Sell 92 TSI AWD or upgrade/mod? Could use some suggestions & cost info...

[Gromit]

I've got a 92 Talon TSI AWD with 89k on it (actually, it's my wife's car). She is original owner & it has been used as a daily driver, although minimally as we carpool most of the time. We have been considering selling it & purchasing a Subaru WRX STI (you know, something that screams "Mid-Life Crisis"). Stumbled upon this site & are now seriously considering upgrading/modding the Talon instead.

The car is in super condition - well-cared for, no obvious rust issues, virtually problem-free the whole time we've owned it. Most likely the 6-bolt version as she ordered it from the factory & got it early in the model year. Have looked at the Tuning Guide & would like to go the route of the Stage 1 upgrade (looking for around 300 hp which is what the Subie has) & the Handling Upgrade. Want something fun for the weekends. However, no time or know-how to do it myself.

Was hoping for an idea of what this would all cost. And could we conceivably get another 10+ years out of the car if it was driven a similar amount to its 1st 14 years? Interior is fine & only needs a cleaning. Exterior would get a new paint job to take care of small chips & scratches. Basic tune-up, belt/hose replacement, etc. probably needs to be done due to the fact that the car is 14 years old. Tires are good but rims are the optional factory alloy versions & Michigan roads have not been kind to them. Biggest concern is probably whether or not there is any rust we cannot obviously see.

The Subie is around $32k. If we could put $10-15k into the Talon (keeping in mind we have to pay for the labor) & get a car that is comparable in power & handling & also last another 10 yrs. then we'd be glad to keep it. Any suggestions for a reputable shop in the metro-Detroit area that does this kind of work?

 

[weith1111]

Keep the talon. A 300hp modded 1g is quicker, faster, and more fun than a 300hp stock Sti. Trust me. I can't stand driving my brother's subie anyway!

It's just a completely different feel. I will never give up my car until something else feels like it.

You mod costs to get to 300hp are going to be minimal, a couple grand tops. You biggest adversary is going to be the body. Repainting can be $500 to $5000, and if there is rust or body repair, you could add another couple grand, depending on how good you want the work and paint to be.

 

[dherron]

Another thing is that if you stay with the talon you wont be shipping cars to the mechanic anymore, you will be the mechanic. they are just so fun to fiddle with. Keep the talon. My FWD has toasted those way overrated evos and sti's. And i only have 6k in it.

 

[Flip_4G63]

I would keep the Talon.. If you where willing to learn some stuff that would save you ALOT of money! ALthough most of the stuff you will be adding is very easy! 300 hp is very easy to get from these cars. There are install write ups for alot of the things you would be looking at so that might be something to look at. (If you have time)

Will it last? My 95GST i just sold had around 350hp and was sitting at 186xxx miles so sure it can as long as you keep up with everything..

Another thing STi's They "howl" doing freeway speeds Something about there wing just lets out this ungodly sound..

Good luck!

Welcome to the forums!

Flip

 

[~laser_craver~]

Ive handed it to many sti's before and 1 evo and im maybe pushing 300hp..... Im guessing im somewhere near 270-280 tho.... STI's are cool and can be fast but in stock form they are way overrated seriously... And if you put 15k into your talon I promise you thats a 10second car if you play your cards right... But remember you cant just put parts on tuning it it where youll get all your power .

 

[Boost Demon]

Yes, it's a keeper given the fact that its been cared for so well. You can do all the bolt-ons yourself and see a big difference in performance (bigger turbo/fuel pump/injectors/AFPR/FMIC/intake/gauges). After that you may want someone to do your clutch/flywheel as the stock parts won't be to happy with the power gains, good luck.

 

[weith1111]

She is original owner

=KEY. You know it hasn't been f'ed with or not been taken care of. I'd kill to be an original owner.

 

[dsmgrimreaper]

keep it for $10-$15k you could have a really fun car and it doesnt cost all that much to mod it so if your willing to spend $10k on it that could cover the mechanic and the mods, but it might be a good idea to learn how to work on the car yourself its pretty fun sometimes plus when something goes wrong youll have a better understanding of it.

