WRX 02' hmmm?
01-31-2003, 05:29 AM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by special tool:
<strong>What is the stock boost level on those things?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">The stock EBC overboosts to around 16psi and then settles to around 13psi, if I remember correctly. A friend of mine (EE) built his own custom boost controller for his WRX and it hits 15psi and sticks. Pretty cool! Its awesome to look at too, since he hasn't gotten a box/container for it yet. Its just an exposed IC sitting in a shoe box!
<strong>What is the stock boost level on those things?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">The stock EBC overboosts to around 16psi and then settles to around 13psi, if I remember correctly. A friend of mine (EE) built his own custom boost controller for his WRX and it hits 15psi and sticks. Pretty cool! Its awesome to look at too, since he hasn't gotten a box/container for it yet. Its just an exposed IC sitting in a shoe box!
01-31-2003, 07:20 AM
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WRX 02' hmmm?
Curious to see what people think of the WRX compared to the 951.
I've driven my friend's stock 02' WRX and it feels pretty good. Though it has AWD a little massaging on the suspension and engine mods are in order.
I want to know if I should just continue to upgrade my 951 or go Scooby.
I read that the WRX responds to mods well although the unichip upgrade is big $$$ and simple bolt on stuff like air filter, exhaust up grades to the up-pipe and down pipe yield big gains.
That little "voice" is still there though.
I've driven my friend's stock 02' WRX and it feels pretty good. Though it has AWD a little massaging on the suspension and engine mods are in order.
I want to know if I should just continue to upgrade my 951 or go Scooby.
I read that the WRX responds to mods well although the unichip upgrade is big $$$ and simple bolt on stuff like air filter, exhaust up grades to the up-pipe and down pipe yield big gains.
That little "voice" is still there though.
01-31-2003, 11:41 AM
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The WRX's are nice little cars, but they need a lot thrown at them in stock form before I would be happy driving it.
Suspension, Sway bars, springs, struts, and a wheel and tire package would be in order.
Engine, EBC, exhuast, chip
Exterior, well not much you can do about the neon looks, so I would be waiting till late 2003 when they go to the new body style...
<img src="http://www.modernracer.com/images/subaruimprezawrxstifront1.jpg" alt=" - " />
Suspension, Sway bars, springs, struts, and a wheel and tire package would be in order.
Engine, EBC, exhuast, chip
Exterior, well not much you can do about the neon looks, so I would be waiting till late 2003 when they go to the new body style...
<img src="http://www.modernracer.com/images/subaruimprezawrxstifront1.jpg" alt=" - " />
01-31-2003, 11:53 AM
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the front of that looks like the nissan maxima. Looks pretty good. I've raced a modded wrx from a roll. I raced him with what I have now and I beat him. I passed him and then got in front. He had the boost turned up and exhaust and other mods.
01-31-2003, 12:27 PM
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I raced my friend from a roll on the highway. Hes been driving high-po sports cars for 12 years (me for ~1). He pulled away reasonably well until about 50mph. After that I was gradually pulling on him and was in front when we hit ~90mph and stopped. They're quick little cars, and with an american muffler installed they sound BEEFY. My friend always gets weird questions from ricers about his exhaust, i.e. 'why does it sound so low?', 'is that the stock engine?', etc. I guess hes alienated his bee-buzz compatriots <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />
01-31-2003, 12:39 PM
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I've owned an 02 wrx with the stage 2 kit from TurboXS (325hp @ 16.5psi),and all I can say now that I have a 951 is that I miss the fun of driving the car but not the gas consumption (around 12-13mpg).Dont get me wrong,the 951 is a great highway and track car.It will handle alot better on the track than the wrx but on the straights it wont get away if speeds are below 125mph and it will even loose in the 1/4 mile.The main reasons I loved my rex is because 80% of the driving I do is on very tight and ugly back roads (winter and summer)and this is where the wrx shines and the Porsche is just to laggy and stiff to enjoy.But in the end it all depends what kind of driving one does since these machine once modified will be amazing in there own turf but one cost 24,000$u.s. plus 3000$(270rwhp ) of mods and the other costs around 10,000$ or less ,plus 3000$ of mods (300rwhp )and still keeps its value after all these years.Now that the STI is coming out, it will be a new ball game but at a much more expensive price (around 33,000$)
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01-31-2003, 01:59 PM
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If you have to part with your 944, I'd recommend staying with German cars. In my 37 years of driving, I've owned cars made by three German marques (VW, Porsche, and BMW), and I've found all of these cars to be more roadworthy and more fun to drive than their Japanese counterparts.
That said, if you must sell your P-car, here's what I'd do instead of getting a WRX: buy a '98 or '99 BMW E36 M3 in good condition (you can find well cared for E36 M3's in the low-to-mid $20s today). Put H&R coilovers on it, drop it an inch, put new rear toe bushings on it and drive it like you stole it. You'll have a rear wheel drive car that rides/handles superbly and is immeasurably more gratifying to drive than the WRX, though not as fast.
