Why your Subaru doesn't need 500hp.

[@brandondaily1558]

My 06 sti has been over 500whp for 28,000 miles and still going strong. Perfect compression and doesnt burn oil. I did sleeve the block and have forged internals. I think driving habits and being proactive with maintainence is key.

[@whitechocolate415]

Driving habits! Massive importance as well as maintenance. Basically you better be a master tech to keep it that long.

[@traviscea]

Totally agree. You'd be surprised though, some think maintenance on an econobox is a suggestion

[@SoulTouchMusic93]

i'd rather have 300hp and drive it like i stole it than have 500hp and baby it.

[@lucian7182]

@@SoulTouchMusic93you dont have to baby a 500 whp sti on a built engine. He can beat on that thing everyday and still get 50-60k miles out of that block.

[@brandondaily1558]

@SoulTouchMusic93 who said i babied it lol. I just don't drive around the city at redline all day like most "car guys" with zero mechanical knowledge.

[@3dsmackdown]

“Get a Hellcat or steal one like everyone else” I am dead 😵

[@traviscea]

I am scared my GC will be stolen but I can just imagine how terrified I would be with a hellcat. They are by far the #1 stolen car and it's not even close.

[@dannymitchell6131]

Cover any place where you can see the VIN from the exterior (like where the dash meets the windshield). It's free and will thwart most attempts at duplicating your key.

[@traviscea]

@@dannymitchell6131 For a hellcat? Sure. My GC could be started with a screwdriver though. It has no immobilizer or smart key. It's just a metal key. I never leave it away from my garage for more than a few minutes parked.

[@3dsmackdown]

@@dannymitchell6131 That is simple and brilliant.

[@SoulTouchMusic93]

@@traviscea our hood people here in uk steal range rovers.

[@TCraig00]

440whp on E85 in my 05 STI was RIDICULOUS to me the first time I road in it. 360 to 400 whp is loads of fun and more than enough

[@betancourtl]

I'm currently around 360HP and I'm really happy with this amount of HP. I care more about handling now after doing autoX and track.

[@Smeedia]

Respectfully I need all the power in my Subarus 😂 for a daily 450 is a good sweet spot for most people. BUT I disagree that you can’t have reliability and big power if you want it. It’s been done and we know how to do it. Having a higher HP Subaru compared to a Hellcat or another car is just silly. Two different cars in two different categories. Older Subarus like GM6, GC8 even Gds at this point most are clapped out and not worth tossing Thousands of $$$ into. VA STIs and GR/GVs are the best bang for the buck now. Subarus stopped being cheap years ago now for any decent model. I’m all for people pulling ad much HP as they can out of them. Shit we see stock engines north of 600WHP with 10K+ miles still going. I’ve built more than a handful at this point of 650+ WHP STIs with some bearing 60K miles now. Also would never suggest someone to remove air bags from a street car.

[@traviscea]

***As I re-read this, I apologize if it comes off snarky or deliberately at you. The reason I made these videos is mainly because I have friends and people dm'ing, some of which have referenced your builds, stating they want my help getting to xxxHp because that is safe and will work. It's frustrating to say the least to see those newer to Subarus relying on those big in the community to tell them what they "need" when in fact all they need is to keep their econobox safe and reliable and at best lose some weight from it. I will leave it as is for you to comment *** Have you ever tried a GC or lightened Subaru with less power? 450 daily is the sweet spot? This number is insane. Where do you come up with most people needing this? Because the newer ones weight 3500lbs? The HP number is not the "sweet spot". The power to weight should be the sweet spot. Again, HP affects one aspect of your car. Well actually two...the acceleration and the longevity. Also stating that you can't find a non-clapped GC/GF/GD is not entirely correct. Finding one that is rust free and in decent shape is about as difficult as finding a newer Gen Subaru owner who doesn't think that power is the most important aspect of the car. Can it be done? Yes. Will it be difficult? Absolutely. Is it worth it? For a 700lb decrease in weight? Are you fucking kidding? All I hear from the people with higher levels than I recommended, for newcomers mind you, say that either they knew someone with 500+whp or have themselves and had to rebuild after >2-3 years. I'm I saying you can't completely change your driving style and make it last, sure.. The vast majority of Subaru owners should not expect anything over 30-40% over stock to last as long as it would otherwise without rebuilds and headaches. Your channel I enjoy but not because you modify Subarus and cars in ways I would. More because it is equivalent to building a throw away of GT7/racing sim and laughing with my buddy's at the failure. I don't think newcomers should use it as a guide to what is actually feasible. You do you and I do me. But don't sit there and admit that what I am recommending that those newer to Subaru owners should do in the way of modifications or lack there of, is not immensely better for them, the community and other drivers on the road/track. Just because you are numb to >900hp doesn't mean that everyone else is. The airbag removal is an example of weight reduction done to a track car. Also a removal steering wheel is vital to the GC/GF/gd as every theft detergent possible needs to be deployed. You've never used a removable steering wheel? Aka, removed the airbag? Furthermore, I literally say you can't remove airbags if it's a daily.

[@Smeedia]

@@traviscea I don't tell people that they NEED more power, but for those who want more power having a guide and list makes is so much easier for new people coming in. 95% of people are using these cars as their DD or weekend fun car and are not willing to give up weight. Giving up weight means giving up luxuries. AC, Comfort, etc. I do not disagree with you in the point that less weight will make a lower HP car quicker and feel faster. I have, I've had a handful of GM6, GC8, GDs etc. a Stock GM6, GC even with weight removed will not be a fast car though. It will be quick but a N/A 2.5 is dog water slow unless you toss a good chunk of coin to actually build a decent NA EJ. Even in proper motorsports events in today's day with what people are competing against anything sub 500WHP really is not competing with other cars now. 10, 15 years ago with that much power they would dominate. But it's just not the same anymore. If people wanted to compete in motorsports in a serious manner they will be adding weight back into the car for safety equipment anyway. 450WHP for a street car IMO is a perfect spot in doesn't matter the chassis, GD, GR, VA. my last GD was at that 450 point and it was more than enough to enjoy in corners and quick enough to still play around with in a straight line. shit even at 450WHP you will still get WALKED by most cars on the road today anyway. As for longevity the biggest Two factors are the driver and the how the car is treated. You can have a stock power level EJ die at 5K miles and a 650WHP Stock block last 40K miles. EJs can be made reliable with power, it's not 2010 anymore where anything over 400whp is a time bomb. get a kill switch, removing air bags from street cars is the dumbest thing I see people do. Even when my STI was nearing 4 digits it still had the air bags. It's not worth risking your life because you want a removable steering wheel. And if you are getting one, it's prob best to get one that is FIA approved and wont snap in half like the NRG ones will. No, I have not. In my GDs I use the DAMD wheel to specifically keep the air bag, my GRs Faction fab so I can keep the air bag, VAs Type RA wheel so I can keep the air bag. if it is a street car around other drivers, it keeps the air bag. No one is arguing with you over the fact that removing weight wont make the car feel quicker, but in today's day and age to really compete with other cars out there you need more power in these things. How much power is really up to the owner. Like I always tell people, If you've never driven a 500WHP and want 500WHP. Start at 350, then increase to more until you find where you want to be.

[@traviscea]

So...all these people who use these for daily's can't lighten them because that would make them uncomfortable....instead let's make the engine uncomfortable and blow up? I know you and others don't want to hear it. The newer Subarus are just too heavy and you can't get around that. You bought the wrong car and are trying to make up for it in all the wrong ways. Remove an airbag = unsafe but telling someone that is new to the brand that 650whp is safe..wtf? Whats more likely to need an airbag at the track? A 650+whp car or a 300whp car? 🤔 I'm sure when you hit that wall going 150mph that airbag will make it feel like jumping on a pillow. Again, to each their own, but I rarely see you talk about brakes or handling, which will actually make the car safer but how to get xxxHp and then the meme crap. I get it, you want clicks and this is a source of income for you. I just don't want to see the brand ruined with people coming to me saying so so said you can put 650whp on the stock block and they "know their shit". Mind numbing. It's an cheap car. Treat as such. If you paid a lot for a new one...sorry you got fucked. You made a poor decision and no amount of HP is going to make up for that. But whatever amount of HP helps you sleep at night...

