The ending is what we all wanted haha. In all seriousness, I would never spend anywhere near this mount of money on a Subaru, but it's very cool to see what a perfectly built STI would cost you. It's like Ben said, this is the best built all in one Subaru you can buy.
I was planning to do a very similar build with a brand new 2021 STI but instead just bought a lightly modded low mile RS3 and it was way faster and way nicer all around. Sold it and have a gt4 now though lol
Imo it's a good platform, the stunt directors at 'Baby Driver' chose an old sti at for their stunts. And that movie has the best car drifts of any movie. Gymkhana drivers use overpowered subarus and ford fiestas for drifting
This cost is wayyyy overpriced for someone who can do the work themselves and shops around. As someone who has driven many different high hp vehicles, I have zero regrets owning many modified Subarus over the past 15 years and will continue to do so.
I probably should have clarified this better, but I did not sell my RX7. When I said I replaced the RX7, I meant that I had replaced the RX7’s daily driver duty.
I write for television, and I have to say, the bit from 11:20 to 13:01 was *AWESOME.* You're convinced he's being sincere, you believe him, the friend walks in and you watch him start to think about it as the list goes on, the weak defense, the list (and validity of the argument) gets even better as the list goes on, and then in every car-guy words he's just "you're never gonna understand" and walks away... I know some work went into this, and it just made my day. 🤣 💙
I've had a lot of cars... 2021 GT500, 2019 Z06, multiple Ford Raptors, Navigator, Taurus SHO, Camaro, M440, and many "normal" cars. The 2021 STI that I bought last year is my favorite car. Like ever. I now have 2, one is the bone stock 2021 and the other is a Kozmic Motorsports full build currently runs 500 whp on E-85 and can be tuned to over 700 whp. I love love love these cars. People don't understand when I tell them.
True, a lot of people clown on fake carbon but if it's just plastic parts that already weight nothing, might as well just wrap them. You are literally doing it for the looks and nothing else already!
This is a great warning to those going down the modding path with any vehicle. I scaled back my "build" years ago to a maintenance schedule when I started to see how each mod required a slew of supporting mods. Its fun to tinker but the costs add up quickly. Thanks for putting in the cost of the Gesi cat. I took off my catless downpipe for the sound and especially the smell. Wasnt worth it.
That ending was glorious 🤣 Just listing off everything comparable. It essentially all boils down to “those are brilliant, but I love this!” It is indeed a lovely Subaru!
If Ben started adding up all the money he spent on his Evo he'd probably stop talking. Point is building cars is an expensive hobby. It doesn't really matter what platform you're building.
@@cowmath77 that's why I plan to keep every car I build. If it was about resale I'd buy a boring cheap car and leave it alone. If resale is at the top of the priority list the car hobby probably isn't for you.
@@cowmath77 Finally ready to sell my first build, have to swap wheels and clean it up... haven't touched it in 2 weeks, it hurts thinking of getting rid of it 😭
@@cowmath77 I'm 33. Going to buy my 3rd Subaru while still owning the other 2 and my first car which is a 97 integra GSR. I keep everything. Some say I have a problem 😂
The way each of you grinds each others gears in these kinds of videos only speaks to one thing... you both absolutely understand "it"... period. Some channels will bash and criticize, with no intent other than to get views. You're bashing between each other is the angel and demon on the shoulder of every sensible car enthusiast out there. It's why I actually anticipate your videos. True car guys with true car passion.
@@granturismoab9 you all say the same thing.. but NO ONE wants a stock or stock-ish subie... They want power. And Subies cant make power without breaking the bank or breaking... My k24 awd dc5 on the other hand is 70k miles in and over 6 years on a COMPLETELY STOCK k24 making 582whp on PUMP GAS. And I paid 1/4th the price of what it took to make that subie 500whp and "reliable"... lol
As someone who bought a 209, this break down actually put a lot of things in perspective for me. I always got the “you could have bought…” , but these cars make more sense to me. Engaging and useful. Often the coolest things are not the most reliable things and that’s okay. Great video, superior content.
@@Hon_cb1kr have you seen used STi prices lately? 😂 all of them will be worth a lot. Especially since no new gas Powered STi’s are coming to the US. I paid $36k for my 2020 base STi new in 2020. I ordered it as plain Jane as I could. I could sell it tomorrow for 40-45k easily. It has 1200 miles on it.
Yeah, I mean, Ferraris and 911's are fun, but not really great daily-drivers, especially in the city. I agree there are much better cars for that price level, but I think I'd be looking at the modern German sport-sedans before a finicky "supercar".
@@Hon_cb1kr never said it would be worth $200,000. My point is that all STi models are holding value well and will likely increase as they are no longer available for US market. It’s our generation that will want these and younger kids seeing them in movies, games, and rally events.
love the ending (as i quickly notice that the price will creep closer to 80,000 dollar mark), but as a guy who loves cars and can afford it. "its not always about the money, but what your heart wants".
I can only imagine the conversation the team had to have to get the engine done in a week. We only see their success, only the "good part" of the journey. Amazing video guys
The ending with all the alternatives had me dead, you really have to want a Subaru ONLY in order to justify that money hahaha, I get it, I have an STi myself which isn't much modded at all and still I can get a lot of "nicer" cars for the same money. But I don't want any other nicer cars, I want my Suby :)
Me as well. I have a 2020 sti and I enjoy putting cosmetics on, I think the car feels great as is power-wise and suspension tbh, I just put an in Invidia n1 on tho and it sounds amazing
Same. It's incredibly fun to drive, with minor mods & tune. People say "you spent 'x' amount just to make xxxWHP" but more power just means getting in to trouble faster.
