So I got an opportunity to drive a JDM GC8 WRX the other day and really loved the driving experience. It's quick enough and light enough to really flick around and have a lot of fun in. So the question is for the Hive. How much of the parts are common with the GC8's we got state side?
Primary use would be fun vehicle. Occasional track work, back country bombing, etc. with some winter weather driving as needed to go up to the ski slopes or an occasional drive to Denver.
I've considered them, don't have any input though. I like the look of a clean 2 door with some tasteful mods.
If you like it, don't drive it in the winter. Those cars didn't have the best rust protection.
From what I've read, doing a WRX swap in a US-sourced GC-chassis car is a giant PITA but totally do-able. But, for a car that you put that much effort into building, there's NO WAY I would drive it in bad winter weather. Subarus of that vintage in the snow belt are probably already crumbling apart, so building a clean example to abuse is not the greatest idea. I'd just get a later car that was built that way to begin with, or find a 2.2L powered Impreza coupe with a stick to abuse.
All that said, my 2002 WRX wagon was my favorite winter car ever. That thing was a blast in the snow! The 2009 WRX I had after that was also fun, but the 2002 had something about it that just made it a hoot to drive sideways in the snow.
Appleseed said:If you like it, don't drive it in the winter. Those cars didn't have the best rust protection.
This!!!
Knurled. said:Appleseed said:If you like it, don't drive it in the winter. Those cars didn't have the best rust protection.
This!!!
x3. Subarus are pretty rust-prone, even the later ones. As it is, GC8s are getting scarce on the ground. My co-worker just bought a clean '02 WRX wagon for a winter "beater", and it makes me sad.
BTW, I'm not talking about a swapped GC8. I'm talking about a JDM WRX. I've got contacts in Asia that can get me one state side for cheap. Like not much more than the cost of a beater stateside. Usually not perfect in appearance but we are talking 7-8 K cars. I know JDM cars of that era suck on the rust proofing side.
If you can keep it clean, you could probably sell it to a mad tyte JDM yo bro for what you paid for it.
I've always liked the looks of the 2.5 RS here with the WRX underpinnings on a road course I have never driven one with enough power to feel like I liked the AWD vs RWD or even FWD it tended to be more pushy for me even than my old Focus ST which wanted to rotate
In reply to Jaynen :
I wonder what was up with the 2.5RS you drove... the GC 2.5RSs that I have driven felt neutral to almost tailhappy, which was kind of a shame when you could write a check for ridiculous levels of entry oversteer, but then find out that there's only 165hp in your account to follow through with it. The chassis really needed another 100-150 more horsepower.
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