[@tann3r4k]

@@travisceasmeedia is totally right here you’re just poor 😹😹

[@traviscea]

@@tann3r4k Umm, I'm good. But if destroying motors makes you rich...then I'm sooo poor. Also I don't think the "rich" are buying Subarus. They are cheaply made econoboxs bud.

[@hexako7883]

WRX and STis aren’t for the zoomies in the straights it’s for the turns there’s a reason is literally called WRX (World Rally Experimental) a rally car for twisty back roads

[@andrewrobinson5639]

Morpor has really screwed up people horsepower expectations. 500 hp is alot of power for most people.

[@traviscea]

I don't even mention it in the video but 500hp in the hands of an inexperienced 20 year old, is going to be a disaster on the street.

[@magnusdanielsson2749]

I think this is valid for most cars. Theres been such ”horsepower inflation” its kinda crazy. People seem to not realize what driveability and handling can do to a car. Then with some exhaust etc you can change how enjoyable it is.

[@traviscea]

It is. For most cars, I would keep the power anywhere from stock to a max of a 30% gain. Manufacturers are not making cars with the intent on everybody making more than that...safely. Also, buying the right car is important. You can have fun at most any level, and driving a "slow" car fast is very enjoyable and most people don't understand that.

[@nicholasokoth2275]

Also generally, love the car. Alot of these things we do. We forget part of a car's character is the flaws. Dope video

[@user_z01]

I bought a 13 GR hatch (ej255) in 13 and went instantly to a 400/400 setup (on e85, obviously less than that on pump). Around 92k miles now and still running perfectly. Had to replace the clutch once, and the polymer tgv deletes I installed warped and I replaced those with ported stock tgvs. Other than that, just routine care. All my friends who went over 400 on their dailies,, their cars are no longer alive.

[@traviscea]

Good on ya. That is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Knowing the car has limits and getting a good tune. E85 is a great fuel if you keep up with the maintenance compared to pump. I got 50whp just from e85, 1300cc injectors and FP. A tune and driving style is very important. Knowing that if you go to the upper limits of the motor, which in my opinion is around 400, you can't gun it everywhere you go.

[@Allwayzworkin]

I love my 13 hatch. The most disrespected wrx

[@OEMPlus]

people who think they need 500hp in everything usually don't know what they want. 1rwhp per every 10lbs is the sweet spot for me.

[@traviscea]

@@OEMPlus Or have never experienced it. Or a lighter car with a lower hp.

[@lobsterbisque7567]

@@traviscea I completely agree! I'd rather have a lightweight car with less HP. I have a "99 corolla with a 5spd M/T, a few suspension & brake upgrades. But it only weighs roughly 2,100lbs with 130bhp, but it's still fun to whip around corners. For me, It's more about developing my driving skills(trail braking, pedal modulation, properly managing the weight transfer of the car, rev matching, etc.) Which I practice on a simulator most of the time. It's more about the corners than the straight aways, but that's just me.

[@blow0me]

@@traviscea or a lighter car with more power. More is fun.

[@thegaslightneverends]

they are probably teens who have never been in a fast car. even 400hp is scary and more than enough for the street

[@TheCarGuy91]

My 05 Sti is currently stock internals. Redone all the seals, all the supportive mods and a lot of bolt ons. Once she’s broken if I can walk away with 350-370 whp I’ll be happy. Don’t want nothing crazy. Just a fun streetcar.

[@whitechocolate415]

I miss my 300. I have 400 now. And it’s less fun.

[@wrxomg]

@@whitechocolate415 how so?

[@IcySTi]

@@whitechocolate415 how?

[@lucian7182]

Fbo and a bigger turbo can get you 350 on 91 , 370 on 93 is doable. Or stock turbo and e85 will net you 350whp.

[@IcySTi]

@@lucian7182 stock turbo and e85 is one of the most fun set ups

[@Praxicaeon]

Honestly I love my hawkeye sti and the power it's at. Previous owner didn't take care of it so the engine ended up spinning a rod bearing. Rebuilt it with forged internals but kept the stock turbo, injectors, and intercooler. It's currently at 300whp and 298pft which is all I need and I love it. Side note, I painted the car recently and had everything stripped, no seats no doors no bumper no fenders. Decided to take it for a drive a couple of times during that and it took off. Power to weight ration is a real thing and it's much better than having a 5000 lb monster with 700hp

[@traviscea]

Thanks for this. You did it the way I would suggest most do and now also know the benefit of losing weight. Good on you.

[@f8monty37]

How I look at it is. WRXs were never straight line race cars. People please understand that. You’ll have better peace of mind with your WRX if you do.

[@dmacarthur5356]

100%. Funny how you never see those other cars on snow packed roads either.

[@f8monty37]

@@dmacarthur5356 I do. I drive mine through the snow all the time.

[@dmacarthur5356]

@@f8monty37 Yeah, I was referring to the Challengers, Chargers, Mustangs, Cameros, etc not being on snowy roads

[@fredastaire6156]

This is such a good video, with valid points all around. lately, I've been on a modification kick with my 04STi. I keep bouncing back and forth between "should I go below 500, or above?" I can see how one can get bogged down and depressed because all I see on social media and KZbin are 700-800-1000HP monsters! (Brandon's duel turbo Panzer immediately comes to mind) and while that car is freaking SICK!! I honestly am looking to just drive up and down the mountain ranges here in Colorado on a nice Fall day without having to stress about if my engine is going to spin a bearing or suddenly lose oil pressure. I don't "really need" 600HP to do that. Its about the smiles and the knowledge that I know how to fix my car if/when it breaks and that there is SOOOOOO much aftermarket support for these cars that I can essentially keep it till the day I die (which I no plans to sell, ever!) These are such awesome little cars!! (and if you take care of them, they WILL take care of you)

[@traviscea]

Thanks. I think most depend on social media and YT to be able to modify and that can lead to everyone falling into the same lane. Maybe I'm wrong but seeing everyone do the exact same builds and then breaking stuff because YT'ers are only showing the positives and not the car when it blows up...is frustrating

[@IcySTi]

While a lot of this video had a lot of very real and good information, 450whp in a rod/piston/headstud motor will definitely last 75k miles as proven for the last 10-15 years. Of course, it is heavily dependent on the set up (Torque curve, e85, ramping in boost ect) but man these EJ207's in stock form can last over 100k miles at 350whp-400whp. Great video regardless!

[@traviscea]

Agreed. I could get 700whp to last for 20 years and 150k miles. Just never drive it above 4k RPMs. This video is more for the newbies or ones that want to track the car/stay on the gas. Tune is first, then driving style is a very close second. This ej207 has only headstuds and I can get it to last quite a while for sure. If you tell someone new it will last a long time though, they think that means it can take whatever is thrown at it. I guess I should of clarified driving style has a lot to do with it but the people I see driving them around here....it's not going to be long at high HP levels

[@IcySTi]

@@traviscea right I completely agree. The 75k mile example might be a freak example, but it’s all documented on instagram on his page!

[@pab3783]

Agree

[@monsteriamturbo]

As someone who has been building Subarus for almost 20yrs I can agree with you that for most people that don’t know what they are doing 350-400whp is a sweet spot & yes power/weight ratio is very important. But myself & some other people before Bader, Smeedia were around made big power out of factory sealed motors. Will it last forever, no but if built, maintained, tuned properly can have a good life around 500-550whp. My personal 19 sti was daily driven for 45k+ miles at 550whp/481wtq on a very low reading mustang dyno, baseline for sti 210whp. I planned on building car into a circuit car for the track but still wanted to enjoy it, which I did & motor still healthy at over 60k miles when I pulled it out for race engine & full track build on car. That’s not the first time taken factory sealed motor to over 500whp, did it back in 07 on my Hawkeye had plenty of fun before putting a built motor in it. I know someone who DD his factory sealed at 480whp for over 140k miles. It all comes down to using quality parts, having a proper maintenance schedule, & building/tuning it right. I build them for racing, not your 40 rolls ect, & I’m not saying factory motor will handle 550whp at the track for 15-20min sessions going balls out. with a proper setup & built motor very achievable, lots of people have been racing them at 500+ with great success. The factory motor can handle anything you would do on the street at that power level. 450-600whp. Are there other or better cars for making that kind of power, yes most people argue the Evo is better, but they also require significant drivetrain upgrades so at end of day it balances out. Everyone is brainwashed about it has to be 500hp or 1k hp these days due to social media, but a real 500whp car at even 3000-3500lbs is fast, then with a good suspension setup, wheel/tire package & performance alignment the new VA chassis is pretty amazing just little chubby, but it’s way stiffer than all previous models. But at end of the day most people get into these cars not understanding how much it truly costs, clapping them out & giving them a bad name! But yes I still would love to build an older GC chassis one day dedicated track car at like 400whp/2400lbs.

