Loved the 911S, but have to say the WRX is a really a better all-around car--the AWD really makes a big difference. Coming back from Central City one time in the S during a rainstorm--all four wheels decided to go aquaplaning on me--really thought it was my last day on the planet--the S was fun but you're right--you never knew when you were going to take the next curve tail-end first!
The salesman told me the same story that the reason Subaru didn't have folding rearseat on the sedan was for "safety" reasons. Thats total BS.
Maybe they have a point. Maybe not safety reasons but for rigidity reasons. Basically, the Honda Accord has got a folding rear seat, while the more expensive Acura 3.2TL that is based on the same platform, does not have a folding rear seat (but has a ski pass through). In this case, it is definitely not cost-cutting, is it ? The Acura is way stiffer than the Accord.
Also, if you notice, the Wagon has got different sized rear pillars if you notice. Those are massive when compared to those of the WRX Sedan which are way thinner. The ones in the wagon are almost like load-bearing pillars, which, even in the absence of a central link, by themselves could take a big stress (like a rear-end collision), unlike the sedan, where the pillars are smaller but has a rigid link between the pillars (non-folding rear seats + any reinforcements behind the seats) to enhance the rigidity. The huge pillars in the wagon, also creates big blind spots. So it does not mean "way less structural rigidity", it only means that the structural rigidity of the wagon is achieved in a different way from the Sedan. With folding seats, the thin pillars in the sedan may not be able to hold the car in place stiffly, which is why Subaru has not gone for it. They could have gone for it, with a different design but designed the way the car is now, they needed non-folding seats. JMHO.
I would think the wagon would be superior to the sedan in these respects. Given similar construction materials, the beam stiffness (truss, beam, whatever you want to define it as) should be better in the wagon because there is an extra support for the roof. As far as torsional rigidity is concerned, its hard to say. Its usally easier to twist a longer piece of material than a short one, all else being equal, but the difference isnt very significant, especially in light of the extra pillar.
I am too old to be really racing my new WRX, so I want a pc based rally racing game that features the Impreza rally car. Does anyone have any such thing? I understand there is a Colin McRea game, but I can't find it.
I have had my WRX for about 3 weeks, and I have really noticed a high pitched whine coming from the front of the car, especially while decelerating at highway speeds. I am assuming this is just normal noise from the Turbo/intercooler, but I wanted to see if others experience this same sound. My last car was a turbo (Eagle Talon Tsi AWD), but I did not notice as much noise coming from that, but maybe the location of the Turbo/intercooler is the difference.
Thanks for the feedback juice. The sound is a high pitched whine that is happening when I take my foot off the accelerator, while the car is in gear. If I put my foot back on the accelerator, the sound quiets right down.
I notice the whine too, and it's especially noticable around 60-70 mph, and I've heard that the whine could be the center diff. I hear gear noises decelerating in 2nd/3rd/4th gears, but supposedly thats normal. The center diff whine is supposed to be normal as well.
You guys brought up some good points concerning the folding rear seats, but unless I remove those seats (too cold to do anything now), and see a X-brace back there, I still say that they could have reinforced it AROUND the opening where the seats would be. Also, while everyone knows that convertibles have less structural integrity than coupes, its not as bad as if someone tried cutting their roof off on their own because the rest of the car is reinforced to help compinsate. Like I said before, even if it was offered as an option that cost a couple of hundred bucks and even added a few pounds of weight, I would still have been willing to do it.
Now on the sunroof issue, I am concerned myself too that cutting a hole there would sacrifice too much. I talked to one sun-roof guy, and I mentioned to him my concern, and he said that almost all cars had a beam in their roofs for structural stability. And he would have to cut through it to put in a roof. THis Subaru is the first time that anyone has not recommended I get a sunroof because it might compromise the integrity. Could Subarus be THAT different? I think I really wanna research this before I get a sunroof installed. Do any of you guys know of specific details on this subject? I even was thinking that I might see if that beam in the roof can be re-welded farther down the roof - if that can be done, that should help alot.