Been here since the youtuber interview uploads and I just want to say that I was really impressed with how comfortable, practiced, and well done the delivery of the speaking parts were. You guys are great!
I've owned my 06 STi for 14 years, now. Still love it as much as I did when I first got it. It's a blast to drive on the street. They're expensive to build power with but honestly, you shouldn't, anyway. Stay at 400WHP or less and keep it as a fun street-able car and it'll stay as reliable as any other car, assuming you have a good tune. As soon as I saw the previous owner had mods, I was like oh yeah, that's why it blew. So many people mods these cars without realizing you need a tune for every little thing you do that affects fuel or air ratios. Catback + replacement filter for the stock intake are about as much as you can do without a tune.. and never trust the Cobb OTS (Off the shelf) tunes for more than just getting to and from your house to the tuner. I learned that the hard way, when I was still young and new to the Subaru world. I've learned a lot over the years, if anyone has any questions before buying mods, etc feel free to ask and I'll respond as soon as I can!
I’ll just keep my 17 sti stock had a 03 evo modded and a bad tuner and blew the engine and had to buy a new one and had a evo x and didn’t like it but I love my sti plus with a family it’s good stock maybe 10 more years I’ll do something to it
Honestly, the prices aren't much different compared to modding most other modern cars, they just don't make quite the same amount of power others do, per dollar. Unless you're loaded and can afford to replace things at any given moment, staying at 400whp or less and just keeping it a fun street car is ideal, imo.
@@hhaste there are so many platforms that you can achieve 500whp reliably without spending this much… so many cars now can push this on stock internals with reliability
@@Hondaddy But are those cars AWD and manual with 4 doors? No. No modern car does AWD, turbo, manual sedan with 4 doors and insane aftermarket better than subaru, its the recipe that every car enthusiast wants and it's only possible with a subaru. If honda made their Civic type R AWD then it would probably leave the WRX in the dust, but its FWD. You snooze you lose, honda.
@@Hondaddybut the question is, is one of those options the car you want? I’m sure there’s an old timer somewhere with some nice classic car and can sell it and buy the new thing on the market with 700hp just because there’s something perceived as a better, newer, faster, etc. doesn’t mean that’s what you want.
11:58 I bought a dead 993 911 for 40k, rebuilt the engine for under 9k, did similar cosmetic and performance mods for under 9k more. However the car has now doubled in value not because of the mods, but because of what it is.
@@shokreee2617 that’s where the GTI and Golf R come in. 20-35K car price + 15K in mods will get you a well rounded daily, drag and track car that can make 550whp on a stock block.
Thanks for breaking down the cost of the build. It makes sense to consider other cars given how much has already been invested. Also I'd say that that logic starts to go out of the window if you ever decided to not keep it as a daily and put more track miles on it. Performance parts on German cars aren't very cheap either.
@@Yvaneify I hear ya, there's no way I could afford a car like that at this time. I brought it up as an example because it's a unicorn car to me. That said, I'm still going to try and get a lap in at Spa next year 🙂
Aside from the beautiful car and break down. The quality of this content was crisp. Such a vibe and relaxing to watch. You and the team are amazing.! Keep it up.!
One thing I’ll never understand. I’ve been working on Subarus for 5 years now and yes I love them but I’ll never spend that kinda money to make 500hp. Me and my buddies bought a stock Silverado and a eBay turbo with a cam, springs, retainers and an intercooler. It made 670 to the tires for just about 9,000
I have a 2018 STI and was thinking of building it but Ben is right, with that kind of money I can get something far better and very reliable. Great build though and thank you for this video.
I'm thinking a new car with warranty is the way to go. No down time while the vehicle is being built, no build issues, no catastrophic failures, no old parts falling apart, and no build costs that dissapear during resale. It used to make sense modifying cars but their increasing complexity and build costs to do a build like this now only puts them into stock territory for new vehicles costing the same. The new vehicle seems like the best value for the money if you can afford it.
Yeah unfortunately the more I learn about car modding, the more I realize I'm just making an expensive and unreliable car while simultaneously decreasing resale value.
Subies are really cool but 500 hp on an Evo 7 to 9 can be had for a fraction of what was spent on this build. Regardless, its great that he pursued what he wanted!
With the evo you’d need to build the drive train to handle that kind of power. So it would likely be a wash. Plus it seems a good chunk of his budget was cosmetic items which is obviously up to the particular owner
This is what happens when you love a certain car to a point where the so called "better options" don't matter and when money is not a big issue. At least Ben built his Subaru to his own standards and didn't care what other people think. I call that a win 👌
Your WRX STI is beautifully clean looking and straight forward with no nonsense exterior. I think it was worth the money and I'd do it if I could afford to spend 75k like that.
