What Direction to Take?
 

Well, for the holidays I will hopefully be picking up some cash for car parts (or just persuade my parents to purchese an item...lol...yea I know but I'm going to take advantage of it while I can). The most I will get away with is probably about $300-$400 and just save it until I know what I want to do. Anyway, I'm not sure what direction to take my car, overall I will be using the car for the occasional Auto X and a daily driver. So I am trying to find the compromise between streetability and mild AutoX prep, and the most bang for my buck.

As far as power goes, I'm sure that Stage 2 would be plenty for now, probably down the road a protune. I have a catback exhaust so I would want to pick up a AP V2 and a DP of some sort, most likely a Cobb, Invidia, or Helix.

With handling I have 3 of Emily's Kumho Ecsta MX tires in my garage with a ton of tread still on them. I need to pick up another tire and may or may not need to have it shaved down a bit. My RE92's are pretty toasted and will probably be junked when I get my snows on.

My original plan was to get a new set of wheels, I was thinking Gram Light 57s 17x7.5, but I keep thinking it is a lot of money for basically visual upgrade, maybe a little bit of weight reduction.

I could also use a big front swaybar. Dean had mentioned the Strano bar. I was thinking possibly the Hotchkis 25mm F/R package.

Finally, coilovers would be a nice upgrade sometime. From other members input I think the Tein Flex coils.

Just looking for some ideas guys. I was trying to be good and stick with suspension upgrades and get my car well setup first and then go with power but its sooooo tempting! Any input would be appreciated.

If your tires are toast then upgrade them. Then I'd recommend sway bars (if you autox and you're in stock class, just the front bar like Dean recommended).

What class are you trying to stay in for autoX?

I dont care much about class. Whenever I go out its just to have fun and push my car.

So after reading many peoples testimonies on NASIOC im scared. Aparently a lot of 06 owners have destroyed 3rd gear with Stage 2. I dont know if they were terrible drivers or if it really is to much torque for the revamped final drive stressin on 3rd gear. I know there are only like 4 or 5 guys on here with 06/07s but is anybody Cobb Stage 2? Any problems?

Well, as I'm sure you could have guessed, my opinion is Handling>Power.

I can understand that the "mo' powa" bug is VERY hard to get past, but if you'd like to make a fun DD that you can auto-x and do well in, and you REALLY want my opinion ( :D ) make it handle first. It's not like your car is underpowered as it is.

+1.

Gee, I never would have guessed! I thought about it a lot today and will probably work on handling, there are too many issues with power. I need a DP, AP, a least a boost gauge maybe egt, and to get the most out of it a protune. Then I have to worry about my Transmission. So all in all handling is a better idea.

Would Emily's Kumho tires (225/45/R17) be to big for my wheels which have OEM tires (215/45/R17)?

I may be able to pick up Forgotten's Strano front swaybar. But I dont think I want to get coilovers yet. I want to see how the car handles with better tires and a big front swaybar.

Good choice IMHO.

Yes, the 225s will be fine on your stock wheels.

Autocrossing & PDX type driving for a while on that setup will give you a much better idea of what you want to do long term.

Hmm. I have a MY06 WRX with the stock 5 speed and haven't had any troubles. Car has been at Stage II for about 12,000 miles and VF39 for 9,000 miles. I don't autocross though but I don't drive like grandma either. *shrug*

Oh yeah, I agree with upgrading handling first... twisties with the torque monster is kinda scary, hehe.

I recommend selling your car and buying an STi. You can probably find an 04 STi for around what you could sell your car for. If you are serious about modifying your car it will be cheaper and more reliable in the long run.

and it will look a whole lot cooler! ;)

The problem with that is selling my 06 that I got brand new with 12 miles on the clock for an 04 STi that somebody may have beat the hell out of and is going to have high mileage. Plus, Im not doing really heavy modifications. The farthest I will go with my WRX is a VF39/VF34 upgrade. At that point the only thing I have to worry about is the trans, and even with all supporting upgrades and PPG 1-4 I will be around $32,000 which is still cheaper than an 06/07 STi. Also, its my dd so I wont be taking it to the track where the big brembos from an STi would be useful. I have thought about it a lot, and even thought of buying Emily's STi when she was selling it, but I just can't justify it.

