Travis R

A four door 2.5RS makes for a very versatile car. I would have bought a 4dr, but they only made the 2dr model when I bought mine at the beginning of '99. The 4dr also comes with a lower wing than the 2dr. But the bonus of the 2000-2001 models is that they come with a rear LSD stock. They also have higher compression pistons, 10:1 VS 9.7:1 in '99 IIRC... But the same power.

All current Subaru turbo motors are open deck, and have been for a few years, even the 2.0L STi engines (280hp). I'd bet the new 2.5L STi engine is also open deck.

A WRX tranny will bolt up to the 2.5L block if you want to turbo it.

And at the stock power levels of the 2.5L there aren't many cases where you need an LSD in the front.

So if you just want a daily driver, and aren't going to mess with it, the RS is hard to beat. If you are going to dump a bunch of money into putting a turbo on it then you can get a semi-closed deck 2.5 block (Cobb), low comp. pistons, WRX tranny with hardened gears and a Kaaz front diff, FMIC, big brake kit, suspension, etc. etc... Go nuts. But if you are going to do that much work you could get an older 2.2L or 1.8L AWD Impreza for less money. They are lighter than the 2.5L cars because they are lacking some cross bracing in the chassis, and some misc. options.

They are fun little cars. Good luck



Travis

former car: 1999 Rally Blue 2.5RS owner

current car: 2001 Black WRX Sportwagon

project car: 1988 RX7 GTU (full-race baby!)

Turbo II

nice list of cars ya had there

Travis R

Thanks! Some times I wish I had kept the RS, since it felt really light and tossable compared to the wagon. But when it comes time to dust someone, watching the boost gauge swing up to .9 bar,... it's a quick reminder.

Can't wait to get the race car going though... talk about light and tossable. The RX7 should only weigh 2100 lbs or less when I'm done.

Oh the other thing that you might find interesting about the 2.5RS is the tire clearance issue. You can get a 225/50-16 on there, but only of some brands... not all tires that size will fit, since they are a little different from company to company. It'll rub the strut and/or the fender lip. I had 215/50-16 BFG KDW's on mine and they fit great. See pic.

Travis R

Here are a couple pictures of the kind of fun you can have with AWD.

:smirk:

Travis R

To accomplish this:

Step 1: Visit fellow Subaru enthusiast in Houston after it has rained for a week.

Step 2: Find deserted housing development where they have just cleared for new roads.

Step 3: Full throttle through 6 inches of muck.

Turbo II

i wanted a 2.5 rs in 1999 before the wrx fad blew up. they were almost impossible in my area to find though. few subaru dealers. i would like to swap a wrx in the 2.5rs body though. lighter weight and better looking body

WRX-tacy

As a WRX owner, I can say that the 2.5RS is a good car, depending on what you are looking for. The xmission is weak, as is the clutch (I learned that the hard way). A turbo kit would definitely be sweet on that car...stickers would not. However, Subaru's are well-known for their high cost of anything. Upgrades, routine maintenance, replacement parts, and so on. I agree that if you do an engine swap, go with the EJ25. It will help you in the long run.

And yes, they do make a 2-door WRX.

Travis R

Not in the new body style ('02-current) they don't.

WRX-tacy

Not in the new body style ('02-current) they don't. [/quote]

My bad...I didn't know we were talking about the newer ones. Mine's a '93 so I am a little outdated! 4-doors aren't so bad, depending on your preferences. I find uses for my little family car wannabe.