2003 Subaru WRX
My first car was a 1985 Honda Accord LX that was a hand down from my parents. This car had seen it all and after 140,000 miles it finally broke down. It was then that I started looking into a new car and wanted something that looked good, handled well, and was of course very fast. I had my eye on the 3rd generation RX-7 but realized that this car wasn’t very practical for me at my age. After researching for a few months I came to the decision to purchase a Subaru.
Back in 2002, I registered on I-Club.com and Nasioc.com and spent a few weeks reading through numerous threads so I could get to know the car better and see which dealerships were good. I made the decision to go to Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City and after test driving the car I was very impressed. One week after making my first visit to the dealership I drove home in a brand new black 2003 WRX. After driving the car for a few thousand miles and researching some more on the boards I was eager to start modding the car.
At first I started with very simple mods that were easy to install and didn’t cost too much. These mods included Samco intercooler hoses, rear sway bar, and rear endlinks. The rear sway bar is still one of my favorite mods I’ve ever installed on my car. It completely transformed the way the car handled and for the price you can’t beat the results it gave. The next modifications were uppipe, downpipe, and HKS carbon ti exhaust. These modifications were a little more difficult to install but after reading a lot of guides I was confidant I could install them. After the install I was very pleased with the results and also loved the way the car sounded.
After doing the basic bolt on mods I started adding some exterior pieces to the car. I wanted the car to have a very clean look and that is why I choose to add a lot of the Japanese OEM parts to the car. I really like the look of the STi hood scoop, STi grill, STi V2 lip, STi solid fog covers, and headlights. When the exterior was mostly complete I was eager for more power. This is when I upgraded to a VF30, STi injectors, and fuel pump. This setup was great for daily driving around town. Soon I was craving more power and upgraded once again an even larger turbo. Now my car has a Garrett GT 3040 turbo installed with a lot of other supporting mods. It isn’t the most practical setup but I have fun with the car.
With the new turbo setup, the transmission and clutch are taking a beating. In the future I plan to install a JDM 6 Speed and R180 full rear end. Stay posted with my blogs as I will be sure to do a full write up as the car progresses even more!
Back in 2002, I registered on I-Club.com and Nasioc.com and spent a few weeks reading through numerous threads so I could get to know the car better and see which dealerships were good. I made the decision to go to Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City and after test driving the car I was very impressed. One week after making my first visit to the dealership I drove home in a brand new black 2003 WRX. After driving the car for a few thousand miles and researching some more on the boards I was eager to start modding the car.
At first I started with very simple mods that were easy to install and didn’t cost too much. These mods included Samco intercooler hoses, rear sway bar, and rear endlinks. The rear sway bar is still one of my favorite mods I’ve ever installed on my car. It completely transformed the way the car handled and for the price you can’t beat the results it gave. The next modifications were uppipe, downpipe, and HKS carbon ti exhaust. These modifications were a little more difficult to install but after reading a lot of guides I was confidant I could install them. After the install I was very pleased with the results and also loved the way the car sounded.
After doing the basic bolt on mods I started adding some exterior pieces to the car. I wanted the car to have a very clean look and that is why I choose to add a lot of the Japanese OEM parts to the car. I really like the look of the STi hood scoop, STi grill, STi V2 lip, STi solid fog covers, and headlights. When the exterior was mostly complete I was eager for more power. This is when I upgraded to a VF30, STi injectors, and fuel pump. This setup was great for daily driving around town. Soon I was craving more power and upgraded once again an even larger turbo. Now my car has a Garrett GT 3040 turbo installed with a lot of other supporting mods. It isn’t the most practical setup but I have fun with the car.
With the new turbo setup, the transmission and clutch are taking a beating. In the future I plan to install a JDM 6 Speed and R180 full rear end. Stay posted with my blogs as I will be sure to do a full write up as the car progresses even more!