IMO, if you need a Sawzall to make the car you bought into the car you want, you bought the wrong car. Cutting out structural members and then trying to restore the lost rigidity by haphazard welding is not a great idea, and makes no economic sense on a $24K car -- different matter if you are doing a spider conversion on a Ferrari. The one thing you are guaranteed to destroy is your WRX's resale value.
I have to agree with silver bullet on this. You went into this car knowing there was/is no sunroof option. Basically the arguement is this, they could have put in a sunroof and kept the rigidity the same with the addition of many $1000s to the price. It's a price/feature ratio. As for the folding seats, subaru as you may or may not have noticed cannot afford to build many different trims of the same car, so either they would all need the rear folding seats or none of them. I guess they figured if you are buying the car to haul anything that long, you'd buy the wagon version, which is exactly what I would have suggested for anyone who wanted a fold down rear seat.
Let Hazdaz do whatever he likes. He bought the car. (Neither of you have, hehehehe, still waiting for Silver-to-bite-the-bullet to.) I disagree that the WRX "should've, could've, would've" this or that option, but if Hazdaz wants his WRX the way he wants it now, what's the big deal? Of course, I and I'm sure Hazdaz appreciate knowing the cost (ie, structural rigidity) of his modifications from you guys, but there's no need to say he got the wrong car.
You're only telling one side of the aftermarket moonroof story. So I'll tell the other.
I went to a shop that is ASC certified. These are professionals that do this every day for a living. They installed an ASC moonroof in my Forester that has never squeeked, leaked, or rattled, which is not something I can say for the OE mooonroof in the '98-'01 RS models.
The moonroof looks perfect inside and out, and they B-pillar bracing that they indeed remove is replaced by purpose built reinforcements welded in with care, not haphazardly.
I think SoA is full of it, and the proof is in the pudding: a moonroof is offered as an option in overseas markets. OK, so make it small, but at least offer one. I bet lots of WRX buyers would like to have the option.
The OEM one in non-us markets does not cut into the pillars. There is no problem if you can get a shop to put one in that is slim enough to fit between the bars...
I think there are a great variety of people reading (& writing) here. I do welcome the comments that i probably shouldn't get a sunroof installed - hell, I have reservations about doing it too. And I also am glad that someone that actually had a sunroof installed posted a message too. I just found it very 'strange' that the dealer kinda didn't recommend a sunroof (yet was willing to get one installed for me if i REALLY wanted it, and charge me their own markup). Like i said before, I have test driven many of other cars, and Suburu was the only company that anyone mentioned the beam that runs in the roof. Then I found it funny that nearly all cars have that same beam. IF I do get one installed I would want the installers to re-inforce the roof, just like Ateixeira said was done on his car.
On the folding seat issue, I plan on investigating that issue in a few months (let me get through the break-in period first atleast). I might even see if I can buy the rear-seats from a wagon version and put them into the sedan, that, or build some kind of pivot (I think I am going to have to visit my old Machine shop and see if I can use their Bridgeports). By the way, I'm a design/drafter, so I think I know a thing or two about structural integrity and possibly fabricating a folding mechanism.
OK, now onto a totaly different topic... Have any of you guys installed rims onto your WRXs? We got snow yesterday, so putting on my summer rims on the car is the last thing I am going to think about - atleast for a while. But I am guessing that atleast SOME of you live in warm states. I got a set of really sweet 17"s that I had from my old car, and can't wait to put them onto my new WRX, I just am slightly concerned (only slightly, since they are not THAT much bigger than stock) about the tire rubbing the inside wheelwell becasue they supposedly sticking out farther than the rims that Subaru was offering. Anyone out there have similar problems?
I was going to actually do that when I was looking at a Legacy GT. I even thought about making a kit and selling it, could be a $ making opportunity for yah.
What was your old car? If it wasn't a subie, you are likely not going to be able to use the rims on your WRX.
Did you guys notice that VW Passat AWD don't come with folding seats? FWD versions get folding seats but not AWD. There's gotta be a good reason for it.
