Iamtheonlydave

Hi Guys,

New to the forum and Subarus.

Can anyone shed some light on the 'Spec D' situation please. I think I have found a 2006 WRX 'Spec D', but my googling leads me to believe that only the STIs were able to be a 'Spec D'

Is this the truth? Here is the ad: Here

Smithys STI

iTrader: (1)

Yep spec D is STI only the car your asking about is a WRX SL (sunroof and learher)

Iamtheonlydave

Thanks guys, i think it was the smaller spoiler that threw me off.

Having done some research, I think I'd be looking to spend £5-7k on a Blobeye WRX. That sound reasonable?

Turbo Tez

iTrader: (8)

You could get an sti with that budget. If you do get a Wrx you'll soon be wishing you'd gone for the sti.

Iamtheonlydave

I could but I am aiming for the WRX in the hopes of potentially cheaper running costs, maintenance and definitely tax. Plus I could hopefully get a 'good' WRX. Also, I love the burble and noise, but a lot of my commute is traffic and a loud exhaust on one of my previous cars drove me mad. So I would like a standard WRX without a decat or fartcan

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

I've had a blob wrx's for over 8 years, I've driven loads of STI's and I've never wished I'd bought an STI

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

The WRX is a decent car, it can be modded to 330bhp quite cheaply, and you keep the lower running costs of the WRX

The tax is the same on WRX and STI, it changes with date of registration The 'hawkeye' is the higher tax bracket (a couple were low tax, but not many) and the hawk uses the less reliable 2.5 engine

My 05 blob WRX gets 22mpg most of the time, but that is just short runs and weekend blasts. On a long run I get 35mpg, an sti can't get near that


Non WRX owners class the WRX as 'poverty spec'. The WRX weighs less, has better MPG and has longer gearing than the STI (also better 0-60 with the same bhp, due to WRX can do 60mph in 2nd, STI can't). But STI owner have to slag off WRX owners to try and justify to money they spent

Jonny Park

Somebody has opened the can of worms again

salsa-king

You cut your clothe according... or by a STi and keep it in the garage, less miles, means less fuel used

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Take my advice - buy the STi
Just make sure it has the 2.0L engine...

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

Or a FORGED 2.5

ZANY

[QUOTE=BoozyDave;11907515]The WRX is a decent car, it can be modded to 330bhp quite cheaply, and you keep the lower running costs of the WRX


Non WRX owners class the WRX as 'poverty spec'. The WRX weighs less, has better MPG and has longer gearing than the STI (also better 0-60 with the same bhp, due to WRX can do 60mph in 2nd, STI can't). But STI owner have to slag off WRX owners to try and justify to money they spent

Have you just copied and pasted that paragraph from you know who Dave? Surely I've seen it posted up by sum1 else....

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

​​​​​Spec D's come with the small rear spoiler. Spec D means discrete

All the good bits that come on an STI, but discrete styling

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Yup, or one of those.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

The car in the advert will be in the higher Road Tax bracket, the same as the STi.
Left alone the engine will be fine in WRX form with a small tweet but get silly and look to big bills.

WRX - STi horses for courses. Badge snobbery or what you want?

Iamtheonlydave

If I were to get a WRX I'd likely keep it stock and/or as is. They are already pretty quick!

Uncle Creepy

I had no idea sending a short message on Twitter could improve the longevity of a WRX's engine. Thanks for the info!

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

They aren't really, although that does depend on what you're used to.
It doesn't cost that much to mod them to around 280BHP.

This was my old one:-
https://www.scoobynet.com/g/album/3387819

For around about £1k this is more or less what you will need.

Sti up pipe
Decat or Sports Cat (for MOT Emissions) downpipe
Decat centre pipe
Free flowing Panel Filter (K&N, Green etc.)
Silicone intercooler hose
NGK PFR 7B Spark pugs

Then a remap.

This is really worth the cost, totally transforms the car.

This will give you an idea of the different possible stages:-

http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk/58901.html

Next thing is to look at some decent discs and pads if the car has the standard setup, as they are not exactly great.

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

If you are a great driver they are a fast B road car, but when sat on the motorway at 60mph, most new turbo diesels will keep up if you accelerate hard, a lot leave you behind

The mods Norman have suggested will give a good increase in performance, but IMO if you fit those mods, spend an extra £400 on bigger turbo and injectors, You will be looking at 330bhp. The engine, clutch and gearbox are all within their proven limits

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

Iamtheonlydave

Thanks guys, but I probably wouldn't take the modding route. Save my pennies for running/maintenance (If I get one).

A Blob-eye 2.0L turbo is what I understand to be the safest purchase

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

If you don't want to mod, look for PPP, a wrx should be 265 bhp and sti 305 bhp

But, you can buy a standard car cheaper and spend the extra on better mods and a 'custom' remap, not a generic map that was the same on PPP models

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

PPP = Prodrive Performance Pack

But people in the know call it P155 Poor Performance

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

[QUOTE=ZANY;11907639]

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Don't listen to this, sorry dave, but that's bollocks.

PPP gives a healthy lift in performance from the standard 225bhp, but some say it doesn't make the numbers (265bhp) but mine did.

More importantly what it does do is give a healthy boost to the mid range torque which is where I personally think the Blob WRX PPP excels with it's long gearing 3rd will take you from 40mph all the way up to 90mph which is very useful if you like to make reasonable progress down twisty roads, once set up properly they can be a very potent tool if you know what you're doing and keep it smooth they fly, it will also take the 0-60 to STI beating levels.

It's also a very safe map done by Prodrive, not some bloke from down the road with a laptop and downloaded maps that are then just checked over with det cans.

PPP got stick historically because of the cost from the dealer which was around the £1500 mark, but now it can be had for around £200/300 depending on where you get the parts from and the map is free to download from here in the mapping section (it's off my car) and easy enough to flash on, takes 10 mins.


I won't get into the which is better STI vs WRX as that depends what you want from the car and by what you say, you want a WRX, they're a nice quick daily that's reasonable on fuel, easy to live with and very reliable if looked after and not modded to within an inch of it's life.

Mine had 126k on the clock when I sold it recently and ran like a dream.