xaviour

Bad news, spent some money on a new carbon fibre scoop, new front callipers, new set of summer tyres and some mini mud flaps and took her for a treat to a re mapper.......

Mapper couldn't map the standard blob with green stuff filler and sti back box cos of the 'detting'.... Was happening on the standard map apparently...

Might be dodgy fuel, bad spark plugs or a cracked head..... Engine rebuild is about 2k, needs discs and pads, tax and a full service in 3k..... So.....

Sounds expensive and I don't want to keep throwing money around so its time for auto trader.... Found a low mileage hawk with 40k on the clock, full service etc but being a wrx SL type UK it has 5 years free service anyway!!!!

Top end price but it is limited edition type UK, an SL so full leather etc and factory fitted PPP....

Got next to nothing for trade in loosing around 2.5k in 18 months without the mods etc.... Am I going to enjoy the swap or was I to quick to jump ship?

Need to start paying the new car off first but what can I do to make it better quickly and cheaply? Will an opensource ECU flash be worth the £300? Will it change the PPP ECU map significantly?

Pramas

basically all youve done is gone from wrx to wrx with a weaker engine, nice to drive around the roads with the torque but be aware of future problems.
For the record i went from wrx to hawk sti and i ended up forging it to get rid of the inevitable .
Honestly my advice is keep what you have and spend the difference in the price on rebuilding the engine you already have

xaviour

Surely at worst I've gone from inevitable engine failure to unknown low milage wrx? I daily drive to around 20k a year not easy miles either.... This new one has about 2 years before I sell at another big loss!?
I thought about keeping it and paying out but it just seems one big bill after another at its age and milage... All it takes is a new clutch, suspention etc and I'm building a new car on an old chassis....

Pramas

2.5 engine is well known to be alot weaker than the blob 2.0, i went with 2.5 for the drivablity. It seems unless it forged its a matter of when it goes rather than if it goes. Having said that i splashed the cash and got mine forged and now its sorted, but for same price you couldve rebuilt the stronger blob

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

The WRX "apparently" doesn't suffer quite the same as the STI 2.5, BUT if you want it to last i'd leave it standard until you can afford to forge it.

API do a package that costs around £2.5k if I were you i'd save a few pennies and have a chat with a few of the top names and see if they do something comparable, then make a choice who to take it to.

WRX sl is a nice car just enjoy it as is or you could well find yourself having to fork out again.