LMFAO that ending was absolutely spot on, so many people would come out of the woodwork to say you spent too much because of car X or Y (actually probably all 26 letters of the alphabet haha)...but it's not about that and it wouldn't be the same. I keep logs of how much I've done or spent on a car but it really doesn't matter to me in the end up to a certain point. That said I'd never spend that kinda money on an STi 😂😘😂. (it's pretty freaking sweet though)
I've had my 2011 GV8 for 7 years now. I've done everything except motor and turbo. My car is a daily and 115k+ it is still going with the E85 tune. I'm at the crossroads rn where I need to do the motor and turbo to make more power. I'm with you on over building to keep it reliable. I've already got the ball rolling on my new build but we do have similar parts. That being said, this next evolution of my 2011 STI sedan is going to cost me more than I paid for my car and I think, all of the upgrades I have on it until now. Good ol Cali based Cobb got strong armed by the EPA so I can no longer tune my car through them, given my airpump and tgv deletes. Eventhough I don't need emissions and I do not live in California it still has screwed me over. I do enjoy this video because if you want to make power with a Subie, it is NOT going to be cheap! I've already put about what I paid for my car to get it to where it is at. 115k+ miles daily making 350whp on stock motor and turbo, eveything else to run E85. Motor is only being replaced because I want more power and reliability. That leads me back to why I love this video and build. It is, in essence, what I am doing with my STI. Great build! Great video! Edit: My goal was to build my Subie to be able to track day it but also spank some V8s as a daily. Every time I've raced anyone it was always driving to work. You need to have that punch at all times.
You can’t put a price on happiness guys, remember that. Asian bens Evo won’t be much better, if anything more expensive as that’s certainly had its issues aswell: Pretty much my ideal/dream sti build, well done ben.
Amazing content, and happy for the interesting breakdown! Personally would never spend 80K on a Subaru, but it's really cool seeing how far you could take a built car that'll get you from A to B vertically across the US without breaking down.
And this is why you're a car enthusiast....anyone with money can buy an expensive exotic or supercar...but a build is unique even if it costs more knowing that it's yours. Part of the journey is tinkering see what works and what doesn't
The ending is basically me to myself, and why I have sort of lost the spark for modifying cars. Its just not worth the money compared to buying a better car. Ben has basically burned 30k even before driving this car.
So Funny when Ben gives a lot of examples of what you can buy with this budget, I don't know if you are aware about other yt motor channels, but was like Joya nunca taxi(jewel never taxicab), moment.
Great video. I have a '21 STI and will always have a soft spot for it :) I think it's the best of all worlds where I can do my own maintenance, maintenance fees are reasonable, I can drive it in the winter, AWD, etc. I'll eventually get it up to 400 whp and stop there with this build for my daily.
Great video Ben, I'm currently in the process of building my STI, I'm already have 400whp, but I'm fixing all the mistakes from the previous owner, and I was told after I'm done with what I'm fixing I'll be over 400 wheel. Like you if I end up blowing this motor I have a spare motor that is built to have 600 and I'm only going to 450whp, I'm doing reliability mods, cylinder 4 cooling mod killer b oil pan kit, but I'm also doing a new exhaust set up cause it's all messed up. I'm going ETS exhaust, and fmic
Very well done video, very nice production and I enjoy your stuff. But seriously you totally talked me out of building the Subaru I’m just going to buy a ZL1 😂
I don't have that kind of passion for cars. But I respect Ben's passion for that Subaru. I'd still rather have another kind of car for that money though. I wonder what it would be.
@@stevenb4799 it's a hood, only in DA HOOD where no one ever speaks proper ENG. In the rest of the world, it's called bonnet ;) ... ( and I'm not even from the UK )
WRXs and even STIs were never intended to make 500whp. Even the top spec rally subarus made 300+ tops. You can make a fast WRX or STI on a track and keep the engine bone stock, they're not made to run 9s at the strip lol with enough money you can make anything fast
After driving my sti stock for over 70k miles I still remember when I thought I would mod my 2009 STI for reliability 😂, all work done by andrewtech, IAG and JRtuned. It’s been nothing but unreliable since then. Cobb flex fuel kit was the most unreliable pos that I required three ethanol sensor replacements. My car never blew up but got hydrolocked after 120k miles cause of my stupid choice to go with a cold air intake. At the end of the day I wish I just stuck with a simple stage 2, not saying it hasn’t been a fun journey but you definitely need deep deep deep pockets. Most people don’t realize that when they first start modding. It just takes one faulty part from an aftermarket company even a reputable one to completely destroy your car. If you want a reliable car keep it stock.
sad to say but this is user issue. I only mod my subie because I live an hour away from the most reputable tuner I know of.... thats the only way you should mod a subie
80k.. just looking for a reliable daily? I mean, I love the car but dude, lol. At that price you could get a more reliable daily that is faster, more fuel efficient, handles better, etc. right out of a factory. Sure this is is a "reliable" engine... but you know in the back of your head it isn't even with the best parts.
Wow this has a lot of the same parts as my sti that makes 510whp at 25psi. I also used the best parts for the most reliable build only I had to go with an outfront block since the shop only dealt with them and the engine lasted a whole 6000 miles before it spun a rod bearing. I’m curious about what cars and valve springs you used, don’t think you mentioned it. I e got kelford high lift 282 cans and oversized valves with GSC beehive valve springs. My rods are also rated for 2000 hp but the block is good for about 1000 hp. My sti has over $50k into it not including purchase price.
Not knocking or criticism towards what you've done great build. But if you know you're going build one I'd definitely find a older model for a cheap price. For example my bugeye 5k and 30k in mods I've had a reliable 450hp daily I love. Great vid
LOL man that ending was awesome. i may be facing an engine replacement in my shelby so its very comical and reassuring that i'm not the only idiot that gets stuck with these money pits
Yeap, I went down this path of learning back in the day. $26k for a 36k mile 2005 STI. 8 years later the car made 520whp with 63k miles and I believe 40-50k into it. A large chunk of that was labor which, as time went on I was better about doing stuff myself. And what did I sell the car for? $22,000... That's something they didn't touch on in the video. His car is probably worth 30k. All money down the drain. There is a happy ending to my story though: The reason I sold the 2005 STI? To buy a R32 GTR for $23k.. And now 7 years later, I'm now looking to sell for $60-70k. A wiser investment made. But everyone is young and dumb in the beginning.
