Questions about the Bugeye WRX

"190e30-Now with COSWORTH" (190e30)
01/02/2015 at 14:20 • Filed to: None

Update: As stonerpetrolhead suggested, I learned the car does not have any sort of tune, and with a little bit of research, learned that this usually has a really bad ending when paired with bolt-ons. I'll find a Scoob, just not this one.

Considering that several Opponauts own/have owned some of these cars, I figured I'd ask here. I found a pretty nice bugeye with only 103,000 miles locally. It has a lot of the basic bolt-ons (huge Perrin top-mount, Injen intake, slotted rotors, TurboXS diverter, throttle body, STI wing, upgraded clutch, wheels, springs, strut braces, and some other odds and ends), but doesn't have anything that normally would directly deter me from making a purchase (big turbo, boost controller, excessive negative camber).

The seller claims 280-290 horsepower in it's current set-up. Which is more than fine with me, power and boost are fun. Except I feel like I heard rumors of the bugeyes having extremely weak transmissions from the factory. I've never launched a car and never plan to, but is this transmission going to be able to hold up to typical daily driving and the odd highway merge?

A picture of the aformentioned Scoob and it's well-decorated and very pretty engine bay for your help.

DISCUSSION (28)

Milky > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:24

Kinja'd!!!

Yo dog red radiator mounts!!

Very speed, much cool.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:28

Is it a turbo 2.5? I don't know anything about the 2.5 turbo specifically, but I know the 2.5 ordinary version blows head gaskets like it's its job. Bad head gaskets + boost = O_O.

Takuro Spirit > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:39

Kinja'd!!!

Many many dollars spent on brand name bolt ons, runs a cheap ass no name battery.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Milky
01/02/2015 at 14:42

+5 horsepower, I believe?

RallyWrench > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:43

It'll be due for a valve adjustment if it hasn't already been done. It's a big, big job, and if not done it will burn valves. This happens MUCH more often on tuned cars. The early cars had transmission issues, most of which were fixed under warranty. My old '02 WRX wagon was old-guy owned before me, and he had the issue. That said, many were owner-induced by shitty driving. They are perfectly good in normal use, just don't launch it too often or powershift, ever. Also, try not to engage 1st while rolling. It should be good for that power level reliably, although I'm always a little leery of overly tarted-up cars.

Milky > Takuro Spirit
01/02/2015 at 14:44

But it has a red battery tie down, so you know its sporty.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
01/02/2015 at 14:45

Turbo Ej205, so the 2.0L

Milky > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:45

Easily +5hp. Racing radiator mount = better air flow.

PushToStart > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:49

Can't say I'm a fan of that hood, bot those extra vents probably add like 5 hp each, lol

As far as the transmission goes, it should be perfectly fine for DD, assuming the current owner hasn't abused it at all. My dad DD's his bugeye since it was brand new and he's never had any problems, and if I'm not mistaken, it's still on the original clutch (unless he's replaced it somewhat recently, I havent asked.)

NaturallyAspirated > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:50

I did some reading about this issue a while back. My takeaway was that the Subaru 5-speed is not particularly delicate, it's simply the weakest part in the drivetrain.

Basically in a typical car when you apply more power or torque than the car can transmit to the road, you chirp a tire to release the excess stress. Subaru's AWD system tries very aggressively not to allow a tire to chirp and the clutch is too strong to slip, so the stresses end up breaking the weakest link in between the engine and tires, which is the transmission.

Some cars have a weak spot machined into the axle shafts that would intentionally fail before the transmission did, but Subarus don't have that.

If you shift smoothly and don't try to do burnouts, I wouldn't expect that you would have much trouble with the transmission.

All my experiences are with naturally aspirated Subarus, though, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Mathias Rios > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 14:51

If it's a good price, buy it. Just make sure the syncros are good, etc. Great cars!

stonerpetrolhead > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 15:01

If you want to be thorough, get a compression test and a leak down test. Anther thing to ask about is whether the car has been tuned for these modifications. If not, and the owner has been driving it at all, it is ticking time bomb.

math, not even once > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 15:03

My good friend had a bug eye, not sure of the power output and it was kind of a hack job but he ran low 13s high 12s in it. Definitely swapped out the drive-train

sellphones2493 > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 15:03

Don't own one - never had, but I have owned a Subaru (2008 Legacy).

I will tell you, from what I saw on mine, and from what I've heard from others, Subaru Paint in incredibly thin.

That's all I have to offer to you.

Good Luck!

math, not even once > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
01/02/2015 at 15:04

Bug eyes were 2.0 turbo

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > RallyWrench
01/02/2015 at 15:05

This sounds expensive, and scary. But I had zero idea about this issue, so thank you.

math, not even once > RallyWrench
01/02/2015 at 15:07

Replacing valve seats is pretty much a scheduled maintenance on the turbo Subarus except we aren't talking oil change money

OPPOsaurus WRX > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 15:10

yea every highway merge becomes quicker and quicker. i'm fine with mine as a daily driver. I also never hit traffic and its not as much fun with traffic.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Milky
01/02/2015 at 15:17

I heard that the Corvette Racing Team uses red radiator mounts and it gets them at least 15 more horsepower and 20 torques, brah.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
01/02/2015 at 15:19

I owned an '02 Bugeye for three years. It had a cheap aftermarket exhaust and that's about it. No mods or go fast bits.

It was amazing, hilarious fun, the smooth kind of fast that gets you to three digits before you realize it, and this is perhaps the car's greatest weakness. It feels so right to cane the thing that you cane it all the time.

And it doesn't have the reliability to be caned all the time.

First the center diff went. A snap ring came loose and chewed the whole thing to mush. Subaru fixed that the following year, apparently. Other, minor repairs followed, but the next big thing was the transmission. You are correct. They're weak. The internet doesn't refer to them as "glass" without reason. Remember, my car was running the stock 226 hp. I drove fast (to the eventual suspension of my license), but never launched. I was driving the car as I thought it was meant to be driven.

Then second gear shattered, with the other gears following. I had it rebuilt and replaced it.

Then the radiator popped in a parking garage. They have plastic radiators.

Then the engine seized. The car had 165k on it. I had cared for the engine, changed the oil regularly, kept it tuned up. But I was out of money to fix it. I sold it and moved on.

So I would be very cautious of a tuned Bugeye, especially if you plan to daily it. I think Subaru added power without strengthening the elements, which they likely did later. If the engine has been fortified, good. If there's an aluminum radiator under that silly shroud, good. If the transmission has been rebuilt with aftermarket gears, good.

Otherwise, just drive it slow.

Milky > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars
01/02/2015 at 15:30

LIES

Kinja'd!!!

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Milky
01/02/2015 at 15:40

Um, uh, no, bro, the OTHER Corvette Racing Team, bro! Bro, I swear , brah! They come to all of my stance meets, bro. Honestly, bro, they have extra power, bro.