New Car.... decisions....

[GrassyKnoll]

This April I will be buying a Subaru. I have already put alot of thought into this and I have a few months left to think about it, but I'd like to get some preliminary opinions from SL-I.

My 3 options all have pros and cons as I am sure you are aware... here is my estimated cost breakdown though.

2004 STi: $21,000 (minimal initial MODDING funds)

2005 Legacy GT: $14,000 (~$7,000 initial MODDING funds)

2004 Forester XT: $15,000 (~$6,000 initial MODDING funds)

With the STi, I would want to do some exhaust work, intake, maybe some minimal turbo / management work, and sound system.

With both the Legacy and Forester's, I would endeavour upon trying to do my best at building them to STi specifications. I really like the idea of having a Legacy or Forester STi, but on the other hand (although very popular) the WRX STi is a great car too. It's a toss up, what do you guys think?

[deadlydave]

dare to be different dude. i'd go with the legacy. Do you happen to have any insurance quotes yet?--i'm pretty sure the Impreza's the most expensive to put on the road.

[GrassyKnoll]

yup, it is about 800 more.

[badbasser98]

I know this is a Legacy forum, and I myself would love a BL, but it would be crazy to have a built Forester.

toss up between LGT and FXT...

[GrassyKnoll]

agreed... plus I have a feeling the Forester might be slightly easier. The other thing to think about is that I have wanted a WRX STi for the longggggest time. It has a certain appeal that would be hard to beat :wink:

[shazapple]

for the price Id go with the Forester or Legacy. Id have to say the legacy for the extra comfort and style. With 6-7k it wouldnt be hard to get some nice suspension and performance

[Reason]

The 04 STi is a badass car. An old friend of mine has one built. It is sick! I don't hang out with him much anymore, but when he does something new to it he calls me up for a blast (I think hes somewhere around 375hp).

The 05 Legacy GT is what I would like to get, your options are limitless.

As for the Forester, that would be fun for a little while. I think you will get bored with it. That's just my opinion.

[Huffer]

With the STi, I would want to do some exhaust work, intake, maybe some minimal turbo / management work, and sound system.

With both the Legacy and Forester's, I would endeavour upon trying to do my best at building them to STi specifications. I really like the idea of having a Legacy or Forester STi, but on the other hand (although very popular) the WRX STi is a great car too. It's a toss up, what do you guys think?

Why would you buy a car (LGT/FXT) and then build it up to STi spec?
Why not just buy an STi?

Buy whatever SUITS your purposes, then build it up from that platform.

ie. grocery cart/sleeper - FXT
cruiser/sleeper - LGT
autoxer/trackday commuter - STi

[Wiscon_Mark]

toss up between LGT and FXT...

Yep.

I think a sweet forester would be totally badass.

[GrassyKnoll]

I think a sweet forester would be totally badass.

yea I really like them. I love my moms XT and a built one I'd imagine would be amazing.


Why would you buy a car (LGT/FXT) and then build it up to STi spec? Why not just buy an STi?

What exacltly are you saying? The intrigue in buying a LGT or FXT is that they aren't common and I love the JDM LGT/FXT STis. I would buy a LGT or FXT STi here but they are kind of difficult to come by in the US :|

[Wiscon_Mark]

LGT has more handling potential than an STi...

[Huffer]

LGT has more handling potential than an STi...

A car with a longer wheelbase has more handling potential?

[Huffer]

Why would you buy a car (LGT/FXT) and then build it up to STi spec? Why not just buy an STi?

What exacltly are you saying? The intrigue in buying a LGT or FXT is that they aren't common and I love the JDM LGT/FXT STis. I would buy a LGT or FXT STi here but they are kind of difficult to come by in the US :|

What do you mean, what am I saying exactly?

I quoted what you said:

With both the Legacy and Forester's, I would endeavour upon trying to do my best at building them to STi specifications.

