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well i know there are some tricked out RS's in this club...

in all honesty i feel the car isnt as nimble as i want it to be and im tired of having people ask me if i have a turbo and me having to say 'no'...

putting a turbo on an RS isnt cheap i know.... what i want to know is how much will this set me back if anyone knows off the top of hteir head.. im sure i could find it by digging through NASIOC but well.. im about to run out the door and wanted to pop this question before heading out...

im going to have an STi TMIC since i already have the hood scoop... why not put it to use.. besides that way it'd have the proper seal and use of the air splitter inside.. and i dont want uber-power or anything. i just want a nice (somewhat) sensible lower-end turbo..

im no car guru... insturments and computers are my thing... what else would i need besides the turbo, IC, and the plumbing for cooling.... im assuming obviously a change in the exhaust system.... how extensive of a modification would that be? (car n00b. i know)

Cereb Daithi wrote:i just want a nice (somewhat) sensible lower-end turbo..

im no car guru... insturments and computers are my thing... what else would i need besides the turbo, IC, and the plumbing for cooling.... im assuming obviously a change in the exhaust system.... how extensive of a modification would that be? (car n00b. i know)

By any chance do you know what the compression is on your engine? That will important in seeing which turbo you go with. Do you know what other RS's have done? That would be your first destination is to figure out what others have done. I'm guessing a TD03/4 might be perfect for what you want to do.

You would need Exhaust work... headers, uppipe and downpipe at the least. The intake routing would have to be redone if you went with a typical TD03/4 as I am not sure that they make a rotated version of it. You would also need to look into engine management and how you would route the oil/water cooling lines from the turbo. LOTS to think about!

VOICE Of REASON: spend money on suspension, brakes, and track time; not a turbo kit.

VOICE Of EVIL: if you are going to turbo the RS, look into an RS specific turbo kit. if you can get a parts list you can start thinking about everything you'll need.

the voice of reason is appealing since it's an AT.. the STi TMIC and a turbo would be sexy to have but in reality it is kind of useless. I think im just going to price:

Upgrading car with exhaust, brakes, suspension, intake

vs.

Turbo

whichever is nicer to my wallet.. thats what i'll get


In all reality i KNOW i should just leave the car alone... but i want to do something.. so in that light i KNOW i shouldn't put a turbo on since i plan on trading this in for an STi a few years down the road...it'd be a waste of cash.. argh.. im torn!

There is a complete turbo kit for the RS that AVO makes:

http://tinyurl.com/fpfm4

It is pricey but made specific and tested so you don't have to gamble.

Cereb Daithi wrote:i KNOW i shouldn't put a turbo on since i plan on trading this in for an STi a few years down the road...it'd be a waste of cash.. argh.. im torn!

Start a savings account and throw any money on big ticket items into the account

Honestly, if your thinking turbo kit for the RS, DON'T!

You will spend tons of money and tons of time trying to make it perform at or near WRX levels and it just isn't worth the effort.

Sell / trade-in what you have and pick-up a used WRX.
You should be down only a few grand (maybe less) when it is all over and then you can get some big gains for very little cash output.

Also, watch the WRXs "for sale" on NAS**** and see if you can't pick-up a modded one to start with. There is one up on MAIC right now:

03 WRB WRX 58k Miles, Good Condition 15k (PM for Mid-a hook up)

-Cobb Stage 2.5 VF30 and STI pink 565 injectors
-Godspeed Uppipe
-TXS stealthback with STI genome axelback

-KYB 4 way adjustable shock on HR Springs
-Front and adjustable rear cusco sways with sti pink endlinks
-05 legacy calipers and rotors
-Sti BBS with yokahama avs es100 tires

-Nardi 350mm three spoke wheel with JDM Splash hub with signal deletes and airbag resistor
-Boost and EGT guages, autometer pillar

-Spec C wing

asking $15k

That would be a 260+whp, great handleing, good braking, monster with no work involved!

drwrx wrote:Honestly, if your thinking turbo kit for the RS, DON'T!
Sell / trade-in what you have and pick-up a used WRX.
You should be down only a few grand (maybe less) when it is all over and then you can get some big gains for very little cash output.