Oh, thanks for the info Ruhk!

I doubt you would ever need to even mention PPG when your only thinking vf34.

I think the transmission issue is overrated. I can understand being worried though. I would be willing to bet my left nut that 95% of the guys that blow it up abuse the hell out of their car.

The only thing I worry about is the new final drive and the gobs of torque the 2.5L puts out. I wouldnt worry about anything but 3rd, because of all the stories of people tearing it apart. Oh well thats a long ways off, handling first!

Good thinkin! ;)

So, I was looking through some NASIOC threads, and heard about the big Strano bar snapping control arms.... Any thoughts? I was looking around at the Perrin 25mm kit or maybe even the Whiteline 27mm.

I was under the impression that at least some of them were due to improper installation. I believe there is a 29mm bar out there if you want to go down a size.

stranos snap control arm tabs if OVERTIGHTENED. strano is a better way to go imo because you never have to do endlinks. if you want night and day handling difference go with huge front and rear sway bars. youll stay in your price range and never regret it (as long as you arent worried about autox class). i did my own strano bar and was worried about the control arm issue. i called addco and spoke with them direct about how tight to make everything and the exact way to tighten the pseudo endlinks. im not worried about snappin them now.

Alright, that helps. Well if i get a Strano i will be meeting up with you some time Phil! I will keep it in mind. So am I going to want front and rear sways or just the Strano up front and call it good?

Just the front keeps you in stock if you don't do anything else really and will be a great improvement.

Good, front and rear was looking expensive. I still have the Strano in mind but what do you guys think about this

http://www.perrinperformance.com/pro...ory=8&model=18

with Kartboy or Whiteline or even the Perrin spherical endlinks?

Not big enough IMHO for a car without spring/shock upgrades.

Kartboy rocks. Pick up a shortshifter and bushings too and ask for a free shirt. :)

I had perrin endlinks, they all seized up after less than a year. Unless you want to grease them up every month I would stay clear.

Get the StanoBar. It truely was night and day difference when it was installed on my car.

A shortshifter is one of the worst ways to get yourself bumped outta stock classes. It has no real performance benefit when you only shift once per run.

Well I think I am going to have to give the Strano a shot.

Good choice

Oh yah, forgot about that. Sucks to be stock. :P

Edit: and I thought not having badges was the worst way. :P

Yeah, de-badging is probably "the worst"... a short shifter is just up there, 'cause aside from auto-x class issues, they're nice.

Is the "strano bar" a brand of sway bar or something of that sort?

yea. its a 32mm? front sway bar.

No, It's an Up-Scale strip club on 4th street. Check it out....











:)
It is a 32mm front sway bar originally designed for Stock class use in autocross that mitigates much of the geometry problem with the front end of Imprezas with stock struts/springs.

without a rear bar i think the front would feel strange. i understand the need to stay in your class i just cant imagine building a car using that mentality.

The Strano was specifically designed for the stock suspension and stock rear bar IIRC. The goal is to prevent the bad camber gain and improve front end traction in autocross scenarios, while staying stock legal.

Personally, I think the Strano is over-kill if you're *not* running autocross on otherwise stock suspension. You can get better results w/ a lesser bar front and rear and coilovers.

+1
That's why I am swapping mine for a whiteline front bar.

So sell your Strano to WRX06TR!

If you can only afford to do 1 mod. Don't do a mod, spend it on seat time.
If you can afford 1 mod more, autocross and don't want to end up in SM, the Strano bar is the way to go.

When you are ready to move up from stock, it is time for wheels, tires, coilovers and correctly matched set of bars and an AP.

PMs were exchanged.