Subarus are reliable. Keep them stock, don't redline shift every time behind the wheel. Respect your car. Do the recommended maintenance. My 06 LGT was extremely reliable. Had it for 14 years from New. Started in the coldest Canadian winters, and it was fun. Not 500hp fun, but with a foot of snow on the ground, 240hp is plenty.
To be fair its not 150 HP its 250. Stock the car would make about 260WHP. so 500 is double. And he mentioned that he could have done it for less but he went totally nuts with the build.
Can agree on the leather seat comment, but I love sunroofs, had one on my ek coupe and my Rx8, love the breeze and being able to hear the car from above as well as from the sides
“Ben, for this money you could buy…*multiple examples*”. Fantastic ending!
I came to the comments to see if someone pointed this out.
Was not disappointed!
80 miatas!
Hahaha loved the ending 😂
Not cheap to do a TommyFyeah built.
This is what keeps me up at night!
The ending is what we all wanted haha. In all seriousness, I would never spend anywhere near this mount of money on a Subaru, but it's very cool to see what a perfectly built STI would cost you. It's like Ben said, this is the best built all in one Subaru you can buy.
You have to really love the platform to do it. I don't want to even get into how much I've spent on my 2010 sti, but I wouldn't do it any other way.
@@Brett4517 agreed. After having 3 variations of the WRX/STI GR platform, 100% not worth it.
I was planning to do a very similar build with a brand new 2021 STI but instead just bought a lightly modded low mile RS3 and it was way faster and way nicer all around. Sold it and have a gt4 now though lol
Imo it's a good platform, the stunt directors at 'Baby Driver' chose an old sti at for their stunts. And that movie has the best car drifts of any movie. Gymkhana drivers use overpowered subarus and ford fiestas for drifting
This cost is wayyyy overpriced for someone who can do the work themselves and shops around. As someone who has driven many different high hp vehicles, I have zero regrets owning many modified Subarus over the past 15 years and will continue to do so.
I probably should have clarified this better, but I did not sell my RX7. When I said I replaced the RX7, I meant that I had replaced the RX7’s daily driver duty.
Keep me in mind when you sell this STi😭😭
How much miles on your rx7 since it was your daily??
pls dont sell the sti its special
Now, I'm calm. I have also subi even couple, but at most I have RX7 and couldn't understand how could you sell FD. Now it's clear and all good. 😊❤
I write for television, and I have to say, the bit from 11:20 to 13:01 was *AWESOME.* You're convinced he's being sincere, you believe him, the friend walks in and you watch him start to think about it as the list goes on, the weak defense, the list (and validity of the argument) gets even better as the list goes on, and then in every car-guy words he's just "you're never gonna understand" and walks away... I know some work went into this, and it just made my day. 🤣 💙
There's not much more you can do as far as Subaru... or is there.. Great build, great video
Hello lads.
can we get a collab pls
Subaru OGs
the legends
I was legit thinking about the grovel watching this, both great channels 👏 👍
I've had a lot of cars... 2021 GT500, 2019 Z06, multiple Ford Raptors, Navigator, Taurus SHO, Camaro, M440, and many "normal" cars. The 2021 STI that I bought last year is my favorite car. Like ever. I now have 2, one is the bone stock 2021 and the other is a Kozmic Motorsports full build currently runs 500 whp on E-85 and can be tuned to over 700 whp. I love love love these cars. People don't understand when I tell them.
Damn really? Why do you love an STI over those? GT500 N Z06 are beasts compared to an STI. Would love your perspective.
Once you start adding carbon fibre rather than replacing parts that already exist with carbon fibre, you know you're just starting a money bonfire
you mean bonfibre
Money carbonfire
True, a lot of people clown on fake carbon but if it's just plastic parts that already weight nothing, might as well just wrap them. You are literally doing it for the looks and nothing else already!
Right, they’re there for some rich dude to shrug and say “Sub 100k all in? Just check all the boxes, who cares?”
Aside from the coilovers there was like 10k of stuff that didn't add any HP at all, just looks and feels
This is a great warning to those going down the modding path with any vehicle. I scaled back my "build" years ago to a maintenance schedule when I started to see how each mod required a slew of supporting mods. Its fun to tinker but the costs add up quickly. Thanks for putting in the cost of the Gesi cat. I took off my catless downpipe for the sound and especially the smell. Wasnt worth it.
That ending was glorious 🤣
Just listing off everything comparable.
It essentially all boils down to “those are brilliant, but I love this!”
It is indeed a lovely Subaru!
If Ben started adding up all the money he spent on his Evo he'd probably stop talking. Point is building cars is an expensive hobby. It doesn't really matter what platform you're building.
@@cowmath77 that's why I plan to keep every car I build. If it was about resale I'd buy a boring cheap car and leave it alone. If resale is at the top of the priority list the car hobby probably isn't for you.
@@chandlerbraaten847 i highly doubt Ben has put 50k usd into the evo, like hugely doubt... maybe 30k
@@cowmath77 Finally ready to sell my first build, have to swap wheels and clean it up... haven't touched it in 2 weeks, it hurts thinking of getting rid of it 😭
@@cowmath77 I'm 33. Going to buy my 3rd Subaru while still owning the other 2 and my first car which is a 97 integra GSR. I keep everything. Some say I have a problem 😂
The way each of you grinds each others gears in these kinds of videos only speaks to one thing... you both absolutely understand "it"... period. Some channels will bash and criticize, with no intent other than to get views. You're bashing between each other is the angel and demon on the shoulder of every sensible car enthusiast out there. It's why I actually anticipate your videos. True car guys with true car passion.
14k miles
the pinnacle of subaru reliability
they can get 100k from factory. Maybe even 200k with a drum of oil. no tooning ofc
110k miles 22 years jdm wrx for track here, just stay original
@@granturismoab9 you all say the same thing.. but NO ONE wants a stock or stock-ish subie... They want power. And Subies cant make power without breaking the bank or breaking... My k24 awd dc5 on the other hand is 70k miles in and over 6 years on a COMPLETELY STOCK k24 making 582whp on PUMP GAS. And I paid 1/4th the price of what it took to make that subie 500whp and "reliable"... lol
@@JonHop1 k24 is an awesome engine for sure, but if you like subies then just have fun stockish 😃
Mine is a 2013 wrx hatch 91k miles no issues all stock just replaced the clutch at 75k and its as reliable as it gets.
As someone who bought a 209, this break down actually put a lot of things in perspective for me. I always got the “you could have bought…” , but these cars make more sense to me. Engaging and useful. Often the coolest things are not the most reliable things and that’s okay. Great video, superior content.
Your S209 is going to be worth a fortune in 10-15 yrs. 200k+. This built STI is only going to drop in price. 40-50k max.
@@Hon_cb1kr have you seen used STi prices lately? 😂 all of them will be worth a lot. Especially since no new gas Powered STi’s are coming to the US. I paid $36k for my 2020 base STi new in 2020. I ordered it as plain Jane as I could. I could sell it tomorrow for 40-45k easily. It has 1200 miles on it.
Yeah, I mean, Ferraris and 911's are fun, but not really great daily-drivers, especially in the city. I agree there are much better cars for that price level, but I think I'd be looking at the modern German sport-sedans before a finicky "supercar".
@@awdobsession717 i don't think in 15 yrs your base STI is going be worth 200k+. An S209 is going to be about 200-400k $.
@@Hon_cb1kr never said it would be worth $200,000. My point is that all STi models are holding value well and will likely increase as they are no longer available for US market. It’s our generation that will want these and younger kids seeing them in movies, games, and rally events.
Great job in making what is normally a boring “how much this cost” video into something super interesting to watch! 🎉
As a owner of a sti, that engine setup is a wet dream to me. Perfectly done!
I would like to point out to everyone aghast at the cost, that Ben has absolutely worked his butt off to earn every sponsorship.
This video should be mandatory to watch before buying any performance Subaru. The end is brilliant!
love the ending (as i quickly notice that the price will creep closer to 80,000 dollar mark), but as a guy who loves cars and can afford it. "its not always about the money, but what your heart wants".
Absolutely, it's all about the experience and enjoyment in the end. 👍
Not to mention the all wheel drive factor the wrx/STi offer
It’s insane to spend that kind of money on a Sti. For another 20k you get a brand new corvette z06 that’s killing super cars!
I can only imagine the conversation the team had to have to get the engine done in a week. We only see their success, only the "good part" of the journey.
Amazing video guys
The ending with all the alternatives had me dead, you really have to want a Subaru ONLY in order to justify that money hahaha, I get it, I have an STi myself which isn't much modded at all and still I can get a lot of "nicer" cars for the same money. But I don't want any other nicer cars, I want my Suby :)
Exactly no one understand us subie people 😂
mod the sti, you wont regret it!
Me as well. I have a 2020 sti and I enjoy putting cosmetics on, I think the car feels great as is power-wise and suspension tbh, I just put an in Invidia n1 on tho and it sounds amazing
Same. It's incredibly fun to drive, with minor mods & tune. People say "you spent 'x' amount just to make xxxWHP" but more power just means getting in to trouble faster.
@@hhaste what kind of minor mods have you done?
no matter how much money you spend if it puts a smile on your face every time you drive there is no price for that satisfaction
I love my subaru too!!
That ending sure gives on how the people on the internet would commenting when they see the spending total, what a fantastic way xD
I've got to say the Forrester STI conversion is easily my favorite of your builds
When I was in my early 20's....I would be drooling. But now in my 30's, I'm happy with the stock power of my JDM GRB STI.
Been here since the youtuber interview uploads and I just want to say that I was really impressed with how comfortable, practiced, and well done the delivery of the speaking parts were. You guys are great!
I love your videos, can't get enough of your guys' content
I've owned my 06 STi for 14 years, now. Still love it as much as I did when I first got it. It's a blast to drive on the street. They're expensive to build power with but honestly, you shouldn't, anyway. Stay at 400WHP or less and keep it as a fun street-able car and it'll stay as reliable as any other car, assuming you have a good tune. As soon as I saw the previous owner had mods, I was like oh yeah, that's why it blew. So many people mods these cars without realizing you need a tune for every little thing you do that affects fuel or air ratios. Catback + replacement filter for the stock intake are about as much as you can do without a tune.. and never trust the Cobb OTS (Off the shelf) tunes for more than just getting to and from your house to the tuner. I learned that the hard way, when I was still young and new to the Subaru world. I've learned a lot over the years, if anyone has any questions before buying mods, etc feel free to ask and I'll respond as soon as I can!
