View Poll Results: is this a dumb thread?
no, you have decent questions.
0
0%
yes you suck.
4
100.00%
Voters: 4. You may not vote on this poll
Need help making the ULTIMATE Daily Driver
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2
Car Info: 03 wrx
i Need help making the ULTIMATE SLEEPER
i own a 03 wrx and i would like to keep up with a STi., it isn't going to see much track time i just want a sleeper for a DAILY DRIVER. i want my car like my farts silent yet deadly.
MODS i have: Cusco front and rear strut bars
MODS i NEED:
first thing i really need is a new CLUTCH. im looking for a similar feel to the stock CLUTCH but still able to take hp gains in the future. would the exedy sport be right for me?
MODS im unsure about:
COILOVERS would be nice but i dont need all the adjustment settings out there. i just want a stiff ride but at the same time soft on the passenger.
i want my car to breathe free but i want to pass inspections. i dont mind owning a catback but i dont like the idea of switching it later on due to inspection.
i'm planning on having the car for awhile and im saving up for engine swap. what can i do for substantial hp in the meantime? would a TurboXS Utec be a good idea for me? what else can i do?
well thats all i can think of at the moment. any recommendations are appreciated. please feel free to post what mods YOU would do to make your own ULTIMATE CAR.
MODS i have: Cusco front and rear strut bars
MODS i NEED:
first thing i really need is a new CLUTCH. im looking for a similar feel to the stock CLUTCH but still able to take hp gains in the future. would the exedy sport be right for me?
MODS im unsure about:
COILOVERS would be nice but i dont need all the adjustment settings out there. i just want a stiff ride but at the same time soft on the passenger.
i want my car to breathe free but i want to pass inspections. i dont mind owning a catback but i dont like the idea of switching it later on due to inspection.
i'm planning on having the car for awhile and im saving up for engine swap. what can i do for substantial hp in the meantime? would a TurboXS Utec be a good idea for me? what else can i do?
well thats all i can think of at the moment. any recommendations are appreciated. please feel free to post what mods YOU would do to make your own ULTIMATE CAR.
Last edited by jase617; Jan 16, 2005 at 03:26 PM.
VIP Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,639
From: Longing for my ol' white '02 WRX :(
Car Info: 2016 Acura RDX ... meh. Um, nice subwoofer?
You need to take your time and read a whole lot more. This thread is about two or three thousand threads combined.
You don't need a new clutch, or at least that is you dont need anything beefier than the stock one for anythign less than 300whp.
The coilovers you are looking for is the TEIN BASIC, by your requirements. Its what I have. I like how it feels and my wife hasn't killed me yet.
Switching a catback take 1/2 an hour if you have no idea what you're doing. As far as CARB goes, they are all legal... as far as noise level, well. Also just a catback isn't going to do all the much for your having an "ultimate sleeper". Someone with a newer set of spark plugs will still out do you.
If you want substantial hp in the meantime before swapping your engine, its a few thousands dollars, loosing the cats, new turbo, injectors, fuel pump and engine management. You can get a VF34 and be above average, or get a FP Green and take off some doors. Either way, if you want horsepower, passing smog wont be simple.
jason
You don't need a new clutch, or at least that is you dont need anything beefier than the stock one for anythign less than 300whp.
The coilovers you are looking for is the TEIN BASIC, by your requirements. Its what I have. I like how it feels and my wife hasn't killed me yet.
Switching a catback take 1/2 an hour if you have no idea what you're doing. As far as CARB goes, they are all legal... as far as noise level, well. Also just a catback isn't going to do all the much for your having an "ultimate sleeper". Someone with a newer set of spark plugs will still out do you.
If you want substantial hp in the meantime before swapping your engine, its a few thousands dollars, loosing the cats, new turbo, injectors, fuel pump and engine management. You can get a VF34 and be above average, or get a FP Green and take off some doors. Either way, if you want horsepower, passing smog wont be simple.
jason
Guest
Posts: n/a
Read a lot more! Two limiting factors in a daily driver are fuel and tires. At some point, regardless of the money you spend, you will be unable to attain HP or traction because of pump gas and street tires. If you do not plan to purchase 100+ octane gas or sticky tires and put a lot of camber on them (meaning very short tread life), rather you plan to stick with a daily car in which you use pump gas and good tires, then there is no point in purchasing parts that must be supported by race gas and sticky tires.