[@traviscea]

@@monsteriamturbo agree with everything you said. I've been around since....let's just say I put a vf34 on my brand new bugeye and had to ship my ECU to Cobb to flash it. Long before the Accessport days. This video is for the newbies mainly, as like you stated, social media has shown everyone that big HP matters and will last, even though both are incorrect and they are just trying to get clicks.

[@monsteriamturbo]

@@travisceastill to this day I have a love hate relationship with Cobb & AP, I’ve been running one but switching to Haltech for the track build. But back in 07 I had an AEM series 2 that I had to build the jumper harness from scratch, I wouldn’t touch Cobb & factory ecu crap with a 10ft poll back then. Custom uppipe for a t3/t4 Turbonetics (had a personal relationship with a head engineer) was out at LACR having some fun with Ahli from ESX Motorsports, but car was for twisties & willow springs. Ran 11.2 at 127mph 1/4mile on factory motor back then took it out 2 times. Good old days when it was pure learning experience & applying knowledge & adapting to the platform. Everyone today just wants easy hp for bragging rights like yeah I got 600whp bro with a 1500-2000rpm powerband that’s useless other than straight line and even then still pretty useless.

[@traviscea]

@monsteriamturbo good on ya.. In my other videos, I say I don't like Cobb and haven't used them in over 15 years. Opensource ftw.

[@paulmarsdensr1095]

Thank God you made this video. That is why I will never power mod my 2020 WRX/STI. My Bluebaru will remain stock forever. The STI is a legend. I get all types of cars always trying to race me to and from work out here in Ca. 😊 A great video brother. Subies forever.

[@traviscea]

@@paulmarsdensr1095 I mean, you can mod your car. Just dont stick only to power mods and if so, stay within 30% of stock levels. The brakes, suspension and transmission can greatly benefit from modifications as well

[@azthar]

I'm building my 2012 sti as we speak. I just did cusco coilovers, every cusco chassis brace they sell pretty much, upgraded whiteline front control arms, rear isc v3.2 control arms, cusco adjustable toe arms, cusco trailing arms, whiteline front roll center ball joints, 3/16 aluminum skid plate, all new sequential lights front and rear, seibon carbon hood, and a seibon carbon ducktail truck. I have a carbon fiber roof from marsh composites on order, old roof will be removed and carbon roof installed by my custom body shop. It's insane how amazing the car handles in the corners. I did all this work as my new engine is being build in the shop, 400+whp on a grimm speed bb 500 turbo, and all the supporting goodies. Going elh, and a killer B oil pan and pick-up for the hard corners

[@traviscea]

@@azthar Sounds awesome. That thing will be a track monster. Any more weight reduction besides the CF stuff?

[@azthar]

@traviscea I've removed everything out of my trunk. I had some subs and a spare tire in the back, and I also stripped out the liners. I forgot to mention that the drive shaft was removed and replaced with a cf one also.

[@azthar]

Next will be seats, stock front seats will be removed and replaced, I haven't decided on what type I want yet

[@midium]

White line bushings+sway bars, coils, exhaust, some wheels and sticky tires is the Subaru equation for a fun daily driver

[@traviscea]

@@midium This is awesome exactly what I say to do in the next video..lol

[@TheTyisawesome]

Forward to those friends who have been through countless head gaskets and are on their way to the third rebuild...

[@Valid.4l]

I see a man that loves his car. Can’t wait for more videos

440 HP balanced and blueprinted STI 3 years running strong absolutely zero issues your opinions are just that opinions nobody wants a garbage Hellcat they want all-wheel drive STI fun this video is ridiculous

[@traviscea]

I can name a good 10-15 cars that are all-wheel and more reliable/safer/faster than a newer WRX/STI. Most are cheaper too. But people drive these because Subaru is living off its branding from the early 2000s. The sales number over the past few years have completely died for the WRX line though. People know this heavy boat is not worth it.

[@zmmmzmmmz]

​@@travisceaI'd like to see that list.

[@traviscea]

​@@zmmmzmmmz Sure. Heres a quick one. German(can email to tuner and add 50-100hp): -Best*** 2018 Audi S6 (25K)-450hp AWD German V8 -2018-2021 Audi S4(30k) 350hp AWD -2018-2021 VW Golf R 315hp AWD Japanese(more reliable) Toyota Corolla GR(30k) 300hp AWD **Older but still better: Any Ej207 based Subaru(2001-2007 JDM STIs) 4G63s based mitsu's, iron blocks 290hp AWD

[@dominikpomichter4554]

@@traviscea those are all junk cars Audis are nightmares and the only audi worth getting is a rs3 and your prices are off a GR corolla sells for a lot more

[@traviscea]

@@dominikpomichter4554 How many audis have you owned? Or did you hear from the Internet they are 'nightmare'? But you're probably right, the Subaru is by far the best vehicle for 35k you can ever get. Ever.

[@bigboifillipino]

I love this video and love your car! My '14 GR WRX is right at 300whp with a 2" lift coilover kit just to bring it to a comfortable height to get in and out of for a daily (also dedicated dog car). I also have a '23 VB WRX at 340whp which feels just right. But that being said, my '20 VA STI has 600whp and I absolutely LOVE the power. I knew what I was getting into and I keep up with the maintenance and upkeep on all 3 cars. I do warn my Subi friends about adding power, but I also endorse the decision, so I'm a bad influence lol.

[@traviscea]

@@bigboifillipino That's a nice lineup! If you have the disposable income to do it, sure. I think most come into the community hoping for 500+ out the gate and don't know the tears and $ it takes to keep something like that running.

[@muchcat1113]

I tell everyone thinking about buying a wrx, treat it like it’s a living thing and it’ll live a long, strong life.

[@traviscea]

I feel like if most got more attached to their cars, they would last a lot longer.

[@muchcat1113]

@ honestly

[@woodensauce1063]

I dumped $2k into a tune and downpipe and other power mods. The rest I put into suspension. Completely reliable because of the close to stock power, and handles on rails with the upgraded suspension+AWD. I surprise a lot of people on the backroads with this old wagon 😂

[@chacelarsen50]

Perfectly said. After spending all my money through college chasing big power numbers I eventually came to a realization - the main and rod bearing geometry doesnt change no matter what you do to the internals. Even the best bearings are limited by load carrying capacity. Since, I've swapped the built engine and rotated turbo setup for a stock jdm ej205. Focused on suspension and brakes. I've had way more fun in the last two years than I ever had when I was focused on power.

[@traviscea]

Good on you. I'm trying to help those new that haven't come to this realization yet but you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink. The JDM ej205, especially the AVCS model, is an underrated beast and will not break the bank. Good choice

[@deanhartley251]

Imported the car form japan and put on what is needed, mapped it and ended up geting 550whp i didn't touch the block for 25k before I pulled the motor to forge the internals for more power, it still ran fine, i found one of the crank bearings was slightly warn everything else was fine, maybe i was lucky

[@traviscea]

Yeah, 25k is not what most want out of a motor before a rebuild.

[@deanhartley251]

@@traviscea car had already done 43k before I brought and imported it.. then i just boost it up to 550whp did 25k of hard pulls up the strip and on track, standard internals and no head studs nothing, think that it did well to be fair, seeing they are alloy blocks, I see brand new engines blow every week, mine just kept pulling, just build it right and stop running 85 and put 99 v power in it

[@ianhuelsbeck8215]

Great vid! I love my VB wrx. It’s SOOO fun in the twisties. I’m happy with my purchase :)

[@michaelfreeman9275]

Ej207 w/ dom1.5 on E has been my favorite engine combo. 02 wrx owned since new.

[@traviscea]

@@michaelfreeman9275 This is my plan. It's not for everyone though and costs a pretty penny

[@TCraig00]

I had the same setup on EJ257 but switched to 93 for convenience.

