20 Minutes of Useless Subaru WRX Info

[@MartiniWorksOfficial]

Looking for mods on your WRX or any other car? Get all the car parts your heart desires at www.martiniworks.com!

[@javidamod]

Done, not in the same country, stíll need to get your build policy, save my WRX?❤

[@jimsmith8797]

I’ve had five wrx/sti. No issues. No cel. No blown motors. Drive spiritedly without launching it- wrx drivers should have the reputation not the cars themselves

[@BugeyeKb]

Facts I’m not at 5 but my bugeye has 260k kms and it still runs perfect just gotta do the common maintenance, it also makes no sense to me how everyone seems to go through motors like it’s nothing

[@Metalozedex]

@@BugeyeKb people drive them like they're hondas. And it's not an insult to Hondas. People need to learn to not smash the pedal between each stops and red lights. These cars like to hover between 2.5k-3k RPM you have to keep the turbo spooled and the motor is happy. Don't drive hard until about 10-15 minutes of it being completely warmed up, Get a proper Engine / oil temp gauge for that the stock one isn't a good representative of how the car is warmed up. Give it a couple seconds to a minute before shutting it down. Change oil every 3k miles, it's a high strung motor, these cars heat up pretty bad also you can literally see the heat waves coming out of the engine bonnet. Be gentle with the motor, give it fresh oil consistently and these cars will take you far People need to know Subarus aren't the only ones with motors blowing up with bad maintenance. Rotaries need extensive maintenance and no one seems to be bothered by it as much as Subarus but these cars they all require careful care no matter the brand

[@ChupaLeche]

Same. Owned 14 turbo subys and never blown a single motor

[@RMJerich0]

@@Metalozedex Welll, its kinda funny whel subies talk about other "soft" engines and rotor comes up. lol. rotor is insanely fragile and hard to own comparing to EJ. That being said, I agree with you, almost. Did not get RPM thing, because subies LOVE high RPM (till 6.5 it 100% fine, but 7k is OK). They HATE high bar spoor at RPM lower that 3-4, id say. Its like a death sentence. But 1-2 bar (depending on the build) on 4-6RPM is fine.

[@Metalozedex]

@@RMJerich0 yeah I used rotaries as an example but RB26 motors also have failures and issues but no one talks about that

[@sohchx]

The main issue with the WRX is the owners. The majority of them are younger guys, who have no idea what they are doing, seek zero advice, do zero research, neglect the cars, do next to zero maintenance, car goes boom, and in the end they tell everyone that Subarus are junk. I bought my WRX new in 2002 and it now has almost 387K miles on it. Take care of them, and they will take care of you. Simple as that!

[@Hatchytheapache65]

This on so many levels!

[@dosepulveda1]

Great share!

[@Freshbar_cola_banana]

Thats not the problem with the wrx, thats a problem with the country, in other countries, kids can't get a drivers license

[@boosTiMon]

While detonation is what damages the pistons, it's important to know that the EJ20 (EJ207 / EJ205), EJ25 (EJ255 / EJ257), and FA20 all have brittle pistons due to Subaru's material and design choices. The pistons are cast hypereutectic aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloy; a very common material choice for modern engines. Well proven engines like the 2JZGTE, 4G63, SR20DET, RB26DETT, LSX, K-Series, and others all use Al-Si alloys. However, Al-Si alloys can vary depending on the percentage of silicon in the material. Subaru has opted for a "hypereutectic" alloy which is a high-silicon (12+%) mix. This makes the piston have extremely low thermal expansion, and allows Subaru to run an extremely tight piston-to-bore clearance. The high-silicon content also makes the piston considerably stronger than aluminum itself. For example, a 9% silicon (by wt.) alloy has a 14% higher yield strength than a 7% silicon alloy. This strength comes at a cost: fracturing. Solution IAG fully built!!

[@drtsayer5888]

i just got manleys forged pistons put in interesting info man i appreciate it

[@ItsJustCams]

C'mon man, I just got OUT of my Subie craving age and here you go, bringin me back in. lol

[@MartiniWorksOfficial]

OPE. SORRY

[@acidfrogs10]

lol in 40 years Ill be an old man in my garage looking at my STI and talking about the good ol' days

[@ItsJustCams]

@@acidfrogs10 I'm gonna tell my kids the Captain America: Civil War was really about a Red Mitsu Vs a Blue Subie. lol

[@timmann111]

Came here after blowing up my subie. Rebuild in the works.

[@itsawrapkevtino]

😂

[@STi_Alan]

Thanks for showing the WRX some love! It's one of my favorite platforms even though they can sometimes be temperamental, there's a reason why it has such a strong heritage

[@andrewroland8491]

I have a 94 GC WRX RA, it has been the most reliable Subaru I have owned. Lasted longer than my 09 Impreza, lasted longer than my tribeca, lasted longer than even my legacy wagon. I love my ol GC!

