|
|
Time to read 9 min
The Subimods team returns with another installment from our “ Special Products Unit ”, a monthly video series designed to enlighten and educate enthusiasts from around the globe about the most popular and most frequently purchased Subaru aftermarket products contained in our vast selection of offerings on Subimods.com . Our customers communicate with us daily about their success stories and their challenges while trying to conquer the demanding journey through the world of Subaru modification. Our team serves our customers with pride and dedication, always delivering the customer service possible. Followers of this series will realize that we work hard to provide accurate information equally supported, when possible, by a companion video presentation designed to educate and inspire.
Once again, the Subimods monthly “Most Wanted List” is based on the previous month’s purchasing data that has been gathered from our customer purchasing behavior, daily communications, and feedback. The latest episode, “ February’s Top Five Most Wanted Products for the 2022 WRX ”, hosted by Subimods CEO and founder Nick Nazzaro, highlights products from Mishimoto , Remark , Gram Lights , SAPart, and XClutch while providing important insight, knowledge, and experience that we hope will be extremely helpful to any enthusiast who is serious about Subaru modifications and wants to ensure their research is accurate and delivered from the mind of a member of the vast Subaru community. Now, let’s run down the Top Five List for February 2024.
The first offering highlighted on our list is from Mishimoto , a familiar name in the automotive world as a provider of products from several categories including performance cooling, exhaust systems, and a wide selection of accessories covering a multitude of brands and models. A product offering that has jumped into popularity lately would not be considered a performance part but proves to be a very helpful addition, or, more accurately, an enhancement to a modification if an enthusiast needs to make some license plate positioning adjustments without being forced to cosmetically alter the surface of the vehicle’s face. The Mishimoto License Plate Holder could be one of the most underrated and simple products one could include in their modification, but to some, will prove to be extremely helpful depending on the vehicle laws at your specific location.
Known to some enthusiasts as a license plate relocation kit, the Mishimoto product provides a great, affordable option for an enthusiast who wants a quality license plate frame that is safe, stable, and legal. “This is designed for those who have…a state regulation where you need to still have the plate, but you don't want to drill holes into the front bumper”, Nazzaro confirms. “This is a good entry level modification…get your feet wet and get something on the car…They offer some adjustment to really make it look like it actually is part of the vehicle - rather than something you put on secondary.” This product protects the cosmetic integrity of the vehicle while providing an elegant look and durable attachment. Mishimoto has designed and manufactured this product with both strength and style in mind by crafting the assembly from rigid, anodized, and powder coated 6061-aluminum material ensuring that once installed, the plate will be secured and stable in any driving condition.
Appearing on our list in the number two slot is a true Subimods customer favorite which has generated a consistent flow of five-star reviews over the past 14 months. The Remark brand is one that always breeds great feedback during our conversations and really opens several options for the Subaru 2022+ WRX driver when investigating an investment towards a sophisticated but affordable quality performance exhaust upgrade. The Remark Stainless Steel Axle Back kit is a great option for those WRX drivers who have not quite decided on a full exhaust system but have the budget to improve their car with a more aggressive vocal exhaust while adding larger exhaust tips for visual impact. The Remark system attaches directly to the factory mid-pipe and includes pipe assemblies, new gaskets, and hardware for both the left and right sides of your car.
As our video presentation shows, this product features 2.5inch, 16-gauge, mandrel bent pipe with 3.5inch, single walled, slant style tips. Remark’s precision manufacturing is seen immediately after this product is taken out of the box – exhibiting quality TIG welded T304 Stainless Steel construction that will provide a durable long life of performance on your car. It will also provide some flexibility. “Let’s say you're a little strapped for cash this month”, Nazzaro explains in the video, “and you have plans to do a Cat Back in the future. Well, this month you can buy your Axle Back, get a nice upgrade in sound…and style, and then, next month, you can add their Mid Pipe to give you that full Cat Back. That's really cool modular ability…and it makes it so that you can really configure your exhaust system the exact way you want it.” Any way you look at it, this product could be a great addition to your modification wish list.
One of the quickest and easiest ways to push off towards a modification journey as a driver and enthusiast is by purchasing a new set of wheels and tires. This gives you an opportunity to place the first four bricks into the car’s visual foundation, its overall personality and style, and, most importantly, set the tone for the vehicles handling and safety moving forward. Choosing a quality set of rims may be the first creative decision an enthusiast makes as they build their vehicle. The next product we bring to the Top Five list is the Gram Lights 57DR wheels in Gloss Black which have delivered style, performance, and satisfaction to many Subimods customers. This product was developed in Japan by Rays as an offering for the overseas marketplace and to produce something new based on the popular Rays 57D, an iconic, classic six-spoke design coveted by a wide range of enthusiasts.