[@doggdish]

2011 WRX, stock with zero mods! absolute unicorn, and planning to keep it that way.

[@traviscea]

@@doggdish Wow. That is a rarity right there!

[@RefinedRags]

You're right.. That's why we are going for 1000hp baby!

[@traviscea]

@@RefinedRags kzbin.infoyheCSijRWkg?feature=share

[@nateb9326]

Ive used all my Subarus over the years for a mix of daily driving, autocross, club racing, and even ice racing. The GD STI's 350-400whp is more than excellent with how i use them. That is a ton of power for the street. Youre going to be faster than 9/10 cars you see driving around easily. My daily VA wrx i autox reliably stock, and with solid 200tw tires and stock frame advans for mods it will top 10 constantly in fields of even 120+ cars for an autox. If you want a 60-120 car, like you said, get something else. The wrx/sti are better suited and the top dog for other kinds of racing.

[@traviscea]

This.

[@pab3783]

I understand the urge to rant and make these points. However, even though I generally agree, they can last if properly built and taken care of. I know, don’t expect 100k miles but they can make good power and take it for some time. I can afford a Hellcat but have a Subaru. Buy what you like.

[@traviscea]

@@pab3783 Agreed. I could afford something better as well. I like to tinker though. Love it actually. A new car would not be fun for me.

[@pab3783]

@@traviscea enjoy that thing.

[@ProCircuitHonda]

I have a very similar setup to you except my car is an 04 GD WRX. When I did my V8 207 swap, I had a V5 STI 5mt with the 4.44lsd, vf37, and tuned on E85. This car was so fun. Nimble and spunky. Went 12.5 in the 1/4 too, not bad. I got the itch for more power and got a Full-Race stock location G series kit, old APS front mount and retuned it for 407whp. It then went 12.6, 60 footed slower, but trapped 8mph more, aaaand became a little less fun to drive because now it's more sluggish. Through some other trials and error I had it retuned with a smaller hotside, back to 93oct only, and it pumped out 377whp, and over time i've ADDED weight to it with car audio sound deadening and this car still boogied. Long winded but if people actually got in a responsive, properly geared, light weight wrx that could take a flat footed 30-40mph dig out of a tight corner, and then compare that to a 450-650whp wrx/sti ON THE SAME CORNER, they'd realize that the higher hp car probably never hit full boost/torque out of turn and would be less fun. I'll always be team power to weight If people want easy, modern performance, amazing creature comforts, get a Golf R. It's literally so good, and I would not hesitate at all to tell people how much better my Golf R was compared to my 04 wrx that's my prized possession.

[@traviscea]

@@ProCircuitHonda Very well put. And the German stuff just isn't fair. I will say that my other vehicle is a newer German one...

[@M1.942]

Very well said, am hating how much the Subaru is getting bashed online for breaking or gearbox/ headgasket issues, but it’s not the car it’s the people that are owning them that are treating them like. 2023 M4

[@traviscea]

Thanks. It is all about the people behind the wheels and the mods done. I'm trying to help at least the few that see this video to do it.... correctly

[@davidnelson1905]

Yes, Thank you, about time someone has spoken the truth, I love both of my wrx's 14 and 18 and I love it because I enjoy it being a stick shift car and I enjoy the control it's a fun car

[@scottwilson1258]

Finally, Sensable Conversation! Thank You

[@traviscea]

Apparently some don't want to hear it...

[@maxxrelax88]

My mate has a bugeye that had a dead 2.5 in it he put a 2.4l K series makes 1000hp and is pretty much same weight as stock, he autocrosses it and belts it constantly he runs boost by gear to make it drivable in the lower gears and it absolutely rips

[@402car_kid4]

ive just recently bought an 05 sti. Ive always loved them and found a no rust clean title car so i deceided to grab it. My audi b5s4 makes 500awhp so i wasnt looking for a race car. i wanted maybe 350whp max and somwething clean that i can cruise and maybe do some autocross. My impression is this car is amazing handling. Im pleasantly surprised at how well it drives for being 20 years old. its got some bolts on and a 91 stage 2 tune so im sure its probably around 300 right now and its actually decently quick for what it is. i plan on doing e85 and maybe a cobb 20g and leaving it there.

[@traviscea]

@@402car_kid4 Perfect. It's all in keeping the power around 30-40% stock levels, a good tune, maintenance, and your driving style.

[@ma-scalia8629]

@@traviscea30-40% higher?

[@traviscea]

@@ma-scalia8629 Correct. 30% of a 300(crank) HP car higher is around 100(crank) HP. So 400-420(crank) HP tops. Which would be around 350-370whp tops.

[@CrazyMF3R]

The real question is; Why haven't you seen a doctor about that head? If my Subaru doesn't need 500HP, it needs 600HP.

[@traviscea]

700

[@thedon9670]

@@traviscea 800

[@Coryw133]

210 whp with a responsive turbo is awesome (td04) 300whp with an upgraded turbo (td05, vf series) is also awesome

[@jukebox9175]

just picked up a vf48 for my 05 wrx. i’m so excited to put it in this week. my power goal was always 300hp I don’t want to go over that lol

[@Coryw133]

@@jukebox9175 i had that exact turbo on my ej205 wrx, we made 270whp until knock was detected, so turned it down to 240ish . at 240 it was worse than the td04, like it was more laggy and made only slightly more power I put on equal length headers and got it retuned, car ran so much more efficently and we made 292whp with no knock detected. the car was Insanely fun to drive!! 20.7psi around 4000rpm

[@kryptonite754]

I'm running a Blouch 16g turbo at about 20psi on an 07 WRX Wagon and I totally agree with everything you're saying. It's my first Subaru and I don't do real 100% full throttle pulls on it more than like 2-3 times a month, it's still a riot to drive without full sending it anyways and I want it to last as long as possible so I'm gentle with her usually lol

[@traviscea]

Gentle and maintenance. A track day here or there is fine too but more mods=less track days

[@kryptonite754]

@@traviscea yessir

[@ISOUPKOBE]

My 05 forester Xt is at about 400 ish maybe a little more it’s been on the same tune for a year it’s all about knowing what you’re doing and getting the right parts and accessories to keep ‘em alive Timing belt Water pump And the pullys It’s just keep up with you’re maintenance and check you’re oil I’m not beating a hellcat but I’m definitely eating up the snack pack😂

[@traviscea]

"Snack pack" 🤣

[@chrism6]

Agreed with everything been playing with these cars since 2006

[@maxxrelax88]

My little ralliart colt is my daily 1.4l full bolt ons making 350whp on RON98 pump gas and it HAMMERS! completely stock internals and i bang limiter daily 1,2,3 shift every light change lol built it 6 years ago now so if it pops i wont be sad, will have to just have to put a built motor in it and turn it up more

[@Allwayzworkin]

13’ WRX Hatch owner. I’m happy with the ~300hp I got with the bolt ons I have. In daily driving that’s more than enough in most parts of the country. Also financially you’d be better off buying something else if you want something faster and reliable.

[@whitechocolate415]

I agree. 400 in my bugeye is less fun than my 300 was.

[@Crogunson-wb2zl]

Had a stunning premium silver gd sti with zorst tune fuck all it absolutely flew JOB DONE.

[@traviscea]

Zorst tune? Not following.

[@traviscea]

Ah, it's an Australian/NZ thing. Cool

[@chrisyoung9998]

In NZ, got a JDM 99 2dr with around 450whp EJ22T Stroker (much more stout than a 207 let alone 257), trackday'd it for almost 10years/25K miles on road, will do a refresh soon to be safe but its been reliable, I think you're pretty much on the money, on road 300-350whp is about the sweet spot for a lightly modded GC, on track STI's can be very fast and reliable but it costs $$

[@traviscea]

@@chrisyoung9998 That is awesome! Is that closed deck? We got the EJ22T over here for like 2 years in the early 90s legacies. Closed deck and capable but really hard to find...

[@chrisyoung9998]

@@traviscea yep that's the one, from a legacy turbo, and yeah it was from the US and shipped over haha, we never got them

[@vica153]

Ha yeah there was a while there when you pull apart a 22t from the scrap yard and sell the case halves to people across the world +1k. 450whp seems crazy. I got myself into plenty of trouble with 265whp. Sleeved EJ257T ftw. Flatbills and vapes took over + I got old and got out before really putting it to the test.