[@evoman44]

It's because the older 2.0L EJs are the most reliable. I have a 2005 with the last of the 2.0L and it has also been the most reliable car I have owned.

[@misfit492]

Its a closed deck block in the older 2.0s

[@kevinohalloran2126]

@@misfit492only certain ones. Ej20g out of some type ra/ r sti came close deck and there’s no way to know till you take the heads off. Lots of misleading information out there on this topic

[@misfit492]

@@kevinohalloran2126 Japan and Europe got more closed decks than we did in the US so that makes sense.

[@pierceneeley8825]

My wife has a 94 wrx ra. What color is yours? We’ve got a red one that someone cloned as an Sti.

[@bigbodykarate6403]

The whole subarus blow up thing is only in America . just swap in a JDM 2 liter and they can handle mods . the USDM 2.5 Engines are the weak links because of all the emissions non sense which led to all the different types of failures especially the ring lands . or get a block I.A.G for 3k-4k and again your good .

[@evoman44]

Exactly. I have owned a 2005 WRX that has the last of the 2.0L EJs for years without a problem. It's been the most reliable car I have owned.

[@lucian7182]

I agree with everything except the whole 3-4k block. An IAG block worth having will run you 5-6k and if you can’t rebuild everything yourself after all said and done it will run you 12k parts and labor to swap your block these days if it has t blown up yet. Another 1500-2k if it has.

[@pabloromo3921]

The USDM engine is more torque happy too. So there’s that to consider

[@Tazytots]

Even an EJ25 post 2008 is fine. Most of the time these engines fail, it's user failure. I own a 14 WRX on a stock EJ25. Basic maintenance. 170k miles. Zero problems. Just fucking take care of your car. It's not hard.

[@Tazytots]

​@@lucian7182Swapping your block requires an engine stand, and engine lift, a torque wrench, a socket wrench, a lot of blaster, and a car lift. That's it. Don't pay someone else to do a 5 hour job you can do for free. KZbin has plenty of tutorials on it.

[@Nobody-ls1cl]

I really appreciate the more chill and nonchalant tone to this video. I love the WRX to death despite them blowing up.

[@Tazytots]

People make them blow up. It doesn't just happen randomly. Lol. That entire stereotype about turbo'd boxers exists because of Tunerboys. They are the entire reason why 98% of engines blow.

[@VikkiKuznetsova]

@@Tazytots Right. As if Subaru released a car that their title depended on being a ticking time bomb from the factory. Think about how these cars get treated through out their life span. I'm sure a Camry would do the same thing if it was abused, tuned, then abused some more past its expectations.

[@Thebearwand]

Finally some people with sense.

[@senseicorey9979]

I bought a bugeye wrx in 2008. It blew up, engine and trans, within 6 months. I replaced both, actually maintained them and drove like a sane person, and I still have it. Only had valve cover gaskets leaks

[@panderalexander]

Good video and showing WRX love, I'm not a big Subaru fan in general but enjoyed your Subaru videos from years ago, especially the one you showed Hawkeye some love. But the recent videos seemed to hate on them from no where. This video was a nice refreshing change, big thumbs up.

[@SleepyCorn-qv2nw]

WOW. THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE SYNOPSIS OF THE WRX PLATFORM I HAVE EVER SEEN THROUGH A MAINSTREAM PERFORMANCE OUTLET. THANK YOU FOR NOT PERPETUATING FURTHER IGNORANCE. WELL DONE ❤

[@acnismolv]

Was running 255/35R18 +35 wheels and tires on my 07 WRX, rolled fenders and coil overs. Fitment was A1! (Leaning more towards functional/track)

[@S30Jay]

It’s hard finding wheels with +35 offset, I might have to settle for 45 for my 07’ wrx.

[@christopherhuff3123]

I replaced the turbo inlet and every vacuum and coolant hose and replaced them with silicone pieceS on my 05 right after I got it.

[@evoman44]

I also have a 2005 WRX. And have also done a lot of maintenance and upkeep to keep it in good condition. It's been the most reliable car I have owned.

[@dailydistruction]

Just had to buy new turbo inlet pipe at 128k miles, have a vacuum leak at turbo. Wish I had bought a Cobb replacement but OEM arrives tomorrow. Have appointment at shop tomorrow.

[@evoman44]

@@dailydistruction I had to replace my inlet pipe also around that milage. It was actually cheaper to replace it with a nicer silicon aftermarket replacement than the OEM because the OEM requires the removal of the intake manifold. Where with the an aftermarket hose the old one can be cut out and the new one can be snaked through without the removal of the manifold. So in the end it was more affordable to go aftermarket than OEM because of the added labor cost.

[@Nkb3283]

I got a gc8, never had any drivetrain problems, but GOD are the old ones rust magnets. Needless to say get ready for bodywork with the old ones.

[@SKILLMANXL]

No lies detected here, I have a 97 legacy wagon, and I'm currently dealing with those rust gremlins 😅

[@hitecpapi]

love my VA wrx ,it’s my super reliable daily that’s got some sauce, I drive it year round here in northern Michigan and she’s a brute! 220k miles rn and still going strong !

