learn me wrx

I sure this has been done, but I looked and looked and didn't see anything, I dug through the magazine project cars too and didn't see my questions addressed.

I'm considering a wrx for my next fun car. ( Good idea? bad idea?) it's basically down to miata, wrx, e36 m3 or a really cheap c5. looking to spend around 10k for car, maintenance, mods etc.

The real reason behind the wrx of course is the 818, just like the real reason behind the miata is the exocet.
ANY info would be greatly appreciated, but I'm specifically trying to figure out.

1. Everything i read say these things are understeering pigs in stock form. What has to be done to correct this? I'd do mainly autocross and a few track days a year. what kind of setup can work for street driving, as well as these more spirited jaunts?

2. computer wizardry. My only experience with boost and fuel injection is the microsquirt on the frankenfiat. I've read about various re-flashes, piggybacks, etc. do any of these let the stock obd2 reader still work? can it still throw a code you can read to help you diagnose problems? how do these things work with the stock computer?

I loved my 2004 for 125,000 miles. I added a bigger rear bar to get rid of some of the understeer.

Call me pessimistic but about the only thing on wrx's that hold up over time is the differentials and transfer case, the rest is a complete crap shoot on reliability dependent on the year.

Personally i think there are better choices.

BTW google cylinder 4 misfire on a subaru with almost any 2.5 engine for a good laugh.

1. The engine sits past the centreline of the front wheels, so yes they understeer. Sedans come with a 22mm rear bar and Wagons with a 19 mm. A larger one will help as Wally pointed out.

2. Cobb AP will allow everything to work normally plus you can run an OTS (off the shelf) map or get it pro-tuned.

My 12 year old WRX runs just fine. The "glass" transmission is just fine too.

The 2.5L (06-14) seems to be where the issues with ringlands crops up.

The new 2015 seems to be getting great reviews.

100k on my '09, I drive it like a maniac on the worst roads in DC every day. Still runs perfect, somehow has less rattles now then when it was new, and everything else about the car is holding up nicely (except the door dings from my parking garage).

Mine is set up with the slightest bit of understeer, with Racecomp Yellows (330# front and rear), Bilstein Cup damprers, some larger sways, and some poly bushings here and there. Also changed the front brakes to the 06-07 4pots for a bit better feel. All in all, the car has been trouble-free and has needed nothign but regular maintenance in almost 6 years/100k. YMMV. It has a basic Cobb stage 1 tune, but otherwise the engine is bone stock (and puts down 280wtq).

And FWIW, I know people like the old ones for some reason, but the truth is that the WRX has gotten better every single year of its existence, IMO, aside from perhaps the 2008 year which was basically a mistake of sorts from Subaru, which they fixed with the 09.

I think most reliability issues have more to do with the cars being treated worse than many other cars due to their fanboi/wannabeKenBlock clientele, plus the easy of adding lots of boost and other stuff.

I can't personally think of any better choices for $25k (new) for an all-season daily driver, at least for my purposes. Again, YMMV.

That said, not sure if the 08+ can be "made into" the 818 due to the different rear suspension and different wheelbase length.

btw, I believe the bulk of the ringland issues were with the 06 STi/WRX, IIRC. I haven't heard about the issue on the VF52 cars, but then again I don't spend much time on NASIOC these days.

Following this because I'm interested too...

the 818 limits you to 02-07. i have several friends flogging the snot out of subis in high end sand rails, so I'm not overly concerned with the reliability of the engines.

Sedan and wagon suspension parts don't always interchange without work. I like a larger rear sway bar and metal end links. The stock wrx end links are plastic. Kartboy links are good but you can make audi front endlinks work for the rear of the wrx.

The sky is the limit for hacking the ecu. You can retain the stock ecu and still hack every map and file on there. The only things you need are software and a KKL cable(usually called a VAG cable) but it helps to make some wiring changes in the circuitry of the cable. I can go through that if you want. Best part is you retain stock OBD port and you have complete dealer level diagnostic ability.

If you start looking in the dfw let me know. I can help look at cars and hook you up with a transit pass to get you back home.

The 2.5 turbo cars definitely had ringland/ stock tune issues. Lots of them. Chalk me up as one of the unlucky ones, on my stock commute car. I think fuel availability may play a role, I think those of you with 93 available have a bit of a cushion.

On the handling, here is the order in which I'd make changes...

1) Adjust the nut behind the wheel. AWD's require a different technique. Lots of trail braking to get it to rotate, then lots of throttle to keep the tail out there.

2) Alignment. More negative camber up front, less in the rear.

3) Lower, stiffen the suspension.

4) More rear sway bar.

5) Fine tune with tire pressures.

The cars overall are very stout. They are just let down by a couple significant issues (ring lands in the 2.5 turbos, transmissions in the early cars.)

check the head gaskets for leaking oil/colant. people say the transmissions are "glass" because they dump the clutch in first gear at 6000 RPM trying to launch, if you are smart with the transmission it will be just fine, clutches are a weak spot in the stock drivetrain, too.

Drive all of those cars in your list to see which car you like the best. If you are really thinking about getting an 818 in a couple of years, get the lowest mileage track or auto-x prepped compatible WRX you can find. The PO would have corrected the understeering factory setup and you just need to fine tune the handling for your driving style.

I liked my WRX, had the 09-14 generation car. The only problem is the interior could NOT hold up in Las Vegas heat. It was falling apart after 2 years. When that happened I exchanged it for another car. Value held well, got more for trade in than i owed.

My 12 year old WRX runs just fine. The "glass" transmission is just fine too.

Usually glass comments come from people who hard launch their cars all the time. People say the same thing about Pulsar GTIR and Familia GTR and old 90s STI transmissions as well which all have homologated transmissions, it's because it's a modded AWD car with 2/3 more power than stock being launched at 350ft/lbs torque or higher. If you do that E36 M3 WILL break.

Cobb AP will allow everything to work normally plus you can run an OTS (off the shelf) map or get it pro-tuned.

Don't get Cobb AP. Do opensource tune. Nobody does Cobb anymore but people who didn't research that opensource exists. Every tuner i've seen can do it. If they can't then I wouldn't go to them because they probably dont know wtf they are doing.

btw, I believe the bulk of the ringland issues were with the 06 STi/WRX, IIRC.

One thing I noticed also is at NASIOC it's generally considered that WRX engines are reliable unlike STI. Tune maybe? IDK.

There was a recall for the cars in states with 91 octane.

why are the bugeye's so expensive. People want $12-15k around here.