[@gfarnden56]

hey, in NZ too. I have a 2003 gd with around 900whp, its a2.1 stroker. 207 block with a couple mods..lol. also track days ect. ever go to taupo race track?

[@chrisyoung9998]

@@gfarnden56 900whp, on an EJ207? How the hell you holding that together? I'm mainly at Ruapuna, Manfield is the furthest north I've got

[@RMJerich0]

I have a 350hp ej207 STi GDB JDM I want to build it for around 500hp lol But to be honest, its just of curiosity. Truly, I dont think you need more than 300-320hp for a fun ride with STI. More hp is just only for 100-200km\h. I mean, for that launch guys may be for 0-100, but its not really that fun. For me its the most fun just on some kind of touge with great nature around it, or just doing some some of 200+km\h on a decent highway. Well, and snow fun in the city.

[@traviscea]

Yeah, 300-350 is definitely more than enough to have fun.

[@fasttm6]

Love it when someone tells someone else what they don’t need. Glad this is only your opinion. Build what you want and drive it. I’m at 750 whp/ 645 torque on my Sti, absolutely love driving it daily. Built the car myself three years ago. Doing new bearings right now as a refresh. I know it’s not going to last forever but no car that is driven hard will last not even an LS. Like you said know your expectations. Horsepower has nothing to do with reliability!! Driver hammering a completely stock car will destroy it at same speed as a built one.

[@traviscea]

@@fasttm6 I disagree but you're absolutely right, it's only my opinion. I think hammering on a stock car will last a lot longer than a modified or even built one. As I stated, forged internals are made for big power, not longevity. Can you make it last? Sure. Will it be difficult for most though? Yes. I've had many a stock-ish motor last 250k+ and not opening the motor at all. Not possible with something built or more than slightly modified and moderately beat on. You even state you are doing a "bearing refresh"... Not everyone wants or can do that. And it shouldn't need to be done on a less than 250k motor that's been taken care of and not above 30% of the power from the factory I guess the best question to ask you is: if you only had 300whp as opposed to 600+ you do now and drove the exact same way...do you think you'd be doing a bearing refresh after 3 years?

[@fasttm6]

@@traviscea No my stock motor blew way earlier than any of them. Stock to 500 to 750. 500 lasted 3.5 years . This one is good at 3 yrs but noticed some bearing material in my oil. So replace before it spun a bearing. You can see the car at @boostlek . You’re right in the sense that the 400 range is safer and actually more fun to drive. For most that power level can be obtained a lot easier and safer. Then you have some of us who wanted more. It’s hard to beat a 800 whp Subaru on the streets even a Hellcat lol.

[@jeremyagost]

I agree with a lot of your points. My experience racing Subarus in rally and time attack is that the GD is hands down the best racecar chassis Subaru ever built. I would like to correct you on one thing though. The 2008 and newer STI’s are not quite as heavy as you are suspecting. Most of them come in around 3350lbs. in fact, the 2022 VB WRX is lighter than the outgoing VA.

[@traviscea]

Thanks. Hey you tried a GC? Caged they are hard to beat.

[@Valid.4l]

Im glad that you said that 1:10 another note is that more power don’t always equal faster.

[@acidfrogs10]

Like you side it’s an econo car with a turbo so of course these engines are coming from the factory already at just about the top power limit, hence why factory power stayed the same over the years.

[@traviscea]

@@acidfrogs10 Correct. But the competition passed Subaru. They could have made it lighter or changed something...

[@farouqopondo9256]

Your right,we neglect power to weight ratio…that’s the reason new cars are maintaining power but cutting weight ie S209,bmw m5 cs etc

[@traviscea]

I think a lot are gaining weight though right? I know the new g90 m5 is gonna weigh like 5500lbs

[@goofymcadams]

As an Australian who grew up with GF/GC8's. We have had custom shops for about 25 years specialised in the ej platform. So its actually quite cheap for build and general mechanical work, like timing belt is done easy and cheap. In saying that, we have plenty of these still on the road (inc mine) and most around 300kw. Thats more than enough to beat V8s.. and thats all I care haha Take your subie to a car shop who can run Dyno and tune / service it regularly. GC8 Club Spec EVO IV (yellow one) STi swapped everything. The 5 speeds are glass. The 6 speed If you can find it, handles easy. (310kw) Had a HAWKEYE and the chassis is much stiffer and feels more "luxury" compared to the GC. But nothing beats the whip of boost on these little cars.. ;)

[@samuelg3586]

"Just stop" 😂 so true brotha!!

[@RSXengineering]

I'm a die-hard car enthusiast (not Subaru but Germans, doing my own tuning and everything) and I know damn well my car doesn't need anything... but it's modifying and building it that I really enjoy.

[@traviscea]

@@RSXengineering Awesome. In my newest video I talk about modifying over driving and why I prefer to tinker...

[@floydcoppage9423]

What I really like the most about wrx is it’s just a blast to drive , I mean really drive and not just on straights only on sunny days, worst the weather is the faster it feels, absolutely a blast, is not the fastest by no means but honestly the only vehicles that want to race me are TRUCKS today, yeah they are fast but my god they weigh 5,000 lbs, no way I’m letting you lose control and flatten my little car!

[@EpicLakitu]

Haha my Jetta is a 170hp powerhouse and even though it’s slow as molasses I just love the driving feel and it’s quick enough to daily drive, power isn’t everything especially when you’ve got no cash to waste on it lol

[@STEPHENATKINSON-u4b]

If I had 500hp, I would not have a licence for very long. 😅

[@traviscea]

500hp in something lighter than 3000lbs is crazy. In a straight line is one thing. Turning a vehicle while accelerating at WOT with that setup would take a professional.

[@Kmma95]

We specialised in evos in the and iv had 2 subarus. Tbh performance wise abd tuning evos are better even from fsctory. But this guy knows what hes talking about because after 400 you need to start building the bottom half.

[@miguellopez7694]

Brother my Corvette is 1/1 (Admiral blue and built on a Tuesday) and puts down 500wheel without the need of a Nagasaki War whistle like your subaru. I can get to the new balance store 2 miles down from my house in under 90 seconds flat (dry weather only).

[@wam1004]

How does it do on track or in the mountains?? 😂

[@traviscea]

​@@wam1004I think this was someone just fucking around. Or I hope.

[@trueerbeck4817]

@@traviscea it was lol. great vid btw, super cool stuff

[@miguellopez7694]

​@@wam1004 does great on the track. 11.2 second quarter mile. I love it. Ain't no replacement for displacement brother.

[@wam1004]

@@miguellopez7694 race track with turns... Hahahaha 11.2 is slow

[@ironmandingo1]

the vb wrx is a whole other beast. my 22 wrx on e40 is making 400whp and close to 500ft lbs. it may weigh as much as you say but if you ask me, that is good power to weight ratio. i only did about 4 mods , so it didnt cost much. plus this car is reliable depending on how i drive it. my tuner told me no 6th gear pulls and no launches and ill be fine. the new wrx's are far superior to the gc8. im running mid 11 second 1/4 mile and making more torque than a c8 vette. just imagine if i did weight reduction and turbo upgrade? the vb is where its at right now

[@traviscea]

@@ironmandingo1 Just imagine if your car was 500lbs lighter and only needed 300-350whp to be as fast. Torque kills shit. It's not gonna end well with 500ft/lbs on an econobox 4 cylinder.... You can keep the torque and the weight. I will have a more reliable, faster, all around better track car(not just the drag strip where I could easily get a low 11) for waaaaay less money.

[@ironmandingo1]

@@traviscea im curious at to what’s your opinion on the gr Corolla? Its light and has power

[@traviscea]

@@ironmandingo1 Toyota reliably. 300hp. Around 3200lbs. It's a muccccch better offering than the newer Subarus.

[@justinm.5089]

I have the same rant with ST/RS owners. Add your boltons and enjoy the chassis for what it is. Anything over 350whp isn’t worth it financially or performance wise. There’s plenty of v8’s and B/K series Hondas where you can crush it in drag/track with very little issues.

