WRBlu

After the rave reviews for the GSD3, I replaced the std bridgestones with them. I was really unhappy with the handling it went really soft, turn in less sharp and generally less accurate and more floaty and difficult to place the car correctly. I have had to run the GSD3 at much higher pressures to compensate, now they are worn out they feel much better, I guess thats down to less tread to flex. They are stunning in the wet and i'm sure beat everything hands down for this, the Bridgestones were scary in the wet.

Std WRX 03 springs are quite soft and I think tyres with firmer sidewalls like the bridgestones are a better match. If the prodrive springs were fitted then the setup might match the softer GSD3.
Im not planning to fit the springs so what I and all std WRX 03 owners need is a tyre with the wet and dry grip of the GSD3 with the stiff sidewalls of the Bridgestone. Now after loads of research I believe 2 tyres may fit this category:

Michelin Pilot Sports - Expensive - but will last longer?
Eagle F1 GSD3 XL - Extra load with stiffer sidewalls?

Has any one got any experience of these tyres - do they offer the best of both worlds? Particularly want to hear from blob and bug eye std WRX owners.

Creepy

I found no difference in GSD3 with or without the XL mark (stiffer sidewall ?)
This is for a MY00 Classic on 17"

What I do know is that the GSD3 are superior in the wet, as do PzeroCorsa's but unfortunately people tend to believe that "semi-race-tyres" are a NONO in the wet.

I would stay away from MIchelin, way to expensive for what it is...
My preference would be PzeroCorsa, R888, or similar.