andrewcox047 Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Greetings, I am a broke highschool student who is looking to mod my 1990 Legacy LS sedan, it is not my own right now it's still my parents but i do plan on buying it from them when I start working later this month. I am aware of the options I can have like boosting it or building the whole thing, but I'm not trying to blow it up because I need it for school and for it to be reliable. Any brands for stuff like exhaust's, intakes, cometics, and other smaller stuff. I am willing to listen to most ideas and eventually I will take pic of it and upload them but I have to make the effort. But anyways, any brands to look forward too for mods and certain mods are accept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) There is essentially no aftermarket for a 1990 Legacy. You can have exhaust custom made, but don't expect it to provide any performance benefit - it really will not. DO NOT change the intake in ANY way. Don't change the airbox, don't even put in a fancy air filter (especially not some oiled garbage like K&N). You will throw off the calibration of the MAF sensor and you will ABSOLUTELY lose power and fuel economy. You can't change the intake on a MAF vehicle without being able to tune it, and you can't tune a 1990 Legacy without spending way more than the car is worth. You can buy a lift kit. That's about it. Everything else has to be custom. Don't try to stick a turbo on it - besides the fact that this will cost a small fortune for someone in your financial position, the results will be spectacularly bad... if it runs at all. And if you succeed you will just blow the engine up - the compression is too high, etc. Basically just drive it and enjoy it for what it is. Basic transportation. Which is all that 99.9% of these will ever be. GD Edited January 24, 2020 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Broke and mods don’t go in the same sentence! What you can do is basic maintenance things - quality spark plugs and leads. Suspension handling is an area you could look into. There are parts out there second hand that will improve the handling of the vehicle. Suspension bush replacement could be a good option too. But really, how long are you looking at keeping the vehicle for? If you’re moving it on in a few years just save your coin for the next vehicle and get what you want in a factory package Cheers Bennie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 the good news is nothing can really be done to that car so you can do whatever you want and have the same end results...or a little worse...or imperceptibly better. Not worth it. that is One of the best cars Subaru made for reliability. Use that for experiences (hobbies friends road trips), build a career, learn basic mechanics, save cash and pay cash for everything later and later you’ll be miles ahead of throwing away money on upgrades now. A car doesn’t make a person cool, no matter how much it may look or seem like it. There is no shortage of cool a55 people not defined by a car. There’s infinite ways to get a thrill which are more interesting than pushing a gas pedal. Wow, a person can push a gas pedal - that’s cute. LMAO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 agree with the others, there is pretty much nothing you can do to that car that wont be more cost & headache than actual "upgrade" the only thing I would do would be a mild lift. I had a 90 LS wagon and that car, in bone stock form, was a little tank. I would love to have another one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 snow tires Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Put a stereo and a poorly-installed subwoofer box in it like the other kids and call it a day. If you're only sort-of broke, get some tires better suited to your needs/wants (all-terrain, or high performance). There are some simple brake swaps from slightly newer Subarus that can usually be procured for cheapish (although usually require larger wheels and therefore new tires). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester2002s Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) Enjoy your car! Just do basic maintenance, especially for safety-related items, brakes, tires, lights etc. And stay safe! Above all else, don't drink and drive! Just say No. Your friends will respect you for it. Know that your age and gender could put you at high risk of an accident. Don't be a statistic. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html EDIT: Sorry if this sounds like preaching. But I had 3 boys, and they all had accidents soon after getting their first cars. Fortunately nothing serious. Edited January 24, 2020 by forester2002s 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) you can make it more fun to toss around the corner; stickier tires, new struts, maybe stiffer springs and perhaps a rear anti-sway bar upgrade, lighter-weight rims are a good way to free-up a pony or two AND personalize the car. don't carry unnecessary weight in the car. find the local SCCA chapter and auto-cross the car. fun, cheap, safe. Edited January 25, 2020 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewcox047 Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 On 1/23/2020 at 11:08 PM, el_freddo said: Broke and mods don’t go in the same sentence! What you can do is basic maintenance things - quality spark plugs and leads. Suspension handling is an area you could look into. There are parts out there second hand that will improve the handling of the vehicle. Suspension bush replacement could be a good option too. But really, how long are you looking at keeping the vehicle for? If you’re moving it on in a few years just save your coin for the next vehicle and get what you want in a factory package Cheers Bennie I plan on keeping it as long as possible so whenever it dies it dies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewcox047 Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 18 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said: you can make it more fun to toss around the corner; stickier tires, new struts, maybe stiffer springs and perhaps a rear anti-sway bar upgrade, lighter-weight rims are a good way to free-up a pony or two AND personalize the car. don't carry unnecessary weight in the car. find the local SCCA chapter and auto-cross the car. fun, cheap, safe. Yeah, most of the stuff i want to do cosmetically is very mild and i might just end up rallying it later but its all about the timing of its death lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Pin Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Do the dull basics first. Get good wipers, make sure the brakes and tires are good. Maybe upgrade the stereo and speakers and then just drive it and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) as said above, catch-up on maintenance, give it some TLC, go thru and refresh all the ground connections, maybe a new PCV valve, maybe a spray-type SeaFoam treatment (with the u-turn nozzle) , a can of Techron in the next fill-up. If you do plugs, stay with NGK. Brake pads should be name-brand ceramic. any 'system' you work on, search/ask here first for tips/tricks. stickier tires may be the best upgrade you can make. Edited January 26, 2020 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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