 

[Gromit]

Hey, thanks for all the replies so far - lots of good info. Pretty much confirms what we already thought. The more I dig around this website the more I see what a hidden treasure we've got. Seems like biggest problem will be finding someone in this area who can do the work (not too many performance racing shops listed in the Yellow Pages). We've even got the original service manuals but I just don't have the time available right now with current work & family situation to tackle a project like this myself. Any suggestions on where to take it in the metro-Detroit area?

 

[Flip_4G63]

Hey, thanks for all the replies so far - lots of good info. Pretty much confirms what we already thought. The more I dig around this website the more I see what a hidden treasure we've got. Seems like biggest problem will be finding someone in this area who can do the work (not too many performance racing shops listed in the Yellow Pages). We've even got the original service manuals but I just don't have the time available right now with current work & family situation to tackle a project like this myself. Any suggestions on where to take it in the metro-Detroit area?

I think your best bet would be finding some one that has a modded DSM in your area. And asking him to do the work if you pay him.. If you can't find a shop around there.. I don't trust any one with my car repairs/mods so i do it all my self..

 

[Nelsons91AWD]

Alright, i would check around and look to find a good mechanic that is trustworthy, fair and knowledgeable to do your work. Then get all your work done through them.

300 WHP can be acheived with bolt ons no sweat. Just do your research before you order the parts. Look at reviews and it looks like your following the tuning guide already wich is great.

As far as running your car for another 10 years, you are going to need to put money aside for the Sh** happens fund. Its always a good idea.

You might not need it. But i would look into, an engine rebuild. Especially since you plan on putting it through another 10 years.

Good Luck

 

[will90Eclipse]

Keep the Talon, find a good shop to do the work and go kick some Sti ass

Just make sure you post some pics after the build so we can see the STi killer

 

[Black94DSM]

Man you might have a really good treasure that you dont know about. Find out if that thing is a 6/4 bolt combo, that would really be kick ass!

Looks like your pretty close to me, maybe you can come up to some off the meets around this summer. Might wanna check out this site as its for the local car community in Michigan. www.xceedspeed.com Alot of DSM guys on that site too.

Good luck with the car if you decide to keep her.

 

[Gromit]

Lots of good ideas here from everyone. Made a couple calls & found 1 place nearby that sounds promising - Godspeed, Inc. in Farmington Hills. They do a lot of work on STI's, EVO's & other AWD platforms. Sounded like they were pretty familiar with DSM's & had all the parts & equipment, including an AWD Dyno. Hoping to get out there this weekend & talk to the guy & see what we're looking at. They can also recommend a body shop where we can have the chassis checked out for rust.

Also heard of another place in Troy called Payn Technologies. Didn't get a chance to call them yet. Anyone heard of either of these 2 places?

Will have to do some more digging around here & read the parts reviews & also try to find out for sure if it's a 6 bolt.

The STI was fun to test drive, but being near Detroit there aren't a lot of Subaru dealers & not a lot of STI's on the lots. This means no one wants to deal on them - won't even come down off sticker price. Makes keeping the Talon more & more appealing. If we follow the Handling Upgrade guide will the Talon have a similarly "tight" feel like the STI?

 

[LA97GST]

Wow I would kill for a 83k 92 AWD! And yes our cars reaspond extremely well to suspension upgrades. You won't get the brand new sports car smmothness but it will be on rails. You have the most desirable DSM in my eyes and I'm sure quite a few others. That shop sounds awesome. No more needing to switch to 2wd for dyno days. Have fun with it. DSM's arn't a hobby, they're a lifestyle.

 

[falcone4g63]

If you would be willing to take the 2 hour drive, Buschur Racing is always an option.

 

[speedy13]

yeah buschur could set up your car nicely.like LA97gst said,you can make it handle like an sti,but don't expect smoothness of a new car.your mpg will go to shit too.but who cares,you got a dsm.You might wanna check out septmember of 2005 sport compact car magazine.they show budget cars,go 12's for under $10k or something. anyways,this guy got about 400 WHP for under 10k,thats including labor and its a daily driver.Its just inspiring.I think the sti is an awsome car but i would rather have a dsm with the same power output if i could.good luck with your project and kep us posted.