I’ll just keep my 17 sti stock had a 03 evo modded and a bad tuner and blew the engine and had to buy a new one and had a evo x and didn’t like it but I love my sti plus with a family it’s good stock maybe 10 more years I’ll do something to it
As a Subaru fan this car is amazing!! Crazy how expensive things can get tho
Honestly, the prices aren't much different compared to modding most other modern cars, they just don't make quite the same amount of power others do, per dollar. Unless you're loaded and can afford to replace things at any given moment, staying at 400whp or less and just keeping it a fun street car is ideal, imo.
@@hhaste Thats true. I meant in general modding anything is pricey. But, agreed a nice, safe range for a street car is fun.
@@hhaste there are so many platforms that you can achieve 500whp reliably without spending this much… so many cars now can push this on stock internals with reliability
@@Hondaddy But are those cars AWD and manual with 4 doors? No. No modern car does AWD, turbo, manual sedan with 4 doors and insane aftermarket better than subaru, its the recipe that every car enthusiast wants and it's only possible with a subaru. If honda made their Civic type R AWD then it would probably leave the WRX in the dust, but its FWD. You snooze you lose, honda.
@@Hondaddybut the question is, is one of those options the car you want? I’m sure there’s an old timer somewhere with some nice classic car and can sell it and buy the new thing on the market with 700hp just because there’s something perceived as a better, newer, faster, etc. doesn’t mean that’s what you want.
11:58 I bought a dead 993 911 for 40k, rebuilt the engine for under 9k, did similar cosmetic and performance mods for under 9k more. However the car has now doubled in value not because of the mods, but because of what it is.
but, is it 4 door sedan? 🤣
@@shokreee2617 that’s where the GTI and Golf R come in. 20-35K car price + 15K in mods will get you a well rounded daily, drag and track car that can make 550whp on a stock block.
@@TarzanGTI im prtty sure GTI or R are also not 4 door sedans my friiend
Thanks for breaking down the cost of the build. It makes sense to consider other cars given how much has already been invested. Also I'd say that that logic starts to go out of the window if you ever decided to not keep it as a daily and put more track miles on it. Performance parts on German cars aren't very cheap either.
But German cars are, subjectively, superior 😉
@@CarcassGrater Yes and no. This is coming from someone who'd buy a Cayman GT4 RS if they could. 😊
@@chron151 good luck with the ADM and allocation. I was told a 100k ADM and a 15months wait from a dealer I bought multiple cars from...
@@Yvaneify I hear ya, there's no way I could afford a car like that at this time. I brought it up as an example because it's a unicorn car to me. That said, I'm still going to try and get a lap in at Spa next year 🙂
Aside from the beautiful car and break down. The quality of this content was crisp. Such a vibe and relaxing to watch. You and the team are amazing.! Keep it up.!
One thing I’ll never understand. I’ve been working on Subarus for 5 years now and yes I love them but I’ll never spend that kinda money to make 500hp. Me and my buddies bought a stock Silverado and a eBay turbo with a cam, springs, retainers and an intercooler. It made 670 to the tires for just about 9,000
It's a passion to tune your car bro ;)
Who drops 9k to mod a Silverado? That's one thing I'll never understand
@@mengx94 same thing could be said about any car. Why mod anything at all?
Wow ur cool bro
@@arkram8733 right?? All that cash dropped on mods could buy a stock exotic sports car that'll be garaged and never see over 10k miles!
I have a 2018 STI and was thinking of building it but Ben is right, with that kind of money I can get something far better and very reliable.
Great build though and thank you for this video.
That ending was absolute fire... I can't wait to see the Evo where the Bens have to trade places hearing about all of the comparable options
I'm thinking a new car with warranty is the way to go. No down time while the vehicle is being built, no build issues, no catastrophic failures, no old parts falling apart, and no build costs that dissapear during resale. It used to make sense modifying cars but their increasing complexity and build costs to do a build like this now only puts them into stock territory for new vehicles costing the same. The new vehicle seems like the best value for the money if you can afford it.
Yeah unfortunately the more I learn about car modding, the more I realize I'm just making an expensive and unreliable car while simultaneously decreasing resale value.
Car looks good, loved it. What is your opinion about mcm STI Levorg?
Props to you brother for sticking through and completing the best build I’ve seen for a subie! Amazing stuff
When Ben walked on to the screen at the end I knew it was gonna be gold😂
Subies are really cool but 500 hp on an Evo 7 to 9 can be had for a fraction of what was spent on this build. Regardless, its great that he pursued what he wanted!
Eh, then you don't get the rumble or a better interior.
With the evo you’d need to build the drive train to handle that kind of power. So it would likely be a wash.
Plus it seems a good chunk of his budget was cosmetic items which is obviously up to the particular owner
@@jack073 If you have the 5 speed no you don't. Just a clutch that can handle the power. Built Evo transmission still use factory gear sets.
500hp can also be had on a subaru for a fraction of what was spent on this build, this guy is just retarded
@@adamnixon7232 The noise and interior is better on the Subies for sure lol
This is what happens when you love a certain car to a point where the so called "better options" don't matter and when money is not a big issue. At least Ben built his Subaru to his own standards and didn't care what other people think. I call that a win 👌
Your WRX STI is beautifully clean looking and straight forward with no nonsense exterior. I think it was worth the money and I'd do it if I could afford to spend 75k like that.
That is A LOT of money!!
The car looks great!😍
For that kind of money, Ben now has a completely personalized car that is now Priceless to him. Modification>Stock Manifestation
I like Subaru, I have an STI... but for all that cost I would have gone for like a Cayman GTS
GTS is an absolute weapon and feels almost “too good” at times.
