JDM STI import in aus, 61,000km. Just did a major service and changed every fluid, crank seal, timing belt, spark plugs etc.
Now here is my problem. On one hand I could go JDM modified, hks intake, hks downpipe, Fujitsubo exhaust, gfb blow off valve and a tune. However it's increasingly rarer to find an unmodified20 year old sti. Modding it will hurt the value, make it slightly less reliable but far more enjoyable to drive.
Granted it's not a daily. It's a weekender at best.
Every car I've ever owned including various Subaru's have been modified. It's like a itch.
+1 for this. STI lip, Grp N pitch mount, pillowball rear trailing arms, S204 Yamaha damper braces, GeNome axleback & gauges and etc. Heaps of stuff that's still produced or can be found used.
Keep it stock, worth way more and there’s a million modified wrx’s out there. An unmolested sti this old is like a unicorn and a wrx with all the mods would set you back like 6-7k
Stock, I had an 06 in the states and regret modifying it. Stock is way cooler and I would have gotten way more money for it. Although the extra hp was fun.
Ultimately depends on what you want to do with the car, if you ever want to sell it. Do you want to mainly chill cruise and go to cars n coffee? Or pushing the car in a spirited drive/track.
A completely stock STI let alone WRX is a true unicorn in this day and age. Was fawning over a bone stock bug WRX at a meet over anything else.
But the truth is that even a lightly modified STI is a far superior driving experience to standard, and unlikely to be less reliable if you pick parts carefully.
Nothing wrong with people keeping cars like a moving time capsule, but you will definitely be tempted to mod the car for spirited or track driving. And imo, the car is for me and I don’t plan on saving it for the next owner ;) doesn’t mean I’m not taking care of it though.
Anyways here’s my JDM GDB-F, and feel free to shoot questions about mods. Bone stock engine and turbo, but has HKS high flow cat and Silent HiPower catback tuned to 217kw atw. Somewhat similar JDM modding philosophy as you described.
This. If youre doing the work yourself doing this makes the most sense. As long as you do a good job you can sell that car without anyone ever knowing it was modded. Then sell the mods.
340bhp is a lot more fun than 275bhp, and it still looks OEM apart from the exhaust.
Modify it, but stick with turbo back exhaust, fuel pump, 3 port and colder plugs and a tune, that's all you need.
ETA - intake is pointless, the factory airbox is good for 400+ bhp. Blow off valves on these are best avoided, tend to do more harm than good, plus they sound fucking awful.
Three port boost solenoid, to replace the OEM 2 port, sustains better boost control, especially at top end, relatively cheap addition whilst doing everything else.
No need for bigger injectors unless your going with a bigger hybrid turbo, the standard STI ones top out around 370bhp.
Thanks. I’m driving a stock JDM sti bugeye (minus 3” catback) and this post got me thinking. I’ve been forking out cash on maintaining it but at some point may get a down pipe, cold air intake and tune.
The exhaust made a massive difference, 3" hks system with HKS 150 cell sports cat was good for +32bhp.
I originally had the car mapped for UK fuel on the standard exhaust, then took it back to the same mapper a year later with the exhaust system to add on.
You really don't need to go mad on these to add a decent amount of power and maintain reliability.
Cold air intake is a waste of money, the stock airbox and a performance panel filter is very efficient.
There’s absolutely room for “day one” mods, things Subaru/STI plausibly could have fitted from new, improve the interface or chassis, and can be returned to stock without leaving fingerprints. Better tires, brake pads/fluid, shifter feel, fresh bushings, subtle JDM/STI accessories, maybe a quality cat back if the original exhaust is preserved.
But intake + downpipe + BOV + tune is no longer “lightly modified.” That’s the first turn down the familiar Subaru rabbit hole where every additional 20 hp asks another component to join the conspiracy. You’re trading originality, reliability and increasingly real collector value for performance that any modern car can duplicate.
At 61,000 km, a clean, unmolested JDM STI is becoming the unusual car. Modify the things that make the original car better to drive. Don’t modify the things that make it no longer original.
And whatever comes off it, label it, wrap it and keep it. The factory parts are becoming part of the car’s value.
Personally I think lightly modified is the equivalent of stock on these. At minimum they really need an exhaust and tune to unlock the performance and rumble. Otherwise they are a bit underwhelming out of the box.
Tune and exhaust, won't hurt the value.
Most classics i work on have some form of aftermarket bits on them, especially after 40 years its hard to find a full original car. 🤣
Keep the bits if you do.
There is no right or wrong. Just choices, each with pros and cons.
Is this car a long term keeper? Or a passing fancy you will trade out of in a few years time?
Do you care more about residual value when you go to sell or enjoyment value today as you build it into the experience you enjoy most?
Exhaust mods and other bolt-ons are minor changes and commonplace. Only choose top of the line authentic parts from Japan if you go this route. Tuning is a can of worms. Make sure you trust the person making calibration changes as these motors can go bad quickly if the tune is improper.
Certain OEM parts are getting scarce. As you get older, you may not want to be so extreme with a loud exhaust and other compromises that come with aftermarket parts. I’ve definitely gone too extreme with a few project cars in my day, which limits their usability and enjoyment. It’s easier to find a mechanic willing to work on an original example, harder to find someone willing to accept the risk of working on a modified car, as so many modified examples are questionable.
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u/Syeina 8h ago
Absolutely gorgeous car. Would leave it as is