[@stephenthompson8840]

Bought a pre modified 2013 wrx it spun a baring 20 minutes after I bought it and they guy before me did 0 maintenance before me, but I fixed the engine and didn’t drive it till I got caught up and now I am in love with it. If u take care of them and do some research they really aren’t that bad I promise.

[@bandeepriat6623]

The Subaru WRX STI is my first love. Back in my home country, we didn’t have the Subies, but after moving to Canada, I finally saw my dream car right in front of me. I’ve played countless games and watched a lot of rally races-it’s always been my passion. Seeing it in real life was a different experience altogether. Now it’s my time to buy one. Should I go for a 2018 model or newer? I don’t have extensive car knowledge, and it’ll be my daily driver, so I’m looking for the best fit. Thank you!

[@FoST3boi]

Useful info vid on Focus ST plz! Make sure to talk about the importance of maintenance every 3k-5k and tuning as well when you do bolt-ons. If u don’t mind breaking down wheel sizing for flush etc!! Mention good light wheels that fit too! Thanks and this vid was bang on. So fascinating learning about the Subarus.

[@3obardThawn3]

I have 3 of them. If you take care of them they're good cars.

[@frankwuolukka2087]

I bought my 2000 RS 2 door, GC8 in 2002 as a lease return and I've loved it. Started with 32K miles and have over 80K now. Had to replace the head gaskets at around 170K. I have seen a couple of pictures with mod'ed headlights which I am dyeing to find, the ones with the LED C in the glass.

[@Acrimoniousbear1]

Ive owned both a 2020 and now a 2024 wrx. With correct mods and some research it pays so much in smiles. You handled this so well and covered our platform with respect and clear education. Thanx! ::subiwave::

[@MartiniWorksOfficial]

Appreciate the great comment! Thank you! ::waves in subi back::

[@ihaveunevennostrils9455]

i was so doubtful of my vb at first until i got the AP- drove a friend's FBO VA and just my intake and AP combo feels wayyy better than his 400+ hp build

[@Akii--]

How are you enjoying your VB? Yesterday was my 2yr anniversary with mine and I'm still enjoying it.

[@Acrimoniousbear1]

@@Akii-- I have thoroughly enjoyed my ownership so far. 2 months in, just put my varex exhaust on and enjoying it more. Great platform. At 2600 miles and will prolly tune at 5k or so lol. My va was tuned at 4k but this is definitely a quicker generation stock for stock.

[@MrMichaelNoble]

As I ‘05 WRX owner, I’ve had it five years now, I’ve loved it, I’ve hated it, but it is my dream car & I’d never want anything else, well, maybe the STI engine & Trans…

[@evoman44]

As an 05 WRX owner I can totally relate. I have had mine since 2008. I also had a love hate relationship with it at first because of some of its quirks. But after I addressed them like getting rid of the turbo lag by installing an up pipe and flashing the it with a Cobb stage 1 tune it finally ran like it should have from the factory with good mid range power. I also swapped the steering wheel with a smaller diameter wheel from the 06-07 models. And what really improved the steering feel was swapping the steering column link from an STI.

[@brandonlogan2600]

Was blessed with a 2014 impreza WrX. Payments aren't too crazy. I'm keeping everything stock. I don't care about enhancing anything I think it's perfect stock. It's like the neon srt4 but AWD.

[@Just_my_vb]

2022 wrx is the most underated wrx thank you for using my car as an example for the new gen wrx 🙏

[@itsawrapkevtino]

Looks like a Honda civic 😂😂😂

[@michaelbullington3182]

'course it's ugly...it's a WRX tradition; love it! Electric-wastegate is great, but 2.4L is too big a bore(i.m.o.), turbo and rev limit is too low, pedal placement bugs me and the no-buttons controls. FA WRX became tha fatter, heavier VB 4 the masses.

[@MrMcbear]

Getadom makes a cylinder 4 cooling mod, opens up a closed water jacket port that brings water flow to the #4 cylinder, makes a HUGE difference if you're pushing it. That's when you notice the thermal differences int he cylinder design. Still nice to have for a daily as insurance especially if it's hot where you are.

[@HugeGordon]

My sf5 Forester with full 08 sti drivetrain swap, closed deck block, g35-900 etc has been my most reliable tuner car I've ever owned. Put 50k miles on it in 4 years daily driven. 30k with swapped motor and 20k on built motor. Never left me stranded.

[@TrillMurray]

That sounds awesome. I think the sf is the best looking forester. My first turbo car was a sf with the closed deck 22t from a legacy. I’ve had a bunch of Subarus since

[@HugeGordon]

​@@TrillMurrayyeah I love it. Great daily driver and a beast in the snow. I actually got the car for free and then bought a wrecked 08 sti for the swap. I had previously owned a super clean WRX swapped 2.5rs coupe and had always wanted another swapped Subaru. There's a dyno video in my profile

[@TrillMurray]

@@HugeGordon sick I’ll check it out.