Beyond its look and style, the Gram Lights 57DR was crafted for challenges that confront both the stress and demands of the high-performance sports car and the abuses inflicted on the daily driver under unpredictable road conditions. This product choice has proven its value to many customers by truly melding performance and design to create a strong but lightweight wheel which also provides substantial clearance for most big brake modifications without losing its signature simplistic beauty, no matter what color or finish is selected. “What's cool about Gram Lights as a whole… it is produced from Rays, under their umbrella”, Nazzaro explains, “So, you know you're getting a quality product. You know you're getting a product that's going to last. That's a big concern. You don't want to have any coating coming off the rim in a year. You don't want to have any defects or structural issues if you hit a pothole… so you're getting a very good product.”
Once again, a popular product appears on our list that shouldn’t be categorized under performance, but might, more appropriately, weigh in from the cosmetic column - proving again that a modification can start anywhere, but many begin to simply enhance form, style, personality, and esthetics while having a simple function. The next product on our list adds significant style and compliments the beautiful lines of the 2022+ WRX, but also provides some additional creature comforts when the elements are at their most challenging. The SAPart Carbon Fiber Window Deflectors , or commonly known as “rain guards”, are definitely a popular and extremely helpful addition to any modification while ticking both boxes under form and function. SAPart has woven itself deeply into the popular marketplace which focuses on high quality carbon fiber components for the automotive industry. Because of this focus, they can provide Subimods with a premiere product that is designed to last and appeal to the most creative, stylish, and demanding enthusiast.
The SAPart Carbon Fiber Window Deflectors provide a higher-level upgrade for a driver who requires a product designed with a robust purpose. This is a serious product designed to solve a simple problem. Unlike this product from SAPart, the alternative plastic solutions in the marketplace are not supported by modern materials which have been infused with epoxy composites, carbon/aramid filaments alongside intelligent craftsmanship. “This is a dry carbon fiber rain guard set…a little bit more expensive than, obviously, your ABS plastic stuff…but you are going to get a very unique style upgrade.” Nazzaro confirms. “So, for the 22 WX owner who maybe already has some carbon fiber pieces and wants to have that most premium product while still having the protection of a rain guard, the SAPart is the one for you”, he adds. “An emerging product that we're definitely going to keep our eyes on.”
The final entry on our February Top Five touches on the part of the vehicle that even the most experienced enthusiast does not place on the top of their modification wish list. The vehicle’s clutch system is not the sexiest conversation subject when you are sitting in a circle of enthusiasts at your favorite event or comparing notes at the coffee shop with your friends. Talking about replacing or even upgrading the clutch system is usually in the wake of a performance trauma either on the track or during the daily drive. “A lot of people kind of look at clutches as something that, you know – ‘Well, I'll deal with it when I have to deal with it’, right?”, Nazzaro advises, “But, at the end of the day if you're pushing the car past what it's designed to do- from a stock perspective- you're really going to want to look at upgrading the clutch before you have a failure right no one wants their car stuck and no one really wants to deal with an un an unplanned expense like a clutch.
XCLUTCH has been a major contributor to the performance market for over two and a half decades. A division born from Australian Clutch Services, the manufacturer of our last featured product, the XCLUTCH Stage 1 Organic Sprung Clutch Kit , designs performance clutch solutions for both street and track, but has laser focus on quality testing, endurance, and stability while providing a wide range of options spanning single plate, heavy duty clutches for road driving to carbon clutches suited for the demanding track performance and drag race vehicles. The XCLUTCH Stage 1 Organic Sprung Clutch was engineered for those drivers wishing to upgrade their OEM system, improve performance, enhance the shifting experience, and ensure stability when the vehicle is put through demanding scenarios. XCLUTCH provides everything the driver needs within this upgrade kit, including the flywheel, pressure plate, the release bearing, the pilot bearing, the clutch disc, and the handy alignment tool for an efficient installation. This is a smartly designed clutch kit that will not only improve performance and amplify safety, but also take your driving experience to a new level. “This is an organic disc so you're going to have nice smooth engagement,” Nazzaro confirms, “You're not going to have a lot of chatter… you're not going to have a lot of feedback, but you're going to get those benefits of having that product on the vehicle.”
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
{"one"=>"Select 2 or 3 items to compare", "other"=>"{{ count }} of 3 items selected"}