Think carefully about what you want the car to do and how much time you can spend on it. There is no point in lowering a car that you expect to drive on rural gravel roads or park in a ramp with monster speed bumps. There is no point in purchasing a race suspension if you do not plan to put sticky (read: short tread life) tires on. There is no point in puting on monster intake & turbo and running 91 octane gas. There is no point in puting in a ALK if you want to run SCCA events. Are you willing to let the car dictate where you can park & drive, how often you buy new tires, and where you buy gas?
My wagon is not the fastest, but fun and reliable hiway cruiser. My goal was to be able to cut a 12 hour road trip to 10 hours by being able to tuck in the radar shadow of anyone going quickly and not get stuck in traffic. My first puchase was a V1 radar detector. Coilovers are a lot of work to set up, many need rebuilt by a qualified shop yearly (what will you drive then, do you have time to pull them?) and are not designed to withstand a winter of ice and salt. I have SPI struts and springs (pink). They are not adjustable but can handle the salt in the winter and are designed for the car. No lowering (I drive on gravel & don't want to be hitting the front on parking stops). I'd suggest purchasing the struts, endlinks and swaybars all from the same manufacture as the parts were designed to work together, mixing and matching will cost you more money in the long run.
If you need the car daily, everyday, without fail, then you should look at a packages power system like Cobb, Prodrive, etc. My choice was Cobb. My limits were gas (91 octane), no local tuners with a dyno, and exhaust. Therefore there is no point in building up a big engine if I must purchase pump gas on road trips and can not get a good tune. I need an exhaust that is liveable for 12 hour road trips, many systems are waaaaay too annoying. I realize I could build and engine and use the ECM to detune it for bad gas, but without a dyno nearby I am out of luck.
I'd suggest, that for two months, every weekend you spend two hours or more cleaning the car, checking the fluids etc. If after spending that time you feel like you would like to spend that much time and more every weekend on the car, then you could start with new swaybars and endlinks.
Also consider the price of tools as you look at parts. A decent torque wrench, a set of 1/2 drive sockets, & etc. can add up fast and you will only have trouble with discount tools, so if you have $$ burning a hole, I'd strongly suggest puchasing good tools rather than anything chrome plated.
Think carefully about what you want the car to do and how much time you can spend on it. There is no point in lowering a car that you expect to drive on rural gravel roads or park in a ramp with monster speed bumps. There is no point in purchasing a race suspension if you do not plan to put sticky (read: short tread life) tires on. There is no point in puting on monster intake & turbo and running 91 octane gas. There is no point in puting in a ALK if you want to run SCCA events. Are you willing to let the car dictate where you can park & drive, how often you buy new tires, and where you buy gas?
My wagon is not the fastest, but fun and reliable hiway cruiser. My goal was to be able to cut a 12 hour road trip to 10 hours by being able to tuck in the radar shadow of anyone going quickly and not get stuck in traffic. My first puchase was a V1 radar detector. Coilovers are a lot of work to set up, many need rebuilt by a qualified shop yearly (what will you drive then, do you have time to pull them?) and are not designed to withstand a winter of ice and salt. I have SPI struts and springs (pink). They are not adjustable but can handle the salt in the winter and are designed for the car. No lowering (I drive on gravel & don't want to be hitting the front on parking stops). I'd suggest purchasing the struts, endlinks and swaybars all from the same manufacture as the parts were designed to work together, mixing and matching will cost you more money in the long run.
If you need the car daily, everyday, without fail, then you should look at a packages power system like Cobb, Prodrive, etc. My choice was Cobb. My limits were gas (91 octane), no local tuners with a dyno, and exhaust. Therefore there is no point in building up a big engine if I must purchase pump gas on road trips and can not get a good tune. I need an exhaust that is liveable for 12 hour road trips, many systems are waaaaay too annoying. I realize I could build and engine and use the ECM to detune it for bad gas, but without a dyno nearby I am out of luck.