[@bubferner2146]

I also have a SF forester. Does the 08 sti suspension just bolt up? Also what ECU are you running? I'm looking at a link g4x and doing a jdm 2.0 swap if you have any recommendations

[@HugeGordon]

@@bubferner2146 buying the wrecked 08 as a donor car turned out to be the wrong choice because a lot of things are different on the GR vs the GD chassis. The suspension doesn't bolt up as the rear is a completely different style and front has a wider track. I suppose some of the front might work but the car I bought had pretty bad suspension damage anyway so I ended up buying a bunch of GD stuff like coilovers, sway bars etc. I'm running a Haltech Elite 2500 but ran it on an 07 ecu with open source tune for a while

[@lilmoua]

Great video. For those who are diving into tuning/modifying their turbocharged Subarus, find a reputable tuner. Your tuner will point you in the right direction. They can even point you to a trusted Subaru specialty performance shop. Graham, STi Mikey, Jrtuned, Clark Turner, dmann tuning, to name a few. These guys have plenty of R&D. They know what works & doesn’t work.

[@evoman44]

The main reason for ring land failure is due to the design of the ring lands being located as far as possible to the top of the piston to reduce hydro carbon emissions. For more in depth information about it look up a video called: Why Subaru engines blow up by MotoIQ.

[@ahmedsimmons4465]

I have had my Legacy GT for 14 years and never had all the problems. I rebuilt the original motor 5 years ago and still going strong.

[@Rex_Racer]

Drove my 2004 STi over 130k miles from new- only issue was a prematurely blown rear strut (replaced under warranty). That car was a back road weapon- nothing could keep up with me.

[@levithomsen8281]

Im definitely in the middle group for the two owners. I definitely love how my Subaru WRX hatch looks, drives, and sounds, I will probably sell it if ever anything happens to it just because its not worth it at this point.

[@tactikool4740]

Ive pulled a Prius out 2 feet of snow using a tow strap with my 92-X and if you don't know what that is its the hidden gem of the Subaru world. Its and 05 WRX wagon with a Saab badge.

[@bruhvious]

I have been swapping my impreza for nearly a year and a half ( i had little to no automotive knowledge) and doing this swap has taught me so much about cars and this car in specific, the only things that have given me issue were cheap fuel injectors and maintenance items, these cars can be great just make sure to stay in top of maintenance, and if you buy a used turbo one (change ur oil, sparkplugs, and run a injector cleaner) first mod should be an aos ( if u live were it snows run a iag if u live in a warm climate grimmspeed can worj (iag is still better)

[@Bryan-qv3xu]

The subaru impreza gc8 is my dream car

[@Allwayzworkin]

I’m keeping mine until it or I dies. whichever comes first.

[@wrxmike88]

Proud owner of a 2002 bugeye wagon. Plans for my in the making

[@wrxoni]

Great informative video, especially covering the VB/FA20 and 24 cars. It's definitely a common owner issue, the cars themselves are great.

[@1999evo]

Hope u talk about single cab v8 trucks at some point. They are definitely up there for most bang for your buck at the moment.

[@garnetreecejones9222]

ive had my 06 STi for almost 12 years now. i DID blow one motor, which was entirely my fault. i got power hungry, and got ms109, and cranked up the boost. it was fun for a tank of gas. after that, i had IAG put in a built shortblock, and made sure it would be reliable, ended up with 377whp on pump gas, and that's been running strong for approximately 50k miles now. I have driven ALOT of cars, and by far it's the most fun car i have ever driven (at least out of what i can afford).

[@gstad132]

The cars are goated in stock form in my eyes, I have a WRB Hawkeye with the Gold BBS's and dont feel the need to modify for power and i dont have to deal with the anxiety attack of bad tunes/mismatching mods that someone may have slapped on wrong.

[@Carlos.Rivera]

You can't go wrong with custom dyno tune

[@buss1205]

you should still look into getting a tune to smooth things out and get a little more reliability, but yes these cars are perfect stock power, anyone saying otherwise just got the wrong car.

[@christopherlowery855]

Completely agree, keep these stock unless you want a sea of headaches.