OK, fine. You are a design/drafter, so am I. I have my own business in my home office. I'm sure you can design a workable folding rear seat, so could I. I suppose, it's really a matter of what you want to spend, for the result you want to end up with. I just think it would be advisable to maybe contact the Subaru engineers if that's your plan. There is probably more than one reason they designed it the way they did. And there's probably more than one way around it. Maybe you could just do a "frame-up" restoration. Or just take the body off and create a whole new one. Perhaps I'm just being silly, but If I wanted a different car, I would have bought it rather than the WRX. In fact, we bought the Legacy Wagon GT just because we needed something with the ability to haul a few things on occassion. I guess another option would be to just buy a TRUCK!
the defining piece of the sunroof offering in Japan is that it is small because it is located in front the the roof cross beam which is located just a bit behind and above the front seats. In other words, the beam is not compromised by being cut into. This would be the key at a aftermarket sunroof/moonroof. Of course, it would be small and would have to be a pop up/take off variety.
OK, on the rims situation, I have already called around and found that the lug-pattern will fit fine (thank God, its not a Honda with their 4-lugs), and yeah, i already found out about the offset issue. I called the rim manufacturer and he said that they will stick out a fewMMs farther out than the stock (or even teh BBSs that the dealer offers). The rim guys bascially said to try it out and see how it does. IF they do stick out, they MIGHT rub the inside wheel well when the steering wheel is fully turned. I already HAVE the rims, so when I try them out, I will obvioulsy see how far out they stick and IF there might be a problem. I even asked the rim guy if I could have the inside of the rims machined down a few MMs to compensate - he said that was a pretty good idea. Now short of the offset issue, I guess the only other thing I can think might be a problem is the clearance for the brakes - but from what I can see, it SHOULDN'T (famous last words) be a problem. Any other issues you guys have had with your own rims??
Coming back to the folding seat issue, YES i am going to give it a try. If I see that I have to cut into some major structural elements, then yeah, I will PROBABLY back off (yes, I am stubborn). I will try to get a hold of anyone at Subaru that I can - customer service people don;t know anything, rather talk directly to an engineer. Anyways, it all depends on what I find when I temporarily remove that back seat. Oh, and on the issue, why did I buy THIS car... WHY SHOULDN'T I ahve bought this car? I like it more and more every time I drive it. No car is perfect - and if it is, its probably too expensive (ofcourse THATS a flaw too). Dop50 mentioned buying a truck - HELL NO. I hate trucks - and there are too many of them on the road now anyways. But the funny thing is that in my last car, I could drop the rear seats, and i swear I could fit almost as much as one of those compact pick-ups. It was great for throwing TWO bikes in teh back, and even carrying some parts that I got from work to my house.
On the sunroof thing, I talked to a few guys, and they come in a few "basic" sizes (and the one I would get would pop-out, and then slide back, ABOVE the roof). The width would be 28 or 30", and the length ranged from about 12, 14, 18 inches. I just measured, and the 30x12 should fit fine WITHOUT taking the center roof beam out. If it wasn't for the fact that its going to snow again tomorrow, I would bring it to the sunroof guy tomorrow and see waht he says..
Anyways, am I the only person thinkin about modifying their WRX??? Come on guys, its a sweet car, it can be made to look/run even better.
As for modifications to our WRXs... well, uhhhhh, maybe.... a good friend of mine is into it.... but me, NO.... (Subaru reps moniter this board, hint hint... arranty-way).
Ken: I say the key factor in the non-folding rear seat in the sedan is cost cutting. High-end sedans have seats that fold, and wagons do too, and have to meet the exact same safety standards.
Stephen: you could get the type of power moonroof that goes up and back, a la CRX. Remember those?
I don't think that "scoop" is the same thing we were talking about. I thought I saw a WRX with a real moonroof.
There is a stock one, but it is only 10" f->r not 12" It's basically a slit in the roof barely worth the effort, which is probably why they didn't bring it over here.
Has anyone remove the 3rd cat. conv., replacing it with a straight pipe ofered as STI part. Does the "Check engine" light remains off ? Do you feel the xtra Hp offered?
I gotta be honest, the moonroof looks like it should've been there in the first place. The big one on the wagon looks significantly better than the OE roof.
