i think you can run a 34 on the stock ic, and then when you get the cash, get the intercooler and tune for it! thats what i would do

 

is yours a 2004?????
get the 34 or a 22 (my preference, the 22), a walbro 255 fuel pump, and boost up to 1.4.
your stock i/c is fine, also your inyectors. The 2004 fuel rails are better than the 02 ones.

 

so you're saying it's safe to run 20+ psi with a VF34 or VF22 on an '04 WRX with nothing other than a fuel pump and some tuning because the fuel rails are a better design? why don't you try that for about 6 months and let us all know how you're engine is doing, assuming it lasts that long.

Fuel rails really don't make it safer to run the stock injectors at higher boost, all they do is balance the flow on the left and right banks. They aren't even needed with a VF34 or even a VF22.

 

Just go to turboxs.com and do there stage set up, utec first, turbo back exhaust second, uppipe and intercooler 3rd and turbo last, its what i did and it was a great way to go. even without the turbo i was running 13.2's with a self tuned utec. You dont need to use all turbo xs parts, but i suggest to use the utec then go with what ever u want for the other products, its what i did and it was great. I use to be like you wanting to get a turbo as fast as i could but its not worth it, you can run a 12.9 on a stock turbo, its been done, so dont get too gitty and buy a turbo, thurbo xs knows what they are talking about and if that was the path to take thier stage one kit would be a turbo insted of a utec.

my two cents.

 

stock intercooler should be fine, no need for the FMIC until you go with a bigger turbo