Hey all,

So, finally, after almost two years waiting for the stars to line up in my favor, I should hopefully be getting my Boss ('13, GB) in the next month or so.

I've been in an LS on the track and I plan on tracking my Boss. I've driven only Subarus for the past 13 years and currently track and rally an STI with a bulletproof transmission. I keep hearing about how "bad, annoying, frustrating, etc..." the shifting can be. Just how bad is it?

It's not going to stop me from getting my obsession, but especially because I've been so lucky with my Subie - (which I'm keeping as my DD and rally car) - I'm a bit concerned over any shock I may have getting into the Boss.

Thanks and wish me well!

 

I'm Worken on upgrades to mine now .... I haven't had any issues .... But I know better than to just jam it into gear ..... Miss shifts big cause and plastic shift forks....

On list is brass shift forks ...... I figured all my racing warranty is shot anyways and I'm on northeast alll the racing is shutting Down for winter time for upgrades

 

many have changed their shifters
others and myself changed the shifter bushing for about $12...

I did not have issues with shifting but I wanted to remove the soft rubber OEM shifter bushing as I do track my Boss and I thought the heat would cause the OEM bushing to get REALLY soft...

 

Welcome, you are going to love the Boss!
The Boss tranny is actually very robust. In stock form, the shifting is an annoyance for sure. This is only because the rest of the car is SO outstanding.
Kendall at Cooltech has worked with numerous Boss cars that are tracked frequently, ours being one of them. I can tell you with an MGW shifter and a fluid change, the shifting is up to the other outstanding standards of this great car. I have not even so much as thought about it since we did these changes.
BTW, Subbies are nice cars, but be prepared -If you take your Boss on a road course, your subbie is not going to feel all that special anymore.

 

Thanks everyone, I figured it wasn't too much of an issue, but wanted to ask - particularly those who are taking theirs on the track.

Apollo, yes my friend, that is the hope. I've had instructor after instructor tell me that I'm pulling as much performance out of my car as possible, on technical twisty tracks, I can easily compete with the big dogs, but the whole point was to up the ante on the track and find something that will deliver me more overall performance (and fun) than my current track partner.

Though, I'll keep the STI as the rally king, and won't take the Boss on those dirt tracks,

 

If people are really worried about the MT-82, there's a company that's doing upgrades for the MT-82 internal parts.

http://revautoracing.com/index.html

I know a couple guys over on SVTP have sent him their transmissions and had them upgraded and love them. I can't remember all the options he offers but I know there's alot. Last I checked, I believe he charges around $1,800 for the rebuild.

 

Get race tires, v710's......

 

First track you should go to is Shenandoah, since it is a technical smaller car course, always fun to scar Miata's and the like on that course. Also look at removing your "shift assist" spring on the pedal box.

 

Autocrossing I start off in 1st, go to 2nd and run the whole course that way. No shift probs.
At Waterford Hills, MI, on a track day going from 2nd to 3rd at the rev limit ( speed around 100 mph), it would not shift until revs dropped. On subsequent runs I shifted a couple hunderd revs below the limiter and had no probs.

 

Shenny is my favorite course because I like surprising Elises and Miatas on it, heh heh, glad to hear it does well on such a technical track.

Can't wait, hoping for it to all happen very soon.

 

Oh ya, good point!

 

I would try out the stock Pirelli's before buying race tires.
I have found them to be very good and stick much better than expected.

 

+1 that and it will give you a basis for what to get next, not really fond of some of the advice you see out there where people tell new owners to completely change the car around before getting some track time under their belts. That being said, I would suggest brake ducts, not new pads since the stock ones will gave you a starting point, but you also will want to be able to drive it home.

 

Oh ya, no I would start off keeping it as is, but it's nice to know what others have experienced and suggest.

 

I would suggest either HPS or HP+ for upgrades to pads

 

These are amazing.........

 

I was somewhat underwhelmed by the HPS pads that I got (front and rear). There was a harder more consistent bite than the factory pads, but they squealed more and seemed to fade at the same point. Granted the fade was probably the fluid rather than the pads.

Since your going to track your car I would consider a good DOT 4 fluid, as well as the brake ducts mandatory. I would also suggest getting brake lines as well as titanium brake shims. With the stock brakes I was able to make them fade in about a minute of hard driving, with those five mods I can drive aggressively for about ten minutes now without the pedal getting uncomfortably squishy.

And the transmission, just change the fluid and get a MGW shifter.