[@JensScearcy]

My buddy in highschool had a 04 STI made over 400hp sold it running and driving never any issues with 220k miles on it

[@traviscea]

Can it last? Maybe. Will it for most? Nope

[@Infrared-6]

My 2014 wrx base, full interior, full bolt ons, weighs 3,090.

[@traviscea]

@@Infrared-6 Nice! Those weigh 3270 from the factory though right?

[@Infrared-6]

@@traviscea I mean if that’s what they are advertised as idk what would make them weigh more besides the sunroof and heated seats haha.

[@traviscea]

@@Infrared-6 I think the lightest new one you can get is like 3450

[@Infrared-6]

@@traviscea also I don’t have the STi. So no beefier trans or brembos. That’s some weight for sure.

[@cjsawinski]

This kinda reminds me of the old air cooled Porsche community… especially the guys that still race them. I luckily grew up racing them with my dad (a 74’ that was a 73’ RSR “backdate” or clone, a 1995 993, and a few different 996 & 997 GT3 CUP cars). In the old Porsche 911’s (and yes even the race cars) your 99% of the time running with anywhere between 200-300HP. They just would smoke most other cars in the corners and braking. So at tracks like Road America or Brainerd I would keep Mustangs and Corvettes behind me for literally the entire lap… except for the main straight when they could stretch their legs, but I would always catch them by turn 2-3, pass them until the main straight away again.

[@traviscea]

@@cjsawinski So cool. Yeah I think some get stuck in the whole bigger is better when it comes to engines/weigh. A powerful engine can make up a car's weight in a straight....but not anywhere else.

[@traviscea]

@cjsawinski Knowing all that, what are driving now, if you don't mind me asking?

[@cjsawinski]

@@travisceaoh man answering kinda makes me sad lol. I’m 38 (or maybe 39?? Now lol). I raced club and SCCA from 15-25… when I was in my early twenties it got tough to keep racing with the expenses. I definitely was fortunate that my dad had the car/s and helped me out a bit, but there was no such thing as a “free ride”. So as I aged I lost sponsors (sponsors just like other sports loose interest when you get to a certain age). And being an early 20’s kid trying to go to college and figure out life I didn’t have a bankroll for racing lol. My tires were $3k per weekend (if I wanted to compete), I would make those tires last 2-3 weekends lol. Anyways my “driver” was always a track prepped 993 race car, I would throw a plate on it and street it sometimes though lol. My dad passed about 5 years ago and his entire car and race car collection was sold off in his estate. With the exception of the first 911 he ever bought, which is a euro spec 1977 911. And yes I have it to this day. It’s in kinda rough shape as it basically sat in the back of the shop for 30 years… so right now the entire suspension and brakes are off the car and stripped down for rebuild, I’ve just been buying parts as I go and have extra cash to throw at it. So basically right now I don’t really have a car as my daily is a truck… I did have a few different built e30’s through out my earlier life as well. One of which was an s50 swapped e30 M3… dad and I did the swap and some other stuff in my garage… I sold that car to fund some other things and have always regretted selling it lol.

[@traviscea]

@@cjsawinski Very cool. Glad to hear you kept your one race car from the lot and will keep the dream going. I love tinkering so if I did get something different(and I will) it would be a 930 or rx-7. Something that requires lots of time as I love working on cars in general. And don't feel too bad as I'm well into my 40s and had to take a break for 7 or so years while I built a family and got more secure. Its never too late to get back into it.

[@TheLastS209]

I agree with all your points, all these Subaru owners have gone off the rails with all these new youtubers telling them to push their car to 500 whp or above. These youtubers are trash. There are two points I will add though for you to think about: 1) Rigidity is important. Although GC is lightweight, the chassis is floppy, the best compromise imo is with the GD chassis, where they increased rigidity up to 400% and kept it somewhat lightweight (i.e., 2005 STI). 2) Removing weight is important, but removing weight up front is much more critical than removing weight at the back. Weight balance is also a major factor in weight reduction, I would rather have a car that is a little heavier and closer to 50/50 weight balance than strip out all the weight in the rear of this platform. I love all the points you make in this video, if only the Subaru community wasn't influenced by posers who don't go to the track and telling them to make 500 whp. These guys are trash. Only real enthusiasts know that this car can be competitive on the track and be exceptionally reliable if you just keep the power down, and improve handling, aero, and weight reduction.

[@traviscea]

@@TheLastS209 Yes and welcome! The GC can be made more rigid with cages and bracing but it is it's one flaw. In the next video I go over weight reduction much like you did actually and speak to front to rear weight distribution a little more. With the bias already pretty screwed on Imprezas(almost 60% up front), it's really difficult to correct that. Removing from the actual nose of the front is ideal but only so much can be done.. Lastly, I'm just an enthusiast that loves to tinker and help others with their builds. It just seems that most could benefit from some autoX/track time before modding their cars.

[@TheLastS209]

@@traviscea if only more ppl would actually track or autocross their cars, then they would understand why you don't need 500 whp with these cars.

[@Togairu]

I feel like someone like me who is coming from a 150hp sedan will be more than happy with 300

[@traviscea]

@@Togairu Possibly but regardless this is not the car to go crazy with more than 350-400hp to

[@maxxrelax88]

Agreed if you want reliable power in a small frame lie the sti get an evo, mine has made 850whp for the last 92,000kms and i drive it like its stolen, my only real maintenance is plugs oil change and it eats a few axles from time to time as i run stock but they're easily upgraded

[@Cobsspeedshop]

Hey man i get this totally i have a na/t setup run 7 psi and its good there i have fun with the car for what it is. Although a chevy 350 would just be downright fun in my Subaru…

[@joeburrows6]

Man fell off got 14 views in 18 hours. Something is telling me he don’t work but trying hard to be a KZbinr at 40 years old. My guy just get a decent job. It sucks but we all have to work. Stop trying to take the easy route out. It’s not working.

[@Cobsspeedshop]

@@joeburrows6what are you talking about dude this guy is cool has a job just keeps up gc/ gf guys entertained and updated on his builds

[@miguellopez7694]

​@@joeburrows6 you're a clown. He has a full time job and still manages to post valuable Subaru/GC content and yet you're complaining?

[@traviscea]

7psi is perfect. Treat it kind and it will be a perfect daily/canyon carver/autocrosser. For a long time.

[@devonmarcum6431]

Wanting a reliable high horsepower subaru is the wrong mindset. We push big numbers out of them because we want to have fun living on the edge and are fine with replacing engines. Have fun with it, blow it up, fix it, have fun again

[@knotical689]

This is great advice and generally applies to basically every platform, just a question of how high the ceiling is. Unfortunately I am a stubborn man with an unhealthy love for horsepower, so I will be disregarding it 😂

[@traviscea]

I disregard it as well. Do as I say not as I do, lol. But I like to work on them and have the time/money. I don't think most do...

[@JamesMotorsport]

When you said “just sell it” I died laughing

[@traviscea]

I mean, it's kind of hard to fix it major flaw... weight. But also I'm not a fan of the look either. Don't want to hurt feelings but Subaru kind of gave up on the Impreza line it seems.

[@wontrememberneway]

I'll tell you the same thing I tell my wife. I don't need it, I WANT it.

[@traviscea]

@@wontrememberneway I have to fight with my wife on putting nearly 20k into a 30 year old track car. But...it's more reliable and I can argue that it will last. It's hard to justify 400+whp that will not.

[@misfit492]

my 1996 impreza outback running around 2800lbs with 130 hp is more fun around corners than most cars I've driven.