Also, watch the WRXs "for sale" on NAS**** and see if you can't pick-up a modded one to start with. There is one up on MAIC right now:

03 WRB WRX 58k Miles, Good Condition 15k (PM for Mid-a hook up)

-Cobb Stage 2.5 VF30 and STI pink 565 injectors
-Godspeed Uppipe
-TXS stealthback with STI genome axelback

-KYB 4 way adjustable shock on HR Springs
-Front and adjustable rear cusco sways with sti pink endlinks
-05 legacy calipers and rotors
-Sti BBS with yokahama avs es100 tires

-Nardi 350mm three spoke wheel with JDM Splash hub with signal deletes and airbag resistor
-Boost and EGT guages, autometer pillar

-Spec C wing

asking $15k

That would be a 260+whp, great handleing, good braking, monster with no work involved!

+1, esp. since it's an auto.

Katya4me wrote:

drwrx wrote:Honestly, if your thinking turbo kit for the RS, DON'T!
Sell / trade-in what you have and pick-up a used WRX.
You should be down only a few grand (maybe less) when it is all over and then you can get some big gains for very little cash output.

Also, watch the WRXs "for sale" on NAS**** and see if you can't pick-up a modded one to start with. There is one up on MAIC right now:

03 WRB WRX 58k Miles, Good Condition 15k (PM for Mid-a hook up)

-Cobb Stage 2.5 VF30 and STI pink 565 injectors
-Godspeed Uppipe
-TXS stealthback with STI genome axelback

-KYB 4 way adjustable shock on HR Springs
-Front and adjustable rear cusco sways with sti pink endlinks
-05 legacy calipers and rotors
-Sti BBS with yokahama avs es100 tires

-Nardi 350mm three spoke wheel with JDM Splash hub with signal deletes and airbag resistor
-Boost and EGT guages, autometer pillar

-Spec C wing

asking $15k

That would be a 260+whp, great handleing, good braking, monster with no work involved!

+1, esp. since it's an auto.

AT are for girls, traffic, and sissies that want to go slow! Go with a MT!

As far as the one on nasioc, I am sure you could talk him down in price...or part out the car back to stock just to get some extra money towards the final price.

well it sounds good except for 2 things

a) i still have 2 years left before i finally pay this car off
b) i want either an 04 or 05 body style

so trading in isnt an option just yet.

take your RS to CarMax then call this guy: 2004 WRX, 32k, extra wheels + mods: $17,750

it looks like it's already sold. at least the guy on there makes it sound like it...

I'll sell you my 02 WRX for $10k, but you'll have to wait until next year. It's got more mods than I can remember (ECUTEK, brakes, turbo, IC, suspension, etc.).

eh... again i was looking for an 04-05 model.. but talk to me next year. i might be interested

Just be on the lookout. Good deals pop-up all the time.
If your thinking your going to mod it watch the NAS*** "Car For Sale" and the local for sale boards. Plenty of modded WRXs are on there all the time at bargin prices. If you had just thought of it a year ago you could have picked up Colin's car.

Ok ok ok...

I dunno what year RS you have, but if you have a GC don't sell it. PLEASE don't sell it. You'll go buy a WRX and be happy for about a month, and then you'll realize that the WRX is a brick with wheels and seriously detuned (sorry WRX guys). I've owned both, an 02' WRX and my current 00' RS. The WRX did not impreza me much. Sure, it isn't as fast in a straight line, but my RS is much more stable around turns than the WRX ever was (and it gets more looks too). In any case, don't boost the RS because it will definately just explode (if you have a GC8). And don't sell the bad boy because you'll wish you had just slapped a JDM motor in it and called it a day. (at least for us GC guys) The only solution is a JDM swap IMO. All of the strengths, none of the weaknesses, lol.

nah its an 05.. yeah if it was a GC i'd be proud to put a new engine in it because well..they are definetly more rare. i still might buy my buddies. if i dont buy his and change out the engine im just going to end up buying an STi

anyways since you are a GC guy check his out on this tread. this is the one i might be buying

http://forums.dcawd.com/viewtopic.php?t=2810

Buy it. Love it.

LGT Wagon Guy wrote:...and then you'll realize that the WRX is a brick with wheels and seriously detuned (sorry WRX guys)...

not now