I'd suggest, that for two months, every weekend you spend two hours or more cleaning the car, checking the fluids etc. If after spending that time you feel like you would like to spend that much time and more every weekend on the car, then you could start with new swaybars and endlinks.
Also consider the price of tools as you look at parts. A decent torque wrench, a set of 1/2 drive sockets, & etc. can add up fast and you will only have trouble with discount tools, so if you have $$ burning a hole, I'd strongly suggest puchasing good tools rather than anything chrome plated.
VIP Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,023
From: Phoenix, AZ
Car Info: Subaru Impreza WRX 2002
Since this thread was that user's first post, and he got yelled at, he probably won't be back to read this. I can't add much to the wisdom of John's post, as that was very solid advice, but I'd like to mention a few daily-driver upgrades that are worthwhile...
1) Tires and wheels are the best thing you can do for a WRX, in terms of dollar-to-smiles ratio. Get utterly grippy max-performance tires (you don't need multiseason tires unless you have ice or snow -- rain won't stop anything but Azenis) and some alloy wheels that are less than 18lbs. If you can, go down to 13.7lbs wheels like mine -- it made a BIG difference in the feel and acceleration of the car as well as gas mileage. Unsprung weight and rotational mass should be kept to a minimum.
2) Sway bars aren't a great upgrade for a streets-only or commuter car. The natural understeer of the WRX is a safety feature, and for those with grippy tires and the skills to drive, is actually an effective tool for shedding speed in emergency situations and is certainly better than the alternative: a spinout. My friend has Cusco bars front and rear in his 03 WRX, and it does turn in faster, but it also gets loose in the rear end on hard turns (a warning sign of oversteer) and clunks, clunks and clunks on curbs and speed bumps. Not a little clunk -- it sounds like he bottomed out on his rear differential.
3) Coilovers are a PITA and extremely harsh, not to mention incredibly expensive (both to own and install) and need service. For an untracked car, worthless IMO.
4) Reflash and a catback is like getting a new car -- and will make you deadly in comparison to a stock WRX. A good tuner can take a stock WRX up to STI levels with just a reflash, turboback and a high-flow air element. Tell the tuner you want a safe, knock-free tune and emphasize torque over high HP or boost levels. Fill up your tank before you go to the tuner with the exact same fuel you use on an everyday basis.
5) Anything favored by the "fast and furious" crowd (NOS, body kits, atmospheric blow-off valves, giant chromed intakes, 2" lowering springs, cutting stock springs, fake HIDs, etc.) is a giant waste of money, distasteful, attracts the attention of police and 16-year-old Mustang drivers and dishonors the rally heritage of the WRX. Just say no.
1) Tires and wheels are the best thing you can do for a WRX, in terms of dollar-to-smiles ratio. Get utterly grippy max-performance tires (you don't need multiseason tires unless you have ice or snow -- rain won't stop anything but Azenis) and some alloy wheels that are less than 18lbs. If you can, go down to 13.7lbs wheels like mine -- it made a BIG difference in the feel and acceleration of the car as well as gas mileage. Unsprung weight and rotational mass should be kept to a minimum.
2) Sway bars aren't a great upgrade for a streets-only or commuter car. The natural understeer of the WRX is a safety feature, and for those with grippy tires and the skills to drive, is actually an effective tool for shedding speed in emergency situations and is certainly better than the alternative: a spinout. My friend has Cusco bars front and rear in his 03 WRX, and it does turn in faster, but it also gets loose in the rear end on hard turns (a warning sign of oversteer) and clunks, clunks and clunks on curbs and speed bumps. Not a little clunk -- it sounds like he bottomed out on his rear differential.
3) Coilovers are a PITA and extremely harsh, not to mention incredibly expensive (both to own and install) and need service. For an untracked car, worthless IMO.