That implies that you're planning to buy a vehicle to spec up to an STi. Why not just buy an STi, unless there are specific advantages of a particular platform (space, sleeper style) that you are looking for?

[Reason]

Not everyone likes how the STi looks. Some people may think it looks like ass. Some people rather have a forester (lol) built to STi specs versus having an STi. It's all a matter of OPINION.

Huffer, your GC8 was a sweet looking car. You said you got the business for it cuz of the rims on another forum. It all about taste, am I making any sense? lol I'm starting to confuse myself :lol:

[GrassyKnoll]

Exactly, and part of taste could include having a unique car :wink:

[Huffer]

Not everyone likes how the STi looks. Some people may think it looks like ass. Some people rather have a forester (lol) built to STi specs versus having an STi. It's all a matter of OPINION.

Huffer, your GC8 was a sweet looking car. You said you got the business for it cuz of the rims on another forum. It all about taste, am I making any sense? lol I'm starting to confuse myself :lol:

Yeah, and that's why my original post said:


Buy whatever SUITS your purposes, then build it up from that platform.

:wink:

GrassyKnoll never said WHY he preferred one platform over another. All he said was "STi spec".

[GrassyKnoll]

GrassyKnoll never said WHY he preferred one platform over another. All he said was "STi spec".

Yeah, another thing that I would like to look at is performance / cost ratio. It seems like the LGT could be best there, however, the WRX STi has a very solid base so hard to say...

[Huffer]

Should chuck in the boosted Baja to make things interesting...

[Reason]

Should chuck in the boosted Baja to make things interesting...

ohhh I thought about getting one for work. But that would be stupid to ruin a brand new um car-truck thingy.

[GrassyKnoll]

yea I definately dont like the Baja. Not my style.

What do you think I'd be able to do with about $7,000 in MODS for the LGT / FXT?

[badbasser98]

wheels/tires, brakes, exhaust, intake and maybe some EM (reflash?)

or, forget the rims this year and get springs/struts..

[Reason]

yea I definately dont like the Baja. Not my style.

What do you think I'd be able to do with about $7,000 in MODS for the LGT / FXT?

:shock:

[GrassyKnoll]

What about swapping the STi's turbo for the FXTs or LGTs? That wouldn't be too expensive would it? (that could fit into a $7,000 budget relativley easily eh?)

[badbasser98]

sure if you can find someone giving up their stock one cheap enough

[Huffer]

What do you think I'd be able to do with about $7,000 in MODS for the LGT / FXT?

Wheels/Tires = $1000 (unless you go ultra bling)
Exhaust = used $6-1000 for full catback and/or up/downpipes
EM = $1000 for Cobb AP, $600 for tune
Suspension = $1500 + alignment

Forget the intake - most aftermarket ones are overrated. Yes, that includes Perrin.

[badbasser98]

i thought they have dyno charts that show gains with the SPT or similar intakes? or was that just me not doing enough research?

I mean, I don't own a BL/BP or anything :lol:

[Reason]

What do you think I'd be able to do with about $7,000 in MODS for the LGT / FXT?

Wheels/Tires = $1000 (unless you go ultra bling)
Exhaust = used $6-1000 for full catback and/or up/downpipes
EM = $1000 for Cobb AP, $600 for tune
Suspension = $1500 + alignment

Forget the intake - most aftermarket ones are overrated. Yes, that includes Perrin.

Thats a great start right there.

Roger- Even the SPT intake?

[Wiscon_Mark]

Roger- Even the SPT intake?

That one is HIGHLY overrated.

[Wiscon_Mark]

A car with a longer wheelbase has more handling potential?

Yes, the chassis and multilink type suspension is considered to have a lot more potential than the Impreza's chassis.

[Reason]

Roger- Even the SPT intake?

That one is HIGHLY overrated.

How do you know?

[Wiscon_Mark]

Have you read the dyno results on Nasioc for all the intakes? The SPT is a noisemaker that makes 2whp maybe. It's overrated. Subaru claims a lot more.

