I just want to add to this thread that I had AST 4100s on my 02 WRX. The damper tuning that Vorshlag did to these was incredible. You are still largely at the mercy of higher spring rates (depending on what you get), but the damping could not have been better tuned.
Anyone who wants higher spring rates on this car would do really well to choose AST dampers (blatant plug).
