Another retarded move on my part
 

Well, as of 3 am last night, i put 2-inch crack into my bumper. I hit one of those think trees at Albertsons on Keystone. I was driving around the parking lot, looked up and saw I was heading for the tree. SO I braked hard, everything locked up, even the wheel, and compltly ran over the tree. There was hardly any damage to the tree or my car, but it left a crack in the bumper.

If any of you have a stock bumber or know were to get one, let me know. Its so small that I am not even going to get insurance involved. I probably wont even replace the bumper for a long time, but I am going to look into it now.

I wasn't trying to do anything stupid either, like showing off, just bad timing of looking away from the wheel.

Thanks everyone.

That sucks man... sounds like my LR fender dent... g'dam car wash dented my fender! Now I gotta figure out if I wanna get my dent extract on.

Hey, a cracked bumper's usually Orcari time! Get a replica WRC bumper!
http://www.drmotorsport.co.uk/MY01-front_grille_2.jpg

Ill look into that bumper, but can I still have the fog lights in with it? probably if i took those covers off.

do you have any links for replica wrc bumpers, I can't find many online.

Do a search for Oricari on www.NASIOC.com, I think www.cc-b.com is Oricari's website.

Also, I think Gilken makes a full bumper replacement that's virtually identicle to the real WRC car (since they make the one that's *on* the WRC car!).

thanks for your help, some of those bumpers are kinda pricy, so i am going to go down to Subaru and get a estimate, which I am sure is just as expensive. Either way, I guess ill have to put off the torque converter or any mods for a little longer.

Don't bother with a quote for the repair... check out SubiGal's www.allsubaru.com, or better yet email her directly: subie_gal@hotmail.com and ask about getting a NASIOC price on a new OEM bumper. I bet she can get you a one, shipped, for like 20% cheaper than any place in Reno.

Bumper installation's a breeze... all you need are basic tools. I've had mine off... it's like a couple of screws, and a handfull of those black plastic rivet-like things. I'd be happy to help install it, 20 minutes, tops!

Well I emailed her. I took a look at the bumper, it does seem pretty easy, but I could use the help. Once I get it in, ill talk to you. Ill get your beer or something in return.

<homer>mmmm... payment beer...</homer>

Well, just for the hell of it, I got the quote from Subaru on the little damage done to my bumper....776.47$.

358.85$ for Parts
391.60$ for Labor.

That is so much money for a little a$$ crack in my front bumper. I can get the bumper from subiegal for pretty cheap, and install it.....but to get it painted, I would have to take it to subaru anyway right?

This all makes my head hurt.

Ask Jamie (Subie Gal) about getting a pre-painted one. I think they have them for the popular colors... at least they do for the body kit parts.

Even if you can't get them pre-painted, dropping off a bumper at a body shop for paint is a lot cheaper than having them do the install.

Worst case tho, is paying the dealer for it. For 2 reasons: the dealer's super expensive, and the service department's full of assholes (at least that's been my experience with Reno/Lithia Subaru).

Well, If I get the bumper from SubieGal, its not painted, but it would be easier to install, even with your help, and cheaper...But Lithia has a new bod shop that I would probably take it too for the painting, they seemed pretty cool.

But that way seems much cheaper. Not all that extra money in labor.

Changing out the bumper cannot be very difficult. That Ociari bumper is awesome looking.

I have been looking around for where to buy one of those, can't find any link over NASIOC either. SubieGal doesn't offer them yet, but yes they do look cool.

Lithia's newbody shop said they would still charge me $350.00 to paint the bumper even if I purchase it and install it myself. But then again, I would be nervous having any one else in town paint it, since its that odd Midnight Black Pearl color.

I don't know exactly what to do yet.

I thought it was a bumper too, but it looks like it's just an underspoiler, fog covers, and a little intake thingy for the side vents.

That sounds a little high. I wouldn't worry too much about having a body shop other than the dealer paint it. I had my WRB car painted at Shaber Ave Autobody (talk to Bruce, 775-302-1261) and the paint match is *perfect*. I can't imagine he'd charge more than about $200, since there's minimal prep work.

