You're right. I don't remember saying that any impreza was from america per say. We don't manufacture any of them all assembled at FHI on the same platform as the Forrester. If I said that it was probably late and i was being retarded.... :P. But I was probably just referring to the models we were offered here in any case...

Sighh i know what you mean every time I see a vishnu kit or a Ludespeed going used for cheep I just eat myself up a thousand times before I finally bite down and restrain myself. I just know that if i go turbo it will strain my pocket so much that everything else had gotta be pretty close to right before I do it.... Flex's are definitely on my list of 'to do's' or another competent coil over system possibly some 02-R's or JIC's but I'll cross that bridge when I can comfortably pay the toll $$$ I have all the upgraded swaybars and mounts, endlinks etc, but i'm still making sure i have every little suspension trick this community knows of sorted before I even think of pushing the power up that much. Besides anyone who remembers my car can find the post back in the day when my RS beat the then lightly modded easystreet wagon (auto), as well as coming .3 off of a manual WRX sedan with AEM intake and some other mods.... My N/A car is no slouch so I feel i need to be able to put down, turn and stop exceptionally with what i've got now and lighten it before i kick it up into overdrive ... But once again i'm on a project rant....

I deninitely don't agree with the first part. The stock RS is still not up to WRX world standards, not even WRX US spec standards... I don't really want to get into specifics since Mike Shields has already done it better then me so sheck out SPD tuning's website for that...

As for the second part, like I said my goals are loftier. Yeah i am almost looking for a 500hp monster (but not for drag). Honestly? 450 Tractable HP 1.0 G, 12 second quarters at LACR is my basic goal. And complete domination of roadcourses twisties and cones alike.... I won't stop until I think it isn't possible or it's done... And neither is going to happen soon. . So unfortunately for me a WRX setup just does not fit my bill since all the parts i'm adding would have to be replaced just to accomplish higher boost. I't a long slow road for a poor man like myself to accomplish this project, But if i keep chipping and do it the right way first, i'll eventually do it. This is just me. Your results and goals will vary.

I've been driving my car for three years as well and in that time i've learned so much about it. And I still think I have far more to go before I am comfortable enough to upset the power balance before I maximize and learn every other aspect of performance. I just see power as being real easy to do, and even easier to do wrong and jack things up in either the short or long run. And as you can see by the peak i'm trying to someday get to it will serve me no purpose to get a low boost setup on just to be failry fast for now and ruin the long term, I can wait.... Besides i just see so much untapped potential in the RS right now, new turbo 2.5 engines to swap are being coughed up by the day and there is more development for RS turbo kits then theres been in a long time... I just think theres alot to wait for before i decide the best path to get my power

-DE

I get all long winded with my project mission statement purpose rants Oh well cheers...

 

I have no idea. I have been saving up for tuning as my car really needs it. As far as 0-60, i'm not sure either, i would expect it to be like a WRX. At least thats what my friend who owns a WRX said to me "if not, faster" he mentioned after driving it. I dont do 1/4 miles, never taken the car to the track. I only play in the near by mountains (i should say hills, compared to whats in europe ) late at night. On top end though I have beaten my friends slightly moded M3 (intake, exhaust, susp.) Yeah thats how I felt when it happened. I could have never imagined. I barely beat him it was like half a car ahead of him and we were staying steady til' we both called it quits.

DOOME.Q!

I have been very curious on that. as far as drivetrain spec I see the huge difference there. But as far as body structure, we all know the newer models have been improved but RS compared to a GC8 WRX. Is it build not as well. or are they both sitting on the exact same structure/frame ?

 

lol, does this mean I am part of the "I have beaten an M3 ounce in my lifetime club"

 

Tim O'Niel taught me well . As well as SCCA rally school, EVOC driving school. Lots of fast road/on track expierence too: SCCA auto-x, Solo II, Streets of willow, buttonwillow, Palmdale SCCA Rally-X. Yeah the driver is the most important link no doubt...

I'm just trying to make the car do what I want without hesitation these days... Thats why I need to spend that green on all the other stuff. Safe defensive driving, attentiveness, and sensibility on the street is the best 'mod' you can do for safety. But that doesn't stop me for wanting seats harnesses and a roll cage for when I unleash the fury on a track or a twisty one way canyon (closed to the public of course ) or incase some idiot hits me and puts them into play and big *** brakes in case I really need to use them. Plus a suspension that can react as quickly if not quicker then I do... The car is only as good as it's parts. The driver is only as good as his car. Both need to be as good as they can be then you get speed. Either one alone will help but both need to be top notch in order to get from A-B the fastest.

As far as the RS with the WRX comparison they're not worlds apart but the RS is certanly softer around the enges then even your base WRX. Mainly Tires and bushings are two major areas that are both lacking(certanly more such as mounts springs struts swaybars and too many more to go into), and both can get you in trouble if you don't know how your car handles at the absolute limit, let alone if you push the limits of how hard your engine can push those limits... Think Impreza L Vs, RS and you've got a general idea of what i'm talking about. but like i said before check SPD since they really hammer this one out and outline step by step what needs to be done to bump it up to spec.

Everyone should beat an M3! For me it's just going to have to be in the twisties before the straights...

-DE

But someday someday.....

 

Just to get this thread back on topic I will add this:

YOUR CAR ALREADY ROCKS!

-DE

 

Very nice!!!!!..

 

Nice wheels. Leave the cover the way it is. Unsymmetrical is sometimes better. Just my 02 cents.