Hi all! I have recently purchased a stock 06 Hawkeye WRX 2.5 and am loving every second of it. Having come from an older Fiesta, this is quite the change! I'm still very much getting used to it and grin like a maniac every time I see it parked up somewhere.

It is completely stock other that a K&N air filter from what I can see (and from what the dealer said). I'm keen to keep it close to stock for now as I like almost everything about it, but wondered if there is any way to tell whether it has had a remap given the filter has been changed?

Second question, I would very much like to upgrade the brakes as they are the big thing that seems necessary from driving it and asking around. Top candidate is the Godspeed 335 Big Brake Conversion, which uses the original calipers. I would welcome anyone's thoughts on this kit (I have read a few threads on here that discuss it too and they seem favourable).

Other than brakes is there anything essential you would do from a safety point of view (or otherwise)? I'm not looking at making it go faster for now.

Cheers!

 

Hi mate and welcome. Get some pics up

I would say get it mapped but thats just me lol. In terms of brakes they should be decent at stock level so it could be the discs and pads need changing. Although when it comes to brakes you never have too much braking power on a car.

 

Hawkeye is a nice shape, just not keen on the 2.5 engine, what colour is it? I'm sure you will get more lookers from when you were in your fiesta

 

Welcome along
+1 on get some pics up.
Get some decent quality pads in there if the brakes feel poor,apart from that just drive and enjoy
As above tho,I would also be tempted to get a remap,a nice safe map will transform the car without going too crazy

 

Fot the money you will spend on the godspeed setup, i would recommend going for a set of brembo calipers with discs and pads from an STI. You may also need bigger wheels for them to fit though.

 

Hi, ..welcome to the mad house, lol, one of the first upgrades l did was the brakes, a lot depends on what size wheel you are running, l have 18", and was lucky enough to acquire some Prodrive calipers, but needed discs,... l contacted lan at godspeed,... purchased new discs and pads, great advice, and service, he does " big brake" kits for the normal, 4 pot calipers, and will know what will fit under your wheels, be it a Brembo upgrade, or something else, also have your eyes tested regularly, as "some things can get close quickly",...

 

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I have (hopefully) attached a few pictures of the beast below. The photos are quite flattering as there are a few minor cosmetic scratches etc, but nothing unexpected for a 10 year old car.

On the brakes, I'm looking at improving them in as cost effective a way as possible. I don't need peak performance as I'm unlikely to be taking it on a track or modding it for speed any time soon. The 335 kit from Godspeed seems sensible as I can keep the original stock calipers and wheels and my mechanical (lack of) skills may just stretch to that job.

Tell you what, the fuel consumption is something fierce! I'm lucky to get about 20mpg if my back-of-a-***-packet sums are correct, but then I have been "enjoying" the car a lot since I have bought it so that perhaps isn't surprising!

 

If you fit Brembo brakes you will need to change your wheels too. Brembo's don't fit behind the WRX wheels.

 

It needs lowering a tad and a big spoiler on the boot lol I'm running standard calipers still but got recon ones from godspeed along with grooved discs, kevlar pads and braided hoses, still stops on a sixpence and running 330bhp, second hand brembos are an option but gonna set ya �� a large chunk of change plus like already been said will need to change the wheels also

 

I ran standard 4 pots on my JDM Blob running 300 bhp.
Good discs, pads, fluid and perhaps uprate braided lines will come in less than an aftermarket kit. I refurbed my brakes as it is relatively simple and cost effective, also the stainless pistons are far less prone to sticking unlike the normal steel pistons.

Don't forget that the brakes will only stop the wheels turning, fit crap tyres and you will still plow straight on or off the road

 

Welcome to Impreza ownership! I have owned a 2006 Hawkeye WRX since new, so thats 11 years in March and I am still very much hooked on it!!
As for modifying, I have done a lot of bits over the years, some I wished I hadn't.
On the brakes front, I was always going to go up to 18" wheels so I decided to go with a set of used Brembos all round. I was lucky enough to get the full set with discs and pads for £450 so although dear you can get a reasonable bargain if you shop around. The main issue with the Brembo conversion is the handbrake as the WRX uses a smaller shoe. Godspeed has 2 options to fix this, double skin shoes that are less that useless and steel inserts that bolt inside the sti disc, I am having those fitted next week in place of the larger shoes.
If you go bigger wheels though, it will look like a tractor so you will need lowering springs at least. The problem with modifying is that everything you do often means you have to change something else to compensate, so keep your sensible head on, as you seem to be doing, and avoid doing too much without finding out the knock on effects first.
​​​​​​​I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!!

 

Welcome!
A brake stopper, some braided hoses and decent fluid would help the brake performance. It won't turn them into brembos but it will sharpen them, especially if you've got decent pads. The newage 4 pot calipers are also prone to seizing and rusting so a strip and re-grease could be in order.

 

Still can't find a brake stop for a hatch