[@misfit492]

even if I just made 200 I"d be more than happy

[@maxxrelax88]

400 on an 2.5 litre is pretty reliable 👌 350ish on the 2l

[@brendancrosby2965]

I'm just dropping in here to use too many words while saying I pretty much agree. Subarus aren't straight-line speed types of cars, and that should temper expectations. Life would be boring if people didn't push boundaries. The problem is, people are generally unaware of the limits subarus have. When they get a bad result, they blame the car before they blame their own lack of knowledge. Sometimes subaru is definitely to blame. The ongoing oil starvation issue with the FA24 is proof of that. 90% of the time though, people are just unknowingly pushing the car beyond its limits. Anyone looking to get more power from an EJ should just be referred to MotoIQ's videos on the subject. The TL;DR is that 550hp is pretty much the limit for what's "reliable" on track. Since forged pistons are required, you're still looking at about a 50k mile rebuild interval. The people saying they've got more power than that "with no issues" are either lying about it, haven't been running it that long on full boost, or they barely ever use full power. Some manufacturers design the car around the engine. Subaru kinda reversed that it seems to me. They came up with an AWD system that required the engine to be mounted in front of the front axle. So, they built a short, lightweight, flat engine to mitigate the negative handling consequences of that. I suspect they primarily targeted the 2.0L displacement. It just seems to me like the 2.5L displacement was something they were forced to do when trying to expand into the US market, and was never intended when originally designing the EJ block. Not sure if they did it to market to American displacement-bias, or if it was to meet emissions regulations. Perhaps a combination of both. It seems to me like subaru didn't form the same negative reputation in places where the 2.0L cars were available. We know the EJ207 is the GOAT. Everyone intuitively knows that thinner cylinder walls are going to be weaker. We know that the bored out 2.5L block made the problematic N/A graphite coated headgaskets worse. There are other weaknesses of the EJ engines, but boring them out that much just seems to have created so many more problems. I have a rust-free 2001 GF wagon. I think I'll swap in a 4.44 5speed before any engine swapping. Cheaper than an engine, probably less hassle getting it to work, dead simple and reliable way to get more acceleration, and less weight in the front compared to 6-speed. I estimate that shorter gear ratios are the most slept-on thing in the car community. If fuel economy is a concern, engine modding shouldn't be any more desirable than shorter gearing. Subarus shine the most on twisty roads with low grip. Summer tires, bigger front brakes, rear disc conversion, thicker rear sway bar, quicker steering rack, anti-lift kit, increased front camber, Removing unneeded weight, maybe front and rear LSD along with the 4.44 final drive... All of that goes a longer way towards making the car enjoyable on a twisty road compared to just a turbo. For most people, a lot of that is a distant afterthought in comparison to increasing engine power.

[@traviscea]

@@brendancrosby2965 Very well said. Appreciate it!

[@Motorsportsgeek]

Would be nice if subaru made a light weight 2 door STI with an iron block that can handle massive power

[@traviscea]

@@Motorsportsgeek The legacies were close from the early 90s. The EJ22T is a closed deck turbo and that legacy was two doors. A GC coupe is a close second. Throw in a ej207 and it will last for a bit with 350whp.

[@Buffetology]

Scooped up a 2016 Wrx Sti with a relatively new engine that has 26k miles. The kid I bought it from lost his job so I got the price down to 17k . These cars are going for $22k to $25k . Taking those savings and dropping in an IAG 750 hp engine but will only tune it to 500hp. 500hp on these Subarus is stupid fast 💨.

[@traviscea]

@@Buffetology So the stock block has 26k and you're swapping it out?

[@Buffetology]

@@traviscea yes when the new engine blows up

[@traviscea]

@@Buffetology Hmm ok. I think 500hp and AWD could be achieved more reliably and cheaper though right? Like 30k is used Audi that you could easily get to 500 with just a tune. Look at an 2018 s6 for example Thats your decision but I wouldn't first think of how I can modify a Subaru to get big numbers. If numbers are the first thing, I would look elsewhere.

[@TyCrawford]

Some notes: Subarus are still best in class in rally, as far as I'm concerned. Tons and tons of NA4WD old Subarus competing and winning rallies across north america. Power to weight IS everything, and when you consider the stunning weight of a Hellcat, somewhere in the realm of 4500lbs, taking weight out of a GC or a GD or even a GR, VA, or VB stats cclosing the gap when paired with small boosts in power. Also, w/r/t 2J swaps: you bought THE available boxer engine, all wheel drive platform, and your first instinct is to take that element away from it, why? 2Js go in so much other stuff, so much more easily than they go in a GC or GD. Whats frustrating is that there are also folks that put all this money into power into their Subarus, and then think that they can take their 400HP+ STi and put it on a rally stage and compete, becuase they've arleady spent all the money; you cant. Vermont Sports Car builds championship winning WRXs, and they're probably putting just barely over 300hp out of the crank or at the wheels, I cant remember. They get those cars weighing as little as possible, they take weight out of some areas and put it in others for better maneuverability, etc etc. Horsepower does not win rallies, the driver does.

[@traviscea]

@@TyCrawford Good points. I go over how to remove more weight in other videos. The 2j swap was in reference to a clickbait car build guy I saw who has since changed his mind to just put the EJ in the rear of the car Porsche style....which is also stupid.

[@TyCrawford]

@@traviscea absurd rwd swaps in Subarus run rampant all over. Was able to get a decent amount of parts for cheap from a guy out here after he abandoned his LS swapped GF wagon project, presumably because yeah, its a dumb swap for a grocery getter.

[@deanhartley251]

My 98 type ra impreza wrx sti was running 550whp on standard internals for years bruh doing hard pulls constantly, now it's 650 whp with forged internals, 2.4 seconds 0 60 good luck helcat I'd watch it go backwards in a cloud of smoke stuck on the line 😂

[@traviscea]

How many miles at 550whp? An ej207 is a different beast but still has its limits.

[@aufo1906]

This is good for the average Joe who doesn't know anything about building and maintaining STi's. However, a lot of people I see with highly modified STi's know what they're doing and take care of them or have them built and maintained by the best Subaru shops/builders....Bader, Prime, IAG, Kozmic, Metro, Kraken, etc. There's so much RND already done on the EJ platform.. Good points though. But my STi needs at least 450whp 🤷‍♂

[@traviscea]

It can be done and a lot have done it. No disrespect to any of those shops, but they want to make money. If you asked them to build a reliable, 400+, 500+, 600+ whp cars with any platform....Im betting those shop owners won't be choosing Subarus. Subarus are popular and you cater your business to that. Why are they popular? Because they are 1)cheap, 2)AWD, and 3)turbo. Number 1 being the reason why you don't want to push it more than 25% past what a Subaru engineer determined to be reliable.

[@jubess]

if you want to go fast buy a 1l stretched bike. this guy is absolutely right. if you want a fun tuner car then buy a subaru

[@traviscea]

Id be terrified on a bike of all the 650+whp out of control Subarus on the road though...

[@H1GHD3FF]

When you are young you want all the horsepower, but I think as we get older we can appreciate a car as we buy them. At least that where Im at

[@traviscea]

@@H1GHD3FF Then I'm so old, lol.

[@H1GHD3FF]

@traviscea lol. I hate when they tear up these cars and turn them in. It's sketchy buying cars nowadays

[@gamer87771]

Cause those ringlands be comin at ya

[@traviscea]

They're like the rhythm. It's gonna get ya

[@Zcypot]

ive had my car for 10 years, dont get a subie to build for power.. just dont. I am pushing 480whp with my turbo having way more room to go, but its a hassle with short gearing. My gearing is a tiny bit longer because im still on 5 speed.

[@traviscea]

Good call

[@jorgemendez2172]

I have 850wheel sti as a daily and abuse it daily. Got vids and paperwork I built it myself as well. I can tell you.. it’s reliable.

[@traviscea]

@@jorgemendez2172 Yep. It will last. No need for paperwork. You did the right thing, you can rest easy now.

[@jorgemendez2172]

@@traviscea once you get there, you’ll realize you do need it 😂

[@traviscea]

@@jorgemendez2172 Don't think anyone "needs" anything over 100hp. You want more, great. Good luck

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

I've got 380bhp at 1050kg in my SW20 with full active aero (I'm an aerodynamisist) and no one gets out of that passenger seat the same colour as they get in, as far as im concerned if your not cornering quick your not going quick.....

[@traviscea]

Totally agree. Fast does not equal the drag strip. A car is so much more capable.

[@macmillan5949]

Idk man i dont think people buy subaru because they cant afford hellcats or mustangs. I honestly think people buy em they cause they are fun cars to drive. For me, the beauty of being a car enthusiast is being able to do whatever you want to your car, yeah sure buy a hellcat if you want 700hp but some peeps wanna make that in their subaru and thats fine too

[@traviscea]

@@macmillan5949 I agree. AWD and a turbo is fun. But I think quite a few want/expect more. Youd be surprised how many times I get asked on IG or in person or whatever, how to go to certain HP levels safely. Doing that with an econobox and hoping it will be ok....

