I have 2 Honda's...

I love 'em.

 

uh, where the hell did YOUR comment come from?

I just noticed he was looking for massive horsepower and relatively good handling, so I gave good advice, which is "eclipse".

Why does everyone think GSX's can't handle? The hell you think the DSM concept was about anyway?

Personally, I only bought a WRX cause it has 5 seats and can tow 2000 pounds and has 0 miles, which I can't say an eclipse can.



Come on, I dare someone to challenge the "opinion" that a gsx kicks ***. Like, what are you gonna say, "It sucks cause it crankwalks"?

And yeah, there was a Skyline running around Oakland a while ago. Guess what took it down? An eclipse.



Look what Saruman said:
"I was going to do a lot of modifications to it (sleeved block, turbo, etc) but the more I think about it the more I feel like its not worth it."
Dude, if you buy a WRX, with cast internals, open deck AL block, you will have to sleeve that **** and take out the internals too. The Eclipse? 4G63 is closed iron deck, forged internals. There you go/

"What does it take to get around 350-550 whp in a 2002 wrx?"
OK, in order for Saruman to do this, he obviously needs to change out everything. WHY WOULD YOU PLOP DOWN 20 grand for a new car, and then change everything out? It would a lot more sense to put down 1 grand, and change everything out.

"my knowledge lies with VWs and HONDAs"
Yes, so go over to www.dsmtalk.com and www.turbobuick.com . They are the turbo gurus, not us. They make sometimes make fun of wrx forums for being inexperienced with AWD and turbos. Go research there. Go to board.mr2faq.com I was pretty shocked when I was talking to a few of my friends who actually show their cars, and they thought MR2's sucked. Let me give a brief history lesson. In the '80s Toyota made a really cool engine called the 503e. It was 2 liter, 4 cylinder, and could make more than 900hp as in the Pike's peak climb Celica. Today it powers the 500hp JGTC supra. Toyota decided to make a production version of it called the 3S-GTE and stick in the MR2. One of them powers the 730hp 200+mph record holding Top Secret Supra. The record for a stock MR2 block is currently 550rwhp, with one guy (T3/4) trying for 800 hp. Then Toyota added 2 cylinders and called it the 2J-GTE and stuck it in the Supra. That's oversimplified of course, but yes the MR2 has basically 2/3 of a Supra engine. Mid engined means there is more weight over the back wheels, thus more traction, and my friend in his MR2 turbo can do 4000 rpm launches just like I can with my AWD, all without the AWD drivetrain loss.


So there, that's just my unbiased advice. I state facts, which are that:
a. Since you are looking for 350-550 whp you will need aftermarket internals so you might as well just get a used car and
b. for that same whp range, eclipses and MR2's have been known to make that on their stock blocks, and I seriously doubt that is possible on the Ej205, which Subaru DELIBERATELY designed to be weaker than the Ej207, which is itself still not the strongest 2 liter block.

Ambert

 

See my whole point is, if you want to build up a wrx, you will have to change out parts which is pointless idea on a new car! I mean the STi 6 speed you drop in is going to have 25,000 miles at least, while your car has like what, 15 miles? Just doesn't make good sense!

I'm assuming that the STi stuff will be chaeper now that they are made in America. I believe the STi shortblock is 1300(?) dollars?

So you don't like Eclipses. That's why I gave you the option of a Mk2 MR2 turbo. They can launch almost as good as AWD and are pretty unique, and from mr2fq:
"Let’s look at the list of MR2 attributes above and why the car’s designers made a point of including them:

1) Mid Engine: Knife like precision handling. Transitions faster and sharper than a front or rear engined car. (Drag racing: launches hard as AWD)
2) Rear Wheel Drive: Ability to modulate the car’s cornering attitude with the throttle (Drag racing: Hooks up)
3) Short Wheel Base: Nimble
4) McPherson Struts: Lightweight.
5) Turbo: Power/Engine tuning potential
".

The only DOWNSIDE of the MR2turbo is that a standalone EMS is NOT plug and play. (not unless you spend 3500 on a GenIII front clip (245 hp, 300whp capable ct20b ceramic turbo which many say is the best factory turbocharger ever made, the Supra uses a modified ct20b in its sequential setup) in which case you can go AEM EMS)So you will need to buy a TecIII EMS for example, and wire it all up costing 3-5 grand whereas I believe most DSM's have plug and play capabilities (as do WRX's) But it's well known the the MR2turbo can withstand at least >400rwhp on the engine and be reliable, and 500rwhp on the transmission and rear axle, etc. Actually the second downside is that they are overpriced like Supras, but of course for a good reason!


The Galant VR4 is a good option, the closest thing America ever had to the EVO before this year. It's a sedan just like the wrx too.

I believe Import Tuner had a good series of articles on the VR4, and SCC did a 600 horsepower MR2 buildup.


Cheers,
Ambert

 

I have an STI too...

I really love that!!!