After owning my Uk300 for 12 years, I left scooby ownership for something a little quicker. A 650bhp GTR R35.
This is now sold to put the money into a new house, and I've now been offered the chance to return to scooby ownership with a 2010 WRXS hatchback.

Firstly I hate the grill. So if I go for it that needs to be swapped. What after market grills do people have for the hatch? Pics please.

Then what mods are best to go for?
Looking initially at dump valve, induction kit and exhaust then eventually map

 

Unless you are buying it cheap or have set aside money for a potential engine rebuild I'd personally steer clear. There are far better Impreza's to buy with your money. The mods you want to do seem ok apart from the DV. The standard one does the job perfectly well.
I'd be looking to remap as soon as you have done the mods. Also maybe consider uprating the fuel pump.

 

Are the engines really that bad?

What is causing them to need a rebuild?

Are there any signs I should look out for?

 

So from what I'm reading on the forum, it's mainly the sti version that has the engine problems. Is that fair to say?

 

Probably due to the extra revs needed to shift the extra car weight and increased transmission losses from the impossibly heavy gearbox.

 

No it's the wrx as well both suffer the same hg and ringland issues

 

Sp what work and costs are required to prevent this?

It's disappointing to hear cause I loved my uk300. I'm surprised Subaru let it get so bad

 

You can get forged pistons, heavy duty head gasket & a proper map. I do like the hatches but if I were to buy one I would need the extra 4k to set aside for any possible engine failures. Why not buy a blobeye sti or the widetrack blobeye or better still a JDM.

 

Get a 2004 WRX V-Limited. IMO the best Subaru ever made after 2001.

 

For what it will cost you to fix the 2.5 issue you'd be better buying a UK 2.0 sti or jdm car.
Then you will have the faster car with decent brakes and far stronger 6 speed box

 

Or, if you like it, get it. Any car engine can go bang, just don't mess with it too much and it should be fine.

 

Read the thread on 2.5 engines
It will take you a couple of days
All factual from experienced owners

I won't have another subaru untill they have the confidence to give me a five year warrenty
It's that simple

Pop
Pop
Boom

 

I should look to be offered this for around £7k, with one owner and 38k miles, so it will be hard to find anything else with that low mileage for that price. However if it's going to cost another £4K to put right, then it's not worth it.

I've looked at some of the posts on the engine failures. I wonder what sort of percentage of engines have had no issues though.

Keeping the engine cool and adding an oil cooler I reckon should help too.

 

Fastest Stock bottom end Subaru on the planet has a 2.5 bottom end. One tuner in the US says if the build tolerances and tune is good then the 2.5 can take serious power.

So if it has 38,000 miles on it and still going. SC50 it's ****.

 

Ha ha let's not push it too far just yet

 

Ive taken the risk and have gone for it.
Bring on the scooby wave.

 

In the past I've had a classic, P1, 2002 STI ppp, 2003 WRX ppp and now, after a 9 year break, have recently bought a low mileage 1 owner 2008 STI hatch ppp and very happy. Yes, not as 'mean' as some of the others but still a great drivers car and quick - I love it! Yep, the engine going pop is a worry but I have the funds to sort if needs be. I did seriously consider buying a Focus RS (around the 400 bhp mark) but the price gap is not justifiable for me. Enjoy!

 

Post some pics up mate.

 

Just waiting on a date to be able to go and pick it up, but as soon as I do ill post some picks.

Already looking at a few choice mods like mishimoto induction kit and oil cooler.

Need to replace that front grill too

 

Picked up the WRXS yesterday.