5 Reasons Why You Should Rally a Subaru

Subaru parts are readily available

In North America, finding parts for a Subaru is simple. Plenty of parts are interchangeable across various Subaru models. Most autoparts stores will probably have what you need if you are in a rush to get something fixed. Even if you need to get an OEM part from the dealer, lead times are quick. Subarus have a massive aftermarket as well, especially for rally components, so you do not need to fabricate most parts yourself to turn a Subaru into a race car. For other makes, picking suspension for a rally car can be difficult, most likely because there is no demand for gravel suspension on those cars.

Plenty of documented Subaru builds and repairs

Whether you live on the forums, Facebook groups, or just on Google, you can find content on building a Subaru rally car. Many people have done it before, so it's easy to find free advice online, like right here on this blog! Even if it's not rally related, most questions about the car have been asked before. There is plenty to learn and discover when you search. Getting a factory service manual online is also very simple, and crucial for an involved build.

Many scalable Subaru upgrades

Nothing is stopping you from buying a cheap front wheel drive Subaru Impreza and upgrading it to an all wheel drive turbo monster later on. When you first start, you do not need a turbo or all wheel drive to have fun and be competitive. Starting out slow and incrementing over each season is probably the best way to go about starting in stage rally. Not only because it's cheaper, but also so you know that you are improving as a driver. There aren't a lot of platforms in North America that allow this kind of flexibility without extensive modification. One day you could be an open class competitor in the same car you first started in.

Subarus are not hard to work on

Photo by Connie Sott

When building a rally car, you want to be able to service just about anything. Just in case things goes wrong, you want to be able to easily inspect all mechanical and electrical components. Most components are very easy to get to, especially in my older GC Impreza, so swapping out parts in the service pits should not be a problem. You can also forget special service tools, because you won't need much more than a basic mechanics tool kit.

Easy to make friends

Photo by Connie Sott

There are already a handful of rally teams out there that rally Subarus. This may seem like a bad thing because it will make it harder to standout, but putting that aside, it gives everyone something in common besides simply competing in the same rally. You will be able to find teams that could give you some parts to keep you in the event if something goes wrong. Rallists typically have good sportsmanship and will help you out like that. Also, because your car will be similar to the other Subaru teams, it will be easier to compare your stage times. That will give you a better understanding on how you are improving as a driver. It gets hard to make comparisons with a Fiesta ST, BMW M3, and a VW GTI if you are in the 2-wheel-drive class for example.

I hope you found this post informative! Do you have some other reasons that I am missing? Maybe you didn't have good experiences with a Subaru. Whatever the case may be, I am curious to know. Let me know in the comments below!