reign_

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys, been around here for a little while, but just got the car last week.

Here's how it looks as of today.



You may recognize the car as 'Urban_Grey_2.5's old wagon. I saw his ad on here and it was a deal that I couldn't pass up. Plus working with OneManArmy and seeing (hearing) his wrx every day always reminded me that I've wanted one of these things for quite some time.

I don't plan on doing a ton to the car, but mostly just get it looking a little nicer, while still having a fun car to DD.

Future plans:

• New wheels (likely gold rota torques) - Repainted with Grimmspeed Gold for now.
• Swap out sedan fenders and go back to wagon fenders (I like the look but don't like how the wheels sit sunk in. Plus, the car still has a wagon front bumper on it.)
• Fog light covers
• Catback exhaust (though I do like the current straight pipe sound) - Replaced with SRS Type-RE system.
• Probably going to swap roof rails back on (if anyone wants to swap let me know)
• STI Hood Scoop (if someone wants to swap let me know)
• Rallyarmor Mud Flaps (maybe? Still deciding)
• Accessport for Stage 1 (Opinions on this? I’ve heard Stage 1 is good for the early year wrx's due to the stock tune not being great?)

Rough areas to fix:

• Door trim around rear passenger door is faded. Need to re-paint. - Repainted with SEM Black Trim paint. Very satisfied with the results.
• Need to paint or find painted side skirts.
• Tint needs to be redone or removed.
• Might attempt to fix some rock chips on the paint (mainly hood)

Areas I might need help with:

• Sourcing new hood (if it is less costly than having it re-painted)
• Sourcing a new front bumper (possibly - let me know if anyone has one in WRB for sale. Wagon or Sedan doesn't matter right now.)

Items that are for sale or trade: (pm me for pics)

1. ROTA Tarmac 2 Wheels - Will Trade for Rota Torque's in similar condition and size (7.5 or 8'') in gold or white.
2. Unpainted side skirts - will trade for WRB ones in good condition
3. Sedan Fenders - Will trade for WRB wagon fenders in good condition

Thanks for checking out my thread and I hope to see some of you soon at a meet (btw there should be some Monterey/Santa Cruz area meets!).

04GG

iTrader: (33)

Hood is aluminum, so getting it painted is probably better unless you find one used. Scoop can be found new but not so cheap and the stock scoop usually sells quick but not for much; unless you get lucky and find someone who is going back to stock. I like the RA flaps. Had them on the WRX and have them on the FXT now. I vote for a open source tune as opposed to an AP. Costs more but is better in the long run IMO. Looks like a good starting point at least.

reign_

iTrader: (1)

What would be the general benefits of an open source tune compared to Cobb Stage 1?

04GG

iTrader: (33)

My real issue with AP is once it is installed, you can never go back to stock no matter what Cobb says. Back to stock is their stock, not your original map. Off the shelf maps are generic and don't take into account of how your car actually runs and the parts on it. A tune means they see what the car is doing real time and tune to get the most out of it. It depends on what you intend to do with the car IMO, but for stage 1, I probably would say wait until you've decided on what mods you're going to do, get them first and then do the tune; tune might be more worth while at stage 2 and above though.

Why don't you like the sedan fenders? I think they look good on the wagon.

reign_

iTrader: (1)

Huh, I wasn't aware that Cobb stock wasn't just the exact tune that the car came with.

I just don't like the way the wheels sit in the fenders. Makes the car look imbalanced to me with the front wheels sitting sunk in from the body, but the rear ones where the should be.

Part of my just wants to find a sedan bumper though and keep the fenders because my bumper is in such rough condition. Not sure what to do lol.

As far as mods I'm pretty much just going to do smog legal stuff I think. I'd probably get an STi downpipe if that showed up, but other than that just a catback I think.

I might look into a VF34 one day maybe, but that would be it. I'd need new injectors and probably a better TMIC, and that's it right?

04GG

iTrader: (33)

You want an STI up. Down is the same or not enough different to do it IMO. I'm in the same boat; rather keep it smog legal.

If the motor runs strong you might get decent numbers without upgrading the turbo, but a VF39 (STI) would be relatively easy and yes you wouldn't need too much to do it, but then you need a tune...

Yeah, I understand with the fenders too. Gotta get wider rims or a different offset to fill them out better.

reign_

iTrader: (1)

Ah okay. OneManArmy told me that the STi downpipe has slightly better flow through the cats I think? Can't remember exactly what he said.

For now I'm fine with the power. It's a nice upgrade from my Mazda3 lol.

And yeah, if I filled out the front of the car with wider wheels or different offset, then the rear ones would stick out and still look weird lol. Would have to get the rear fenders rolled or something.

04GG

iTrader: (33)

The STI up has no cat vs. the one in that car that does so it flows a lot better. Not sure about the down. I hadn't touched my motor really on my WRX and I was fine with it too. Decent power stock already IMO. More doesn't hurt either. I know Ray also, and he and I share similar opinions on this car I think

reign_

iTrader: (1)

Got some of my list knocked out recently.

Fixed my window trim with SEM Trim paint. Came out great.

Before & After (The sun was pretty bright on the after pic- it's a nice deep black when not in direct sunlight like that)


Also, got my SRS Type-RE catback installed. It's a little quiet now but should get a bit louder in a few weeks once it's broken in. I was impressed by the quality overall. Fits great, but I think I need new exhaust hangers. It's moving around a little more than it should and I can hear it rattling against something when I go over bumps.

reign_

iTrader: (1)

Also, took some photos on Sunday over in Fort Ord.

Shows off the newly painted wheels and how the new exhaust looks

04GG

iTrader: (33)

NICE. Did you remove the trim to paint or just mask it? I need to do that on the trim on my OBS. Car is looking good.

KillerFoz

iTrader: (5)

Car looks very good. Great work so far.

reign_

iTrader: (1)

Thanks.

I just masked it off. The paint was pretty easy to control spray-wise. I just masked it, roughed it up with a scouring pad and shot like 2-3 really light coats and then 3 maybe 4 full coats. Was really impressed with the paint.

Thank you. I forgot to mention that I had clay bar'd and waxed the car earlier that day, so it was in the nicest condition I had seen it in since I bought it. The paint certainly isn't in superb condition (esp the bumper) but it looks totally fine from a distance.

RAWeiss

iTrader: (12)

Looking good! You picked up a nice candidate wagon iirc I saw that car parked at bridgepoint a few times while I was at hockey/eating at bj's.. Was that you possibly?

newyorkreload

iTrader: (4)

I had to respray my rear wiper arm couple weeks back. it's amazing out new paint on a single spot can make a difference.