[@gstad132]

@@buss1205 I do have a drivability tune on it, it just has an SPT OEM+ Intake and a Catback and it is tuned for both

[@SenorRobb]

The FA24 on the 22+ are showing promise on power modifications and tuning. We’re seeing the motors handling 400+ reliably on stock block, the only draw back is the trans which tend to have clutch issues around 420. Overall the direct injection on the fa24 seems to take on higher power with less modification

[@dkoze]

Sti rack and pinion mod is severely underrated

[@Lightsout89]

The good old subie "RINGLAN FAILURE" is because the first thing people do when they buy a WRX is modify it order all the bolt ons and a tune but nothing gets done to the factory spec ring gap so with all the extra HP comes more heat and more quickly the ring is designed to expand and close that factory spec gap when it heats up to create a nice sealed bottom end from the top end.. so when it does experience more heat the ring will expand more then it should and when it closes all the way and touches but keeps wanting to expand due to allt that extra boost fuel timing= heat then it has nowhere else to go other then up and thats when it pops a chunk off the pistons side and usually cylinder 4 because it runs the hottest out of the 4 but if you get a short block from sti the spec c ra blocks and straight away get the rings gapped to suit extra power and you'll bash on it for ages at 400hp and won't hurt it for much longer then If you didn't open em up I hope that makes sense in text it makes more sense when you hear it in person

[@isurukumaratunga7781]

I've owned a couple of GC8s, and the both of em feels so raw and they look gorgeous probably my favourite generation out of all :) personal opinion hehe

[@cedarabbot7263]

9:53 I believe the jdm engine can and will run right if you properly swap the can gears to get rid of the variable valve timing, more worrying is if the car isn’t tuned because it has a higher compression ratio then usdm

[@jadenpage_wrxt]

So far 220,000 miles on my 05 Forester XT. Not sure if it’s well-known or not, but the 04-05 Forester XTs have sort of a hybrid between a 255 and a 257. 255 block with 257 internals here and there. Makes it a pretty reliable EJ and quicker than an 04-05 WRX.

[@chino581991]

It really makes me wonder how these cars don’t last for people. Yes, you really gotta stay on top of maintenance for this car. But if you do that and don’t drive aggressively, they’ll last for years! Can’t say for all, but at least for GD. I’ve owned my 04 wrx wagon for 11 yrs and have put 120k miles. The transmission, motor, and clutch are the same as when I got the car, have yet to need to rebuild the motor

[@TomahawkLabs]

08 Legacy GT Spec.B owner here. The platform is fine, bad mods will do you in. Cheap cars, expensive to modify.

[@christopherlowery855]

Power mods in general, cheap or otherwise. The car is bordering its limits from factory. Start adding performance upgrades and you start breaking things. The process just opens a whole can of worms that causes massive unanticipated expenses for many who try. What's more, the engine is one of the hardest to work on. Most of the issues surround budget adds and not modding in bulk. I just advise that this be a third or fouth project car, not a first. The work is just really daunting and could easily discourage fledgeling enthusiasts who are ramped up on hype, not knowing what they're getting into. Think modding a budget ferrari. The car does just fine, so long as you leave it alone. For aspiring race team members, feel free, knock yourself out building the perfect track slayer. It'll cost you a ton of time and money, but you know that already. Just an opinion, Cheers.

[@overtigo5d]

Great vid. 3 year WRX VA owner and 1st subaru. Been kinda thinking about go older or newer, depending on a lot of what if's

[@WRXGarrett]

One major thing that I wish people would stress about WRX’s is the way you drive. These cars are sensitive and the way you drive impacts the lifespan greatly. Ask me how I know, learned the hard way.

[@obeseufo3707]

Curious to preserve my wagon's engine. What is the "right" way to drive subies, and what should I avoid doing?

[@TheTechNopal]

​@@obeseufo3707 don't romp on it until at least 180°F, don't slam on the gas pedal until 2500 rpms. I say that because it prolongs the life of the block and turbo.

[@WRXGarrett]

@@obeseufo3707 From my experience: don’t beat on it til temps are warmed up. Try to stay out of boost til above ~3000rpm. If you are going to drive it harder, sudden and aggressive throttle changes will hurt. Don’t floor it from stoplight to stoplight, you don’t want to floor it until the intake temps drop, especially if you live in hot areas.

[@obeseufo3707]

@@WRXGarrett thank you, I'll keep these things in mind

[@Isotropic_Phoenix]

If you haven’t made a video on it, I feel it would be impactful to make one for the Subaru Legacy. It allegedly was the car that Colin Mccrae had 3 initial podium finishes in the World Rally. In fact, Subaru had a STOCK Legacy on the track, and won. Seeing as a smaller car was what he may have been looking for, the Impreza platform was then used.

[@dillonosterhout1705]

11 sti, love how my invidia sounds but was super disappointed at build quality. Out of the box I had multiple leaks at the welds and the duals weren’t even and actually sat behind my bumper.

[@junit7590]

You missed the 3 years of the Legacy RS that lead to the WRX in rallying, check out McRae driving he RS legacy on youtube. The gc8 impreza was virtually a BC legacy with a smaller chassis and lighter. So similar almost everything swaps over

[@stressed_garage]

They just gotta get some love and they are mint... GOTTA DO OIL MODS!!!!! 😂

[@chasedyer5950]

I’m a big subie guy. The biggest problem is people taking what should be a badass daily and trying to cheaply make it a race car. They are extremely easy to work on, but somewhat easy to break. Awesome platform, but you’re going to get smoked if you try to race it

[@MTNorville]

Shout to to TurboTime of Sanford NC, they're the people to go to if you're located near The Triangle, but worth the drive if you're not.