[Reason]

Have you read the dyno results on Nasioc for all the intakes? The SPT is a noisemaker that makes 2whp maybe. It's overrated. Subaru claims a lot more.

nope, do you have a link?

[Huffer]

A good way of telling which parts are overrated (or give disappointing performance) is watching what comes up for sale, often.

Intakes are almost always #1 on the list - people expect bigger gains.
And in fact, a lot of people find that their tunes are messed up or become finicky without the stock intake.

[Huffer]

Yes, the chassis and multilink type suspension is considered to have a lot more potential than the Impreza's chassis.

Really? That's interesting.
I guess the multi-link system does have it's advantages, but I can't imagine why Subaru wouldn't put a "better performing" system into the new STi when a similar multi-link setup was used on the BE chassis.

I don't think the chassis on the new LGT is any better or worse than the STi. The STi has a more compact shape, perhaps the LGT has better weight distribution that helps.

[Wiscon_Mark]

The Legacy chassis do have a better weight distribution, true. They also didn't put the multilink suspension into the STi because they didn't want to change their chassis. They had that in the works for the Legacy for quite a while. I think (considering how heavy the Impreza is these days) that they are probably going to have it in future Imprezas. Maybe even the '08.

Legacy GT is also lighter than the STi by around 75-100lbs...minimal, but it makes a difference.

[GrassyKnoll]

Yea... they weigh so damn much already. Oh well, worth it for the AWD.

[blackgtbeauty]

From what I understand the '08 Impreza will be based off the current Legacy.

But that's just hear-say.

[GrassyKnoll]

Also keep in mind I cant afford and 06 / 07 :wink:

Plus I like the styling, at least with the Impreza, better in 04/05

[Wiscon_Mark]

From what I understand the '08 Impreza will be based off the current Legacy.

Yeah, there was a release about them switching to the Legacy chassis.

That'll mean the forester will be the only one remaining on the original chassis that Subaru made for the EJ series vehicles back in '89.

[GrassyKnoll]

interesting..

What do people think about bolt-on turbo replacements. I'm not looking for something that requires a huge engine rebuild... but I like the idea of putting a LGT or FXT over 300 (~350ish). I was browsing bolt-ons at Boxer4Racing and they aren't that expensive. What are pros and cons of using MOD money for this? What else needs to go along with putting in a new turbo?

[Huffer]

interesting..

What do people think about bolt-on turbo replacements. I'm not looking for something that requires a huge engine rebuild... but I like the idea of putting a LGT or FXT over 300 (~350ish). I was browsing bolt-ons at Boxer4Racing and they aren't that expensive. What are pros and cons of using MOD money for this? What else needs to go along with putting in a new turbo?

With a new turbo, you will need new up+down pipes, exhaust system, possibly a new fuel pump, maybe a new FPR, maybe new oil cooling lines..
You'll also want some gauges to show you boost, oil pressure and probably a new thermostat to open earlier. Maybe even a bigger intercooler.

and definitely a dyno run + tune.

[GrassyKnoll]

true, and im definately not LIMITED to that modding cost... I would just have about that much to start out with for next summer and then more later. I am leaning toward work on the turbo first then molding the rest around it... assuming I went LGT. I'm kind of leaning against the FXT. Althought that would be really fun, it doesn't have the same visual appeal as the WRX or Legacy

[Huffer]

JDM STi Forester = Urban Blang @ 265hp

http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/04/forestersti05.jpg

That's a forester worth building.

[GrassyKnoll]

very true thats hot...

[Reason]

JDM STi Forester = Urban Blang @ 265hp

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

That's a forester worth building.

:shock:

[blackgtbeauty]

JDM STi Forester = Urban Blang @ 265hp

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

That's a forester worth building.

:shock:

I love Subarus :grin:

[GrassyKnoll]

I love STIs :twisted: