EVO/STI owners (and other 4cyl. tur(bros)) that have swapped to a Tacoma

Anyone care to share their thoughts on how a turbo Subaru is to work on? I REAALLY love the VW turbos when it comes to driving them, but no chance in hell I will ever own another. Way to much of a pain in the ass every time I had to go under the hood. I have worked on non-turbo Subarus and they are very easy to work on and plenty of room under the hood. Considering owning a WRX soon as a third car for me and the girlfriend, but want something easy to work on.

 

This was the first car I bought. Loved the car, wish I would've got the sti but the wife couldn't drive stick. That said my new off road is much more practical and rides 10x better... thats one thing I dont miss about it.

 

VWs are cake to work on, you just need the right tools.

Subaru’s are maybe even harder because you can’t easily get in some spaces due to the H4 design. Go read about people changing spark plugs in the new FA20DITs.

That and they consume oil like nobody’s business.

 

I went from a hopped up, dodge 3500 dually (1100ft/lbs of stump pulling torque) and a supercharged LS3 Camaro (640 RWHP) to my taco. I'm pretty happy with the swap so far. You couldn't pay me to have another WRX.

 

Have both?

 

That's awesome.

 

Two turbo 4s owned...

86 Mustang SVO


Currently: 2016 WRX


Will be trading in the WRX when the Tacoma arrives.

 

I still have my turbo car. I drive it a lot less today though. In the taco I'm less inclined to speed. And in that car when you're going 80+ it feels like you're going 65. You never know how fast you're driving.

 

I kept my fun car, but if I were forced to have one car only, I'd keep the Tacoma. Yes it's slow, but it's quite practical, reliable, and is still decently fun.

 

traded my '10 vw gti in on my current taco. trade-in value was shit. car needed a few grand in work. decided to get into a taco for practicality, winter driving (since winter is 6 months out of the year here...), planning on moving apt's/buying a house soon, camping trips, off-roading, etc... the gti was a fun car and a great city commuter but my needs/wants outgrew it. if i want another fun/project car i will either buy my old 330i from my dad or pick up an e30 or something...

 

I traded my 2014 WRX (39K miles) for my 2019 Cement AC Sport. I paid ~$29K - had to order (1 month left, then no more hatch) in August I traded for $20K to get the Taco. Not bad for 5 years of driving, but alas the synchros were going already.

 

My current project car: 2008 Evolution X - full bolt on's, Ohlins coilovers, 18x10.5 RPF1's

 

Went from an 01 Tacoma Xtra Cab 4x4 OR and sold that to get my dream car, a 2005 Aspen White STi. Wife had a 18 Forester XT that we were leasing and I was getting sick of leasing a vehicle that we were not gonna keep. I told her I wanted to trade the lease in early and pull the trigger on another Tacoma, this time a 3rd gen. She hit me with the " well if you trade in the forester to get yourself a Tacoma, then I get to keep your STI" .

I was sick of daily driving the STI and I was no longer having fun driving it. I have always loved Subarus, I've owned a 04 2.5RS and an 04 WRB WRX Wagon prior and I have a passion working on the EJ motors. Fast forward to July of this year, I agreed that she can have the STI and I got my current Tacoma.

It was a win-win situation. She gets the STI, I get the tacoma, and I still get to see the STI parked in the garage everyday.

My next "fun" car on my list is a r32 GTR or Datsun Z.

 

I did the same. Miss the GTI but love having a pickup. Plus the truck sits up high and I don't have everyone's headlights in my back window anymore, hated that.
I have a few motorcycles that scratch the acceleration and/or MPG itch when I need it.
I thought about buying a used turbo-hatch but the perception of used turbo car reliability holds me back. I think I would only buy a turbo new. I have no problem buying a used Tacoma.

I'll never buy another Subaru (3rd). The wife's 25k mile Forester goes in for a new head-gasket next week, thank fully still under warranty. Had the same issue on my '01.

 

I do miss my GTI and WRX but, needed to get into a more sensible vehicle at this point in life that could still afford me some fun I.e. light off roading. Getting married and looking at homes now so a truck made sense plus I always loved Taco's.

I dropped too much money in both cars but mostly the GTI with a Frankenturbo F23T swap + meth injection. Loved that thing but ended up lemoning it due to an on going water pump issue. The Subie was tons of fun with full bolt ons and Dyno tune but I wasn't comfortable with the reliability.

Sorry for image quality, had to rip these from my IG via screen shot. Couldn't figure out how to save images from there.

 

Pretty sure I had to remove an engine mount to change a water pump on one of them, and then the engine on my girlfriends (b6?) 2.0t literally fell out of the car and it happens so much to them there is actually a company that makes a kit to fix it... that and every single plastic part and connector seems to crack and crumble after a few years. Anyways sounds like I should avoid subarus if they are worse.

 

Got rid of my STi.. I have little self-control. 54 over in a 65. I miss it, but not the tickets and insurance hit. Once I grow up, I'll get something similar.

 

Yeah Buddy!

 

Came from a 2006 WRX. Only 96K miles on it. I still have it. It's got brake caliper issues(pistons froze up, I already have them reassembled with new pistons, just haven't put them back on the car yet. And I think the turbo has a blown oil seal. Probably just going to sell it as is. I don't feel like working on it.

 

My vote is that you go back to racecars.