[@katlinsh]

I agree, Subaru was always my dream car, but could care less about Mustangs - that's a different class entirely.

[@IncognitoSprax]

You can go very fast with unlimited money and/or time

[@traviscea]

@@IncognitoSprax Correct.

[@sillymiggy8904]

I'm getting a new car 😅 No I'm not selling my hawkeye. I enjoy it to much.

[@JKauffman52]

“The newer Wrx first thing to do… sell it” 😂😂😂

[@traviscea]

Just being honest...I know that may hurt some feelings.

[@JKauffman52]

This statement hit home tho I want to get out of mine I have a VA but just doesn’t do it for me is fun but I truly want another motorcycle

[@brad5185]

I've been driving WRX's for 17 years. Key lesson, WRX's hate excess weight. They always have. Put ya mates in it and it's suddenly slow. Load up the boot, slow.. They are built for max 2 people imo.

[@traviscea]

Yeah. The new ones are crazy heavy too. A new WRX weighs as much as my car with 4 other 180lb humans in the car with me. That's nuts.

[@N20Joe]

What good is AWD if you don't have 600hp?

[@traviscea]

@@N20Joe Buy a German AWD. Not a Subaru. It's an econobox that is cheap because it isn't built for that.

[@blueeyessti]

People do buy these cars because they can't afford G80s but I disagree with the mentality. What other cars makes power, has a robust 6 speed manual, and is AWD? Not to mention sounds this good and has an amazing aftermarket support. The communitys been ruined by kids who buy used ones (can't really afford them if you're talking about ownership, maintenance, and modding) and throw a buncha random parts on them. This car offers a driving experience that not even G80s will. And you can make the most of it, meaning add power to it safely. Yes you should definitely upgrade everything else, tires suspension etc. But I will go as far as to say that since there's no cars like these, you should have the car payment, religious maintenance, +20k in mods to say you can actually afford it. And it will be one of the most amazing driving experiences. The more you put into it the more rewarding it will be because again, no other car has the same formula

[@traviscea]

@@blueeyessti New? Corolla GR, Golf R, Used: several audi's, evos. Subarus are not unicorns that cornered the AWD 6spd market. They are just in the cheaper range like the cars listed above. All of which, are a better platform for higher power.

[@blueeyessti]

​@@traviscea Youre just regurgitating car journalist opinions. Have you driven or even seen any of those cars? Golf R manual is not nearly engaging, the whole driving experience is numbed. And its AWD system is not nearly as robust. Its mainly a FWD drive car. Dont even get me started on the GR corolla. Forget even the markup, the car is tiny as hell, looks exactly like a corolla sport, sounds terrible (wtf is a 3 cylinder). I test drove one and the manual was not bad, maybe its only positive, but still not nearly as engaging as the STI. The GR supra manual was more comparable. Also, lastly but just as important, both those cars sound terrible compared to the STI. The Golf R is definitely much better than the GR corolla but still sounds much worse than the STI imo. And pls dont start talking about equal/unequal there's engineering most don't understand and when you start shooting for more power with the proper equal lengths the STI sounds even better. I dont buy used cars, probably never will. EVO was the only real comparison, but its a 10 year old car now.. why would you get that. Not to mention lack of 6th gear and horrible interiors.

[@blueeyessti]

I will admit, I am biased towards the newer STIs, esp 19+ ones with stronger engines from factory. I am not saying dont get a used evo or audi over a 15 yr old wrx, not my point, many compromises to be made in any platform with that old of car. But as far as VA STIs go, for what you get, it is on a class of its own, especially if you mod it right

[@traviscea]

@@blueeyessti And I would never buy new. I prefer a car with some.... problems. But buying a used OR New Subaru is going to give you that. For someone new to cars or the brand, looking to get into the modifying without experience or shit tons of money, a Subaru is a terrible idea. Keep it stock or very close to it, and have fun. I have not driven the new cars I suggested, so sure let's say they suck. Older Audi's and evos I have and Subarus are not even in the same ball park. While the Evo is a factory modified econobox(lancer) it still feels more decidedly like a race car. And Audi's...while the S and R lines speak for themselves.

[@traviscea]

@@blueeyessti Stronger how? It's still a EJ257? Have you driven the JDM Ej207? That's what STi's got in Japan until 2015 or so and output the same power, and in some cases more, stock. Look at an naked/headless ej257 block and then a ej207. Tell me which one looks stronger. But, I know, I know, we didn't get that here so you....settled. Is it better than older variations of ej257? Sure. Great. Personally, I would take a dice roll of a used 10 year old JDM ej207 over a brand new, yes brand new ej257 RA block. But to each their own...

[@omarmuhyar2005]

Seems like this isn’t as applicable to the newest VBs, which respond really well to tuning and don’t get as stressed because of the larger displacement. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll have to see what the longevity is like with these. But from what I’ve seen, 350whp and 375lb ft is very attainable and safe. They’re not going to beat GR Supras or Hellcats but that’s plenty of power for 99% of people, even at a 3350lb curb weight.

[@traviscea]

@@omarmuhyar2005 Um. I don't think so. They have 2.4L of displacement...which is not good. You want 2.0l or less. Why? Torque. It kills shit. Think of all the best motors. All a half liter of displacement per cylinder. 2.0 on a 4cyl is what you want. Think k20, 4g63, and then 3.0l 6 cylinders(2j) 4.0l 8 cylinders(japanese and German v8s) This is not a closed deck iron block with forged internals. It's still an econobox with direct injection that I promise you will not last long with over 350ft/bs of torque. But hey, Im just a guy who was been working on cars for two and half decades..The new ones are probably amazing and that is why the sales numbers are plummeting.

[@omarmuhyar2005]

@@travisceaHonestly, I think as you’ve alluded to, driving style and maintenance, along with supporting longevity mods for cooling and oiling, if necessary, are key to longevity. But I hear ya on torque breaking shit. I actually want a newer one just for my snowboard road trip + fun car but would likely run a bit more conservative tune and see how it does. I buy Subarus for the AWD system, not the power. My first car was a 97 Prelude bone stock and I drove it like I stole it and that car never even so much threw me a hiccup by hitting the redline every day. I’d never, ever treat any Subaru the same way. I think you can push healthy torque on these newer motors, so long as you’re responsible and not beating the living shit out of it. Guess we’ll see as people report back on longevity vs the older FA20s and EJs.

[@gfarnden56]

my 207, stroked engine makes over 900whp all day. it does track days and roll race... works fine as a daily too. The boost is about 45psi from an efr 8474 and revs to 9000rpm. its reliable as any engine

[@traviscea]

Reliability and longevity go hand in hand. Reliable for only 25-30k tops is not something most want.

[@gfarnden56]

@traviscea as u can see in your own comment section you are just wrong? If you build it properly these engines are stronger and more reliable than u think. We just did a subi vs evo event, most cars there were well north of 500hp and reliable as any other engine

[@traviscea]

@@gfarnden56 You keep saying reliable. For how long? I would like to see compression/leakdown numbers on a Subaru that has 500hp after 25k miles. You're telling me it's 'just as reliable'...are you implying that a motor that you doubled the output on is just as reliable and will last as long as stock when treated the same? That is not gonna happen.

[@gfarnden56]

@traviscea actually trippled the output, but who's counting lol... As long as the engine is built properly, it should be as reliable as any other. If u build a 500hp engine with parts that can do the job there is no reason for it to be unreliable. Same for a 900hp engine. I've been a technician for 35years and I've seen many modified engines that run for 10plus years with no problem... likewise I've seen lesser engines die early. It's all about building it properly.

[@fredastaire6156]

@@gfarnden56 then as a technician for 350years, I'm sure you have the science to back up your claims of how your engine is just as reliable as stock. Please, I'd like to see some studies done, rather than simply anecdotal testimonies from a random youtube comment that, "Oh! at my meet up with EVOs and Subis everyone had 900HP with 200K miles and there's nothing wrong with their engines...plus they are all technicians for 90 years too!" LoL!😅

[@TarikHamilton]

I’m getting an IAG FA20 short block 600hp and now I’m anxious about it not lasting long… you really think that is the case? I’m keeping it around 430whp.

[@traviscea]

@@TarikHamilton Forged internals can last a good 60k miles. 430hp and more importantly driving sensibly and maintaining it properly will make it last at least that long.