Nice install, with no seams or signs of it being aftermarket, and it clearly goes beyond the B-pillar. Told ya the aftermarket can do wonders.
The beam is removed, but they add reinforcements. I guess you could ask the installer to show these to you.
"less back-pressure = less low-end grunt" is kind of oversimplifying it, isn't it? If that were really the case, I could put a banana in the tailpipe a la "Beverly Hills Cop" and have a torque monster! Let me quote what I learned from Sport Compact Car's Nov. '01 issue: "Backpressure = Torque? "An old hot-rodder's tall tale: Engines need some backpressure to work properly and make torque. That is not true. What engines need is low backpressure (sic), but high exhaust stream velocity. A fast-moving but free-flowing gas column in the exhaust helps create a rarefaction or a negative pressure wave behind the exhaust valve as it opens. This vacuum helps scavenge the cylinder of exhaust gas faster and more thoroughly with less pumping losses. An exhaust pipe that is too big in diameter has low backpressure but lower velocity. The low velocity reduces the effectiveness of the scavenging effect, which has the greatest impact on low-end torque. "Low backpressure and high exhaust stream velocity can be achieved by running straight-through free-flowing mufflers and small pipe diameters. The only two exceptions to this are turbocharged engines and engines optimized for large amounts of nitrous oxide. Both of these devices vastly increase the exhaust gas volumes and simply need larger pipes to get rid of it all."
So I guess you should try to remove any restrictiveness (bends, kinks, mufflers, catalysts) but keep the diameter of the tubing the same to keep exhaust velocity high?
I would stay away from a sunroof, regardless of what an after-market installer may be able to do. Sure it looks and functions great, but we do not have the equipment (nor does the aftermarket installer) to measure the amount of structural rigidity that has been compromised by such installations.
Also, why has Subaru (in the markets they offer a sunroof), installed one that would fit between the front and the middle "ring" of their reinforcements, effectively rendering the sunroof to be just a slit in the roof ? I am sure they would have gone for a real sunroof, if it did not compromise anything ??
Also, the Forester is based on the previous generation Impreza, while the WRX is based on the current generation Impreza. Did the previous generation Impreza have this kind of published ring-reinforcements ?
But ASC engineers do. These guys actually build entire cars and concepts for manufacturers. It's not just a chop-shop any more.
A small slit costs less than the huge moonroof in the Forester, for example. But which would you rather have? And I've heard noone complain about squeeks or rattles from that gaping hole.
The current Forester has the ring reinforcements, so I'm sure they either move it compensate in some other way.
They probably build entire cars/concepts for manufacturers. But then again, for those activities, they are probably paid a few million dollars at least.
Do they apply the same amount of rigidity tests/detailed analysis to a simple customers' request, who would basically be willing to fork out a grand or so ? I doubt it.
They probably will warranty the sunroof and its quality but I will bet good money that the group within ASC who would be installing the sunroofs, would not give any written guarantee about not compromising the rigidity of the vehicle, simply because the other group (within ASC) who do the rigidity tests etc., may have had nothing whatsoever to do with the installation of the sunroof. If ASC does give a written guarantee (that the sunroof install will not compromise the structural rigidity of the car), then I will say to go for it. Without such a guarantee, it is just a high quality sunroof install, without any analysis of the ramifications from it. They can be held accountable only for any defect in the sunroof installation and not for any other negative effects that may have taken root in the car.
Is there a way of contacting Subaru and have them give their opinion on such installs ? I did contact 1800-Subaru3 a few days back to ask them about the optional 215/45R17 tires having a lower load rating than the standard 205/55R16 tires but did not get a satisfactory response from them. So it may be necessary to get a hold of a knowledgeable person there.
It does seem like a lot of the after market exhaust systems out there increase peak horsepower, but at the expense of low end torque. The Stromung is a classic example.