That said, if you must sell your P-car, here's what I'd do instead of getting a WRX: buy a '98 or '99 BMW E36 M3 in good condition (you can find well cared for E36 M3's in the low-to-mid $20s today). Put H&R coilovers on it, drop it an inch, put new rear toe bushings on it and drive it like you stole it. You'll have a rear wheel drive car that rides/handles superbly and is immeasurably more gratifying to drive than the WRX, though not as fast.
01-31-2003, 02:47 PM
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I'm probably in the minority here, but I absolute hate the 951 for daily-driving duties. I bought it with the hopes of turning it in to a "mean" street car that I can drive to work every day and have fun driving around town. It just doesn't have the low-end grunt or gearing to serve that purpose in my opinion. I'm hoping the new cat bypass helps a bit. An upgraded Lindsey IC should drop the power curve a bit as well. The Guru Stage 2 map kit did help and I'm happy with that purchase.
On the other hand, a 2002 WRX is a great daily driver. Stock, the car runs more boost down low, fades at high rpms, and feels "quicker" than a 951 around town. The difference is substantial. On the highway, it would take some major mods to run with a 951 (w/ similar mod dollars).
I guess it just depends on what you want. If you want a car that will suffice as a daily-driver and kick butt on the track, keep the 951. If you want a car that will suffice on the track and kick butt on a trip to the grocery store, go for the WRX.
My 2 cents...
-Matt
'87 951
'93 Rx-7
On the other hand, a 2002 WRX is a great daily driver. Stock, the car runs more boost down low, fades at high rpms, and feels "quicker" than a 951 around town. The difference is substantial. On the highway, it would take some major mods to run with a 951 (w/ similar mod dollars).
I guess it just depends on what you want. If you want a car that will suffice as a daily-driver and kick butt on the track, keep the 951. If you want a car that will suffice on the track and kick butt on a trip to the grocery store, go for the WRX.
My 2 cents...
-Matt
'87 951
'93 Rx-7
01-31-2003, 03:50 PM
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That WRX is interesting, especially the STi version. I haven't driven one, but on paper it is impressive, plus all the feedback i've been hearing has nothing but praise for the car (sans interior quality). I would never consider buying a new car, but that WRX STi has me thinking twice about that.
Gator,
After owning 2 944's I told myself that i'd continue buying German cars because of the high quality. However I definitely wouldn't disregard Japanese cars. When it comes to reliability and dollar/feature ratio (it has been my experience) that Japanese cars are very tough to beat. There's no doubt that Porsches and BMW's are tough as nails and are built very well, but that comes at a price that many find hard to swallow when faced with the competition (i.e. 993 vs. 3rd Gen RX-7, 300ZX TT or Supra TT, for lack of a better comparison). As for fun factor, that is purely subjective. Personally I found my old 2nd Gen RX-7 to be just as fun and enjoyable as my 944, in some ways more, in others less.
Matt,
I also really don't like the 951 for daily driving, although the N/A 944 is better suited. The low-end torque kind of sucks in traffic, but one can learn to live with it. You also have to watch where you park because some A-Holes tend to think that because you drive a fancy-pants marque that you deserve the tip of their key to be run alongside your quarter panel.
Gator,
After owning 2 944's I told myself that i'd continue buying German cars because of the high quality. However I definitely wouldn't disregard Japanese cars. When it comes to reliability and dollar/feature ratio (it has been my experience) that Japanese cars are very tough to beat. There's no doubt that Porsches and BMW's are tough as nails and are built very well, but that comes at a price that many find hard to swallow when faced with the competition (i.e. 993 vs. 3rd Gen RX-7, 300ZX TT or Supra TT, for lack of a better comparison). As for fun factor, that is purely subjective. Personally I found my old 2nd Gen RX-7 to be just as fun and enjoyable as my 944, in some ways more, in others less.
Matt,
I also really don't like the 951 for daily driving, although the N/A 944 is better suited. The low-end torque kind of sucks in traffic, but one can learn to live with it. You also have to watch where you park because some A-Holes tend to think that because you drive a fancy-pants marque that you deserve the tip of their key to be run alongside your quarter panel.
01-31-2003, 04:37 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by mledbetter:
<strong>I'm probably in the minority here, but I absolute hate the 951 for daily-driving duties.
-Matt</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I agree that the 951 is a handful in traffic. With tall gearing and turbo lag, it's hard to squirt through holes in traffic and enjoy the experience (top end is a different story of course). I've driven a WRX, and off-boost it's not much fun either. Despite being a fast car, an unmodified Supra TT suffers from lag as well.
My point: if you do mostly stop-and-go driving, consider a normally aspirated car with good low-end/midrange grunt and sufficient torque (again, the M3 comes to mind). If you like NA cars, you might also consider a new Nissan 350Z, which is a bit more expensive than the WRX, but has gotten great reviews. Don't even think about a Honda S2K. Despite being normally aspirated, its anemic torque and its absurdly high torque peak (7200 rpm), makes the 951 feel like an Eldorado at traffic speed--you have to drive the Honda like you hate it in order to make it perform. It's an unpleasant car as a daily driver.
