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UPDATE: I pulled one of the injector plugs and hooked up my voltage meter. I got 12V+ then put the meter's prong into the other receptor and turned the key. The car fired up! I put the plug back on and cycled through a few starts just to make sure it was not a fluke. I am perplexed as to why it had not ran numerous times before but now it works so I am stoked. I have a P0270 code (cylinder 4 injector control circuit low) that was not there when I was previously attempting to start it. I hope I did not damage the plug while inserting the meter prong. Maybe it threw that code since I had the plug removed and has not yet reset. I should have erased the code and see if it comes back. That will be my next step when I head back out to the barn.

Or accept that manuals (for subarus anyway) are likely to need more maintenance and repairs like you’re describing and keep rolling. I don’t always avoid manuals and don’t steer people from them as a rule - but I think it’s helpful to at least be clear and make an informed decision about facts. It’s common for people to think manuals are cheaper, lower maintenance, more reliable, have better torque, or are better for towing - which is all a big load of archaic hippo shat for Subarus. I drive XT6s as daily drivers - I can do it relatively inexpensively and reliably but I’m not kidding myself thinking they’re “better” than thousands of other options. I just know them well enough to accept it and circumvent some downsides. Same with manuals. Im speaking for Subarus - I have no idea if other manufacturers are similar or not.

Do whatever you want! I get that yours won’t see snow probably. But Id get whichever exhaust is less rust prone. All else being equal the single will have fewer welds and flanges and hangers to rust. Some mods are incredibly practical like seats orlights or lifting or racing. It’s a cool relic, particularly for the NE, and they’re simple and reliable. Keeping it stock has strong merit. Modding is fine sometimes and who doesn’t like to tinker sometimes. what I’ve felt with my XT6s is that the modding “feeling” is way more in the planning and installing phase and basically zero afterwards. I like larger tires and a little lift and that’s about it for practical reasons. A good solid older machine is stand alone cool in stock form. As an extreme example, an amazing condition stock brat shines over a great condition highly modified one unless you’re in some particular crowd like the civic communities predisposed to highly modified civics.

@somick @DaveT had a buddy come over who knows wiring a little better. Traced it back to a bad ecu. There wasn’t power getting to the ignitor or coil from the ecu. Also noticed that the check engine light wasn’t coming on at all when I turned the key on. Took the ecu apart and found 3-4 diodes burn up, run a jump wire between one of the bigger diodes near pin 27 and the check engine light flashed on. I will be ordering a replacement soon and posting the (hopefully successful) update. Thank you guys!