Seeking 2005 Forester 2.5xt - with mods

[MarkB]

Hi

I'm new to this forum and to blogging generally....I'm looking for a 2.5xt, probably 2005 (as near to the increase in car tax) but I'm happy to go newer. Budget...well, could be £2k. Could be tempted over £3k. Interior can be scruffy, so long as all is working. Any ideas where I can buy a modified Foz? - the result must be unobtrusive visually (apart from tailpipe). I'm keen on better handling, stainless exhaust, and maybe more power and torque.

Also can power and torque be increased noticeably by chipping alone, or will a larger turbo / intercooler etc be needed.

Many thanks for anyone who can guide me. I live in Chichester but travel round the SE including London. If anyone has the time to meet up, I would buy them lunch / beer / coffee in return for a brainstorming session.

Mark

[SpecB]

Hi Mark,

I'm in Bognor and have owned a turbo S in the past, if your looking at XTs they are a good car (my old man has one). In terms of mods you can I believe still fit a WRX or STI arb to improve balance and Pedders Mae a very good value off the shelf suspension kit. Many Impreza parts will fit as well in terms of engine performance.

The route I would suggest is a stainless performance exhaust with a sports cat air filter and remap (chipping is not the way to go with Subarus you want a full custom re-map on the road or a rolling road). Suspension wise Pedders shocks & springs with white line arbs.

[Rdlangy1]

Hi And welcome to SES

A lot of people on here will be able to help - but I think with most scoobs - a simple remap will certainly give you "some" additional horsepower. A good panel filter, class 7 spark plugs, uprated fuel pump should give you some decent results. Bigger turbo's and intercoolers will start costing ££££.

Sure someone with much more knowledge than myself will be along soon though

[MarkB]

Hi Rdlangy1 and BlueBugEye

That's a great start and sound advice not to spend ££££ on day 1 - thanks.

BlueBugEye - I'm not a competent mechanic and don't have the facilities - can you recommend a Subaru specialist in our area? Also, any specialist sales forecourts / dealers?

Best wishes. Mark

[Rdlangy1]

Id speak to Richard @ FB Tuning (link below) and get a cost for a remap, uprated walbro 255 fuel pump around £100 (speak to Alyn @ AS Performance), class 7 NKG plugs are about £35-40 (AS Performance), K&N Panel filter around £50 (AS Performance) so with that you could spend around £700-£750 and have a very well running car with decent horsepower.

[SpecB]

Good luck with a specialist in the area! I tend to USE SMD in Newhaven for any work I can't handle myself!

I have used Monza in Ashington but don't think I will again. Another option is Subaru4You in Newbury. FB tuning get's very good reviews from a number of members on here who's opinions I respect however I have personally not used him (yet). In terms of Mapping I have used Duncan (RaceDynamix) at Surrey Rolling road and was very impressed with the results of the map if not the communication (he's a very busy and in demand mapper).

[Banstead Stig]

Welcome along.

A good place to have a look is the European sub-forum of subaruforester.org

Have a look at Scc28's car if you need inspiration. His XT is a very good example, though he's probably gone further than you are looking to.

Cars do go up for sale in the European Marketplace too, so that's something to keep an eye on. You could also post a "want to buy" thread, which can help as you have a load of forum folk keeping their eyes peeled for you and anyone looking to sell may contact you before posting a for sale thread.

Hope that helps.

Good luck with the search. They're great cars. I've had my FSTi over five years now and it still brings a smile to my face!

[MarkB]

Thank you both and to Banstead Stig

I've joined subaruforester.org (I had previously assumed it was US orientated only), mentioning that you referred me to them...and will work my way round the site to see Scc28's Forester. I like the idea of the "want to buy" thread, but will wait till I am reasonably sure of the spec I want at the outset before posting.

Re exhausts (think 2005 car here) I've heard they rust away, so with a replacement UK road legal system can there be a noticeable performance increase, with a performance air filter as the only other aid to power increase i.e. without any polishing etc? Is any particular SS system trendier for Foresters? My experience with aftermarket exhausts is with bikes and certain bike brands sit more comfortably with certain exhaust brands. Now I know that most of this is probably marketeering puff but equally I just want to understand how it works with Foresters and Forester owners so I don't create a clash between exhaust and car.

BTW my parents have a Forester each - nothing sporting (they need the transfer boxes for rough terrain use) but they were Subaru converts about 25 years ago (I need to check the history) and have never looked back.

It really is quite a strange sensation to be writing and receiving such help from people I don't know....there's nothing like being dragged into today's world. You've given me great pointers and I have some enjoyable homework to do.

[MarkB]

..also to consider is keeping the car as low profile metaphorically (i.e. Q like) as possible, and that will include exhaust boom which I would like to be able to control when driving in sensitive areas and past the not-so-sleeping policeman.

[Pirate1066]

Think you may have to increase your budget unless you intend to do a fair bit before you start improving her.

[MarkB]

Thanks Pirate 1066

Perhaps you can steer me on this. In which specific media and at which dealers would you look for the sort of car I'm after? I'm happy to pay more for the full monty (I was going to write the full works, but I realise that WOULD be expensive) already done. My only previous experience buying modified cars was in the 1980s (RS2000s in Rally and fast road spec). Then, the more variation from standard spec resulted in greater price discounts vs the value of the additions to the donor, and sometimes even a simple price reduction vs the standard spec. It's generally the same with classic cars, sometimes even when they are in competition spec.

Best wishes. Mark

[SpecB]

You are looking around £3000 for a 2005 with around 100k miles - this is for a standard car, there aren't that many modified XT's about and in terms of value unless heavily modified (e.g. rebuilt engines etc.) you are probably looking at near std prices as the market is limited.

[MarkB]

That's the benchmark then, and I appreciate now knowing that the market is small for anything other than standard. I guess I will be quiet for a while whilst I scour the market. Many thanks all. Over and out....for now.

[Pirate1066]

Buy an import xt or cross sport as you get 227bhp standard better kit and body kit.

[MarkB]

Thanks Pirate1066. I'd always been scared of imports. Never had this reassurance before. I'll take a look at one.

[Pirate1066]

Don't worry about import all bits interchangeable .

[Banstead Stig]

Yep, in five and a bit years of ownership it's not caused me any problems having a JDM import.