4) Reflash and a catback is like getting a new car -- and will make you deadly in comparison to a stock WRX. A good tuner can take a stock WRX up to STI levels with just a reflash, turboback and a high-flow air element. Tell the tuner you want a safe, knock-free tune and emphasize torque over high HP or boost levels. Fill up your tank before you go to the tuner with the exact same fuel you use on an everyday basis.
5) Anything favored by the "fast and furious" crowd (NOS, body kits, atmospheric blow-off valves, giant chromed intakes, 2" lowering springs, cutting stock springs, fake HIDs, etc.) is a giant waste of money, distasteful, attracts the attention of police and 16-year-old Mustang drivers and dishonors the rally heritage of the WRX. Just say no.
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 146
From: somewhere between "here" and "there"
Car Info: 05 WRX Wagon
testosterone, $$ and speed
those 2 posts should be "stuck" to the homepage of every car-mod website (it's not just a Suby-thing).
There's probably a lot of 20-somethings that don't believe it and I'm sure the speed shops don't want you to think about it. We all like to pretend were driving in the Gran Prix and not to the grocery store, though. Anyone who has driven on the track (where things are relatively controlled and "mistakes" are punished by hay bales and not gaurd rails) realizes that going "too fast" on the street is foolish- both physically and financially.
Creating a vehicle with way too much potential (in the hands of a young person with way too little judgement and experience) is totally inappropriate for the street and an accident waiting to happen (literally). Just look at the sport bikes sold today (which are about equivalent to driving an F1 for your daily commute). Lots of dead people...
Probably some of the most "common sense" practical wisdom I've seen in the thousands of threads I've read on various sites.
Still, if you gonna drive fast, probably better to do it in a car that can handle it and stay under control- nothing worse than being passed over a double-yellow in the blind twisties on a wet road by some idiot in a pick-up truck with bald tires.
Having said all that, I will continue to mod my WRX- but within reason and the limits addressed in these previous posts.
There's a reason why "real" racers have 5-point harnesses, roll cages, helmets, Nomex head to toe and drive on a closed course- even with hay bales and run outs. Street racing is usually far less forgiving of mistakes and the public is getting really tired of getting caught in the crossfire of the Fast and Furious crowd.
NOW- drive safe and stay out of my Emergency Room. OH YEAH - AND WEAR A G*DDAMN SEATBELT. Flying out the window at 80mph might be fun for about 3 sec., but I can assure you that landing will not be.
There's probably a lot of 20-somethings that don't believe it and I'm sure the speed shops don't want you to think about it. We all like to pretend were driving in the Gran Prix and not to the grocery store, though. Anyone who has driven on the track (where things are relatively controlled and "mistakes" are punished by hay bales and not gaurd rails) realizes that going "too fast" on the street is foolish- both physically and financially.
Creating a vehicle with way too much potential (in the hands of a young person with way too little judgement and experience) is totally inappropriate for the street and an accident waiting to happen (literally). Just look at the sport bikes sold today (which are about equivalent to driving an F1 for your daily commute). Lots of dead people...
Probably some of the most "common sense" practical wisdom I've seen in the thousands of threads I've read on various sites.
Still, if you gonna drive fast, probably better to do it in a car that can handle it and stay under control- nothing worse than being passed over a double-yellow in the blind twisties on a wet road by some idiot in a pick-up truck with bald tires.
Having said all that, I will continue to mod my WRX- but within reason and the limits addressed in these previous posts.
There's a reason why "real" racers have 5-point harnesses, roll cages, helmets, Nomex head to toe and drive on a closed course- even with hay bales and run outs. Street racing is usually far less forgiving of mistakes and the public is getting really tired of getting caught in the crossfire of the Fast and Furious crowd.
NOW- drive safe and stay out of my Emergency Room. OH YEAH - AND WEAR A G*DDAMN SEATBELT. Flying out the window at 80mph might be fun for about 3 sec., but I can assure you that landing will not be.
Last edited by DrNorm; Mar 23, 2005 at 10:40 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
