Boosted's BRZ

[Boosted]

I ordered my BRZ during the madness days when pre-ordering was available. Like many other I have been following this car for a while and frequenting this site long before I became a member. I was very annoyed like many others with the vagueness of our orders and the dealer’s lack of knowledge. However my dealer consistently emailed me updates. This was due to me being deployed at the time and not having a phone number to call. My SWP Limited actually ended up coming in on 12 June, though I was going to get home till later in the month. The dealer worked with me and had the car locked in there show room. I know that they didn't have anyone sitting in it or driving it since several of my soldiers tried to (didn't know it was mine at the time). The car had 10 miles on it when I received and signed for it. The dealer was even able to beat my banks APR and for the same payment cost I was able to get all the protection plans, extended warranty and window tinting.

Now the fun part, since picking it up on 6/25 I have put 680 miles. Due to getting back from a deployment the Army has given me plenty of time to drive my car. For the first 500 miles I kept the car under 4000rpms and constantly ran the back roads in Texas (varying load and rpms). I will say I was very impressed with this car. It handled like it was on rails reviving my love for momentum cars like my B16 Crx. The car was always poised and only gave light hints of what really laid below. Once I hit 500 miles, I raised the limit to 5500.

The car after 4500 rpms is awesome and really comes alive, after the well-known torque dip. The car begs to be revved, to be pushed to the limits and thrown into corners. The car essentially changes itself into a true sports car and becomes a thrill to drive. I have a 06 Sti highly modded and I will say that this car I feel will surpass it in overall fun. Now for all the HP junkies hear me out the car is so nimble and lets the driver do anything. Almost anyone can get into a high HP Sti or Evo and be relatively fast due to all the drivers aids. This car becomes a extension of you and will do exactly what you tell it, the right way or the wrong.

Added a bunch of mods, some new pics. Have a little over 30,000 miles and no issues. Still loving this car.

Update: over 80,000 miles, still loving the platform and have completely changed the car within the last 4,000 miles.

Mods updated current mods as of 5 November 2018
Exterior
- APR front splitter
- Driveway labs rear diffuser
- STI side Skirts
_Volex Hood Louvers
- LED lights
- Chrome turn signal bulbs
- Clear JDM side Markers
- Valenti Reverse light
- 35% window tinting
- TOMS tail lights
- rear carbon fiber subaru badge and custom front badge
- Rexspeed carbon fiber side vents
- Visual Garage Shark fin antenna

Interior
- Arm Rest
- JPM Stitched Alcantara OEM Gauge Cluster Hood Assembly
- JPM Stitched Alcantara center dash
- JDM Speaker grill/leather red stitched covers
- JDM Leather knee pads
- JDM full black interior parts conversion (door handles, lock mechanisms, vent cover, knee covers, center dash, steering wheel trim)
- Red carpets
- STI Red push button start
- LED interior light conversion
- Red LED Trunk Light
- Cusco Shift Knob
- SRP Racing Pedals
- AEM Uego AFR
- AEM Oil Pressure
- AEM Oil Temp
- Perrin universal gauge pod
- Vent gauge pod

Engine/Engine bay
- Jackson Racing C38 Supercharger
- Jackson Racing Oil Cooler
- 2017 intake manifold
- New case halves, front cover, water pump, timing, etc.
- Brian Cower I Beam rods
- JE Pistons 10.5
- ARP Head studs and other engine bolts
- King Bearings
- GSCs single spring valve kit with Titanium retainers
- GSC valves and guides
- Heads port and polished
- Mishimoto Radiator and fans with shroud
- Radium Dual Catch Cans
- Invidia Q300
- fujitsubo front pipe
- DC & Sports overpipe
- Cusco Coolant Cap
- Cusco Strut Tower Bar
- GrimmSpeed Oil Cap
- GrimmSpeed Battery Tie down
- GrimmSpeed MCB
- GrimmSpeed hood struts
- Password JDM Carbon Fiber Intake cover and Fuse Box Cover
- Password JDM Dress up kit

Fuel
- Full Blown racing 485 fuel pump kit
- Radium fuel rails
- Velox fuel starvation door
- Fuel Injector clinic 850cc injectors

Suspension
- Race Comp Engineering Super Street Series 1 coilovers
- Perrin steering rack lockdown
- Perrin Positive Steering Response System bushings (zero)
- Whiteline roll center kit (tie rod ends)
- Whiteline front crash colts
- Whiteline rear chamber kit

Transmission
- Cusco Clutch fork
- Spec stage 3+ clutch kit
- Driveshaft shop Carbon fiber driveshaft (waiting to install)
- Whiteline Transmission Bushing
- Perrin Shift bushing

wheels and tires
- Rota Titans 17x8
- Dunlop ZIIIs 235/40/17

Brakes
- 16 STI Front Calipers
- DBA Rotors
- StopTech Stainless Steel Brake Lines
- Hawk HPS Pads
- Motul Brake Fluid

[Boosted]

Here is with 35% tinting.

[Boosted]

Hit 1000 miles today, in little under a week (missed driving a lot from being gone for a yr). This was on almost all on back roads in TX. Provided a lot of scenic routes and really getting to know the car. So now the real fun begins.

-Alex

[Circuit Motorsports]

Nice Pictures! What else are you planning to get done to it? Post up some videos if you go to a track!

[Boosted]

Just turned over 2,000 miles. I am still loving this car. I am exploring the limits of this car and the what it has to offer. The acceleration issue everyone still hits on isnt as much of a issues as long as you are over 5000rpms. Again this car is not a drag king but is still a blast to to how nimble it is.

For new noises and complaints, I havent noticed anything crazy. The shifter still shifts perfectly. I dont have any odd rattlings or noises, minus the cricket chirping when idling for long periods of time after the engine is warm.

Friday night I installed a accelerated performance exhaust. The overall quality is nice the welds all looked good. Even the pipe alignment was good (on two pieces it was a few mm off but not bad. It came with all new gaskets and bolts. We installed it using 2 jack stands and a floor jack in a buddies drive way. Everything went on easy of course its a new car. Once we finished, I noticed the exhaust didn't line up exactly in the holes out the rear bumper. On the back right side it was barely touching the top of the plastic outlet. Neither of the tips were centered in the hole. Sorry I dont have pictures my cell phone was dead and it was late at night. I corrected the issue by using Kartboy long exhaust hangers and it looks how it does now.

Since I installed it I went on a 3 1/2 hour drive up to dallas with some friends to AWD Tunning. The exhaust is great, zero drone on the highway. At idle it has a little rumble too it but is not overly loud. The sound increases with revs and doesn't sound like a honda (have a b16 crx). If has a lot more grunt and throatiness to it. Overall I am very happy with the exhaust sound and looks.

link to a video (not mine I will do one soon)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwUDGz8yAvY"]Accelerated Performance BRZ Exhaust - YouTube[/ame]

[Boosted]

Update

I now Have 7136 miles on the OD and coming on the second oil change. The car is still a absolute blast. This car was made for back country roads. I had the opportunity to take it on a trip from TX to Ohio and back. Each way over 1600 miles. The car was great the seats were comfy and didn't cause any cramping. The Accelerated Performance exhaust was great, it didn't drone on the highway. The only major grip I had was the drinks by the shifter with larger drinks was sometimes a pain. I had zero problems with the car till coming back. In Arkansas, I hit a object in the road at night......This made me have to get the bumper replaced and painted. Down time was only about 2 weeks and it all turned out great. The shop even put on my HT Auto front lip for free.

Other mods I have done are all Chrome Amber bulbs all around, Clear front corner, LED License Plate light bulbs and visual garage shark fin antenna. I also have a Perrin front license plate holder I will use the few times I visit Ohio. I think I may put a TRD or K&N air filter in, but I don't plan on doing any other engine mods till all the current issues get resolved with our engines.

The car doesn't seem to have the idle issue. I notice once in a while it may dip a 100 rpm's, but no violent shakes or chocking to note. I don't use a/c, unless with certain company in the car. The passenger side window has started to squeak every once in a while. The invasion of crickets is definitely there when sitting in traffic on base (glade there is a fix or TSB at least from Toyota).

Hoping to get my Sti back from getting its engine built, so that I will not feel inclined to so much to modify my BRZ. I hope to maybe do some track events here or maybe a auto cross or 2.

[Boosted]

Got more goodies in the mail this weekend. Finished converting all the bulbs to LED ones. I even did the trunk a red colored LED Bulb, I was unsure of how this would look at first. However it turned out great, reminds me of the blackout lighting in our military vehicles. Too anyone that hasn't swapped out their bulbs, its super easy and this site is loaded with tons of write ups on how to do each one.

Other Items I installed were a Kart Boy delrin shift knob,SRP Racing pedals, Cusco front strut tower mount, K&N air filter, HT Auto rear splitter wing bits and Hood dampers.

Install was very easy on everything minus the dampers and pedals. For anyone doing hood dampers I recommend you put the past on as a barrier between your metal frame and the new mounting brackets. This will allow for aline the brackets more easily and protect it from scratching as easily.

The SRP Racing pedals required more work. On there section they had a little write up and others posted their feedback which helped make my install much easier. Getting the metal pedal covers off requires lots of pulling, I managed to whack myself in the head removing one. Made me feel like a idiot. It also requires drilling into the pedals, though once the holes were laid out it proved easy. Make sure you put a towel or old shirt down to catch all the metal shavings. If not they will get tangled in your carpet and never come out. I didn't install the foot rest once since I didn't have a good razor blade on hand to cut the one one away from the carpet, as well as no glue to put the new piece in. This will be another project for another day.

I am already in love with the hood dampers its nice working in the bay and not hitting that bar every time on worrying about the wind blowing it out of the slot.

I am also at over 8,500 miles and still no major issues to report. The windows squeak every once and a while. I get the army of crickets under my hood going nuts, if I sit in traffic too long. I don't see to much of a ruff idle, no serious dipping or shuddering currently. I don't notice much of a difference with the filter, but does seem to make a little more intake noise.

In a debate at the moment on what mod to do next whether its wheels and tires or coilovers. For a cheap rim solution I have thought about painting the silver part of the wheel a dark bronze and leaving the black for contrast. Then wrapping them in some good tires. So far I am leaning more to a good set of coilovers then do tires and wheels once my current become more worn.

[Turbowned]

Looking good!!

[Boosted]

Some new mods.

-Buddy Club Racing Coilovers, Whiteline rear chamber kit, front crash bolts
Review: So far the car rides great. I am very happy with the chamber results -2.0 in the front and -2.3 in the rear. I got the 5 year alignment plan at NTB. My top chamber plates still have a lot of adjustment, I am thinking of trying to get closer to -2.5 in the front. So far the tire wear is fine and is dispersing evenly with the 1000 miles I have put on it since the change. The ride is definitely a little stiffer, but not too bad for DDing. I have not had a track day to test it out. However on back roads driving the weak part now is definitely the tires. On fast corners and on braking, I can feel a little rear wiggle. I still need to dial in the damperage to my driving style a little more, but overall I am very happy with my coilover choice.

- GrimmSpeed battery tie down and Master cylinder Brace
The tie down looks great, a picture above shows the quality of parts GrimmSpeed produces. The MCB I definitely makes a difference, the firewall rigidity has been the downfall for mushier brakes then they should be due to the Master Cylinder being able to move so much. The pedal feel has improved and makes be more confident. I cant wait to install the hawk HPS pads, DBA rotors, motul fluid and Stop Tech stainless steel lines sitting in my garage to really make the braking system great.

- AVO silicone intake inlet and K&N air filter
I installed this unit and had some spirited driving on the highway to from Killeen to Dallas. I of course reset the ECU and didn't just mash the throttle to let the ECU learn the full throttle range. I averaged the miles I traveled and the gallons I put it, I got 37 mpg there and 36 mpg back. There is no adverse idling or dips present. I have only about 700 miles since this mod. I feel there is a little difference in throttle response and a few MPG in gas mileage. I will try and monitor the city mileage difference.

Toyota Scion FR-S/ Subaru BRZ armrest console lid GT GTS FRS
I got this on ebay and I am very impressed with the quality. The arm rest matches my leather perfectly in my limited and the padding is very comfortable. I did however have to remove the center drink holder, this is not a big deal to me due to the drink holder in the door. I now have a large storage area and allows me to put my ipod and sunglass in center consul without the whole world seeing what is in there. The armrest can is snug in the compartment and can move all the way to the front of the heated seat buttons or to the far back. Overall I love this product for the sheer comfort and the fact it only cost 80 bucks.


Mods soon to be on (sitting at house for the next long weekend)
- hawk hps pads, motul fluid, stoptech stainless steel lines and dba rotors
- Whiteline transmission brace, perrin shifter bushing
- Mishimoto catch can
- Password JDM carbon fiber intake manifold cover

[Boosted]

More pictures of the stance from other angles, enjoy.

[Boosted]

Added some more engine bling. I would love to do more engine mods, but I want to retain my warranty. My dealership threw in the 100,000 mile maint program for free. I luckily have my modded 06 Sti for speed, so I think I will focus on the suspension mods to make the ultimate corner monster. I am also going to focus on looks since I have started to enter it in car shows in my area due to the rarity of these cars. I have a local guy that I am looking to hydro coat some engine parts and interior parts in a carbon fiber to match my Password JDM engine intake cover.

enjoy

[RL_BRZ]

Nice mods.... :-)

[SubaSteve]

Password jdm stuff is legit. I love the look of the carbon fiber in this car. Keep up the good work with all the mods. Also I would suggest their washer/bolt kit to dress up the engine bay a bit.

[Turbowned]

That engine cover is so sexy