[@JimCyanide]

Those guys are like 10 minutes away from me

[@d3lan011]

What the hell! I was stationed close to there and needed work on my 08 Impreza! Oh well, now I know.

[@TannerMAN101]

"It blue up" 😂

[@HeavyMetalWRX]

Came here to see your thoughts on the FA24 WRX. WHERE ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, ALEX?!

[@Craiggg12345]

🗑️

[@HeavyMetalWRX]

@@Craiggg12345 Damn, Craig. You gotta work on your weak emotions 😂

[@kcrossover4267]

@@HeavyMetalWRX their not even worth mentioning. Quite literally nothing special about them.

[@HeavyMetalWRX]

@@kcrossover4267 that's an ignorant statement. It could quite well be the last ICE WRX. Only closed minded people think like that, not enthusiasts.

[@kcrossover4267]

@@HeavyMetalWRX sales speak otherwise. It’s been a slow decline after the GD chassis.

[@joshuakincaid7662]

Haha 😂 I wish it was 75 degrees everyday here in Cali I’d be outside everyday. But no it’s been in the 90’s and 100’s this summer

[@FLuXX_PwR]

I can attest to a few things here and share a litany of things I've learned over the years of owning one. I have an 05 2.5RS wagon swapped with a JDM EJ205. First of all comes with owning a Subaru. They require understanding, and you absolutely can be burned by not having some basic know-how on the nuances. Chief among which comes from the perceived issue of blowing up. But, here's something to consider. As is mentioned in the video, there is a wide expanse of people that own a WRX. Clearly over the years Subaru has steamrolled the Evo in terms of sales, making it almost a 10:1 for how many you see. But, as is most commonplace in America for what we see, that opens it up to being accessible to the lowest common denominator. And the thing we know about the LCD is that they are usually below average comprehension and are the loudest about issues stemming from them themselves. Subarus require some housekeeping before you start making power. WRXs have aluminum rods and pistons, and this was a deliberate design. The EJ is an old engine and comes from a time where better performance was squeezed out with tighter fitment and better compression, aluminum does it better than steel. But, aluminum has limitations. It's more rigid than, but not as strong as steel. You throw on a huge turbo and 1000cc injectors on stock internals and turn it into a blender then you've no one to blame but yourself. There are a lot of these kinds of people that see it work for the Evo, the Supra, the Skyline, etc and get mad that it doesn't work for Subarus. This dually plays into my disposition of these fanboys that believe the engines in these 3 are some kind of witchcraft and not a cast iron block with forged heads. The EJ HAS to have things done to it before you even think of power mods. Most of which require tuning anyways so you might as well do them all at once. You can have the engine out in under an hour anyways. My next subject is the JDM engine. I got into this mess because I didn't know any better but, in for a penny in for a pound. My original swap required a harness merge. Easiest way to do it is just to yank the engine and body harness and send it off to iWire, they do this all the time. Now, to start, you HAVE to have an AVCS capable JDM ECU. JDM WRX ECUs are very scarce to find and unlocked ones are even scarcer. I hope you know a good tuner because backdooring the tune lock requires some kind of wizard. I got lucky with mine. The JDM motors will play nice with and can be made to work with the USDM ECUs but you'll be leaving a lot of performance on the table. If nothing else it's good to know that it will still work as an interim if it's a drawn out project. Suffice to say doing a JDM swap can be a massive pain in the ass and is something that should be decided early into your car's journey into modification. But, there also begs the question of how important it is to you. Frankly knowing what I know now vs starting that disaster, you need to WANT it. The big difference is the AVCS and build quality. Fundamentally AVCS is just VTEC that kicks in at the lower end of the power band until the RPMs get into boost range. The build quality only really effects the macro scale, especially if you're only doing light modification like I am, and the benefits of higher quality are only really apparent at a point in time you probably won't notice or care about. The kinks of the US engines can be ironed out, and once you go full roid what country your motor came from probably doesn't matter. Subarus aren't just drop-in and go cars. There's a required synergy you have to attain, and, as was mentioned in the video, you either love it or hate it. They're like Saabs, they appeal to a certain kind of person and it's just a tragedy that per capita statistics have to be slogged through to find anything useful

[@jacobdehahn1163]

I own a 2011 wrx right now that doesn't run and has 40% compression loss on cyl 1. I am the in-between. I love the car and want to build it to be the monster I know it can be but I also really want a vw again.

[@Runakan]

I used to have a GC8 i had so sale it because i move to other country for work, but it stayed in the family, currently owned by my brother and it was about to hit 300.000km on the same engine with 450hp to the wheels, but it got rear ended by a drunk driver.

[@donculver8671]

Love the history lesson, I bought my red '20 WRX Premium, with factory STI short shifter otherwise stock with 13K miles in July '22 from Off Lease here in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Kept is basically stock except adding LEDs for lighting, F1 brake light add and other Micky Mouse stuff. On my future mod list is AWE cat back exhaust, coil overs and maybe air oil separator. Do you think the AO separator is needed?

