Opinions: So you have $8k to spend

[Huffer]

on a new (used) wagon. Preferably in white, and manual.

This will be daily driver, will haul (internally) around 3-400lbs of sound equipment, and the occasional autocross.

Questions:
1. Which trim of Legacy do I go for? I'm tending toward the 2.2 (30th Ann.).

2. Need to set aside some money for RS wheels and summer tires - how much?

3. Suspension setup - do I go with the usual KYB GR2 + H&R/Eibach springs, or the more expensive but more performance orientated 04 WRX Tein coilovers? Rear 20mm swaybar and rear strutbar are a given.

[sheepdog]

I'll tell you right now, you'd love those coils. I have the Flex with the EDFC and it is uber FTW.

[Wiscon_Mark]

The 30th anniversary edition sounds good to me.

[Plays_with_Toys]

From what I've read the eibachs are about as soft as stock and with 3-400 pounds in the rear, I imagine you'll be dragging on the ground.

Is this a DD for you? Or is this going to be a business car or what? I'd go with an impreza wagon in white (maybe the OBS, 2.2 and lighter FTW!). If I remember right, you had a white impreza wagon before that looked really good.

You could pick one up for $4-5k and then you have about 1500 for upgrades. Including cams, stromoung exh., suspension (cheaper and easier to find for imprezas), and a sway bar. Wheels and tires might put you over that figure depending on what you choose, but this is where I'd go with it.

[rougeben83]

Set aside about $500-600 for a good set of summer tires w/ rims. That is my first suggestion to anyone looking to change something on their car. If you're not too picky about the aesthetics, you can get a great deal on a used set.

You can stick with 16"s to keep the costs of tire replacement down (and to preserve ride) but offset it with some aggressive sticky tires (like Azenis) for autocross use.

2.2 w/ a manual would be the best compromise between reliability (headgasket) and performance (it'll still be slow, but not anemic with the slushbox).

Stick with the strutbar and rsb first. I wouldn't use lowering springs for carrying heavy loads. The coilovers may be too stiff to the point that it'll shake your gear to pieces.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I thought the 99 outback sport with a 5MT was faster than the Legacy GT with a 5spd.

And that was a 2.2L

[Huffer]

From what I've read the eibachs are about as soft as stock and with 3-400 pounds in the rear, I imagine you'll be dragging on the ground.

Is this a DD for you? Or is this going to be a business car or what? I'd go with an impreza wagon in white (maybe the OBS, 2.2 and lighter FTW!). If I remember right, you had a white impreza wagon before that looked really good.

You could pick one up for $4-5k and then you have about 1500 for upgrades. Including cams, stromoung exh., suspension (cheaper and easier to find for imprezas), and a sway bar. Wheels and tires might put you over that figure depending on what you choose, but this is where I'd go with it.

I'm not doing cams - unless I redid the entire engine. I want to start with a Legacy base because of the larger load space inside the cabin, and the interiors are nicer from stock.

It'll be a DD, so reliability is paramount.
I have looked at the OBS shell, and although I like it (and there's more options available), it would take me a lot more money to get it to the point where my New Zealand car was at. I just don't think the Outback paintjob goes well on the Imprezas. If I went with an OBS it would get a fresh paint job before any other work is done on it - probably at the same time.

Going with Tein Flex coilovers is a good idea, because they're the same price for GDA's as they are for GC's. The only problem is that on a Legacy, the hood sits closer to the strut tops, which could be a problem for the EDFC control box. Being able to adjust the rebound in-cabin is a good thing. For that reason alone, the OBS is a better choice in terms of plug n play.

Ah, decisions decisions.

The best part about this, is that it's all going to be CASH.

[scottzg]

if i were gonna do struts again, id get some of them bilstein jobbers from a jap car off the net and have them rebuilt. Bilstein makes the best dampers in the biz, imo. I'd also opt for some spring that upped the rate but maintained the ride height, more or less. 400lbs is quite a lot of weight.

[Huffer]

if i were gonna do struts again, id get some of them bilstein jobbers from a jap car off the net and have them rebuilt. Bilstein makes the best dampers in the biz, imo. I'd also opt for some spring that upped the rate but maintained the ride height, more or less. 400lbs is quite a lot of weight.

I've ridden in a GT-B, and had it fully loaded. It's not that great.

400lb isn't much - a regular Mackie speaker weighs about 50lbs, most amp racks are in the 100lb range. Decent mic stands combined around 60-70lbs. So 400lbs would be 1 loaded amp rack, about 4 speakers and some micstands, plus the odd guitar stack. Not a lot.

[Plays_with_Toys]

you know you want it... It's perfect for a swap....

http://denver.craigslist.org/car/247465288.html

[Huffer]

Thanks, but no thanks. Interior's the wrong color. Plus, I've done a white Impreza before. ;)

It'd be too much hassle to add the rear wings, and redo the interior.
I would end up spending too much on cosmetics.

Great price on a clean Impreza though, even with that many miles it should command $3500-4500.

[rougeben83]

I almost bought an OBS before I bought my Legacy; the big thing that shied me away from them is they're harder to find in MT form, and few of them came with cruise control (yes, I'm a big wuss for not wanting to drive 14 hours straight with no cruise :razz: ).

I'd go with a Legacy wagon. You could look to see if HD cargo coils are available for the rear of that car; you can try your local autozone/NAPA. I put cargo coils on the Taurus when I redid the suspension on that one several years ago.

[Huffer]

No, no weird setup on the suspension. Straight out suspension is fine, 5/7 days there will be no major loads on the car.

I think I would like to go for the Teins w/ EDFC, the only major issue is the underhood clearance on the tops of the front strut towers.

I think we'll go with Hankook and Kumho tires.

Tintage is probably going to be the first mod.

[scottzg]

if i were gonna do struts again, id get some of them bilstein jobbers from a jap car off the net and have them rebuilt. Bilstein makes the best dampers in the biz, imo. I'd also opt for some spring that upped the rate but maintained the ride height, more or less. 400lbs is quite a lot of weight.

I've ridden in a GT-B, and had it fully loaded. It's not that great.

prolly wouldn't have them rebuilt to stock spec ;) its not much more to have them custom valved.

I've run bilsteins in my bmw and yota pickup, and maintain that they're wonderfulness.