Oh, and regarding the Oricari stuff, these guys are the US distributers: http://www.cc-b.com/Main1.htm

I think all the parts for that kit are fiberglass, but they're supposed to be very high quality.

Yea, ill have to talk to him....see what he can do...

That would be much easier. Get the bumper from SubieGal for aroun 140-150$ ish, and the paint doen for Under 200$, thats pretty good. I just have to go find one more tiny plastic piece that cracked that can't be more then 5$.

Well, I brought the situation that I am in to my parents, they are just going to give me money for christmans to get it repaired however which way I want. Kinda crappy christmas gift, since its just to repair a small crack on my bumper, but oh well.

I am still wondering why the brakes and wheel locked up. I was only going about 30 mph, and slammed the brakes when I saw the tree, and it all froze. I though anti-lock pumped it for you so things like that wouldn't happen.

Depending on where the damage is, I have a spare lower front lip, like the one on my wagon, I'd sell it to you if you could hide damage with it. It just goes over teh existing bumper. heres a pic http://photos.imageevent.com/mroynv/.../wrx%20008.jpg

That might work considering where the damage is.....on the 21st Ill show your the crack and you tell me if it will work.

Sounds good

The ABS on the WRX is a little notorious, at least on ice and gravel. However on tarmac, it usually works pretty well.

As they say in racing, "both feet in when you spin". You were sure to get the clutch in too right? Sometimes in an autocross, I'll get on the brakes real hard, but since I got big feet, I'll be mashing the gas too, so if the clutch is out, then I lose a ton of braking power since I'm still driving the wheels.

Most likely you were just "pushing" (aka understeering). The combination of braking and steering input was more force then the traction of the tires, and the front wheels skid. There's nothing ABS can do to help this, since ABS can only modulate the brakes, and not the steering. This happens all the time at an autocross, and it simply means you were going too fast for the radius of the turn you needed to avoid the tree. In fact the ABS might not have even come on since the tires were probably still spinning! If the tire's skidding laterally, it can still be turning and therefore the ABS systems thinks all is well.

The WRX has a ton of understeer from the factory. One reason is just for safety... since the opposite of understeer in oversteer (aka "loose"), and a car that oversteers spins-out easily. The other reason is that in general AWD cars oversteer since the drivetrain binds a bit when the inside and outside wheels spin at different speeds. Many people install a stiffer rear swaybar to help make the car more nutral. I put an adjustable Whiteline bar on mine, so I can loosen it up for autocrosses, but keep it easier to drive in the snow during the winter. A good set of properly adjusted springs/struts or coilovers will also tune out understeer.

Phew, that post got a little long!

I see what you are saying. Although, mine is a automatic, so no clutch has involved, but I do believe that the wheels may have been spinning still. There were no skid-marks left on the ground, although I was full on the brake. But by time I saw the tree, I didn't have much brake time in.

Maybe if I used my E-brake, that would have helped. It was all a little fast for me, and its going to cost me. I just have to be more careful until I fully understand how to control the car.

E brake's a no-no. On the US WRX the E Brake is basically only good for parking the car. There's 2 issues with it, 1: it'll just lock the rear tires, and a sliding tire is BAD, especially on the rear of the car (spin city), and 2: the center differential will get screwed up if the rears are locked and the front's are spinning (same reason you have to tow a WRX on a flatbed).

Overseas, the STi has a special center diff that allows it to disengage when the e-brake's pulled. That way you can use it for slide control off-road, but don't do it on the US cars!

your ebrake probably would have skidded you even worse, its not made to stop the car, it just locks the rear up instantly :twisted: great for ebrake slide, but not for stopping. Doint do ebrake slides either though, they're not good. And, it would liekly have sent you into the tree sideways.

Are you on stock tires BTW? I had a similar experience with my stock tires, not so much becasue of traction problems, but because the sidewalls flex a lot, so when you turn and brake, you get a real un stable feeling. be careful

Well thanks to both of you for the tips. I never have used the e-brake yet in the wrx, but I will be sure not to use ever in a stiuation like that. Yes I am still running stock tires. I have only had this car for a month and a half, so haven't switched them out yet. (Thats also why this accident sucks, I hadn't even registered the car before it happened... :cry: )

I think that one day I will take it out to a empty parking lot and just test the hell out of it. I did that with my last car. I had a 87 supra.