[@josesantamaria5860]

Not really a necessity but a good safety net for oil consumption and blow by. With what youre wanting to do it doesnt seem necessary but if it gives you the peace of mind id do it

[@christopherlowery855]

I would just stick to the micky mouse stuff. The AO seperator wouldn't hurt and would allow for oil return to the sump. The install is a lot more complicated than a catch can. I assume you have direct injection. If so, I would get one or the other. Your valves will thank you later. Walnut blasts aren't exactly cheap.

[@lucian7182]

That aos is absolutely necessary, it’s probably number 1 on the list of reliability mods.

[@MartiniWorksOfficial]

Yo! When you're ready for those mods, hit us up on our chat bubble at www.martiniworks.com 🤘You probably don't need the AO separator :)

[@ararson4710]

I have 15768 on my wrx still running with no oil leaks with mild moded and original miles. You have to get the right recipe. Proper maintenance, and don't beat on your car. Never buy a wrx with moded. Wrx, owner that blew up the car, doesn't what they are doing. Always Beating on the car. There a lot of wrx out there still running with original miles or heavy moded. You have to know what your doing.

[@WhatSaab]

I got the anti-explosion center diff swapped today, perfect video to release haha 🤣

[@matt260]

Most underrated engine, EJ207, the REAL STI engine that Subaru wanted. Shame the US market didnt get them most dont know what theyre missing out on. Motorsport inspired from factory. 8250rpm redline and twincsroll turbo STOCK. Best part is it doesn't pop ring-lands like the EJ257. The reputation of STIs would be so different if they got the correct engine in the US like Japan and Europe did. And if you have a pre 2006 STI, older STI has a 35:65 power split, so more power to the rear, they oversteer more than understeer. Edit: Since my comments are deleted from either this KZbin Channel or KZbin, search the Rallispec transmission chart for the 35:65 split which changed in 2006+. Guy commenting below is clueless.

[@RMJerich0]

thats all wrong lol. what 35:65 power split are you talking about? thats nonsense. even if you are describing dccd its fake news. And where did you get 8250 redline lol I dont know. may be for some special versions that never exist anymore :D but you can tune it fo have 8k redline easy. No need for most builds tho. I have JDM GDB 03 Spec C. With the original 207 engine, and later swapped to 9.6mm 8/9 Ej207. T20С 701. But you'r right, 207 is the best engine subaru ever made. The best of the best is from last gen STI JDM they made. Only for japan.

[@matt260]

@@RMJerich0 My comments are getting removed by some filter. Search : Rallispec transmission chart on Google. There you will see the gearing information. There it shows the power split changed from 35:65 to 41:59 for 06+. I won an 03 JDM STI & 06 STI previously. People in timeattack swap their differentials to correct understeer. Best to learn and do your research before calling people wrong and "fake news".

[@D4VYWAVEY]

Could be wrong but I rather than a marketing strategy I thought rally racing required a certain amount of production cars to be made to be sold to the public.

[@SergeantZaf03]

Please do a Saab video! No one knows how much of a bang for buck the 9-3 Aero V6s are and there’s not too much content on them. Mine can beat most Subarus around🤓

[@holeshot26]

#1 thing you totally left out is TRANSMISSIONS! there's a few other things too but its a great vid anyway!

[@Graveyardgravesog]

You guys need more 02-03 parts bro!!!

[@michaeli-7186]

It actually started with the legacy turbo s. That was the first rally subaru before the wrx.

[@Icemann336]

20 mins of GT86/BRZ next pls ty :3

[@inhanddeliveriesservices4490]

For some reason you skipped over exhaust suggestions for GCs

[@gbg.freddie3192]

Literally the best sounding 4 cylinder

[@justchadZA]

Hi there Martini Works.. Love your channel and love the information you guys share with us , it really inspires me .. 🔥 Please can you talk to us about the Ford Fiesta STs next or sometime in future, I’d love to know more about the car I currently drive and how to take it to the next level when it comes to customising them 🙏 Thanks a million Chad ❤️🇿🇦

[@Elizbara10]

I looked at the vid and said: this is literally dedicated to me!

[@cyronfraser8394]

My legacy GT has been good to me for the past three years with the typical bolt-on’s and a pro tune. No CEL’s, no blowing up, nothing. I’m also 42 and don’t drive like an absolute asshat.

[@robo1000]

Atleast I want the most undesirable one, the bugeye. Love those faces.

[@lynnmckenney1987]

Same, bugeye wagons have a special place in my heart.

[@TomahawkLabs]

Bug eye is the GD chassis. Golden. The worst era is clearly the narrow body GR 2008-2010.

[@WrxVbLikeaciviCbutcooler]

I have owned my ‘02 bug eye since ‘08

[@zanzabar4ky7]

The GE 3rd gen Narrow body is the least desirable.

