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They are great. I have absolutely no issues with the wheels at all. Mine are XXR527 in 18" x 8.75" wide with ET35 offset running 225/40/18 yokohama parada spec 2 tyres and I've run these wheels since I bought the Foz 1.5 years ago and prior to that 2 years at least on my 06 Hawkeye impreza before that. Have very few stone chips still, look almost like new, no bubbles on them either. Have lasted very well considering they have been used daily for nearly 4 years probably.
They fit perfectly over brembo calipers but to fit them correctly and make the car look right I'm running coilovers and camber bolts front and rear to allow me to dial in the suspension just how I want. I think from memory I'm running -1.6 deg negative camber at the rear and -1.3 negative camber at the fronts.
I have checked clearance on the front and it's fine but I did have to roll both of my rear arches before I fitted these to prevent any potential rubbing on the rear.
Honestly they are great wheels, I know people moan about XXR wheels, but these have been just great. I bought them new and know they are genuine which probably helps.
Cut the Impreza centre pipe where I needed to start the lengthening process to suit the foz. Cut an additional length of 2.5" stainless tube then made up a jig to ensure they were all held in line and at exactly the right angle.
Have only tack welded the bits together at the moment so I can fit it to the car and make sure I'm 100% happy before fully welding it up.
Couple of pics. Nothing exciting though.
Just gotta wait for decent weather to get back under the car now.
Exhaust is now finished and mounted. The centre pipe was just the right length and shape once I'd modified it and the rear box hangs just how I wanted it. Have to say I'm over the moon with the results. Car is breathing better, feels smoother and even a little faster before. Nice is VERY much improved and it's just what I would have wanted from the system.
I like a rolled tip, had one on my DC2 and loved the look.
cheers.
I love a rolled out lip too. Always loved the look of the old Sierra cossie with an outwardly rolled lip and the RS turbos and wanted something you don't see too often and a little different and retro. Think it suits the car.
The new exhaust is so good and makes the car breathe so much better that it's now over-boosting. Give me strength.
Have machined up a boost restriction pill for the 3 port plumbing that's now stopped it over-boosting and has sorted it out, but I might as well get Andrew Carr to re-re-re-map it again properly to sort it and tweek it. So now booked in at Pole Position yet again in a few weeks time to get the map adjusted. Another day off work, 6 hours driving and £150 map tweek. Oh joy.
The new exhaust is so good and makes the car breathe so much better that it's now over-boosting. Give me strength.
Have machined up a boost restriction pill for the 3 port plumbing that's now stopped it over-boosting and has sorted it out, but I might as well get Andrew Carr to re-re-re-map it again properly to sort it and tweek it. So now booked in at Pole Position yet again in a few weeks time to get the map adjusted. Another day off work, 6 hours driving and £150 map tweek. Oh joy.
FML.
That's weird not heard car over boosting due to exhaust change it's not like you changed the downpipe on it
I had a restricted milltek on mine and had no problems at all with changing over to blitz mines been mapped by Andrew carr aswell
Did you have a resonated middle and not now?
seems a bit weird with the over boosting are you sure it wasn't doing it before?
Try the old system back on just to make sure before any map tweaking mate
Although m2 Rtx had his tweaked when he changed his exhaust there was no mention of overboosting at all
Yep, most certainly exhaust related. I monitor my car with every drive carefully as I always have the gauges on torque pro open recording data. Perfect before, never gone above 1.35bar of boost.
I'm not surprised as I had an H&S resonated centre section on the car and the genome rear box which has a tapered entry reducing the diameter to something crazy like 1.5" internally for an inch of length. Can only assume it's designed to speed up the gas entry into the rear box to help give it the mad noise it makes. All of this must have been more restrictive than I thought.
The new system is de-resonated centre with no restrictions in the rear box. The car drove great before but now I'm not kidding its like a different car. Turbo spinning up faster and earlier and feels so much more responsive it's mad.
I spoke to Andrew Carr and he agreed it's going to be due to the exhaust change. Frustrating to say the least but I'd rather he trimmed the upper limits of the boost graph and kept it driving how it does now.
