sapkan

have a MY03WRX and want to improve its handling and road holding on faster bends, however I am not willing to compromise ride quality greatly.

I have been in an 2004STI and can live with its ride. I want to know from people that have experience with the springs on a WRX whether the ride is comparable to the STI or much firmer?

Scoobypl

Same here...
Have been e-mailing with Nick Wadeson from prodrive...he has recommended them for my STI 04 as well (well he would, now, wouldn't he!? )
Said they would improve the ride quality... any comments from satisfied owners...or unsatisfied owners?
I do believe him...but I have a suspicious nature! allways like to check for myself!

JIM THEO

I have tested both STI and WRX01-03 with Prodrive springs and WRX is smoother/softer in any case.
I am going to fit soonly a set of Prodrive springs in my WRX03 that has also 225/40/18 wheels and we'll se how it drives, although my Michelin Pilot Sports play a huge rule on ride quality due to softer sidewalls compared with S03, Proxes, GSD3 etc as tyre pressures also, curently I have 36psi front - 31 rear but with the new springs something like 34-30 I guess is much better/easier to live with...
JIM

Jerry B

Had Prodrive springs on my '03 WRX wagon for about 8000 miles now as I found the stock ones wallowy and soft, tending to bounce and float and giving too much body roll. I like em. Took a while to adjust, as I do lots of bumpy B-roads as well as smoother stuff, and initially they seemed 'choppy' and I felt maybe under-damped, but now I really think it was just me getting used to it, and anything stiffer and I'd be back to crashing through potholes like the '98 did.
It's cut down on roll, that horrible vague understeery feel has all but gone, and they don't leap off undulations like before.
I'd recommend it with the corresponding geometry changes done with them. I didn't change anything else and I'm quite happy.
A good compromise for the roads I use. And no warranty arguments either.
I doubt if you'll find them too harsh. They're firmer and obviously have less travel than stock over bumps but with the shocks as standard they're not really any harsher over rough surfaces. As I said it'll bob rather than bounce now, if you know what I mean.
If the roads you use are anything half-decent you'll love the improvement and not notice any adverse effects at all I reckon.

If you're anywhere down South let me know, be happy to demonstrate.

sapkan

thanx Jerry but I live in Bulgaria where the roads are absolute ****e. that is the very reason why I am having doubts bout fitting the springs. If I was based in the UK I would have had them fitted by now. Hate the vagueness of the standard suspension though...

sapkan

bout the geometry settings

can any half-decent wheel-alignment type place do a good job with the geometry setup given that I provide them with the correct settings

blip

Hi Jerry

Are you in South East or South West? I have an 03WRX wagon and am considering the Prodrive springs but have similar concerns about the extra harshness/choppiness on rough B-roads (which is pretty much all I drive on).

Would love to compare with yours I'm in Somerset.

Jerry B

Blip - I'm near Brighton!

If I'm headed down that way and not taking the camper I'll try to remember to give you a shout. Am off to Cornwall at the weekend but won't be able to stop off I'm afraid.
Let me know if you're headed this way at all.

Sapkan, that is a bit far for a test drive.
Some of the roads round here are pretty rough too, so I wouldn't write it off just yet. I found with the O E set-up the car felt a bit too vague, and rebound off humps would unsettle and un-weight the car too much for my liking, leading to float and under-steer if followed by corners. Over similar humps now it travels less and recovers faster so the effect is less pronounced and more of a bump than a bounce, if that makes sense.
Harder shocks would I'm sure iron that out more but would add harshness over holes and rough stuff, so I've settled for this compromise.
The only other close comparison I can make is to my '98, which had softer springs but harder shocks compared to my current set-up.

If I didn't like to push it a bit the standard stuff was more civilised and relaxing.....maybe I just drive too fast for the roads I use!

Oh, nearly forgot to mention, give Dave Hollamby a call at Gatwick Subaru. Apparently they do 'customer days' where they make changes and let you try them out- sort of thing. Might be worth a call. 01293-429800.

sapkan

I feel the same way bout the OE setup and will probably try the springs. I am just not sure how demanding a task the geometry setup is and whether the local garages would be able to do a decent job.

Jasoon

All depends on what geometry kit they have ,sapkan
If they know how to use there gear you should be ok