l have an 08 Impreza 2.5i with a 5-speed manual...it is pretty basic, and l love subaru for that, but l was wondering if there were any ways to give it a little more...zip. I've been reading about short-ram CAI's...but to no avail. Every person is comment contradicts the next. Any small horsepower boost matters, and any help is greatly appreciated, but if nobody has any great suggestions, l love my suby just the same =)

Sign up to Nasioc.com, there is a specific subforum for NA Impreza modification, lots of Subaru mechanics, tuners, & dealers on there. Pretty much anything u can think of has been done with proven gains & results, daily driver mods to full out track motors, few people r pushin 250-300+NA hp (fully forged & balanced mind you) so they will know more than most people here.
It should have all the info u could want.

You might also want to check rs25.com, originally started as an NA only forum for North America before the WRX came.

Good luck

Start with a catback exhaust and lightened crank pulley, then look into a computer upgrade. Check to see if there is an intake silencer in the front fender. WRXs had these, l do not know about your 08. Remove this and add a panel filter (Perrin, K & N) to your airbox.

exhaust and intake for a little more hp.

Your basic bolt ons r cold air intake, header, high flow cat, cat back exhaust & a lightened crank pulley. All together with quality parts will cost u about $2000. Realistically u will gain about 15hp. Is it worth it? Maybe for a couple weeks but then u get used to it & not feel the gain any more. My friend is stuck with an RS & we have gone through this so if he had to do it again, we would forget the power mods & go all out on the suspension. Good set of coilovers, fat sway bars & end links, & a good set of tires & it will out handle WRX is & STI's. Check out RS25.com for N/A tuning info & Rallitek & Cobb r good vendors with N/A support.
s with stock suspension easily.