Quote Originally Posted by Xusia View Post
But as I stated before, you got really lucky with your donor (as did I). Others can't expect to get a similar deal. I'm with Metal; I think a $15k car demands a NA Impreza. If you want to use a WRX, you should plan on spending $20k. If you get lucky, great, but you can't really plan to get lucky (if you could, I would have ALREADY won the lottery!)...
Going NA is no guarantee of of staying under 15k either, unless you resist the urge to tweak the engine. In my NA project, I've added a set of cams and springs ($1000), stainless steel ceramic coated EL headers ($1000), ported and polished ceramic-coated intake manifold ($350), and a tuned ECU ($350). So I've already added nearly $3000 in upgrades. It would have been cheaper to have gone with a WRX, and then just leave it completely stock. And the result would have been faster. After I add in a 3k top, I'll be over 20k. And I'm still thinking about a Quaife LSD.

Still, the 15k build can be done, and I think it can be done with either a WRX or an NA donor, if one shops carefully and can exercise financial restraint. I don't know how to do that.

I suppose I could save some money by going with a white car rather than a blue one. I like pristine white, and I think this car will look good that way. If I stay with the blue, I will be obliged to two-tone it, generating at least another $1000 in expenses. But then, it really isn't about saving money. I'm building it the way I want it.