Certainly not putting the genome back on. I know people love them, but my home brew system sounds SO much better anyhow. Besides, I've already lined up 2 buyers for the genome.
Yep, most certainly exhaust related. I monitor my car with every drive carefully as I always have the gauges on torque pro open recording data. Perfect before, never gone above 1.35bar of boost.
I'm not surprised as I had an H&S resonated centre section on the car and the genome rear box which has a tapered entry reducing the diameter to something crazy like 1.5" internally for an inch of length. Can only assume it's designed to speed up the gas entry into the rear box to help give it the mad noise it makes. All of this must have been more restrictive than I thought.
The new system is de-resonated centre with no restrictions in the rear box. The car drove great before but now I'm not kidding its like a different car. Turbo spinning up faster and earlier and feels so much more responsive it's mad.
I spoke to Andrew Carr and he agreed it's going to be due to the exhaust change. Frustrating to say the least but I'd rather he trimmed the upper limits of the boost graph and kept it driving how it does now.
Certainly not putting the genome back on. I know people love them, but my home brew system sounds SO much better anyhow. Besides, I've already lined up 2 buyers for the genome.
I've still kept my centre resonated probably that's why mines ok
and atleast your getting it sorted now pal and have it sounding the way you want it's good to hear
They are great. I have absolutely no issues with the wheels at all. Mine are XXR527 in 18" x 8.75" wide with ET35 offset running 225/40/18 yokohama parada spec 2 tyres and I've run these wheels since I bought the Foz 1.5 years ago and prior to that 2 years at least on my 06 Hawkeye impreza before that. Have very few stone chips still, look almost like new, no bubbles on them either. Have lasted very well considering they have been used daily for nearly 4 years probably.
They fit perfectly over brembo calipers but to fit them correctly and make the car look right I'm running coilovers and camber bolts front and rear to allow me to dial in the suspension just how I want. I think from memory I'm running -1.6 deg negative camber at the rear and -1.3 negative camber at the fronts.
I have checked clearance on the front and it's fine but I did have to roll both of my rear arches before I fitted these to prevent any potential rubbing on the rear.
Honestly they are great wheels, I know people moan about XXR wheels, but these have been just great. I bought them new and know they are genuine which probably helps.
Thanks. Sounds like it would be difficult to swap between the original and these wheels easily. Fortunately I had a mail today to say that a set of Team Dynamnics are going to be delivered next week. Apparently these will require a thin spacer at the front.
I've seen a couple of sets of original FSTI wheels for sale but they seem to go for more than I want to pay for an old set of wheels!
So the car was remapped again at Pole Position Subaru Specialists by Andrew Carr last Thursday and it's totally transformed again. Honestly can't believe how well it drives now and how the turbo makes boost compared to before. It's like a new car. So much more powered being delivered from so much lower down the rev range, instant pickup and it just keeps pulling. I think it's safe to say that I've now reached the safe limits of the VF41 turbo and original engine with the current tune. It's really great!
So this happened on the way up to Pole Position when I was 10 minutes off from arriving there:
Great. Now waiting for the window company to approve a genuine FSTI front replacement screen rather than the aftermarket one they have already offered me that isn't the correct item for my car! Will see what happens.
Anyhow, couple of pics from Pole Position and mapping day. Nothing exciting.
Also, while I was there I purchased a whiteline front strut brace that matches the whiteline strut brace I already have fitted. This item was from an Impreza, no idea what model but it fitted my FSTI 100% perfectly. Missed all the pipes and TMIC leaving em room for a much larger TMIC when I get to that stage. As Whiteline paint seems pretty poor in general and tends to flake off easily, I sent both the end clamps to a local powder coating company for stripping and coating. Had them done in black and they are better than new now.
And I've just received a new drivers side fog lamp cover that I plan to have a play around with and use to design a bespoke 3D printed & modified induction intake for when I finally go to CAI on the car.
I have to decide what I want to do now as I told myself that I wasn't going to sell this car. It ticks all the boxes for me and is just such a great driving car and so thoroughly enjoyable day to day. However... there is a deal on the table with a newly forged hatch Impreza STI that could be built to my spec with some serious power. The car is stunning and the seller really wants my car. So I just don't know.
