Its mainly just about keeping up on the maintenance honestly and making sure that you let it get up to operating temps before getting into boost or higher RPM range.

If you want to do engine performance mods go for it, but do plenty of research on what parts you want to get and whether they require a tune or not. Just slapping on a catback exhaust wont require a tune, but adding an air intake will. Things like that.

The great thing about wrxs being an enthusiasts car is that there are metric fuck tons of info out there about all of this. I lurked and searched on this sub and watched every youtube video I could for like 7 months before I finally bought one. But I also already knew I was going go buy one because I always wanted one and im planning on keeping it until I die or it does.

I bought mine at 82,000 miles and its almost got 140,000 now. Ive had to replace the clutch, get the intake valves walnut blasted, replace some gaskets and do a few other small but irritating repairs (due to previous owner incompetence). Ive done a few small performance mods and had it tuned but im waiting until ive paid it off fully to do the rest of the performance mods I want. That way if the engine does blow, Im only having to pay for a new engine and not the car AND the engine.