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Comments
Ramon: you got more details? What's included for that price? Intercooler? All the hardware?
Got a link to that thread? I'll have to check it out...
Love the Borla humor!
ISR lists an IHI kit on their home page for $1550, and they say it's a complete kit, but I guess that does not include the intercooler and fuel pump. Do you know for sure?
-juice
Do they even have the evil snorkus, or something different? I don't think so...
-juice
You know, I don't hear that humming. Wonder if I'm going deaf.
Ken
http://www.impreza-rs.com/NonCGI/Forum16/HTML/000065.html
I dunno. I haven't been to ISR's site for a looonnnggg time. Anyhow I am trying to save money. I am planning a trip back to Malaysia. That's where I came from. Hence me selling my STi engine.
Too bad we're on different coasts. I'd love to be able to compare side-by-side. Driving cross-country any time soon?
Thanks for the link, ramon.
The wife has a big meeting today - looks like some layoffs are likely. She wants to stay at home anyway, but that'll mean no turbo, even if she gets severance. If she works a bit longer, maybe.
Now she's talking about a 2nd kid, so we'll be SITCOMs (single income, two children, oppressive mortgage) and the WRX will be out of the question.
Bummer. I hope she continues to work. I have to get her to drive a WRX wagon when they arrive - the more incentive to keep working the better!
-juice
PS Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
Never thought of the Amsoil filter making a difference. You might be right.
Maybe, just maybe one of these days I'll do a coast-to-coast. The way housing prices are out here (median selling price is $500,000 and that's for some 2BR, 2BA fixer-upper) I might need to move out!
Hope the situation with your wife works out. It's hard to forget a vehicle once you've mentally purchased it.
Ken
..Mike
..Mike
If she doesn't like it we can swap - she's wanted the Forester all along.
Funny thing is, she's not into material things one bit. So there isn't the financial incentive for her. (meanwhile, I'm biting my nails)
If she quits, Project Forester 2.5RS continues... (see mods thread) Group buy for turbo, perhaps?
True, I love cars and it's kind of a hobby, but what can you do? The baby's cute and it breaks her heart to be away from her. Can't argue with that!
Like I said, either way it'll work out.
-juice
(Hey Patti, please let us know if we can expect WRX wagons
-- ash
At least she got a generous severance deal, and is actually looking for part-time work. The baby will love it, too. No WRX, though.
Loosh: we'll have to gather on a Sunday and sing the WRX blues!
Since Q supplies all those cool rides for James Bond, she ought to be able to come up with a nice ride!
I thought we were getting a WRX wagon? If not, at least the OBS will have the 2.5l.
Ash: that would kill two birds with one stone. One of you guys pick one up so I can drive it on occasion!
-juice
PS We're a top 10 thread on Edmunds - again!
Bummer, man. My take on it (since we are sort of in the same boat) is that cars are great, but the people in our lives are so important. I don't mind, because happiness really is.....oh, who am I kidding, happiness is a turbo Impreza wagon!!! Bwaaaaahh!!!!!
ta da da da daaah
And I haven't a clue...
ta da da da daaah
What we're gonna do...
ta da da da daaah
'cause I want that...turbo?!
'kay, I can't rhyme. I'm a geek, remember?
-juice
..Mike
..Mike
OOPS. Got off track again!
-juice
Do take it easy and continue to hand here tho. Cus it be weird without the juiceman.
Best,
WDB
juice, you can always lurk around for a modded 2.5RS when someone upgrades to the WRX! it's not a bad car at all, trust me.
-Colin
Lana got an offer from a previous boss, but it's out of the home and the commute is long (maybe if we got her a WRX...)
She also is looking into working on retainer for another ex-boss of hers. Guess she makes a real good impression on people! She should, PR's her thing!
We just have to figure out what we (read: she) wants!
Colin: don't I know! BugBomb's RS was a hoot to drive. It kind of feels like a slammed Forester on steroids. Quicker turn-in, tighter suspension, much lighter and quicker.
All that and he told me I wasn't pushing hard enough!
-juice
Sorry to hear the news. Don't give up hope quite yet! There's still plenty of time until the WRX hits our markets and who knows, something might change.
Hey, worst case, there's always turbo modifications you could do. Baby steps, ya know.
