Midlife Crisis Fix - 315hp Subaru WRX STI

SharpByCoop

SharpByCoop

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 8, 2001
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(EDIT: It's up to 500hp at the wheels now. See post #104)

That's right. After driving a Dodge minivan for the past five years with my now 5-yr-old growing up as wished, it's time for ME!

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No apologies. I'm 54 and haven't had a fast car since 1973 (11-sec. Camaro SS 396) I have built/owned/driven the fastest motorcycles on the planet for twenty years as a shop owner and drag racer and also as a technician at a large Ducati dealership.

After researching what provides the MOST bang for the buck nowadays, I was on a mission. The Subaru WRX STI series is a 'Boy Racer' vehicle by every measure, but--hey--I can think young. I found this sweetheart with 14k pampered miles, and a few go-fast compliments:

Stainless 3" APS full exhaust, 'Protuned' computer mods result in 315 whp / 345 torque at only 4000 RPM! (Dyno measured AT the wheels...:)) Tinted windows, BBS Wheels, Brembo Brakes. Passport Radar detector.

AWD handling is real tight, and 6 speed optional short-throw shifter keeps me busy. Let me tell you: It JUMPS!

You only live ONCE! :D (The guys at my boat club have a pool going: How soon till I get a ticket, and how much over posted will it be....?! ;))

(It's up to 500hp at the wheels now. See post #104)

Coop
 
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Could you move the car so I can get a better look at that cool truck ?:D:foot:




Congratulations on the new ride. I had the pleasure of driving an all wheel drive Audi A4 once and was impressed with the handling. Somehow my one ton 4x4 doesn't like being locked in on dry pavement, but they pull it off nicely in the cars :D
I drive a 6 speed as well and have no desire of ever having an auto, or even a 5 speed again.

You really should try a diesel out sometime though, 8000lbs of go fast is even more fun!
 
Decent power, even though it'll never be a proper small block.
Have you considered shaving the wing?
 
Hi Matt - You have a good eye. That's a ten cylinder Triton beast we own there. I drive that pulling our crew trailer all over the East coast. It has authority...

Bobby - I bow to the V8's of the world, but I won't argue with success. Change is hard.... ;)

Tail Spoiler too big? My thoughts exactly. I am researching if there are caps that can fit over the stubs of the lower spoiler and attaches to the two risers. That unbolts. Getting a standard WRX spoiler is NOT a boltover. I need to make it a sleeper....

Coop
 
"Midlife crisis fix". . . .pffft.

Once into cool, fast toys - always into cool, fast toys. ;)


I talked to a 74 year old, grandmother of 12 last month. Her ride. . . .a tweaked 2008 Volkswagon all-wheel drive R32. :D We talked about go fast cars for over an hour. :thumbup: Man, she knew her stuff.


The Subaru WRX's are monsters ! :D Nice snag, Coop !
 
Nice choice! (I drive an 04 wrx)

If you're looking to get rid of the wing, Post a thread in the NASIOC.com regional forums. There's always boy racers with standard WRX's or imprezas that want the big wing and you can do a trunk swap with them (and even make some $$) off of it.

Don't forget to swap the springs & lock for the trunk too.
 
Congratulations, Coop, enjoy that new toy. Mine is a 2003 Vette,
I just love cranking it up for Sat nite dates with the wife.

Win
 
i've gotten over 25 MPG on the highway in my stock STi (04 MY)

they are fast, but what the V8 guys don't get is that there is way more to this car than 1/4 times. (above car should probably be in the mid to low 12's though)

that and you can carry 5 people and drive in the rain/snow, etc...

i've had mine since 2003 and still love it
 
That is one of the things I love about my Mini...small, very fast, and even with the horsepower mods I am averaging 34mpg. Not bad for a car that will embarrass a lot of v-6/v-8s from a stop light.
 
