It's about time I got around to doing one of these so here goes.
Purchaced a mint condition MY04 liberty GT premium pack wagon in August 2009, 5eat dark blue and stock as a rock I thought I was onto a good thing, one month later things turned to shit and I started having problems, I realised the stereo wasn't working properly with only half the speakers functioning and the CD player not working at all. I took it to a local stereo shop and they told me the amp had been replaced with some cheap 2 channel paper weight. Then about a week after that whilst down in Newcastle my ECU stopped working and after a week of taking it to various Subaru shops they could not rectify the problem which turned out to be corrosion due to water damage!!!! WTF .
Turns out the car was a repairable write off due to water damage and didn't show up on the revs check I did when purchased!!!
Heaps of money spent brand new ECU and a full check up on any other affected parts yielded great results! Success on the road to happiness again.... The next month while driving to work, the car decides to stop in the middle of a rather busy road (for Canberra) with nothing but momentum to get me to the curb.
NRMA, tow truck, money, mechanic, money, another mechanic more money problem diagnosed, timing gear pulley seizure resulting in complete engine failure.... Far king hell!
Ended up buying a remanufactured 2.5 STI bottom end with 2.0 GT heads off All Drive Subaroo in Sydney, say what you will about these guys but I found them excellent to deal with albeit a little on the expensive side I haven't had any major issues with this motor which is still going strong today!
So with a new heart I set off to get cracking on the things to improve what I had bought in the first place, suspension, intake, exhaust, lights I've done alot but I am only half way there.
Here is my current mods list:
Cosmetics,
-ultrex eyelids
-ultrex moulded front lip
-corazon grill
Lighting,
-led Parker's
-led interior dome and map lights
-led number plate lights
-HID headlights
-HID foggies
Suspension/wheels/brakes
-Enkie sti 18 x 7.5 Shaddow chrome (I think)
-Pirelli pzero 215x45x18
-whiteline 22mm adjustable sway bars f/r
-pedders XA adjustable coil overs
-dixel slotted front rotors
-dixel type M pads front and rear
Engine,
-2.5 STI block with 2.0 GT heads
-Apexi intake
-Apexi air filter
-Perrin silicon inlet black
-Kinugawa td05 20g turbo
-phat flipped core FMIC matt black
-GFB response BOV fully plumbed back
-phat dump pipe
-phat centre pipe
-phat catch can
-tcp quad tip muffs
-sard fuel pump
-t1 top feed fuel rail conversion kit
-Xspurt 1000cc injectors
- turbosmart FPR black
-fuel pressure gauge
-speedflow fuel line fittings black
-HKS evc5 boost controller
-ECU datascan
-E85 tuned (insight)
Transmission,
-valve body mod
-07 planetary set
-bronze alloy bush kit (frankster)
That's about all I can remember off the top if my head, it's been a long expensive and frustrating journey and I love my car and it has now turned into a hobby that I can't get enough of, used to hate the auto I now love it, used to be slow so I made it faster, used to be under water now it's all dried out and ready to rock. I figure I'm about half way through the mods with more attention needed on the braking and handling front.
Future plans:
-Kando headers and get turbo/dump/headers ceramic coated
-braided brake lines, brake stopper and upgrade rear rotors and pads
-heaps more suspension bits n bobs
-possibly a better turbo not sure at this stage what one to go with
-give her a tart up, new front bar, jdm pre face spec b?
-paint wheels a darker colour I'd love them Matt black but I'd prefer to stay with a original colour!
Thanks for reading and a massive thanks to,
Michael garage 88
Scotty insight Motorsport
Leo
Mick dr20t
And the countless members of this forum that I have bought many a part from and been given some great advice, look forward to finally meeting some of you at up and coming events.
Cheers, Chook.