BEST FIRST MODS FOR MY 2002 WRX
 

Owned my WRX for a few weeks now and want to start modding

Thought about upgrading the brakes first off but very tempted to get a remap, got a few questions..

- what sort of power could I get from the car mapped being standard?

- should I forget mapping for mean time and upgrade the standard 4 pots?

- how much and where should I get the mapping done (I'm based in Bristol)

Cheers all

from a guy who has spent far to much money on his 02 wrx

do the springs, anti roll bar, drop links and a geo first ( these mods make the cra feel soo much better )

then 3 inch decat turbo back, uppipe air filter and ecu tek next

if you live in bristol I would 100% recommend Bob Rawles in Swindon to do the map a top guy with a even better after service - he will not let you down and you will not find any bad comments about his work on the net


leave the brakes till you get over 300 ;) if you are fading the current set on the road before 300 bhp you really need to slow down ;)

I agree/get Rich's point about the chassis, and certainly would recommend geometry as an absolute minimum. However, I'd recommend a few minor things with the brakes, i.e. braided hoses, decent fluid and uprated front pads (and ideally disks) - uprate the pads/disks when they come up for service replacement at the very least. I found it all too easy to fade normal WRX brakes with 280bhp around e.g. Milton Keynes roundabouts or twisty hilly roads; whether that means I really need to slow down is maybe anyone's guess!

I'd also look at a sports cat downpipe/centre to keep the cars emissions legal and get ti through MOTs, but otherwise a full exhaust, change the up-pipe, panel filter (rather than cone), plus maybe Samco hoses, ported headers and 2nd hand STi intercooler or similar. If you can afford to do most of these in one hit and get the car mapped to suit straight away, it'll save you waiting/paying for multiple re-maps in the longer run. All those mods will get you a little under 300bhp, which is as far as you'll sensibly get the standard turbo. Getting over 330lbft ish torque on a WRX can have significant consequences on gearbox etc life so is probably not worth it, IMHO.

Do have a use of the search tool, there's a lot of people have asked most of the normal questions lots of times before, and you'll get a quicker answer that way rather than waiting for someone to answer.

ooow he's an animal :D

to agree with hades Im sure i had gone through the OE pads before i started modding mine :)

L33

Ive just bought a bog standard one myself today to use as my work car, this is my 5th scoob.

I had a 2001 bug eye in the past, and I ecu tek'd it, green panel and full exhaust downpipe back.

It still only made 256bhp which is feeble !!! Im just going to leave this one standard !

ok springs and drop links it is then - what's the best to buy and where from?

Cheers for the advice everyone

PowerStation

Echo all the above. Get used to the power and get the handling sorted. I had an MY03 WRX PPP at 265PS (261.5bhp or so) but had the Whiteline rear ARB, solid links, AST's :notworthy and a stonking geometry set-up. Guys following me on runs in the Dales with up to 400bhp used to struggle to keep up, as they were always reigning in the inbalance as the power overwhelmed their and their cars abilities, whereas I just kept my foot planted in full control. The stability my car had did see me hankering for more power just before I sold her, but never bothered.

I also did the lines, fluid and pads on OE discs and never had fade thereafter, but I also drive Roadcraft and hardly use the brakes these days.

so what should the following cost me..

- new uprated springs
- Anti roll bars (assume bushes should also be done)
- drop links

would this be a good start then

WHITELINE SUSPENSION PRODUCTS Whiteline Flatout Droplink Kit - Front & Rear 92-00 Classic Impreza : £129.99 : Subaru Impreza Turbo Parts, Tuning, Spares & Accessories : Suspension - Misc -

and

TEIN S.TECH LOWERING SPRING KITS S.Tech Lowering Springs- Impreza 00-02 GDA GDB IMPREZA WRX 00-02 GDA GDB GGA GGB Incl Wagon & STi : £167.99 : Subaru Impreza Turbo Parts, Tuning, Spares & Accessories : Suspension - Spring Kits -

The droplinks you link to are for a Classic, not sure they'll be the same fitment on an 02 Bugeye. Demon Tweeks are a good source for Whiteline stuff and if you mention Scoobynet you should get a discount (15% IIRC). You can save a few quid by getting the steel droplinks. They do the same job just as well but aren't as pretty, but half the price. The fronts don't usually need doing, but if you must. Similarly, the front ARB won't give as much reward as the rear, and has been known to reintroduce understeer dependent on your geometry set-up. I have no experience of Tein springs, but they are a reputable company so I would think they're OK. Most go for Eibachs, or the more expensive and better Eibach made Prodrives.

For me,

Whiteline Rear ARB (on stiffest setting) £140
Whiteline Rear steel droplinks £40
Eibach springs £160 (I think)
Alignment £80
Goodridge SS lines £50
DOT 5.1 fluid £10
Ferodo DSPF pads £90

If money is plentiful, then AST coilovers.

cheers corradoboy - I'll use your shopping list