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2012 WW Ralliart - my first car modding project

6K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  illariskustvo 
#1 ·
When I got my 2012 Ralliart a year and a half ago I didn't have any prior experience with car modding (I had mostly messed around with computers), but it was always a hobby I wanted to try. While I liked the stock car a lot, watching shows like MCM gave me enough motivation to get started on the long and bumpy road of making it even better.

I've had the exhaust installed professionally (I don't have a garage, so installing stuff under the car is impossible), but I've been able to do everything else myself thanks to browsing awesome forums like this one. Reading a lot and making a plan has been very useful so far and I'd say the car is finally starting to take shape.

My purpose for the build is to keep the stock turbo and build the car around responsiveness, handling, and power for daily driving and some fun on twisty mountain roads without making it too loud or hurting the ride quality. I started with better tires and a stock tune and since then have been replacing all the restrictive piping. This month I brought the power part of the project to near completion, so brakes and suspension are next.

Stock car:



Current mods:

Performance:
- Evo X OEM BOV
- Evo X OEM Intercooler
- Ultimate Racing UICP and LICP
- TurboXS high-flow cat
- CP-E downpipe
- Magnaflow catback
- Cobb Stage 2 93 tune



Wheels and tires:
- Enkei Raijin Hyper Silver 18x8 +45mm, Michelin Pilot Super Sport 235/40/18 (summer)
- Steel 16x6.5 +42mm rims, Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT 215/60/16 (winter)



Interior:
- Jensen VM9725BT radio/NAV with American International dash kit and AXXESS ASWC-1 steering wheel control adapter
- WeatherTech Black FloorLiner Digital Fit Floor Mats
- Genius DVR-FHD590 dash cam



Exterior:
- Red Plasti Dip on front and rear Mitsubishi emblem
- White Plasti Dip on engine cover
- RallyArmor mudflaps





Future mods:

Suspension:
- Whiteline front & rear sway bars (24 rear, 26 front)
- Swift Mach Sport springs

Brakes:
- WORKS SS Brake Line Kit
- StopTech Power Alloy Cryo-Treat Rotors
- Hawk HPS Street Brake Pads
- StopTech STR-600 Street Brake Fluid
 
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#3 ·
I've thought about it, but for my purpose they are a too much money with too little return. I don't race the car and I want to lower it as little as possible due to personal preference and the long and snowy winters in Canada (thus the Swift springs).
 
#6 ·
The brutal Canadian winter is over, so it was time to resume working on the car. For starters I installed a boost pill (using pliers at the back of the engine bay was a pain btw) and switched to a Stage 2 GST tune. I love the AccessPort, but the OTS maps for the Ralliart are shit in terms of SST management and I didn't feel like paying my tuner $200 just to fix that. Car is way nicer now - power deliver and shifts feel way better.

Hopefully I'll get some aftermarket springs installed in the next 2-3 months.
 
#9 ·
I installed a set of Swift springs yesterday. This mod was a huge pain since some of the nuts were pretty rusted (I blame Canadian winters for that), so it took like 6 hours for me and a couple of friends to do the whole job. However, I'd say it was definitely worth the effort. The springs lower the car just enough, so it doesn't scrape anywhere, but make a huge difference in terms of handling. Ride quality stayed the same.

Here's a picture of the car as it is now:

 
#10 ·
Good to see you make a build thread for your car. Looking good man, I wouldnt get lowering springs just because your suspension will wear quicker. Go with coils for sure.
 
#11 ·
If these were different springs, I'd agree with you, but the Swift ones have a very mild drop (1.2 front, 1 rear) with huge returns in handling, so trade-offs are minimal. If anything, they're not going to sag as much as the stock or other aftermarket suspensions due to the material used. Swift is kind of famous for making springs that perfect the existing stock suspension of cars for daily driving, especially for people who are not looking for a slammed look and want to keep the factory ride quality.
Coilovers are cool and all, but I really wouldn't get more out of them for my purpose and they are a lot more expensive if I want to get decent quality.
 
#12 ·
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