hello everyone,
I'm new here... and still don't even have a Subaru yet

I dream of the impreza WRX STi... But I can't afford it at the moment and the dealership over here don't have it. Not even the WRX. So they've ruined my plane of getting the WRX.

They do have however a 2.0R sedan which comes with WRX wheels, seats, rear spoiler, moonroof, and CD changer. They're selling it for 18500 USD. And thats a resonable price I believe.

BUT... I only want to get a subaru because I want to get a 'fast' sporty looking car. And the 160hp AWD is making me hesitate.

Is the 160hp really that slow? (weight to hp)
And if I'm going to mod the car after buying it, how much aprx will it cost to get a desent performance?

thanks a lot.

 

Have you ever thought about getting a used WRX?? You can get a pretty good one for 16-18k. If not slap heades, exhaust, intake, and suspension on ur 2.5rs and youll be good to go.

 

he is not from USA...!

 

used wrx for sure, i cant imagine you'd get much hp out of an N/A 2.0...... maybe 200 crank hp tops, after about 2K worth of mods

 

Asia is a BIG place. I know, I spent a lot of time there, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, etc. Where are you exactly? Thinking, with the price of fuel and the limited roads that you can drive fast on, a normal aspirated engine might just be a perfect choice for you. Most of the cars there are 1.3, 1.5 and 2 liter cars. A 2.5 with a healthy tune might just be right!

 

well, considering this is a *** car I just went and wrote "asia"... I'm from Kuwait, which is still in asia but I know people would rather say mid-east.
anywho, we have cheap gas over here and dozens of long highways ;p

 

Need a roomate? I'll come with an STI ;-)

 

There are cheaper cars to build if you just want a fast car that looks cool. There are so many aftermarket parts for Hondas it will make your head spin!

Subarus are a different way of life. Driving a Subaru is knowing you can take corners at just about any speed, knowing your car will be stable flying down dirt roads, and never being nervous in the snow (not that you'll have that problem in Kuwait).

160 hp will give you a peppy feel. It won't be the fastest thing on the road, but it will surely be fun!

With gas prices so cheap where you are, maybe you should think about squeezing a Mercedes V-12 in the back of a Subaru wagon. OK now I'm just day dreaming!

 

hey can you import a used wrx or sti from Japan? pm me for advice.

 

i own and daily drive my 99 2.5 RS. recently, some subaru guys and i went for a nice drive. despite having the absolutely least amount of engine power (165hp/166 torque), on the uphill, i was pushing on every car in front of me - they simply could not go fast enough for me.

granted, i was in 3rd gear and resting just under redline.

but, my RS is bone stock other than a borla type header and a mild intake modification (removed the extra intake piping inside the passenger side front fender).

the point is... power is not everything. sure, wrx/sti have turbo's, etc... they'll smoke a stock RS in a straight line any day of the week. but, twisty roads arent about the amount of power you have. its about your ability to use what you have, and how comfortable you are pushing upto (and sometimes past) those limits.

--added--

as per modifying it for aggressive driving...

tires, tires, tires, tires... the importance of tires cannot be overlooked. tires are the most important (and overlooked) portion of your suspension and brake system - they affect your cars ability to take a turn at a given speed more than any other part, and unless your tires can take the amount of force exerted by your brakes, you'll just slide into an uncomfortable situation.

really good brakes (braided steel brake lines and some really good pads), springs, struts, rear sway bar...

i'm sure my philosophy is pretty obvious. dont alter the power of the car. just increase its capabilities as per stopping, road holding and reasonable limiting of body roll.

one of the nice things about getting some super sticky tires, is that your confidence in your car and your abilities grows really quickly. and, that will benefit you down the road like nothing else.