Ken
-juice
The 18mm bar is en route...
-juice
Ah, ordered the 18mm bar I see. I think you can get the endlinks from Teague's Auto. They sell both Kartboy Endlinks and the Whiteline Endlinks.
What would really be cool is if you could do a two-step before and after test drive. One with just the 18mm bar and two with the 18mm bar plus stiffer endlinks. I just may postpone the short throw shifter for some stiffer endlinks.
Ken
Drew/aling
Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
Cool! Any idea of what kind of improvements?
BTW, I've been meaning to congratulate you on your new role in the Townhall.
Ken
I can't seem to find the press release anywhere online right now. Well, I can tell you for one thing that there will be a major software change (hopefully) in several weeks time.
Drew/aling
Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
Ken: thanks for the link.
Ouch, sticker shock! $175 plus shipping for end links? Man, the whole bar is $80 from SPT! I'll admit they look engineered to the highest standard, but are they made of gold or something?
The Whitelines are pricey, too. $78 plus shipping, and though they're gold colored, they don't look nearly as well designed as the Kartboy. It's just two metal bars, two bushings, and four screws.
Were my expectations unreasonable? Some of these aftermarket parts are ridiculously priced.
Some aren't, though - the Kartboy shift lever is just $100. That's a steal in comparison.
-juice
Guess I'll just to the rear sway bar first, and hold off on the links, at least for now.
Ken's link above has the Kartboy at just $100. I'd make sure it fits, but I could help you get that in. We could knock that off in an hour. It's the bushings that's hard.
Save the labor cost for - what else - more mods!
-juice
PS I forget, did you get end links with the sway bar?
It looks fine. Trey also sent the installation instructions and this is not your average DIYer job. In fact, I'm a bit worried because I don't have a hydraulic press. The timing belt has an automatic tensioner that goes to full slack when the belt is removed and you have to press it back into place. I'm going to get my dad's opinion on that... he has several vices --the kind with jaws, not bad habits
I'll also have to buy a number of tools, like a small torque wrench, some torx sockets, and liquid gasket. I presume I can get the liquid gasket from a subaru dealer.
Anyway, I'm headed to the Advance Auto Parts Nationals in Topeka Saturday and I don't want to attempt it Sunday and then have to borrow a car for work when we're not done.
So I'll probably get the tools next week and start the install 10/7.
-Colin
-Colin
If either of you all install the upgraded endlinks, please post your observations here. As I have an AT in my Forester, the short-throw shifter isn't an option. However, I did install the 18mm rear bar a couple of months ago and I'm curious as to what handling benefits can be gained from the endlinks.
Thanks,
Ed
With a baby in the back much of the time, maybe the end links would be overkill.
Not really, I'm just looking to justify not getting them 'cause I'm broke!
I looked up FATT, but they said "No SUVs", and while the Forester is a wagon, the flares and taller tires make it a tough sell.
I'm going to look into this go-kart track near me, and probably head down there with some i Club buddies. I'm sure I have plenty to learn.
-juice
My Forester is capable, but I still do occasionally easily reach its limits. Maybe that's why I'm more mod-obsessed than some others here!
Ed - you got any photos of the install? I know Ken posted his, but the more the better.
-juice
Ramon, you make a couple of really good points. In bicycling I came up with an acronym do describe the phenomenon: ESO - Equipment Superior to Operator. People, myself included, buy and ride bikes that are every bit the match of the stuff the pros ride. And guess what, we *still* don't go as fast as they do.
The other really good point you made is that some of the modifications being discussed will affect the car during every moment it is being driven, not just when it is heeled over in a turn. Stiff suspension bushings and links are a great example of this. Car manufacturers spend millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours trying to find what they think is the best balance between responsive handling and passenger isolation. Stiff bushings and links change that balance. They increase road noise, ride harshness, and sound intrusion into the passenger compartment, and they do so 100% of the time.
Maybe it would help if someone who has made some of the mods were to describe some of the "creature comforts" that were being given up in the quest for performance, so that folks would have a good idea of all the pluses and minuses associated with the modifications.
BTW, I'm not saying that the mods are bad - heavens no! I've been known to modify the occasional vehicle nearly to the point of undriveability myself .