Opps...forgot about the sliding up and over option. :-)
Hazdaz: Plenty of WRX owners are in to some sort of modification whether a simple de-badging (did it), upgrade to 17" wheels/tires (will be doing in spring), bigger sway bars (did, both front and rear), side factory painted side skirts replacing black plastic ones (did it), dual rear cupholder (did it, ordered from UK), etc. I will be doing an exhaust/intake upgrade in the summer as well. The fact that an aftermarket specifically for the WRX sprung up almost overnight speaks to the fact that more than a few folks are upgrading their WRXs, :-)
Corkfish, Stromung aftermarket pipes are 2.5" inner diameter, whereas most others are 3". (With the exception of the Cobb cat-back made by Stromung which is 3" as well.) The inner diameter of most of the stock exhaust piping is just under 2.5" I've ridden/driven extensively in a WRX with the Stromung dual tip muffler and 3rd cat replacement pipe, and I can plainly tell you there is no loss in low end torque. If you've driven one yourself, please tell if you've experienced differently.
here is where I ordered my rear dual cupholder for my WRX wagon. They were friendly and prompt. The total cost w/shipping was $64. They have other parts as well.
Comments
Coming back from Central City one time in the S during a rainstorm--all four wheels decided to go aquaplaning on me--really thought it was my last day on the planet--the S was fun but you're right--you never knew when you were going to take the next curve tail-end first!
-mike
Maybe they have a point. Maybe not safety reasons but for rigidity reasons. Basically, the Honda Accord has got a folding rear seat, while the more expensive Acura 3.2TL that is based on the same platform, does not have a folding rear seat (but has a ski pass through). In this case, it is definitely not cost-cutting, is it ? The Acura is way stiffer than the Accord.
Also, if you notice, the Wagon has got different sized rear pillars if you notice. Those are massive when compared to those of the WRX Sedan which are way thinner. The ones in the wagon are almost like load-bearing pillars, which, even in the absence of a central link, by themselves could take a big stress (like a rear-end collision), unlike the sedan, where the pillars are smaller but has a rigid link between the pillars (non-folding rear seats + any reinforcements behind the seats) to enhance the rigidity. The huge pillars in the wagon, also creates big blind spots. So it does not mean "way less structural rigidity", it only means that the structural rigidity of the wagon is achieved in a different way from the Sedan. With folding seats, the thin pillars in the sedan may not be able to hold the car in place stiffly, which is why Subaru has not gone for it. They could have gone for it, with a different design but designed the way the car is now, they needed non-folding seats. JMHO.
Later...AH
-juice
Thanks
Mike
For more game info:
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/filters/genre/0,11892,6016969,00.html
Thanks for your input.
Paul
I remember during the test drive, it went "zzzZZZZING!" and them "psst" between shifts. Sounded good to me! :-)
-juice
Paul
-juice
Now on the sunroof issue, I am concerned myself too that cutting a hole there would sacrifice too much. I talked to one sun-roof guy, and I mentioned to him my concern, and he said that almost all cars had a beam in their roofs for structural stability. And he would have to cut through it to put in a roof. THis Subaru is the first time that anyone has not recommended I get a sunroof because it might compromise the integrity. Could Subarus be THAT different? I think I really wanna research this before I get a sunroof installed. Do any of you guys know of specific details on this subject? I even was thinking that I might see if that beam in the roof can be re-welded farther down the roof - if that can be done, that should help alot.
-mike
I went to a shop that is ASC certified. These are professionals that do this every day for a living. They installed an ASC moonroof in my Forester that has never squeeked, leaked, or rattled, which is not something I can say for the OE mooonroof in the '98-'01 RS models.
The moonroof looks perfect inside and out, and they B-pillar bracing that they indeed remove is replaced by purpose built reinforcements welded in with care, not haphazardly.
I think SoA is full of it, and the proof is in the pudding: a moonroof is offered as an option in overseas markets. OK, so make it small, but at least offer one. I bet lots of WRX buyers would like to have the option.
-juice
-mike
-juice
-mike
I do welcome the comments that i probably shouldn't get a sunroof installed - hell, I have reservations about doing it too. And I also am glad that someone that actually had a sunroof installed posted a message too. I just found it very 'strange' that the dealer kinda didn't recommend a sunroof (yet was willing to get one installed for me if i REALLY wanted it, and charge me their own markup).
