Hi WRC4ever, congrats on your ride. Just a word of advice - please get E.I. to check out your master/slave clutch cylinder. I had mine go bad within 2 weeks of delivery and it's known to be a problem on 7's. Also, do change the clutch if you have the opportunity. The standard clutch slips very easily if you shift quickly; I'm using CUSCO twin-plate and it's one of the better investments IMO.

Enjoy...

 

Focking *****ing! That is just too bad ***. If your importation works out, I may get on the wagon. I have a WRX with gobs of power, and a transmission that is sitting on the floor. My 2nd gear broke. I am selling my WRX very soon. I am crossing over! And I would for sure go the way that you guys did (Importing a real Evolution from overseas) as opposed to waiting for Mitsubishi of America to water them down!

Andy

 

Andy,

Can you please share some of your bad experience with the WRX and Subaru in general?

I have heard some bad stories of Subaru dealer treating WRX's owner badly............

The WRX is one of the car I am considering buying...........so I like to know as much as possible.

Thanks in advance.

 

Well, I have a few mods that equaled 258AWHP and 225FT LBS. That is not that much really. about 80HP over a stock WRX.

I was just driving when all of a sunnen, kabang! Second gear poped! It costed me 2K$ for a Tranny with 400 miles on it from a junkyard.

I didn't even bother taking it in. Subaru of America has put out a bulletin that "Enthusiastic" driving is causing the huge number of failures and to deny claims. So many people have been denied already that I did not even have the energy to fight these *******s.

Out of the 18,000 WRX's sold, there have already been 5900 warranty cases opened up on the crap gearbox.

The real JDM STi gets a bulletproof 6 speed, while we get the proven weak 5 speed that was designed for brats and justys of 20 years ago. They had a problem with these failing on the RS's (N/A) for the past 5 years. It has alot less HP too! Then that put it on the WRX. To hell with them!

Andy

 

Andy,

Oh I see, now I will make sure I won't get a U.S. WRX with the 5-speed manual tranny.

Thank you for sharing the experience and infos!

 

How much more pedal effort is required than the stock clutch?

 

Well, it utilizes a hydraulic clutch slave, so you should not have to exert any more force then normal.
Andy

 

Thanks WRC.
CARB legal Evo VII, mmmm. Tempting.

 

So how many standard internal 500 hp GT-R's have you built ? I think I have helped put together about 7 so far..

The most on stock internals was 654 rwhp on the dyno.

Please refrain from talking about what you do not know....

I have seen the EVO VII's at the lab....

I think the cars are being sold too cheap for what they are........$46,000 would be ok $36,000 is really not enough.

 

Hi Andy while you are technically correct, there is a noticeably greater effort required to depress the clutch pedal; perhaps because the standard Evo clutch feels too light, just like any other Japanese car.

 

Damn andy...you got jacked on that tranny...weve had two blow locally and picked up low mile replacements for just a hair over $1k. Actually the cheap way to go is to buy the gearset and have a 'good' dealor press the gears on the shaft, subaru 5MT are EASY to rebuild, this way costs around $300 or so.

But yes, I completely agree about the tranny in the WRX, same thing with the stock brakes. 4pot/2pot actually decent for the rest of the world and we get 2pot/1pot dangerously crappy brakes.

Oh and those evos are SICK!

If mitsu interiors werent $1.09 cheap, id seriously consider getting one!

 

Same interior as the US Lancers more or less. They don't feel heavy like leather or Domestic interiors, but they do hold together without problems, clean easily, and are easy as all hell to dis/assemble.

From what I've seen they're way nicer than the WRX's interior. In a sub 35k sports car I think it's pretty rare to see a truly nice interior short of leather (which I personally hate).

EDIT: Oh yeah...congrats on the cars, guys. Did you get the option between 1 and 2 DIN slots? Just curious what's standard on the RSII's.

 

Hobie,

seems the RS-II comes with 1-DIN standard. All the cars shipped by E.I. were like that. I don't mind it though, I know what's going in that DIN slot, and is sure as hell not a stereo Gauges !!!!

 

With the exception of the seats, I would have to take the WRX on the interior. Niether are Luxo status, but the WRX has a little more eye candy and the curves don't look so cheap, in my opinion, of coarse!

I am going to rebuild my old tranny and sell it for like 1G or so. I was also considering putting a built synchromesh set, but that is $$$! And yes, the WRX brakes BLOW! If I had the money, it would be stoptechs!

About the Evo's. I am seeing a rough road ahead to get those DOT and EPA approved. The more I think about it, the crazier I think that you guys that bought them are! You do have balz though. I just hope all the best for you guys and your registration battle!

I truly love that EVO. Rumor on the street has it that it is overbuilt, and I believe it. Mitsu has alot to prove in order to get it's reputation back! Especially in Japan. The EVO 7 looks so much better in real life than it does on paper. You guys in L.A., and overseas can vouch for that. I personally love the looks.

When I am in Japan (Usually twice or more a year) I am just in awe of the exotics over there. Including the STi, and the EVO!

Andy

 

The more that I gawk at these pictures, the more I want to rob a bank and buy one of these too! That would suit my 2 car garage quite nicely! A JDMed out WRX, and a J-Spec EVO (LHD)

I just keep drooling over the Recaro seats, the AYC, and the Brembos! Man, you guys that purchased these are just plain GODS in my book!

And I really like that blue! It looks origianal.