A good starting place....
 

What do you think would be a good starting place to start modding my '08? Downpipe? Suspension? Exhaust? Intake?

What's your opinion for a relatively new tuner?

No one has really modded an 08 that I know of. Seeing as the engine is the same I would assume that the exhaust would be the first step, but if they are anything like the 06-07 you will need EM to run this and that isn't out yet afaik.

First learn the car, then decide what characteristics you want to improve (or alter). We can give you excellent specific advice that will keep you from wasting money if you do it that way. :)

Tires and if they exist for 08's, sway bars, springs, struts/shocks would be a good start, but yeah, what BAN SUVS said.

+1.

Suspension and tires are usually the weakest link on the stock Impreza (particularly so for the '08 if we are to believe the reviews thus far), but nothing really exists yet in the suspension department, so. . . tires.

After autocrossing today on Falken Ziex ZE-512s, they are my favorite all-season tire EVAR. They have pretty remarkable grip for an HPAS tire. :lol:

yeah if i have noticed anything thus far, its an excess of body roll in the car. it feels a bit porky in the corners as well.


EDIT: Ok searched for tires (size 205/50-17)...and there aint a whole lot....me thinks i shall just window shop through the winter and see what comes up for the '08.

Are your rims 17X7 or 17X7.5? If they're 17X7.5 you can (and should) run 225/45/17 in the summer.

Also, I just saw this on WRXFanatics.com:

http://www.wrxfanatics.com/index.php...opic=53464&hl=

Also, consider doing what most of us do, use the stockers as winter rims/tires and pick up a wheel/tire combo for summer. I've got a couple different rims with mostly burnt out tires on them that you're welcome to bolt on to see how they look/feel if your want.

Yeah, i am going for the winter/summer setup. That was my plan from the beginning. I just need to find a good summer set. Also thanks for the find on the sway bars. Shall check those out.

Damn, those swaybars look nice.

Yah, did you watch the slideshow? you get to see what the 08 looks like from the underside in vivid detail. :)

Or...ya know...we could bring my '08 to that aforementioned lift at the club's garage and you all can get a good look at its underbelly.

Or pickup the newest SCC magazine, it's got a bunch of underside pics of an 08 Impreza. I'm sure in person would be better though.

Technically its my garage not the clubs... With that said you are more than welcome.

umm...i was technically joking. But thank you for the offer...unless you want to have a peek under.

Would stock bugeye WRX rims fit on an 08 WRX? Man, I just put my stockers back on and I forgot how significantly more comfortable it is to drive on 16's...night and day.

They should, unless they radically upsized the '08 brakes, and I don't recall hearing tht yet.

No, they look just like the WRX brakes prior to 05 or 06, whenever they switched to the Suby 4 pots.

I'm guessing (hoping) they're actually Legacy brakes, which are bigger and better than even the WRX's 4-pots. In which case, I think 17" wheels are the minimum.

They should be, but I don't think they are.

any pics?

Looks like the brakes on the 08 are 11.6" F / 11.3" R

The 05+ Legacy GT brakes are: 12.3" F / 11.3" R

The 06-07 WRX brakes were 11.5" F / 11.3" R

The 02-05 WRX brakes were 11.4" F / 10.3" R (non-vented rears)

So, the 08 ones are an improvement over previous years, but they still aren't Legacy sized.

Like said earlier... until engine management comes out for the '08 your power/engine mods should be minimal. The engine configuration is like a Legacy GT so many normal WRX mods will not be compatible.

Is yours a hatch or sedan. Have any pics?

Sedan. Spark Silver. Pics to come...:). and honestly pics dont do it justice. It looks much better in person.

and you are right...it is essentially a baby Legacy. But so far, it seems that Cobb and AVO have some mods...and RalliTEK has come out with sway bars (22mm in the front 19mm in the rear). And apparently Cosworth already has an aftermarket engine out for it. but no ECU mods as of yet. so my options shall be limited for the time being.

The sway bars sound like a decent start, and the price is fair. You even get a discount for preordering the package of f/r.

Definitely unorthadox without tuning and such, but interesting findings:

http://www.wrxfanatics.com/index.php...opic=53600&hl=

So they have an AP for the 08 now?

Not according to Cobb's website.

http://www.cobbtuning.com/categories/?id=3290

well shame on rallitek for false ads. http://www.rallitek.com/2008wrxtuning.html

I didn't see a false add, just a pic. :p They know it's just a matter of time. Right now, I believe Utec and maybe some standalones are your only option for tuning an 08.

Perrin's using a Hydra on their GT30R 08 WRX.

http://www.perrinperformance.com/pages/show/57
http://www.perrinperformance.com/pages/show/56

These two articles make Baby Jesus cry. Did Jeff write these? Ugh!

I feel so bad for that car considering the awful paint job and stock fuel pump, not to mention the Dynocrap Dyno they're using. :roll:

Still, there's a couple nuggets of info embedded in them. Apparently the front sway has the previous year's fitment. :cool:

Placeholder page.

well, i found out how much the right front suspension assembly to an 08 WRX costs today....fuckin black ice.

Ouch...

Very ouch. It's too bad you don't have the option of upgrading your springs/shocks yet.

Why wouldn't he?

Cause there aren't any aftermarket parts available yet?

Must suck buying cars made in the current decade.

What are you talking about Kevin? Most of us bought cars made in the current decade and have had no problem finding mods.

But its a lot more fun buying 3 cars that are more than 10 years old, and taking 6 months to make a single running one.

Sounds like a hoot. :P

I have a much harder time finding parts for my '94 than for my '02.

But that's 'cause the age of the car has very little to do with aftermarket availability.

Well, unless you have a new WRX.

Not everyone had their parts forged in the fire of Mt. Doom.

That's not necessarily true. Some of us also have to buy washers along with our struts. :P

:lol: My car's not afraid of washers and zip ties.

I was making a joke about my old, crappy car(s). I didn't think it was possible to be taken literally. :lol:

I had a set of wheels that were.

Sorry, but you did sound a bit clueless, asking why he couldn't mod his suspension and all. :P