Like Matt suggested, determine what your driving needs are and choose accordingly. For my situation (I live in a semi-rural area in the sunbelt), the 951 is a good fit. But, were I to move to the big-city, I'd be looking for an M-series Bimmer.
<strong>I'm probably in the minority here, but I absolute hate the 951 for daily-driving duties.
-Matt</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I agree that the 951 is a handful in traffic. With tall gearing and turbo lag, it's hard to squirt through holes in traffic and enjoy the experience (top end is a different story of course). I've driven a WRX, and off-boost it's not much fun either. Despite being a fast car, an unmodified Supra TT suffers from lag as well.
My point: if you do mostly stop-and-go driving, consider a normally aspirated car with good low-end/midrange grunt and sufficient torque (again, the M3 comes to mind). If you like NA cars, you might also consider a new Nissan 350Z, which is a bit more expensive than the WRX, but has gotten great reviews. Don't even think about a Honda S2K. Despite being normally aspirated, its anemic torque and its absurdly high torque peak (7200 rpm), makes the 951 feel like an Eldorado at traffic speed--you have to drive the Honda like you hate it in order to make it perform. It's an unpleasant car as a daily driver.
Like Matt suggested, determine what your driving needs are and choose accordingly. For my situation (I live in a semi-rural area in the sunbelt), the 951 is a good fit. But, were I to move to the big-city, I'd be looking for an M-series Bimmer.
01-31-2003, 04:41 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by gatorbait:
<strong>If you have to part with your 944, I'd recommend staying with German cars. In my 37 years of driving, I've owned cars made by three German marques (VW, Porsche, and BMW), and I've found all of these cars to be more roadworthy and more fun to drive than their Japanese counterparts.
That said, if you must sell your P-car, here's what I'd do instead of getting a WRX: buy a '98 or '99 BMW E36 M3 in good condition (you can find well cared for E36 M3's in the low-to-mid $20s today). Put H&R coilovers on it, drop it an inch, put new rear toe bushings on it and drive it like you stole it. You'll have a rear wheel drive car that rides/handles superbly and is immeasurably more gratifying to drive than the WRX, though not as fast.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Ditto <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
<strong>If you have to part with your 944, I'd recommend staying with German cars. In my 37 years of driving, I've owned cars made by three German marques (VW, Porsche, and BMW), and I've found all of these cars to be more roadworthy and more fun to drive than their Japanese counterparts.
That said, if you must sell your P-car, here's what I'd do instead of getting a WRX: buy a '98 or '99 BMW E36 M3 in good condition (you can find well cared for E36 M3's in the low-to-mid $20s today). Put H&R coilovers on it, drop it an inch, put new rear toe bushings on it and drive it like you stole it. You'll have a rear wheel drive car that rides/handles superbly and is immeasurably more gratifying to drive than the WRX, though not as fast.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Ditto <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
01-31-2003, 04:44 PM
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For slightly more than a new WRX, you can look at a used Audi S4 as well. Good response and you can mod them easily to a certain point. In my opinion, they look a little better than the WRX as well.
Just another one to check out.
For the 25k you will spend on a new WRX, you can have a 3rd gen rx-7 running in the 11's with a bit of reliability as well.
-Matt
Just another one to check out.
For the 25k you will spend on a new WRX, you can have a 3rd gen rx-7 running in the 11's with a bit of reliability as well.
-Matt
01-31-2003, 04:45 PM
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I drive my 951 in traffic and it sure beats my bike
But seriously, I think it's agreat daily driver. I've only been at it for three years and I have no trouble hopping it around like a little import. It just depends on how you drive it. Now that I have a car that is set up properly, I can win at autocross against all the cars with gobs of low end torque - vetts and 3.6 911's included (I haven't won yet though...still need more practice
). Because of the 951's higher gearing, I can stay in first and not shift where others have to do it all in second. It may not be able to stomp a mustang off the line, but Ford didn't design its cars to exceed 30 mph anyway. At that speed, my tires are just starting to squeal and the mustnag driver is starting to pi$$ himself.
I like the WRX. It's a neat little (little may not be the best word...) machine and not a bad platform for upgrades. It's also cheap to buy for a car with it's performance.
<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
But seriously, I think it's agreat daily driver. I've only been at it for three years and I have no trouble hopping it around like a little import. It just depends on how you drive it. Now that I have a car that is set up properly, I can win at autocross against all the cars with gobs of low end torque - vetts and 3.6 911's included (I haven't won yet though...still need more practice
). Because of the 951's higher gearing, I can stay in first and not shift where others have to do it all in second. It may not be able to stomp a mustang off the line, but Ford didn't design its cars to exceed 30 mph anyway. At that speed, my tires are just starting to squeal and the mustnag driver is starting to pi$$ himself.I like the WRX. It's a neat little (little may not be the best word...) machine and not a bad platform for upgrades. It's also cheap to buy for a car with it's performance.
<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />