Used ricers are expensive. I don't get it. Yeah, you put expensive shit in your car, but that means it's only worth that much to you. I'm going to end up ripping out your shit mods because I don't know what condition anything is in.
Paying 25k euro for somebody elses 500hrs of work and 15k euro in parts seemed like a fair deal to me. Tuner cars resale value is always way less then the money and time invested in them, so if you find a good one prebuilt you can save a lot.
Of course they live a really hard life so its quite risky, but there is a reward at the end of the risk.
Those mods that get added on do not increase the value of the car. In fact it is a negative net worth because that motor and frame most likely have been pushed past the structural limits that the car has been tested for.
Clearly, this might be my biggest downvoting for pointing out someone doesn't seem like they're an automotive enthusiast because they made a clearly incorrect statement. Wild. Never change Reddit. I love you all
A modified car VERY VERY rarely adds value. Only if it's a professionally done modification with paperwork and proof of work being done by a reputable shop. I worked at an auction lot, we had a VERY VERY modified 2017?? STI come thru on air bags, big turbo, intake, carbon fiber body kit etc. auctioned for $5k because thing was fucking clapped. This was over a year ago so the car wasn't even 9 years old lol.
Wisconsin called "Americas auto auction" used to be Midstate auto. Car auctions are not open to public here. Only car dealers so the prices stay low. they only spend what's worth to fix. It's stupid and I saw so many incredibly nice cars less than 5 years old go for 4-5k.
Heavy modifications drastically decrease the pool of potential buyers, and, like this video shows, you can't trust the way people drive their modded cars, especially if it's a stereotypical boy racer car like the STi.
That's because you were granny shifting instead of double-clutching like you should. Now me and the doctor gotta tear down the block and replace the piston rings you fried.
I don't think the stock ones are strong enough for high boost, so if you want to turbocharge the 4age you have to go with forged. Personally I haven't done it, I saw it from a friend's project.
Yup. A bluetop can handle mild boost, but when you get into higher compression or higher boost you need forged internals for forced induction. Most people just get a late model 4A-GZE longblock from Japan (higher compression than the MR2's GZE), it's already built for boost and it'll be good for over 200whp. You can even use the stock GZE ECU up to 1 bar without a piggyback.
I didn't get where I am with casual racism. This was years of ranked.
Butt seriously, this was the term I grew up with for these cars. And being Japanese myself driving one pf these types of cars up to recently, you have my permission to use that term.
And by one of these, I don't mean wrx, I used to have an 88 rx7 that was tuned for the local canyons.
Ive always heard the term ricers as well. Never really was sure if it had to do with race or not, it typically never was used to describe race in my experience. Just used to describe cars modified in stupid ways.
It is 100% a racist term. No need to sugarcoat it or pretend otherwise.
I don't care if car people use it or whatever as it seems to be part of their culture now but let's call it like it is and not soften our language here.
You can use whatever words you want (presumably). Free world. I'm just using my freedom to point out when slurs are perpetuated because standing up to prejudice is part of my values.
Buddy, ricer is a term in the car enthusiast world for posers who make obnoxious enhancements to their cars for looks. It is not in any way associated with any race, creed, or color.
RICE = Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements
Youre either a Racer or a Ricer.
EDIT: It appears I've only ever heard the revisionist version of the term's origin. Leaving this up anyway tho. Thank you to those who corrected me!
I thought it was short for “rice rocket” which definitely had racist connotations as it was what a lot of folks would call all the modified cars that were very popular with the Asian/asian American circles in the area I lived. This was like late 90s though early 2000s when I heard people casually using this term.
I mean I’m sure there’s been a lot of variations regionally and dialectically all around the states at least, as many people here have brought up a lot of different roots; you’re good!
Which is a shame because the older ones are much better than the brand new ones. They don't even have STi as an option anymore. At least in my opinion.
You remember the Chinpokomon episode of South Park where researchers make a focus group where they have the kids watch alternative toys that are trying to be as cool as Chinpokomon, but they hate every single one of them?
This has been Subaru with the WRX every year for the last 4 years, and every year they get a teeny bit closer with teasers but never do it.
"Hey car guys, do you like the WRX STI?"
YEAH!
"Well then you'll love the STI-inspired WRX with the same engine and transmission as the base model, but with Brembos, 19 inch wheels, and a cool badge!"
ugh, i loved those. wagons and hatchbacks are perfect cars for me. i've had like 5 GTIs and golf Rs not out of loyalty and fanboyism so much as limited choice
Yeah I bought a used but "certified" WRX (meaning it was inspected by Subaru and included a warranty) and it would violently pop out of gear in first or second. I brought it to a dealership who - surprise - couldn't find the problem until I took them for a ride around the parking lot to demonstrate, and then they had a 20 minute closed door meeting trying to figure out how to not fix my car. They eventually fixed it under warranty.
Damn bro, I'm sorry to say you got an especially shitty dealership then, the subaru dealers near me bend over backwards for their customers. Glad they fixed you up though.
Was going to say my dealership has done wonders to fix any issue on my legacy and has not even charged me for a diagnostic when I think I heard something wrong
Can confirm. A friend in college would insist I drive his WRX while he was drunk (I was sober) and continually push me to drive it harder and harder. I grew up learning on my dad's Dodge Neon. Gears were ground.
I got a buddy with a 2025 WRX and he's already dumped like 12k into it. Hes also a fucking idiot who I just reconnected with from college and he wears meta glasses to car shows. Yeah I only hung out with home twice lol.
Depends on the 'mods' done, cause if you looked at the 'drift scene' where I live 15-20 years ago it was mostly holes cut into mufflers, shit ripped out of the dash and the back seat removed to 'make the car faster', and then the shittiest stances know to humanity that made the shitvics worse going sideways than what my stock sonoma was able to do.
Add in questionable parts from amazon and "I know a guy"s who own a tig but their welds look like literal rat shit, and yeah cheap mods that do nothing once you look for more than a second.
Yes. Plenty of people sell a half-assed turbo setup for a low cost. Nobody said anything at all about "proper". The cost of doing things right is never low, with any car.
The triangle in cars is: Cheap, Fast, Reliable. You only get to pick two. This video demonstrated choosing Cheap (not getting a transmission that can handle this) and Fast. As with any WRX, it's only fast when it runs.
Modding is pretty cheap. Modding correctly is expensive. Most people don’t have the money and mod with shit Alibaba parts and no tune, or like in this vid with no knowledge. Maybe run 500whp on a WRX transmission that’s known to blow anywhere near 400, instead of the STI transmission the TY85 that’s rated to 1000+ whp.
Trust me I know I’ve been stuck at 415 for the past 4 years cuz going to 550whp is going to require me to upgrade basically EVERYTHING lol.
My point was that you can hit 500whp for like $6k if you use shit parts and just upgrade the turbo and fueling and absolutely nothing else. To make 500whp reliably with all supporting mods you’re going to want a built block, oil pan, oil cooler, gauges, exhaust parts with custom spring rate external wastegate, etc etc, which can net you 30k+.
So point is, you can hit that power and mod for cheap and make a shit build but you’ll hit it, maybe once or twice lol but you’ll hit it. Modding CORRECTLY is what costs money.
These things aren’t Mustangs you can make 500whp with just an intake exhaust and a tune lol. They’re lightweight AWD so you sacrifice power. Stock only makes 250whp.
But because of it being lightweight, 550whp is already a 10 second car and can probably do similar lap times as some higher end sports cars so that’s the worth it to some. Straight line power is definitely NOT what you get this platform for lol
Its a 3200lb car. Not heavy, but far from lightweight. More middleweight. 550whp is like 700hp crank, which is massive engine work. Could probably buy a mustang for the same cost.
Yeah 700bhp at 3200-3400 lbs is near Porsche GT3 RS. So being comparable to a $250,000 car with $30-60k while also having AWD and amenities like a trunk and passengers with good legroom. It’s not crazy fast in a straight line but it’s a damn good car.
I like em. I have an h6 forester that as soon as I feel like dumping the cash on a sti transmission is going to get a turbo. No e85 here though so probably limited to 400 ish hp.
Eh, i bought a used 2020 WRX with the (2018+) FA20 from a Subaru dealer and so far its been the most reliable vehicle Ive owned.
Although, I did buy it from a Subaru dealer I trust and with a warranty...
I'm 58, with an Outback XT. The WRX hatchback is coming back in 2027 (with a heavy duty transmission) and I keep telling myself I don't need that, but I still might have to look.
Oh snap! I might test drive one, but I definitely cannot afford a new one. Hoping to ride my '23 for 10+ years since it's low mileage and I rarely drive spirited.
Got a used 2019 STi, and while I was quite concerned with previous owners, it’s totally stock. Didn’t even have an AOS before I added it. Love this car, but also treat it like a 90s Buick.
While I'm not claiming to NOT be an idiot, I have owned and driven the same WRX since getting it new in 2003. I have never mistreated her, I have put zero mods on her, and I take very good care of her - regular maintenance, etc. Hyperbole much?
There is always a risk here, especially when getting "certified per-owned" from the dealer as they will always return it to stock. Ages ago I got a certified pre-owned S2000 from Honda, only 25K miles on it. Later on in my tinkering I found a bunch of zip-ties deep in engine bay that told me that my bone-stock S2000 did not live its early life as bone-stock.
I have a 2019 that’s bone stock.
My buddy bought his in 2020 and agreed it wasn’t worth dumping money into mods… that lasted 6 months. I barely recognize his car as a WRX anymore. If you can buy a mod for it, he has.
You can definitely buy a used WRX that won't break if you know how to read a Carfax and inspect cars. I successfully drove over 60k on a used one that I bought stock and tuned to over 350whp. Never broke anything, car was totaled when some idiot pulled out in front of me, and I bought the car back from insurance and sold the drivetrain to a buddy who swapped it and tuned it again in a GC coupe thats put even more miles on it. And its a stock block and trans. Car pulls like a monster and the gears are crispy and silent to this day. Gotta be 120k on them now. The difference is I did all of the maintenance at the appropriate intervals and didn't abuse it. I didn't slap bolt ons on it without tuning it. I knew the car was a gem when I bought it because I saw that it was a one owner car on Carfax, and got the previous owners info from the dealer. Ended up being a 70 year old man. Smelled like cigars. May never have floored it once. They are out there but you have to know what to look for and how to spot all the rest on your own. These cars all really boil down to experience
I sold a 2012 wrx hatch that was in great shape and all original. Owned if from the beginning and the new owner has still be driving it trouble free. They are out there but they are unicorns.
I mean, yeah sure I get it. On the other hand I’ve owned two 2004 WRXs that were used. They served me just fine, no transmission issues. No issues of any real kind honestly. I kept up on basic maintenance and didn’t drive like a dipshit.
Jesus, WRX can fall apart if you look at them wrong. Need a lightweight reliable Japanese piss-missile to launch 0-60mph in 3 seconds and 0-100mph in 6? I have the answer... MT09.
I have both a 2014 fz09 and a modded 2016 WRX at about 320hp with expensive bolt ones. It's a great car honestly but holy fuck, I'm at about 120hp in my FZ09 is an absolute MONSTER of a bike. I've had it for almost 10 years, beat the piss out of it but maintened it pretty well. Ain't worth 5K so I'll probably keep it until I die or it kills me 😂
My husband is a Subaru Master Tech, and he concurs. He won’t even work on modded rexes anymore, he makes the owners buy OEM parts so he can put them back to stock. He sends the modders and thread boys down the road, they’re not worth the hassle to him.
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u/SherlockBonz 13h ago
Buy a new WRX? Sure, why not.
Buy a used WRX? Never. Watch this video and figure every used one has been (mis-)treated this way.
The cost of modding is just so low, and every idiot who owns one mods it then beats it like a rented mule.