I wish I'd kept my Litchfield Mica Black Foz STi .. I'm (counting in my head ....) now 11 cars down the line and in a Hawkeye STi after newer machinery but nothing really compares to the Foz with it's ability to be practical while being a monster on B-roads
That's my problem. It's such a great car day to day, so so practical and so fast and fun when I want it to be. Is such a prefect mix for me. I have been toying with the idea of a C63 for some time but I know it won't be as practical or raw as the FSTI.
The hatch shape has really grown on my over the years and the one I've been offered although not as practical can have 450+ bhp when built to the spec I want, which for a daily is plenty. Never wanted to sell the hawk I had before this car but I don't miss it at all. I know if I sell the Foz i'll regret it.
Would money be changing hands too? In which direction?
I haven't been keeping up with this thread but the Foz looks awesome and must be a beast to drive. After spending so much time, effort and money on it, I couldn't imagine selling it for something more common, less practical and less *yours*...
Yep, money would be exchanging hands too, from me towards this deal. Although I've spent £6.5k on my car on top of the original purchase price and normal servicing costs since I bought it a year and a half ago, I'm realistic with how much these things sell for. The FSTI marque is actually increasing in value at the moment, which is great, but I'll still lose out on the deal.
If someone offered me £12k for my car, I'd consider it carefully.
C63 would be a totally different animal, in some ways it being a step up, certainly in terms of cabin quality, materials and probably tech (like auto lights and wipers are other stuff) .. and there's no denying the appeal of that dirty sounding v8.
However it's will lack in traction (especially in the wet/snow) and you lose the interaction of changing gears yourself. You'll be more isolated from the machinery too. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing depends on you I guess.
Sometimes a change is good, but the Foz has a character that's hard to find elsewhere.
We all need 3 cars minimum really dependent on the mood and type of journey .. or at least that's what I tell the wife
C63 would be a totally different animal, in some ways it being a step up, certainly in terms of cabin quality, materials and probably tech (like auto lights and wipers are other stuff) .. and there's no denying the appeal of that dirty sounding v8.
However it's will lack in traction (especially in the wet/snow) and you lose the interaction of changing gears yourself. You'll be more isolated from the machinery too. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing depends on you I guess.
Sometimes a change is good, but the Foz has a character that's hard to find elsewhere.
We all need 3 cars minimum really dependent on the mood and type of journey .. or at least that's what I tell the wife
I've had plenty of very powerful rear wheel drive cars in the past and these can be great fun to drive, more for the excitement and thrill rather than the outright grip and raw response of the Subarus.
I have 3 cars now, the wife's fully loaded Seat Exeo (Audi A4) with leather and every toy available which we use for long journeys and holidays, my FSTI and a 63 beetle in the garage for weekends. So something comfortable, something fun and sporty and something smelly, oily and old.
If you do sell, I promise to allow you to stand at the end of my drive, drooling like a lost puppy, looking at mine. I could even be persuaded to bring out the odd cuppa and biscuits
If you do sell, I promise to allow you to stand at the end of my drive, drooling like a lost puppy, looking at mine. I could even be persuaded to bring out the odd cuppa and biscuits
haha. Every time I need to do a dump run I'll come borrow yours then! Sorted!
It probably won't happen. I'm in no hurry to change it and I'm not going to push this deal at all. If it falls into my lap I might do it, but you never know.
I have 3 cars now, the wife's fully loaded Seat Exeo (Audi A4) with leather and every toy available which we use for long journeys and holidays, my FSTI and a 63 beetle in the garage for weekends. So something comfortable, something fun and sporty and something smelly, oily and old.
Three cars is a good plan, or more if there's money and space to keep them! We have the commuter Nissan Leaf (quiet, comfortable, cheap to run and the wife loves driving it), the Impreza wagon (for long trips, lugging stuff and some fun for me) and a 62 Isetta bubble car, which fits the smelly/oily/old category, although it's not on the road yet.
Would also like to add some sort of camper van or big thing capable of towing a trailer with a little race car on it :-)
21 July 2017, 12:23 AM