Go to an autocross!! Some autocross clubs even have a "driving school" day specifically for that purpose!

I'd like to do that. Should I wait for the new rims and tires? Are there any autocross's in this area?

God, I must sound like such a newbie to all of this. I nevr have owned a car that I have wanted to do so much to. My Supra I had in highschool, so I didn't treat it like I should have.

Well, thanks for always helping me with me with my questions.

Instead of covering your bumper up with a front lip, paint it flat black, and paint the rest of the car to match. Or maybe camo? Or maybe I'll go away now. :oops: They do autocross at the Stead airport, and I believe the season starts in April, with the first session being the driving school. I'm going for sure, we should plan on making a meet on that day and all go together. That would be cool.

Khail

Yeah, I'm planning on going this year, We should definately go together, (safety in numbers) I'm definately a nOOb when it comes to autocrossing.

That would be cool. Just gatta know when they are coming up and all. Maybe by then my car will be a little better then stock.

Any suggestions on the wheels? Are Prodrive P-7's alright? I was looking around and those seemed to be pretty good for the price. I want something heavy and strong, since the rim one of my old cars got cracked hitting a curb.

By the summer, I would like to have new 17" wheels, nice all-season high performance tires, and new brake system, tinted windows, and of course the Vishnu Stage Sub-Zero or Stage Zero, and Maybe if I still have any cash left, a protorque torqu converter.

This list should take me till summer, and should be able to suck up all my money. Very later on, ill worry about suspension upgrades.

I don't if getting these things are in the right order, but my focus right now is on my bumper. Then, ill probably get my windows tinted. These 2 things are going to be fairly cheap and a nice way to start everything out, in my opinion.

The best thing about autocrosses is that everyone's usually really friendly, especially to noobs. 'Course, I'm never been out to the Stead autocrosses (that's SCCA right?). All my autocrosses were with NASA in Monterey, the Cobra Car Club in Monterey and Sacramento, and with the American Autocross series in Sacramento.

I hear the SCCA events are a little more competitive, since thats a national league and doing well at the Regional level can lead to Nationals. The clubs I've raced with are usually *very* laid back... never once saw or heard of someone protesting.

Either way, if you're not competitive (and you won't be your first time out... shit, I've been doing this for like 3 years and I'm still slow!) people will usually go out of their way to help you learn. If we all go together, then we can do some ride-alongs to help everyone get a feel for driving fast in small spaces.

Oh, BTW: the number 1 thing you can do to help your times, LOOK AHEAD. Even after being told this, I still found it hard not to concentrate on the turn I was in, rather than look ahead to the next turn. The 2nd thing: SLOW DOWN. You're way faster if you slow down a little more than you need to rather than go too fast.

A good example what this guy who had a supercharged NSX. It was his 1st autocross, and after watching a bunch of people in Neons and Hondas turn 46 second laps, this guy figured he'd easily smoke them. Well, 1st lap out, he was driving like a maniac, way too fast, and spun twice... next lap, he didn't spin, but spent so much time just saving the car from spins, he had a 1:02 lap. Finally, his 3rd lap was very conservative, wasn't even squeeling the tires, and he turned a 48. Someone musta finally told him to SLOW DOWN!

Starting with a "slow" car is usually the way to go when getting into autocrossing. Now the WRX isn't exactly "slow", but if you leave the stock tires on, and have stock suspension, you can treat it that way. I learned to autocross in my '95 Thunderbird LX. 200hp, 4000lbs, and soft suspension. The car was a bit of a pig, but it was still a huge rush to drive it. A WRX on stock tires it a bit faster than that, but if you intentionally try to drive smooth laps rather than fast laps, you'll learn alot. The next step after that is to get some good tires, 17x7.5 seems to be the best size (unless you can go wider with rolled fenders, but then you're out of the lower classes that have a max tire width of 7.5").

Okay, now I'm just rambling...

I split the autocross tires conversation into it's own thread in the Technical Chat Forum since we're getting some good reference info there.

good idea.