 

[Black94DSM]

Lots of good ideas here from everyone. Made a couple calls & found 1 place nearby that sounds promising - Godspeed, Inc. in Farmington Hills. They do a lot of work on STI's, EVO's & other AWD platforms. Sounded like they were pretty familiar with DSM's & had all the parts & equipment, including an AWD Dyno. Hoping to get out there this weekend & talk to the guy & see what we're looking at. They can also recommend a body shop where we can have the chassis checked out for rust.

Also heard of another place in Troy called Payn Technologies. Didn't get a chance to call them yet. Anyone heard of either of these 2 places?

Will have to do some more digging around here & read the parts reviews & also try to find out for sure if it's a 6 bolt.

The STI was fun to test drive, but being near Detroit there aren't a lot of Subaru dealers & not a lot of STI's on the lots. This means no one wants to deal on them - won't even come down off sticker price. Makes keeping the Talon more & more appealing. If we follow the Handling Upgrade guide will the Talon have a similarly "tight" feel like the STI?

Godspeed is a good place to go, but its not called that now. Its called The Tuning Factory, they merged with autowerks.

Payne Tech is no longer, they were robbed and are having a hard time revamping. So they are just trying to sell the name/business.

Like i said before, check out the site i gave you, it will be VERY helpfull for any of your quesitions in Michigan

 

[My96AWD]

I would be willing to do some work on your car. Private message be and we can discuss what you want, from mild to extreme.

 

[Gromit]

Thanks for the continued tips & suggestions. The handling like its on rails is what I was looking for. I will check out that site you mentioned, Black94DSM - ran out of time after reading through a bunch of old posts here. Will also look into Buschur Racing - good to have a few different options. The magazine article falcone4g63 mentioned sounds like its worth checking out, too. And thanks for the offer to do some work, My96AWD - if these shops don't pan out I may take you up on it.

 

[Dream On]

And to check if its a 6 bolt, just look on the door jamb sticker. If its before 5/92, then its a six bolt. May of 92 could be a 6 bolt as well, but my 6/92 car is a 7 bolt. Wanna trade cars?

 

[weith1111]

your mpg will go to shit too.

Please don't post misinformation. Your gas mileage will be fine. I am running SUPER rich and manage 19-20 city stop and go driving. Once I get my fuel issues straightened up, I will expect 25 on the highway easily.

Folks on here running 11's and 12's can and will get 20+ all the time.

The biggest influence on your gas mileage is going to be how often your foot is on the floor.

 

[Gromit]

I was just about to look throught the site to see if there was an easy way to determine 6 bolt or 7 bolt - thanks for the tip on the door jamb sticker, Dream On. My wife says she took delivery of the car from the factory in May 92 so that's why we're fairly sure it's likely a 6 bolt. Will check the sticker.

Sorry, Dream On, no dice on the trade. We had originally planned to sell it for Blue Book to a guy we work with - he's been bugging us for a couple years about it. Wants to get it for his kid who is only 10 yrs. old right now. Think he's going to be a bit disappointed that we're keeping it, especially the 1st time he sees it after the mods!

Gas mileage was a concern, but it's not like the STI gets great gas mileage, either. Nice to know if properly tuned & not driven by a total leadfoot then gas mileage will be comparable to what we're getting now. And we're already accustomed to using premium gas for the last 14 years so it's not like that'll be a shock, either. And since we won't be depending on the car as daily transport a little sacrifice in mpg won't hurt too bad.

 

[Black94DSM]

This is an easy way to find out if its a 6 bolt or 7 bolt motor.

http://vfaq.com/mods/early-late-engine.html

Basically feel the oil pan just uner the crank gear. If it steps inwards towards the pass side its a 7 bolt, if it goes outwards towards the driver side its a 6 bolt.

 

[Gromit]

Yeah, I was looking at that link yesterday, as well as the 1000 DSM Questions site. Didn't have a chance to check the oil pan. The door sticker says manufacture date was 4/27, so it's right in that grey area of transtion from 6-bolt to 7-bolt. Guess I'll find out when I check the oil pan tonight. Hoping to get to the Tuning Factory this weekend & see what they've got to say.