Cheers,
WDB
I hear you on the real world trade offs, too. No Borla for me, not with a baby on board. That's also why I went Plus One and not Plus Two.
-juice
PS Keep telling me why I don't need to fork out $185 for the Kartboy bushings delivered, please!
I do plan to get a new set of tires for autoX cus I think in autoX, I have already maxed out the tire's traction limit. So I'm getting them replaced!
Juice : I don't want to sound harsh but the Forester will not be able to handle like the Imprezas becuase of the obvious - center of gravity. It sits higher in overall height than the Impys. So unless you change them to some sort of lowering suspension, there's not much you can do. It's how it is.
Like wise, them slammed Impys will never be able to run with you on some gravel roads cus of the lower ground clearance.
So having said all these, when's hover car concept coming?! It's 21st century already for heaven's sakes! I want to skim over everything like the Jetsons!!!
The 18mm bar alone makes a big difference. You won't be disappointed.
juice -- I'm eyeing the Cobb Tuning short throw shifter right now. It costs the same as the Kartboy, but it uses a solid bearing
design at the pivot point so shifts are supposed to be more "solid" than with the original parts.
Ramon -- Excellent point. I'm still getting used to the feel of the new sway bar and probably. Man, but all those toys out there make it so hard to resist!
Colin -- Good to hear that you're back on track. You'll be one of the first to have the Cobb cams in. I'm looking forward to your results.
Ken
Biking, cars, even musical instruments: don't show up with the big toys until you can run with the big boys. Heh, I like ESO better, actually.I ride a Giant Rainier SE, 'cause I know I am not good enough to seriously challange the performance parameters of the XTC SE1 (..yet..;-)) Most of us are talking about little tweeks, not ones that upset the "balance" the manufacture intended. Rather they address the inherent understeer characteristics that manufacturers dial into US market cars to keep us from spinning out on an exit ramp, since we have some of the poorest driver training in the developed world. In the case of Subaru, most of these small mods are doing little more than bringing our US spec cars up to world Soob standards. /rantlet off/
Juice- Rallispec was out of links, so I just went with the bar. It has reduced body roll roughly 20-30%, cut understeer by about the same amount, too. No appreciable difference in ride quality other than feeling a little better connectred to the car. I don't feel like messing with bushings, but will probably do the short shifter which, as you say, I can do myself. Rallispec already showed me how. I am tempted to throw them the business. Also, FWIW, their Whiteline links are only $50 plus shipping.
Don't worry, I'm not in denial about owning a much taller vehicle. One bonus: I can actually drive 10/10ths on certain occasions, you can probably only go about 8/10ths.
It's not just ride height, either. Mr. Colin Chapman would say you've managed to add about 300 pounds of "lightness" to yours compared to mine. Hmm, maybe a huge helium balloon in the cargo hold...I've been known to do stranger things!
BugBomb has some gravel/dirt roads near his house, so next time I'll enact revenge (you'll recall his RS was easily faster and handled better). He does have wickedly big mud guards, though, which you can see here.
Ken: the straight shaft looks kind of odd. I'd be a little concerned about hitting the console with my hand in 1st, 3rd, and 5th gears.
The Kartboy bushings are actually $35 (not $25 like I thought) from Teagues, plus shipping, but that's cheaper. Their shifter shaft is angled but costs the same.
Do what I did - change the shift lever first. It won't be any less work to do the bushings separately, since it's in a compeltely different location.
-juice
-juice
But nevertheless I'm determined to find out. I'm going to order the winter wheels & tires for my wife's miata soon and then wait to see just how scary it is with my AVS S1. If I can somehow make it through the winter on them, that's $500 I can spend on more mods next spring!
I think I've crossed that line between enthusiast and maniac.
-Colin
I believe the effect of the straight shifter is the opposite of what you describe. In neutral, it will angle more towards the driver than an angled shifter.
Ken
Ramon: 205/50 ought to give nice and tight gearing for the track. Stock size is 205/60, so you'll have it 0.8" lower to the ground and geared 6.5% quicker.
It's nice to have AWD 'cause you have more margin of error in foul weather. Put those summer slicks on a Miata and you can't even drive in the rain.
Ken: I stand corrected. That still seems odd, but I'm sure they've tested it, and the Forester's interior is identical around the shifter.
-juice
Craig
-Colin