Who here owns a Subaru?

agw_01 · 9 May 2020 at 16:39

Nobody wants missing flaps now do they!

You can thank my sloping dropped curb for that. They got caught under the rear wheels and were ripped off. I have some smaller ones to go on when I get some new clips.

I'm only getting it MOT'd as I've SORN'd the MX5 and so swapped the insurance over to the scoob. It's up at the end of May so I have a couple of weeks to drive it around and sort any niggles. It'll then go back in the garage until later in the year when I can hopefully get it mapped.

Don't blame you for taking yours off the road. Not really much point running more than one car at the moment so putting that money towards the house makes perfect sense.

inflames · 9 May 2020 at 17:00

I have been considering a JDM Forester STi, i did look at buying one a couple of years ago and been looking at them again recently. They certainly hold there value

Dave85 · 10 May 2020 at 12:40

I still really want a legacy Turbo petrol or the 3l non turbo estate. I know i can find better cars etc for the money but it's something i just want so when this all ends I'm going to seriously try grab a cheap one and fix it up a bit. Will be our spare car

ScoobyDoo69 · 10 May 2020 at 12:46

JDM Forester STi = win.
JDM Legacy turbo = win.
H6 Spec B Legacy = win.

Can't go wrong

Scottland · 10 May 2020 at 13:07

Dave85 said:
I still really want a legacy Turbo petrol or the 3l non turbo estate. I know i can find better cars etc for the money but it's something i just want so when this all ends I'm going to seriously try grab a cheap one and fix it up a bit. Will be our spare car

I've got a UK Spec B (3.0 H6) and it's great. For some reason I just enjoy driving it, even if the auto box is a bit naff and the ride is a bit harsh. Biggest issue is the running costs, 20mpg and £585 tax

Biffa · 10 May 2020 at 15:04

inflames said:
I have been considering a JDM Forester STi, i did look at buying one a couple of years ago and been looking at them again recently. They certainly hold there value

Still loving mine, old pic but not much has changed, bit lower, and has a front splitter. Done nearly 100K miles on the original engine.

Dave85 · 11 May 2020 at 11:42

Scottland said:
I've got a UK Spec B (3.0 H6) and it's great. For some reason I just enjoy driving it, even if the auto box is a bit naff and the ride is a bit harsh. Biggest issue is the running costs, 20mpg and £585 tax

Yeh paying that tax on my old evo x was a sucker punch in the gut. Glad to hear your opinion on the h6 as I am a sucker for NA engines as loved my e46 m3. I should never have got rid of my evo tbh but we all do stupid things for women

agw_01 · 11 May 2020 at 18:10

Noisy thing

Flew through the MOT, it still has the Prodrive downpipe which has a 200(?) cell cat fitted and did much better than I remembered on emissions. It's made me question whether it's worth the hassle of fitting a decatted downpipe and going for a 3" downpipe with 100 cell sports cat instead.

ScoobyDoo69 · 11 May 2020 at 18:15

Unless you're aiming for more power with bigger turbo I wouldn't bother.

agw_01 · 11 May 2020 at 19:13

Yeah I would like to take it a bit higher. Probably aim for around 400 at some point.

I'd still keep the Prodrive downpipe which could be fitted at MOT time.

ScoobyDoo69 · 11 May 2020 at 20:42

So it may pose a small restriction at that point. Can't say I'd replace it for another sports cat though.

Meridian · 11 May 2020 at 21:00

It does seem a little odd if you plan to swap it out for MoTs anyway. My 100-cell will in theory pass - but only if you drive onto the forecourt with the engine red-hot and do the emission test immediately. Is the Prodrive pipe a 2.5 or 3" job? Because the diameter is at least as important as the cat in the down-pipe. If it's 2.5", then yes, a 3" will be needed for 400bhp. But a 100-cell cat won't stop you getting there.

agw_01 · 11 May 2020 at 21:13

Prodrive downpipe is 2.5", I was looking to move to a 3" downpipe. Obviously I'll have the 2.5" section of the Nur Spec cut out to match.

I'm not overly fussed about whether I run a cat or not, I used to run a decat on the Rovers but seeing how easily the Prodrive cat (I think it's 200 cell) got through the emissions test, it just seems to take away a lot of the hassle and faff come MOT time.

The cost difference between them is pretty significant, £150 for a decat, £600 for a catted downpipe. What brand is yours @Meridian?

Meridian · 12 May 2020 at 20:29

Mine's a Heyward and Scott. Not cheap, but good, and with superb customer support.

tweedbean · 14 May 2020 at 20:24

agw_01 said:
I thought @tweedbean had a Mini?!

Hi I still have two Mini's as well as the BRZ.

JUNE 2019 R53 by James Baker, on Flickr

Untitled by James Baker, on Flickr

But back to the BRZ, it has been fully checked out at a crash repair place and they have ensured everything is straight and safe.

Slam panel is on by James Baker, on Flickr

It was dropped back to me last week:

Untitled by James Baker, on Flickr

However I have now completely stripped it back down and it's going to the body shop Monday for a full respray/colour change. Engine now has the rads/airbox etc back on and is running smoothly which is great news and one less thing to worry about. Collecting lots of parts including a Boral Unequal length manifold etc to give it that subaru rumble.

Untitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Untitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I also ordered all the genuine JDM STI parts coming direct from Japan as they were never offered here:

peterattheboro · 14 May 2020 at 22:17

Great project. You should make your own thread for it.

peterattheboro · 1 Jun 2020 at 23:31

First proper drive out in a while. Love how this thing handles. Need to upgrade the brakes though.

Scottland · 2 Jun 2020 at 20:48

@peterattheboro I recently swapped the wheels over for 17s and noticed an improvement in the ride. Less crashy and a bit more compliant but still handles nicely. By the time I sold my old wheels with dead tyres, I got a set of wheels and new tyres for about an extra £50

peterattheboro · 2 Jun 2020 at 23:49

Mine is crashy but it's a Spec B with the Bilsteins as standard. Find a smooth bit of road though and it's mint

Scottland · 3 Jun 2020 at 07:53

peterattheboro said:
Mine is crashy but it's a Spec B with the Bilsteins as standard. Find a smooth bit of road though and it's mint

Aye, I've got the h&r springs in mine as well now. No noticeable drop but sharpens it up a little.

PS - It was me talking to you re brakes on FB yesterday.