The 2019 WRX is a turbocharged boxer that rewards diligent maintenance and punishes neglect hard. The FA20DIT is chain-driven so no belt anxiety, but this engine is oil-picky, runs hot from the turbo, and eats through conventional oil faster than the factory schedule admits. Your first dollars need to go toward safe lifting gear, because getting under this car unsupported is how people get killed — and the WRX's lower ride height rules out a lot of cheap jacks. After that, a solid metric socket set and scanner will cover 80% of what you'll actually need to do on this thing.
Timing-chain engine — no belt interval to worry about. However, the FA20DIT has documented oil consumption issues and is sensitive to oil quality. The engine uses a cartridge-style oil filter housing on top of the engine requiring a specific 64.5mm cap wrench — do not try this with channel-locks or you will crack a $150 housing. The boxer layout sits low in the engine bay and the car's 5.1" ride height makes floor jack selection critical.
Brand: Arcan | Category: Lifting | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
This is the correct jack for a WRX. The 3.5" minimum saddle height clears the WRX's low rocker panels where a standard 5.5" minimum jack physically cannot fit. The aluminum construction saves 20+ lbs compared to steel — you will be dragging this out for every oil change and tire rotation. Dual pump pistons mean fast lift without exhausting your arm. The 3-ton rating gives you a 1.75x safety margin on a 3,400 lb car. This is a buy-once tool — do not compromise here.
Alternative: Budget alt: Pittsburgh 3-ton low-profile steel jack at Harbor Freight ~$90. Functional, but weighs 68 lbs vs. 56 lbs for the Arcan and the long-term valve reliability is inferior. Acceptable if budget is truly critical.
Brand: ICON | Category: Lifting | Store: Harbor Freight | Priority: CRITICAL
Harbor Freight's premium stand line and it earns the badge. Six-ton rating gives you a 3.5x safety margin on a 3,400 lb WRX. The wide tripod base and notched pin lock are genuinely confidence-inspiring compared to the wobbly 3-ton alternatives. Never work under a car on a floor jack alone — the jack is for lifting, the stands are for supporting. Buy these before anything else on this list.
Brand: Camco | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Chock the rear wheels every time you lift the front, and vice versa. The WRX's handbrake and first gear do NOT replace chocks — a vehicle in gear can still roll off a stand if bumped. This is a $15 insurance policy against a several-thousand-dollar repair bill or worse. No exceptions.
Brand: Uvex | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Wear them every time you go under the car. The WRX boxer drips on you from the oil pan, the suspension throws rust flakes in your face, and brake dust will find your eyes. The Skyper wraps around and actually stays on your face — unlike cheap safety glasses that perch on the end of your nose and fall off the moment you tilt your head up under the car.
Brand: First Alert | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
The FA20DIT is a turbocharged direct injection engine. Fuel lines run near a hot turbocharger and manifold — a pinhole leak in a boost hose near a hot component can escalate to a serious fire in seconds. Keep this mounted on the wall near your garage door, not buried under a workbench. ABC-rated handles fuel, electrical, and ordinary combustible fires. Mount it with a bracket, not on a shelf.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Sockets | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The WRX is all-metric, all the time — you won't need a single SAE socket for any stock fastener on this car. This set covers all three drive sizes with ratchets and extensions included: 1/4" drive for delicate sensor connectors and trim clips, 3/8" drive for 90% of underhood work, and 1/2" drive for lug nuts and suspension hardware. Tekton's chrome vanadium is properly spec'd — these sockets won't round off on corroded metric fasteners. Buy from Amazon or Tekton.com direct to avoid gray market sets.
Alternative: Budget alt: GearWrench 80942 1/4" and 3/8" combo set ~$65. Misses the 1/2" drive but the ratchets are marginally smoother. Add a 1/2" drive separately.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Sockets | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The WRX's 19mm lug nuts are torqued to 89 ft-lbs from the factory — a ratchet won't break them loose. This is the tool for that job and for any other seized fastener your impact can't handle. The flex head lets you change the working angle to fit in tight spots under the car. Buy this before you need it at the side of the road.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Torque | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
Mandatory for wheel reinstallation at 89 ft-lbs, brake caliper bolts at 59 ft-lbs, and the FA20DIT oil drain plug at 31 ft-lbs. Tekton's click wrench is ±4% accurate out of the box and will stay that way if you follow one rule: back the setting to minimum after every single use. Leaving it set under tension ruins the calibration spring over time. Every beginner learns this the hard way — now you don't have to.
Alternative: Budget alt: Pittsburgh 1/2" drive torque wrench at Harbor Freight ~$30. Accurate out of the box but loses calibration faster under regular use.
Brand: Wera | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
Every other screwdriver feels like a broomstick after you use a Wera Kraftform. The ergonomic multi-component handle reduces hand fatigue on stubborn fasteners and the laser-tip surface bites into screw heads without cam-out. You will use the #2 Phillips constantly — battery connectors, intake airbox bolts, interior trim panels. Covers #1, #2, #3 Phillips and flat heads. The extra $30 over a hardware store set is worth it on the first job.
Alternative: Budget alt: Wiha 26190 6-piece set ~$40. Excellent quality and a firmer feel — slightly less ergonomic than Wera but a legitimate alternative.
Brand: Knipex | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The greatest hand tool ever made. Push-button adjustment locks the jaw in one motion — no fumbling with serrated slide channels like a Channellock. The self-locking jaw geometry means it physically cannot slip under load. You need this for hose clamps, radiator cap removal, coolant line fittings, and any soft hex fitting you don't want to round. The WRX's turbo cooling system involves a lot of hose clamp work. Buy this now and your Channellocks become emergency-only spares.
