque to go through the front wheels.
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Old 01-31-2013, 11:58 PM   #3
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Thanks for the honest review. This solidifies my plan to go with something built for more power. Even 300whp is not enough for me..

Btw- What group do you work for at MS? I used to live in Redmond across from campus.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:01 AM   #4
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Nice review but is 293 ft lbs at the wheels correct for the ST? That is a lot of torque to go through the front wheels.
Close unless they had some mods. Its 270 according to MT

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...t_first_drive/
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:02 AM   #5
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Nice honest review. From what Bob says, it's much better than even when I drove it in November due to better tuning.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:03 AM   #6
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Thanks for the honest review. This solidifies my plan to go with something built for more power. Even 300whp is not enough for me..

Btw- What group do you work for at MS? I used to live in Redmond across from campus.
Me too! Lived on 148th while MS moved in.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:05 AM   #7
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Thanks for the honest review. This solidifies my plan to go with something built for more power. Even 300whp is not enough for me..

Btw- What group do you work for at MS? I used to live in Redmond across from campus.
This kit can handle pretty much any amount of hp you want. Could make 500hp with it if you want. Just need bigger turbo, intercooler and fuel.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:11 AM   #8
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This kit can handle pretty much any amount of hp you want. Could make 500hp with it if you want. Just need bigger turbo, intercooler and fuel.
Will make more sense for me to just start with a bigger kit. Unless AVO wants to accomodate those looking for more power (different kit than offered). When motor breaks, rebuild stronger shortblock.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:20 AM   #9
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Financially yes but then youll have more lag if youre running less psi on the bigger turbo. I would suggest upgrading down the road unless you can use e85 or youre gonna build your engine to run more than the 8psi ish threshold of the stock block on pump gas.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:26 AM   #10
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Financially yes but then youll have more lag if youre running less psi on the bigger turbo. I would suggest upgrading down the road unless you can use e85 or youre gonna build your engine to run more than the 8psi ish threshold of the stock block on pump gas.
I'll be at flex fuel capability soon. Have easy access to E85. I'll definitely want a starting point beyond 8psi. If motors blows one day, it blows. Built shortblocks will be available (rods, pistons, maybe sleeves?).
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:30 AM   #11
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Built bottom ends(atleast rods and pistons) are already out there, crawford has built shortblocks and FBM is coming out with some soon. Darton just came out with sleeves.

Id talk to Paul and ask him what you should do in terms of what power youd want to achieve.

Best of luck.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:47 AM   #12
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Nice review but is 293 ft lbs at the wheels correct for the ST? That is a lot of torque to go through the front wheels.
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Close unless they had some mods. Its 270 according to MT
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...t_first_drive/
It was correct, I'll gladly PM the dyno if you REALLY need it - Not going to post it here because it'd take the thread off topic. Keep in mind that was the best run and it was 40 degrees out, not in the CA heat like most magazines do. Yes it was done stock with about 300 miles on it and a proper break in (I have my methods for that). Back to the thread.

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Thanks for the honest review. This solidifies my plan to go with something built for more power. Even 300whp is not enough for me..
Btw- What group do you work for at MS? I used to live in Redmond across from campus.
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This kit can handle pretty much any amount of hp you want. Could make 500hp with it if you want. Just need bigger turbo, intercooler and fuel.
To be fair, upgrading the turbo, injectors, and pump will make any kit make more power as those are the core items anyway.
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Old 02-01-2013, 12:58 AM   #13
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Yeah, there are other kits that will make more hp off the shelf than this kit but thats not to say this kit cant potentially make more. Just saying that if needing more power is an issue its not a reason not to get this kit.
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Old 02-01-2013, 01:02 AM   #14
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I enjoy the stock-like installation and smooth power delivery that this kit provides, which is why I am buying it.

If I want something a bit more harsh on power delivery I'll just drive my MR2. Short gearing makes for one hell of a ride.
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