new wrx.

[skar00t]

Hey i just got an 05 wrx and wanted to do some stuff to it, any ideas that i can start off with?

[Kevin M]

Welcome aboard the site man. The only advice to give is to decide what you want the car to do better or differently specifically. Then we can collectively give you excellent advice on how to accomplish those goals.

[zpeed]

Show or Go and the budget. Remember you can only pick 2 out of 3
1. Fast
2. Last Long
3. Cheap

[JonnydaJibba]

Go to larger forums like: NASIOC.com or I-club.com or ClubWRX.net and read read read! I'm not saying leave and never come back, but those forums have waaaay more members and a lot more info to help get you started.

[A1337STI]

You may be interested in competing in Auto Cross, Time Trial, Rally Cross.
Maybe you know you will never compete and you just want the max HP obtainable for $2,000. Maybe all you care about is improving how fast your car can corner. Or perhaps you're all about the Bling and you intend to compete in stereo competitions.

for example if you want to Autocross only on a $1200 budget you could fully prepare the car to stock class by buying a front swaybar, getting an alignment , wider rims and new tires. (probably Azena 615s to run with the tire modifer) or up to racing slicks if the budget is there.

If you want to Rally cross on a 3,000 budget , you will want to take off your front and back sway bars, go with 15's (if they fit on a wrx) rally tires, Get an Access Port, a Tuning, and very very different shocks then you would put on an autocross car.

[sperry]

Here's the way I'd build a mildly modded WRX that's strong in all aspects w/o totally breaking the bank:

1) Wheels/Tires: 17"x8"+48 wheels, Rotas are cheap ($750) and nice looking (some are even light!). Falken Azenis RT615's are the autocross tire of choice... but are summer only. Some Falken Ziex 512's are great all-season tires. 225/45/17's will run from about $90/ea to $130/ea depending on the brand. Tires are by far the most important mod you can do to the car.

2) Brakes: Upgrading the brake pads and fluid is in the $200-$300 range and will beef up the brakes to handle aggressive driving, more power, and just about anything you can throw at them in an autocross.

3) Suspension: A rear swaybar helps to dial out the factory understeer (around $200). Springs will lower the car, but unless you're doing struts to match the new rates, I'd just bite the $1500 bullet and get some Tein Flex coilovers.

4) Power: You really can't go wrong w/ an AccessPort and exhaust. That should get you into the 200-230 awhp range at around $1500-$2000.

[skar00t]

yeah thanks for the replys!, i dont have massive amounts of money to spend, but would like the car to be fast, and last long. When i bought it the guy gave me a boost gauge and it has cat back exhaust already. the car is more for just daily driving, and would it be bad to install a boost controller on that stock of a car?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by skar00t

yeah thanks for the replys!, i dont have massive amounts of money to spend, but would like the car to be fast, and last long. When i bought it the guy gave me a boost gauge and it has cat back exhaust already. the car is more for just daily driving, and would it be bad to install a boost controller on that stock of a car?

IMO a boost controller is bad on *any* WRX... stock or not. You get better results w/ an AccessPort controlling the factory EBC. Though the EQTuning folks will disagree w/ me on that, but even they're running a MBC *in addition* to an AccessPort.

In short, a Manual Boost Controller, or standalone Electronic Boost Controller will make the car marginally faster while risking the motor. A reflash (AccessPort or ECUTek) will not only work better and generate smoother power, it will also be nearly factory safe as all the safe guards are left intact.

Also note that an intake and blow off valve are not on my list anywhere... an intake is only useful once you get into heavy mods, and a BOV is almost never useful (I've got a 300+awhp motor swap, FMIC, 20g turbo, and I'm still using the stock BOV).

[skar00t]

okay sounds good thanks for the information.

[zpeed]

If you have MBC may sure to watch you EGT. You don't want to get it too lean (= hot) and start melting.

[cody]

Originally Posted by zpeed

If you have MBC may sure to watch you EGT. You don't want to get it too lean (= hot) and start melting.

Exactly.

Scott's suggestions are all sound. I do run an MBC but it's a specific brand that my tuner also runs and I have an EGT gauge. Running any MBC on the stock map would be a great way to destroy your motor.

more

There is no cheap, dependable power for a WRX. I'd do a Turbo Back Exhaust with a high flow cat, an Uppipe and then get Protuned. You're looking at at least $2k, but your car will go from the stock "227 HP" to around 300. These are "at the crank" HP numbers. But do yourself a favor and get some good tires and brake pads on there.

www.wrxfanatics.com is a forum I frequent. People are n00b friendly and there's even a buttload of Top Gear videos available to download.

And next season, you should definately think about AutoX. This was my first season and it was a blast and totally afordable.

Also, check edgeracing.com for some killer deals on tires and wheels.

[A1337STI]

Auto Cross Totally rocks !!!! Its a lot of fun , affordable (25 a race last year) , you learn to be a better driver. I think it probably makes you a safer driver too.