Alternative: If truly cash-constrained: Channellock 430 7" ~$22. Gets the job done but you will curse it.
Brand: Launch | Category: Diagnostic | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The WRX's FA20DIT is a complex turbocharged engine with AWD drivetrain electronics. When the check engine light comes on — and it will — you need more than a $15 code reader. The CRP129E reads and clears codes across engine, transmission, ABS, and SRS, plus streams live data so you can watch boost pressure, fuel trims, and MAF readings in real time. The $15 generic OBD readers miss ABS and SRS codes entirely. The CRP129E pays for itself the first time it saves you a $150 dealer diagnostic fee.
Alternative: Budget alt: Launch CRP123X ~$80. Covers the four main systems but has less live data capability. Acceptable starting point.
Brand: Lumax | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Harbor Freight | Priority: MEDIUM
The WRX holds approximately 5.4 quarts of oil with a filter change. The FA20DIT oil drain plug is at the bottom of the engine — position this pan before you crack the plug, not after. The wide low-profile design catches drips from across the oil pan without spillage. Don't try to catch oil in a random bucket — you'll spill it, you'll spend 20 minutes cleaning the garage floor, and you'll do it again.
Brand: Ryobi | Category: Power Tools | Store: Home Depot | Priority: HIGH
For a beginner with no existing battery platform, the Ryobi ONE+ ecosystem is the right starting point. This kit comes with a 4Ah battery and charger — the Milwaukee or DeWalt equivalent with batteries included runs $280–330. The HP Brushless motor delivers 450 ft-lbs of breakaway torque, which handles WRX lug nuts, brake caliper bracket bolts, and exhaust manifold nuts without complaint. Will it match a Milwaukee M18 FUEL? No. But it does 95% of the job at a fraction of the entry cost, and the ONE+ platform lets you add a Ryobi inflator, ratchet, or work light on the same battery.
Alternative: Premium alt: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2962-20 mid-torque (tool only) ~$200, plus M18 starter kit ~$130 = $330 total. Meaningfully better tool but double the cost for a beginner setup.
Brand: Husky | Category: Lighting | Store: Home Depot | Priority: HIGH
The WRX's engine bay is tight and dark. You cannot correctly torque fasteners, spot leaks, or read sensor labels without proper light. A rechargeable LED beats a plug-in shop light for under-car work because there's no cord to trip over when you're on your back under the car. 1,000 lumens is sufficient for most home garage work. The Husky here is a solid beginner light — not professional grade, but at $30 it's the right tier-2 investment.
Alternative: Upgrade path: Milwaukee M18 LED Stand Light ~$100 tool only when you're ready to consolidate to a single battery platform.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: MEDIUM
Every bolt you drop searching for is 20 minutes on your knees with a flashlight. The 3-pack gives you a dedicated tray for each scale of fastener — small for interior clips and sensor screws, medium for underhood bolts, large for suspension hardware. The magnetic base sticks to any steel surface including fenders and rocker panels. I've had the same set for over a decade.
Brand: GearWrench | Category: Wrenches | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
Ratcheting wrenches are a full tier above regular combination wrenches. The 120XP ratcheting end moves in a 3-degree swing arc — you can turn a bolt in spaces where a regular wrench can't rotate far enough to reset. On the WRX this covers your 10mm sensor brackets, 12mm valve cover bolts, 14mm spark plug coil pack bolts, and most of the underhood work that a socket can't reach due to clearance. The 8–17mm range covers 90% of what you'll encounter on the FA20DIT.
Alternative: Budget alt: Tekton 9-piece metric ratcheting wrench set ~$45. Slightly less smooth ratchet action but identical coverage.
Brand: Motivx | Category: Subaru Specialty | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The FA20DIT uses a cartridge-style oil filter housing on the top driver's side of the engine. The housing cap is 64.5mm with 14 flutes and the plastic is not forgiving — channel-locks crack it, strap wrenches slip and gouge it. The Motivx drives on your 3/8" ratchet and removes the cap cleanly in 5 seconds. A $150 housing replacement is the consequence of skipping an $18 tool. Buy it before your first oil change.
Alternative: Alt: Lisle 57250 oil filter cap wrench set (multi-size) ~$25 — better if you plan to work on other vehicles with different housing sizes.
Brand: B'laster | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: MEDIUM
Any WRX that's seen road salt or moisture has fasteners that will fight back. Spray PB Blaster on every suspension bolt, exhaust fastener, and underbody fastener and let it soak 15–20 minutes before wrenching. This is the difference between a 15-minute brake job and a snapped stud that turns into a 3-hour nightmare. Buy it before you need it — you will need it.
Brand: Lisle | Category: Engine Specialty | Store: Amazon | Priority: MEDIUM
The FA20DIT uses standard 14mm thread NGK iridium plugs with a 5/8" (16mm) hex. A standard deep socket can bind on the ceramic insulator body and crack it. The thin-wall Lisle slides over the plug without binding and the magnetic insert holds the plug during installation — critical in the tight WRX engine bay where a dropped plug costs you 30 minutes of fishing. Change plugs at 60,000 miles per factory spec, earlier if you're running a tune or E85 blend.
Brand: Permatex | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: MEDIUM
Apply a thin film to spark plug threads before installation — the FA20DIT has aluminum cylinder heads and steel plug threads will galvanize over time, making future removal a fight that can strip the threads. Also use on wheel hub-to-rotor mating surfaces to prevent rotors from corroding onto the hub. Critical rule: do NOT apply anti-seize to wheel studs or lug nut seats — it changes the friction coefficient and causes under-torquing even when your wrench clicks at the right spec.