Like i said before, I have test driven many of other cars, and Suburu was the only company that anyone mentioned the beam that runs in the roof. Then I found it funny that nearly all cars have that same beam. IF I do get one installed I would want the installers to re-inforce the roof, just like Ateixeira said was done on his car.
On the folding seat issue, I plan on investigating that issue in a few months (let me get through the break-in period first atleast). I might even see if I can buy the rear-seats from a wagon version and put them into the sedan, that, or build some kind of pivot (I think I am going to have to visit my old Machine shop and see if I can use their Bridgeports). By the way, I'm a design/drafter, so I think I know a thing or two about structural integrity and possibly fabricating a folding mechanism.
OK, now onto a totaly different topic... Have any of you guys installed rims onto your WRXs? We got snow yesterday, so putting on my summer rims on the car is the last thing I am going to think about - atleast for a while. But I am guessing that atleast SOME of you live in warm states. I got a set of really sweet 17"s that I had from my old car, and can't wait to put them onto my new WRX, I just am slightly concerned (only slightly, since they are not THAT much bigger than stock) about the tire rubbing the inside wheelwell becasue they supposedly sticking out farther than the rims that Subaru was offering. Anyone out there have similar problems?
God, I love customizing stuff
What was your old car? If it wasn't a subie, you are likely not going to be able to use the rims on your WRX.
-mike
Definitely check the offset. Subies use a very unique wheel design.
-juice
I too find it very interesting.
-juice
Or just take the body off and create a whole new one. Perhaps I'm just being silly, but If I wanted a different car, I would have bought it rather than the WRX. In fact, we bought the Legacy Wagon GT just because we needed something with the ability to haul a few things on occassion. I guess another option would be to just buy a TRUCK!
Ken
Stephen
Coming back to the folding seat issue, YES i am going to give it a try. If I see that I have to cut into some major structural elements, then yeah, I will PROBABLY back off (yes, I am stubborn). I will try to get a hold of anyone at Subaru that I can - customer service people don;t know anything, rather talk directly to an engineer. Anyways, it all depends on what I find when I temporarily remove that back seat.
Oh, and on the issue, why did I buy THIS car... WHY SHOULDN'T I ahve bought this car? I like it more and more every time I drive it. No car is perfect - and if it is, its probably too expensive (ofcourse THATS a flaw too).
Dop50 mentioned buying a truck - HELL NO. I hate trucks - and there are too many of them on the road now anyways. But the funny thing is that in my last car, I could drop the rear seats, and i swear I could fit almost as much as one of those compact pick-ups. It was great for throwing TWO bikes in teh back, and even carrying some parts that I got from work to my house.
On the sunroof thing, I talked to a few guys, and they come in a few "basic" sizes (and the one I would get would pop-out, and then slide back, ABOVE the roof). The width would be 28 or 30", and the length ranged from about 12, 14, 18 inches. I just measured, and the 30x12 should fit fine WITHOUT taking the center roof beam out. If it wasn't for the fact that its going to snow again tomorrow, I would bring it to the sunroof guy tomorrow and see waht he says..
Anyways, am I the only person thinkin about modifying their WRX??? Come on guys, its a sweet car, it can be made to look/run even better.
http://210.254.95.20/showroom/imp_sti_ra/
As for modifications to our WRXs... well, uhhhhh, maybe.... a good friend of mine is into it.... but me, NO.... (Subaru reps moniter this board, hint hint... arranty-way).
Stephen: you could get the type of power moonroof that goes up and back, a la CRX. Remember those?
I don't think that "scoop" is the same thing we were talking about. I thought I saw a WRX with a real moonroof.
-juice
-mike
Here's a link to someone's sunroof and there's also a picture of a JDM sunroof (page 2).
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=75880&referrerid=767
Here's a link with more aftermarket sunroof pics and also a picture showing the Impreza Ring Reinforcement (Page 2).
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=111150&referrerid=767
Happy chopping! :-)
-Dennis
Nice install, with no seams or signs of it being aftermarket, and it clearly goes beyond the B-pillar. Told ya the aftermarket can do wonders.