Matt Shade said:
Somehow my one ton 4x4 doesn't like being locked in on dry pavement,
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Neither does a AWD STi. This thing was made for rally racing. If you don't know what this is look it up on youtube, it's like the illegitimate child of road-racing and dirtbikes.
bobby.t said:
Have you considered shaving the wing?
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This is a bad ideal since the wing is not for show. It provides a good deal of down force at speed, and since this is a AWD it can acually use that down force unlike FWD cars with a huge wing.

P.S. A modded STi or EVO will out maneuver and out accelerate 99% of cars on the road, including Z06, 'stangs, and porsche and still seat 4-5 people:p
 
Thats a sweet ride, Coop. Me and my '99 Explorer with 180,000 on the clock are jealous!

Here is my midlife crisis toy - a restored '69 Chevy CST-10:

truck.jpg


truck3.jpg
 
spyder10 said:
This is a bad ideal since the wing is not for show. It provides a good deal of down force at speed, and since this is a AWD it can acually use that down force unlike FWD cars with a huge wing.
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It depends on what he's using the car for. The wing is only functional at high speeds. It produces ~60 lbs of downforce at 100mph and ~140 lbs of downforce at 150 mph.

If it's just a daily driver - there is no reason not to lose the wing.
 
Those cars are fun to drive. Test drove an STI and EVO. Fun to drive, but boy are they both butt ugly. I'm sure you didn't buy it to win any beauty contests though ;)
 
Excellent choice! But STi does not really fit into the `boy racer`group does it? Civic, integra, neon, cavalier can be consider as 'boy racer', the pocket rocket Gti is kind of a 'boy racer'. It really hurts to hear STi being call a 'boy racer'. But then, everyone have a seven years old inside them...
Why am I being so anal about it? Refer to my user id. :D
http://www.subaru-sti.co.jp/product/s201/index.html

Shiny side up!
 
Nice car.

Here's my '06 2.5 after having a bath today.

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Not as fast as your STi, but a whole lot of fun to drive.

The AWD handing is wonderful. I can take turns in the Impreza that my old rear wheel drive T-bird had to come to a complete stop to get around. And the first time I had to drive in the snow made the Impreza worth twice its weight in gold.

Gas mileage on the N/A engine is pretty good, I get around 26 in town.

Thursday I took out the stock head unit and put in a new Alpine 9884 so I can play my iPod in the car without that irritating FM transmitter.

Enjoy it.
 
Who would have thought that my first post here on the BLADEforums would have been about a car?! I've been a fan of both Subaru's WRX and hotter STI for years. Congratulations on your purchase and the find! That is a nice find w/only 14K and the mods. What I want to know however is, how the hell can you justify buying a small pocket rocket car while having a 5 year old?! Is that your only child? At your age?! Because I'm 34 with 3 young kids. My daughter is 4 and my twin boys are 2 1/2. We own a Toyota Sienna (as the family mobile) a Jeep Cherokee (my daily ride) and a 95 Geo Metro 1.0L 3 cylinder manual (spare vehicle) and I'm afraid that when the '04 Sienna is paid off that I'm about to buy myself another Sienna. My dream is to own something just like what you've got but that's not going to happen for a looong time.:(
 
trowand said:
Who would have thought that my first post here on the BLADEforums would have been about a car?! I've been a fan of both Subaru's WRX and hotter STI for years. Congratulations on your purchase and the find! That is a nice find w/only 14K and the mods. What I want to know however is, how the hell can you justify buying a small pocket rocket car while having a 5 year old?! Is that your only child? At your age?! Because I'm 34 with 3 young kids. My daughter is 4 and my twin boys are 2 1/2. We own a Toyota Sienna (as the family mobile) a Jeep Cherokee (my daily ride) and a 95 Geo Metro 1.0L 3 cylinder manual (spare vehicle) and I'm afraid that when the '04 Sienna is paid off that I'm about to buy myself another Sienna. My dream is to own something just like what you've got but that's not going to happen for a looong time.:(
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised how much room there is inside the Impreza. It's nothing compared to my old Thunderbird, but there's plenty... and lots of trunk space for carrying around extra kids too.
 
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