Ben coming in at the end... is precisely the mindset I have now that I've settled on my next car either being a Lotus or cayman
LMFAO that ending was absolutely spot on, so many people would come out of the woodwork to say you spent too much because of car X or Y (actually probably all 26 letters of the alphabet haha)...but it's not about that and it wouldn't be the same. I keep logs of how much I've done or spent on a car but it really doesn't matter to me in the end up to a certain point.
That said I'd never spend that kinda money on an STi 😂😘😂. (it's pretty freaking sweet though)
From the beginning to the end never a dull moment. Excellent!!! Best ending EVER!!
Excellent role by Ben as the voice of the comments section, lol.
I've had my 2011 GV8 for 7 years now. I've done everything except motor and turbo. My car is a daily and 115k+ it is still going with the E85 tune. I'm at the crossroads rn where I need to do the motor and turbo to make more power. I'm with you on over building to keep it reliable. I've already got the ball rolling on my new build but we do have similar parts. That being said, this next evolution of my 2011 STI sedan is going to cost me more than I paid for my car and I think, all of the upgrades I have on it until now. Good ol Cali based Cobb got strong armed by the EPA so I can no longer tune my car through them, given my airpump and tgv deletes. Eventhough I don't need emissions and I do not live in California it still has screwed me over. I do enjoy this video because if you want to make power with a Subie, it is NOT going to be cheap! I've already put about what I paid for my car to get it to where it is at. 115k+ miles daily making 350whp on stock motor and turbo, eveything else to run E85. Motor is only being replaced because I want more power and reliability. That leads me back to why I love this video and build. It is, in essence, what I am doing with my STI. Great build! Great video!
Edit: My goal was to build my Subie to be able to track day it but also spank some V8s as a daily. Every time I've raced anyone it was always driving to work. You need to have that punch at all times.
My wife left me
Ong moment
My dad left me
That's unfortunate
This is so sad
Stay strong. Life goes on.
You can’t put a price on happiness guys, remember that.
Asian bens Evo won’t be much better, if anything more expensive as that’s certainly had its issues aswell:
Pretty much my ideal/dream sti build, well done ben.
Amazing content, and happy for the interesting breakdown!
Personally would never spend 80K on a Subaru, but it's really cool seeing how far you could take a built car that'll get you from A to B vertically across the US without breaking down.
And this is why you're a car enthusiast....anyone with money can buy an expensive exotic or supercar...but a build is unique even if it costs more knowing that it's yours. Part of the journey is tinkering see what works and what doesn't
The ending is basically me to myself, and why I have sort of lost the spark for modifying cars. Its just not worth the money compared to buying a better car. Ben has basically burned 30k even before driving this car.
So Funny when Ben gives a lot of examples of what you can buy with this budget, I don't know if you are aware about other yt motor channels, but was like Joya nunca taxi(jewel never taxicab), moment.
An extra 50k on a 27k car to make it more “reliable”… yea sure.
Beautiful build dude. It makes you happy and that's all that matters.
Not going to lie, I was counting all the car he could have had worth way more before tall ben came out. 100% perfect ending 🤣🤣🤣
Great video. I have a '21 STI and will always have a soft spot for it :) I think it's the best of all worlds where I can do my own maintenance, maintenance fees are reasonable, I can drive it in the winter, AWD, etc. I'll eventually get it up to 400 whp and stop there with this build for my daily.
Great video Ben, I'm currently in the process of building my STI, I'm already have 400whp, but I'm fixing all the mistakes from the previous owner, and I was told after I'm done with what I'm fixing I'll be over 400 wheel. Like you if I end up blowing this motor I have a spare motor that is built to have 600 and I'm only going to 450whp, I'm doing reliability mods, cylinder 4 cooling mod killer b oil pan kit, but I'm also doing a new exhaust set up cause it's all messed up. I'm going ETS exhaust, and fmic
It’s not how much you put in , it’s how fun you have on it , it’s yours and you are the happy one
"More than you can afford, pal. Subaru."
Very well done video, very nice production and I enjoy your stuff. But seriously you totally talked me out of building the Subaru I’m just going to buy a ZL1 😂
I’m over here looking at 200hp Toyota Avalon that I bought for $2.8k
I don't have that kind of passion for cars.
But I respect Ben's passion for that Subaru. I'd still rather have another kind of car for that money though. I wonder what it would be.
If I had the choice, I'd definitely go for the 911 instead of the subaru
Last two minutes are GOLD!!!
The panel gaps on your bonnet are insane. 😂
It's a hood
@@stevenb4799 it's a hood, only in DA HOOD where no one ever speaks proper ENG. In the rest of the world, it's called bonnet ;) ... ( and I'm not even from the UK )
@@stevenb4799 no it’s not. You think the guys who invented you language should know. 😑
@@N911GT2coming from the people that invented the automobile its a hood
That final number made my eyes water, but that built motor is really a special unit.
Ben "so I added a little carbon fiber" Thorn
Love that ending because I can’t comprehend spending that much money on a Subaru. Love watching tho!
Flexing on the poors: a TH-cam car channel tradition
Not understanding how a business is run...a TH-cam comment troll tradition.
Asian Ben has become my favorite of the Ben's lately, i like his demeanor on YT now!
