Forester Advice Needed

I have narrowed down my choice to a Forester Turbo XT LTD. I like it because it's kind of a sleeper. I want to sell my Yukon gas hog and get something smaller that I can still haul some stuff around in. Stock it has 224 HP. I understand I can change out the Turbo & intercooler with some from a WRX and the HP will go up to 320. Can I get your opinions on this?
Also, I can get them on a 5 speed or auto. I'm leaning toward the 5 speed. Any opinions.
How about the suspension? I'd like to autocross it.
I am looking at a '05 and a '07. One year better than another?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Jim

 

Hope I don't get in trouble for suggesting another forum, but the folks over at www.subaruforester.org will be able to answer any and every question you may have.

If you want to check out the differences between model years, there's a ton of info over at www.cars101.com. For modability, I think the '05 is considered a better choice for a couple reasons: STi block and off-the-shelf ECU tuning. The car can also be turned into a monster auto-crosser

 

That is all essentially correct. I have a 2006 WRX wagon with an identical engine and in crank horsepower its probably somewhere in the 320hp region, in that on a dyno it is about 10% more than a stock STi HP wise. Your stock turbo is the same as a WRX adn it had the same intercooler as an 06 WRX.

This is the engine bay of a forester xt



This is a 2006 WRX



pretty much identical.


As far as the transmission goes, the 5 speed again is similar to my transmission, its strudy, but not tolerant to abuse. I autocross a lot but I don't consider that to be abuse as I don't launch the car super hard. I would consider shock loading it frequently (clutch dropping at high revs) to be abuse that would take it out.

There are decent suspension options available that can be autocrossed, many people have done it before.

 

Hi Jim (this is the same Carl that bought an FX1 pro from you a while back and you asked me some forester questions). I don't have much to add from what everyone else said. Suspenion is interchangeable with Impreza chasis stuff (02+ wrx, 04 sti - I don't think the 05+ sti struts will work, correct me if I'm wrong guys). I've seen foresters on stock STI take offs, sounds like that maintains a good balance of comfort and handling.

 

Carl,
Did your Dad get the 5 speed?
Should I be looking at the WRX wagon?
I want something with some room in the back. I bring 2 golden retreivers with me when ever I go out,,,,

 

Yea my Dad's FXT is a 5spd. I would take the forester over the wagon for the added room

 

I would pm, FONG aka kickin81.. he has a forester Xti, where he has an STi ecu, turboe and supporting mods.. very nice sleeper.. there are a few others.. tetsusan is another I helped do some swaps with...

go for it..

 

I've got an '07 Forester XT Sports with a 5 speed. Bone stock it's a sleeper. It's a very practical, quick grocery getter.

 

Does the Foresters have the STI's head and same block compression?
I've always wonder why they swap ecu and then tune it.
Isn't the Foresters ECU 32bit also? If so, couldn't a tune just be good enough?