[@zanzabar4ky7]

@@TomahawkLabs GR and GV are all wide body. GE and GH are narrow body. The GE narrow body sedan is by far the least desirable

[@Fwex]

Came here to say we love the cladding on the VB

[@Silverbulletzx3]

As a new VB owner (first Subaru) I agree! I love it

[@jimsmith8797]

Get the black one

[@NikNikJuice]

Cladded 😘👌

[@ChupaLeche]

Bold statement but it's definitely growing on every one....just like all wrx designs.

[@theflacochannel9558]

Yea I wanted the Hawkeye hatch before

[@alwaysbroken2832]

No love on the Sti and no info on the ej257. Currently an 05 Sti owner and I love it

[@Ulxssxs]

Still waiting to buy a gc8 had a 2015 sti and yes it was dying but I still love them I have Hondas right now but I would love to come back to subaru

[@alexj0409]

20 Minutes of Evo/Ralliart is the obvious next choice.

[@funjoe3915]

Please do BRZ, 86, FRS next!

[@RMJerich0]

I have a GDB spec C 03 (EJ207). Great car, but comparing to JZ its too fragile. If you drive it HARD and your build is not great - RIP. But if you build it correct way and take care of it - you surely can drive it HARD and be good.

[@sumzanderkid1827]

For those looking to buy a Subaru: First off yes, Subarus are delicate and when in the wrong hands they blow up easily. The problem with Subarus blowing up is you can get a cheap wrx as a high schooler. It takes zero knowledge to know high schoolers rather have fun with their car than take proper care of it. And they rather throw money at cheap performance or cosmetic than maintenance or proper supportive mods. Modding an EJ takes a lot of knowledge especially because it’s a boxer turbo. “but I took care of mine” doesn’t mean the previous owner did or you had the proper supportive mods. Yes, Subarus are delicate but they are not prone to blow up if you know how to mod it correctly. Idk how to modify a 4G63 and if I went and started throwing parts at it like an irresponsible teenager I bet I’d blow that Evo up too. An AOS, and oil pan/pick up upgrade will make these engines a hell of a lot happier. If you add E85 to the mix then you got yourself a confident EJ engine. Also head gaskets are a fake meme that came from N/A 2.5 liters never was a WRX problem.

[@servandoruiz8320]

How are some of yall blowing up subie engines? My bugeye has 250k miles tuned stage 2 for the last 4 years and it’s running strong!!!!

[@lucian7182]

My sti is tuned at 425 Whp on the stock block may it last me a few years to come. I’m not hoping for 250k miles but 60-80k at the power level I can accept.

[@dolnyx3278]

17:34 lil shot at fitment industries there lol.

[@bille7585]

So overal the FA20 [2015-2021] is the best overall

[@murmsuniversalrobotics3938]

?

[@brandoneck3279]

Gc8 really is a beauty.

[@Beatcheeks]

I’ve had ej’s didn’t want another one got an fa20 wrx and it’s a lot of fun. Driving anxiety attack but fun

[@michaelbullington3182]

Same..swooned, then hungover from EJ rebuilds, so I swore off the wagon; then got reformed by my alcoholic FA that runs sober and true.

[@zachheidecker2163]

My ecoboost suffers from that same tuning/emissions issue! Requires an aftermarket tune to rectify! 💩

[@stormtrooperjetta9585]

Should do the Outback family please

[@olivermom]

what about wheel/tire spec recommendations for the VB 2022-2024... i believe you cant run as aggressive to the 2015-2021's..

[@zanzabar4ky7]

My LGT blew up. The previous owner put 87 in it and burnt the shit out of the valves. Now it has a built closed deck. At this point I would say never WRX. The VB is iffy, the WRX is going to have transmission issues, the STi costs too much, and the BL/BP LGT exists with STi 5 speed autos/6 speed manuals for a quarter of the price. The VA and VB are the continuation of the legacy platform, so why not get the most subaru subaru. The big issue I have with most non WRX/LGT is that you get fake AWD and other than the WrX the current line up cannot drive both axles at road speed. If you buy something used be prepared to replace a 5 speed manual and or an EJ, and do not buy a CVT. if you want to do WRX stuff they will die in a track day or two at best. I would just start with a power train rebuild if you want to get into it, or buy from a local tuning shops for sale board.

[@zanzabar4ky7]

And all mods need a tune from 2001 up. Intakes too. The only way the "no tune" ones make power is by making it run lean (AKA burning your shit.) Any change between the airbox and CAT needs that tune or you will be in the blown up column. Maybe a stock sized all metal inter cooler will be ok but nothing else.

[@codyargyle2019]

I still want one 😂 i just have a lot of cars i want

[@MartiniWorksOfficial]

Honestly, same. Everyday I want something different lol

[@Zcypot]

@3:28 lmao thats how i got saved from going off a ledge in big bear when I hit black ice. It made my car point straight again

[@skythundersky1544]

Couldn't wait for another useless info vid! Sadly I'll have to wait till tomorrow to watch it