So you almost need to be in the top % of society to buy a fast reliable Subaru? Goes against the entire WRX ethos
Not really lol, he did reliabiity mods, u can build a fast wrx cheaper
@@GoPotato69 he said "fast reliable subaru" not fast subaru
WRXs and even STIs were never intended to make 500whp. Even the top spec rally subarus made 300+ tops. You can make a fast WRX or STI on a track and keep the engine bone stock, they're not made to run 9s at the strip lol with enough money you can make anything fast
And like he said, he didnt use used parts
Underrated comment
After driving my sti stock for over 70k miles I still remember when I thought I would mod my 2009 STI for reliability 😂, all work done by andrewtech, IAG and JRtuned. It’s been nothing but unreliable since then. Cobb flex fuel kit was the most unreliable pos that I required three ethanol sensor replacements. My car never blew up but got hydrolocked after 120k miles cause of my stupid choice to go with a cold air intake. At the end of the day I wish I just stuck with a simple stage 2, not saying it hasn’t been a fun journey but you definitely need deep deep deep pockets. Most people don’t realize that when they first start modding. It just takes one faulty part from an aftermarket company even a reputable one to completely destroy your car. If you want a reliable car keep it stock.
sad to say but this is user issue. I only mod my subie because I live an hour away from the most reputable tuner I know of.... thats the only way you should mod a subie
That's insane, I spent HALF.. and also got mine new, have forged internals, BBS wheels, bigger turbo... wth 😐
AZN Ben took the words right out of my mouth. LOVE the ending
80k.. just looking for a reliable daily? I mean, I love the car but dude, lol. At that price you could get a more reliable daily that is faster, more fuel efficient, handles better, etc. right out of a factory. Sure this is is a "reliable" engine... but you know in the back of your head it isn't even with the best parts.
I love you guys, it's been insane watching this channel jump from less than a hundred k subs to over a million!!!!! that's awesome!!!!!
Are you able to write all of this off in taxes? Been wondering about that
If he’s smart and has a good accountant then absolutely
Probably. At least 40k
They likely can write off almost everything and have sponsors. It’s not free at all just to be clear.
Loved the ending, great work gents!
Wow this has a lot of the same parts as my sti that makes 510whp at 25psi. I also used the best parts for the most reliable build only I had to go with an outfront block since the shop only dealt with them and the engine lasted a whole 6000 miles before it spun a rod bearing. I’m curious about what cars and valve springs you used, don’t think you mentioned it. I e got kelford high lift 282 cans and oversized valves with GSC beehive valve springs. My rods are also rated for 2000 hp but the block is good for about 1000 hp. My sti has over $50k into it not including purchase price.
So what happened, did they warranty that expensive block? Is it reliable now?
@@idokwatcher2062 no, I’m going to have to fix it on my own with quotes starting at $12k
This car sure is worth it coz if Ben bought anything else that comes with more horsepower stock, there wouldn't be such interesting content to watch
Man, the ZE40s looked better than those Cobb wheels
Crazy fan here from Tanzania,Africa following your videos since the first Subaru Legacy u bought that was submerged in water..hahaha..great content.
I was Prairie doggin just waiting for this 😂 #MorningPoopContent
Not knocking or criticism towards what you've done great build. But if you know you're going build one I'd definitely find a older model for a cheap price. For example my bugeye 5k and 30k in mods I've had a reliable 450hp daily I love. Great vid
80k for a Subaru lmao
It goes without saying, the build cost wont matter if it's what you want. However, the ending was perfect hahaha!
wait 14K for a relibale subaru MOTOR > reminds me why i droped them
The friendly bickering is what makes this channel my favorite!
He could have saved a lot of money on this. That engine build is way overkill for 500whp. That's a 900bhp capable long block 😂
LOL man that ending was awesome. i may be facing an engine replacement in my shelby so its very comical and reassuring that i'm not the only idiot that gets stuck with these money pits
Yeap, I went down this path of learning back in the day. $26k for a 36k mile 2005 STI. 8 years later the car made 520whp with 63k miles and I believe 40-50k into it. A large chunk of that was labor which, as time went on I was better about doing stuff myself. And what did I sell the car for? $22,000... That's something they didn't touch on in the video. His car is probably worth 30k. All money down the drain. There is a happy ending to my story though: The reason I sold the 2005 STI? To buy a R32 GTR for $23k.. And now 7 years later, I'm now looking to sell for $60-70k. A wiser investment made. But everyone is young and dumb in the beginning.
Nothing wise, just a strike of luck with the current JDM tax. 7 years ago 32 we're going for as low as 10k pretty regularly
Subarus are reliable. Keep them stock, don't redline shift every time behind the wheel. Respect your car. Do the recommended maintenance. My 06 LGT was extremely reliable. Had it for 14 years from New. Started in the coldest Canadian winters, and it was fun. Not 500hp fun, but with a foot of snow on the ground, 240hp is plenty.
"Very Efficient" he says....didn't this car get 17mpg?
Ben's final word sums every "why" one should ask with how much it costed him to build one: "You'll never understand.."
Holy hell dude. I get it I love the STI as much as the next guy. I just cant justify 50k to gain ~150 horsepower. Its insanity.
To be fair its not 150 HP its 250. Stock the car would make about 260WHP. so 500 is double. And he mentioned that he could have done it for less but he went totally nuts with the build.
Can agree on the leather seat comment, but I love sunroofs, had one on my ek coupe and my Rx8, love the breeze and being able to hear the car from above as well as from the sides
OMG! HOW MUCH ! but really love the fact that you put the real price out there !!!
Clean build. Just got a new motor in mine. Hoping to get close to 500whp but it'll have to wait till spring.