Gecko's GoFast Wagon (2015 Forester 2.0XT)

[geckoboy86]

Well, After the more personal events for me of 2020 (between my mom and her old outback passing on me). I bought a new to me Forester 2.0XT Touring on what would have been my mothers birthday. This was a car we always joked about with getting me into trouble.

So this is my first taste of wagon life and turbos. I was always hesitant on the CVT but its not as bad as I was thinking. Power is super smooth but it knows how to get up and go. The BRZ is still in my fleet and its a fun car but this has so much more usefulness to it. And on top of that, its not just a little faster.





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(RESERVED for Current Picture)

Current mod list:
Engine
None

Wheels
None

Lighting
LED Conversion
—Exterior: Turn signals, Brake lights, License Plate, Reverse
—Interior: Map, Dome, Courtesy Door, Cargo,
OLM Rear Hatch LED light(with cutoff switch (in progress))
Subispeed Hyperblink Flasher

Interior
None

Exterior
Chrome Delete (in Progress, Grille and Fog Surrounds Done)
—Toyota Phantom Grey Pearl
Trailer Hitch (Installed before I got it, to be removed)

Planned other mods in no particular order
Fumoto Quickvalve
Grimmspeed Charge Pipe
Perrin Steering Dampener Lockdown
Pioneer DMH-WC6600NEX
RS-R Springs (lets me lower the wheel gap and keep stock tire sizes)
Whiteline Braces
WRX Seats
WRX Steering Wheel
LED FOGS
Scooped hood
Slotted Rotors

[geckoboy86]

So, while my planned mods list is growing, There were a few things I could do relatively cheaply. LED Conversions and start my war against the chrome.

One neat thing I found while shopping around was a rear hatch light. I added that with an almost full LED kit for the car. Only lights that aren't LED are the Low and High beam as well as the fogs. The main low light are HIDs so that will stay around for a bit. Sadly I can't just throw newer LED based headlights in the car. Bummer.

The Rear Hatch LED light.



Next I started my war against chrome.
These newer Subarus are a pain to tear apart. The main grille which is 2 (technically 3) peices was a giant pain to remove. Not only did the lower part 6 pop clips and 4 pressure based clips but also 4 small screws connecting it to the back of the bumper. The upper half was even more hateful.The section with the emblem and wings had 6 nuts hold it on as well as 3 clips with one being in the center of the emblem and just refusing to let go. The upper trim was held on by 2 nuts, one on each end, as well as 2 bolts under the emblem but it also had 10 clips. I ended up breaking all but 2 of them and then removed the remaining clips.





So that was the grille. Now the fog surronds, They have to be easy, right? Wrong, 10 clips around the chrome pieces edge holding it in place. 5 facing out and 5 facing in. You had to pop each one and move it just so that it wouldn't click back in. Move it to far and you probably snapped another one back into place. Once you had all of them poppedm you had to pull up strait and evenly.

Was it worth it, Yes but boy, there was som frustration.

[geckoboy86]

Updates

Having the BRZ has opened my eyes when it comes to seats. Not every car needs to have sporty seats like it but anything that is fast should. The FXT is faster then the BRZ so it got some new seats. 2016 WRX Limited seats. Bolted straight in.



My OLM Rear Gate Light is awesome but it has a flaw in that you cannot turn it off. So I added a switch.

[Doggone.doglegs]

That's cool that the seat bolted right up - I grabbed FRS seats and had to use an aftermarket bracket

[geckoboy86]

Getting in with the holidays.