The beam is removed, but they add reinforcements. I guess you could ask the installer to show these to you.
-juice
-mike
"Backpressure = Torque?
"An old hot-rodder's tall tale: Engines need some backpressure to work properly and make torque. That is not true. What engines need is low backpressure (sic), but high exhaust stream velocity. A fast-moving but free-flowing gas column in the exhaust helps create a rarefaction or a negative pressure wave behind the exhaust valve as it opens. This vacuum helps scavenge the cylinder of exhaust gas faster and more thoroughly with less pumping losses. An exhaust pipe that is too big in diameter has low backpressure but lower velocity. The low velocity reduces the effectiveness of the scavenging effect, which has the greatest impact on low-end torque.
"Low backpressure and high exhaust stream velocity can be achieved by running straight-through free-flowing mufflers and small pipe diameters. The only two exceptions to this are turbocharged engines and engines optimized for large amounts of nitrous oxide. Both of these devices vastly increase the exhaust gas volumes and simply need larger pipes to get rid of it all."
-juice
Also, why has Subaru (in the markets they offer a sunroof), installed one that would fit between the front and the middle "ring" of their reinforcements, effectively rendering the sunroof to be just a slit in the roof ? I am sure they would have gone for a real sunroof, if it did not compromise anything ??
Also, the Forester is based on the previous generation Impreza, while the WRX is based on the current generation Impreza. Did the previous generation Impreza have this kind of published ring-reinforcements ?
Later...AH
A small slit costs less than the huge moonroof in the Forester, for example. But which would you rather have? And I've heard noone complain about squeeks or rattles from that gaping hole.
The current Forester has the ring reinforcements, so I'm sure they either move it compensate in some other way.
-juice
Do they apply the same amount of rigidity tests/detailed analysis to a simple customers' request, who would basically be willing to fork out a grand or so ? I doubt it.
They probably will warranty the sunroof and its quality but I will bet good money that the group within ASC who would be installing the sunroofs, would not give any written guarantee about not compromising the rigidity of the vehicle, simply because the other group (within ASC) who do the rigidity tests etc., may have had nothing whatsoever to do with the installation of the sunroof. If ASC does give a written guarantee (that the sunroof install will not compromise the structural rigidity of the car), then I will say to go for it. Without such a guarantee, it is just a high quality sunroof install, without any analysis of the ramifications from it. They can be held accountable only for any defect in the sunroof installation and not for any other negative effects that may have taken root in the car.
Is there a way of contacting Subaru and have them give their opinion on such installs ? I did contact 1800-Subaru3 a few days back to ask them about the optional 215/45R17 tires having a lower load rating than the standard 205/55R16 tires but did not get a satisfactory response from them. So it may be necessary to get a hold of a knowledgeable person there.
Later...AH
Hazdaz: Plenty of WRX owners are in to some sort of modification whether a simple de-badging (did it), upgrade to 17" wheels/tires (will be doing in spring), bigger sway bars (did, both front and rear), side factory painted side skirts replacing black plastic ones (did it), dual rear cupholder (did it, ordered from UK), etc. I will be doing an exhaust/intake upgrade in the summer as well. The fact that an aftermarket specifically for the WRX sprung up almost overnight speaks to the fact that more than a few folks are upgrading their WRXs, :-)
Stephen
Stromung aftermarket pipes are 2.5" inner diameter, whereas most others are 3". (With the exception of the Cobb cat-back made by Stromung which is 3" as well.) The inner diameter of most of the stock exhaust piping is just under 2.5" I've ridden/driven extensively in a WRX with the Stromung dual tip muffler and 3rd cat replacement pipe, and I can plainly tell you there is no loss in low end torque. If you've driven one yourself, please tell if you've experienced differently.
Any websites?? Thanks.
http://www.acekensington.co.uk/sales/subaru.htm
Go here to see a pic of the dual rear cupholders for WRX. This is what I have installed. It's a Subaru part, currently not sold @ U.S. dealers.
http://www.new-impreza.com/upgrades.htm
Stephen