Hi Everyone,

I finally broke down and bought a WRX for myself after drooling at others. I bought it Pre-Certified (2004 WRX Wagon, and I am looking for a few answers:

1. Place to take the WRX while under warranty? (I heard that Santa Cruz is great, any recommendation for the mechanic?)
2. Where can I take my stock WRX to get slightly modded. I am looking to replace the wheels, and maybe do a few other mods (I don't know what's available out there yet). I don't want to get ripped off and I want them to be knowledgable.
3. How do I get in with the community and meet other owners like me?
4. I heard you can add a moon/sun roof to the wagon 3rd party. Who does it well for a decent price?

Thanks alot for your replies.
WRXDad!

 

wow.. lot of questions. I feel overwhelmed. I'll take a nap now

 

might wanna say what city you are in...

 

Hehe

Congrats on your new WRX Wagon I'm a new WRX (sedan) owner myself so I can't really answer your questions other than #3- just hang out here!

~Anna

 

I live in the South Bay (San Jose)

 

I live in the South Bay (San Jose)

Thanks for your help!
WRXDad

 

all your answers can be answered in the forums area.

1. i cant say a person exactly but thats the place that will definitely help you out.
2.mpj gb performance, subydude and gruppe-s are vendors around your area.
3.check out the meetings,events, and donuts forum under the bay area forum.
4.not sure? i kinda like that clean unibody style thing.

 

1) Santa Cruz is a good place, I have only taken my car there for warranty stuff(so far only the cruise control clip).

2) The wheels, if you want new go to subydude.com, get your self some Rota's and all season tires. If you don't want to wrench on your car at all, go to LICMotorsports(.com), MPJ Performance, DPT(do an i-club search ;] ), or check www.scoobymods.com for other mods.

3) Start coming to meets, and if you have real life social skills then you can talk with people at the meets. People here still don't really know who I am and have been around for just under a year.

4) No idea, I think the dealership can do it though... for a price. :x

Get your self used to the way the car handles, I also have an 04 wagon and the first thing I replaced was the rear sway bar with a bigger one (stock its 17mm, put in a 20mm), then got some 17"x7.5 rims wrapped with Pirelli PZero Nero M+S tires, then a free flowing uppipe, rear strut tower bar, steering rack bushings, rear diff bushings, and I think

 

where are you located?

 

sorry,.. I said this like 30 minutes ago.. but I didn't see it was before 30 seconds.. my bad. There's tons of places you can take it if you're in San Jose.

 

Congrats! I can't answer all your questions, but I'll do my best.

1) Santa Cruz/Carlsen seem to pop up a lot when people ask for good dealerships. I've dealt with Carlsen before and they were great. Kevin, the famous mechanic of Carlsen, apparently started his own shop. I don't know the shop's name. STAY AWAY from Diablo. I went there once, never to return ever again.

2) It so happens that that the Bay Area has lots of great tuner shops/people around. MPJ Performance, Gruppe-S, Vishnu, LIC Motorsports, etc. etc. are all great. You'll want to check them out. I went to Auto Innovations in Milpitas this weekend to get some new tires on, I highly recommend them.

3) Subaru meets! All the current meets are posted here: https://www.i-club.com/forums/meetings-events-donuts-91/

4) There's some members who've had it done. I remember a "Special--K" (Special---K?) getting it done, and he's satisfied. Do a search.

Enjoy your car. (GET YOUR SIDESKIRTS PAINTED!)

 

steven@coach

PM him for sunroof stuff.

 

Thanks very much for the reply, I came to the Santa Cruz dealer conclusion after reading the forums more in depth. I think I will check out LIC as I have no ability to do anywork on my car in the Apartment system I am at.

Errm.. I am not sure about the last statement you made though as I am used to driving my old beater (Nissan Pickup '97) or my wife's (2004 Audi). Why did you replace the sway bar? And where did you get it done? Where did you get your wheels? Why 17" and not 18"? What do you think of the MB Motorspots wheels? Have you hear anything about them?

Thanks for your replies,
WRXDad

 

santa cruz is great, carlsen in redwood city is good as well. just don't go to steven's creek under any circumstance.

for wheels definately subydude. (www.subydude.com)
for parts mpj. (www.mpjperformance.com)
for parts and installation and tuning services gruppe-s (www.gruppe-s.com)
i have heard great things about LIC as well, but they are way up in the north bay

go to the meets, in the meetings, events and donuts subforum at the top of the bay area page. see whats going on in your area and show up. there are multiple meets throughout the week all over the bay.

i remember seeing a company a while back in the bay area that installed them. i did a quick search and didn't come up with anything, maybe someone else on here will know more.

 

one of the nice things about going to santa cruz suby (techinically in soquel) is that drive home using HWY 9.

granted it's been harder and harder to enjoy that drive.

last time i drove it from SCS, it was during a weekday and that one stop with the general store was full of bikers and other high performance cars. it was weird. i thought i would be the only one playing hooky that day...