I have a stock 2002 2.5RS. What is the CHEAPEST, MOST EFFECTIVE, and EASIEST mods to do?

Maybe Intake, header and Exhaust?
or new wheels/tires ?
or springs & shocks ?

effective in terms of what? comfort, speed, handling?

personally i'd go for sti motor & tranny mounts and a shortshifter+bushing if i only had a couple hundred.

First mod should be a heavier rear sway bar. You can usually get a cheap 20mm bar from a WRX owner that is upgrading to an adjustable bar (should be <$100).

After that, I agree with nqwan. Comfort, speed, or handling?

Handling - new tires, but that may be too expensive (~$500?).
Speed - intake...Cobb (expensive& good ~$270), Ganzflow (less expensive, some say not as good ~$140), PDM (or is it PRM...I always forget, very inexpensive, about the same as Ganzflow performance-wise <$100), Compass (prototype looks good, but when will it go into production? ~$270).
Comfort (or lack of) - STi engine/tranny mounts (~$150), short shifter/bushings (Kartboy tends to be the popular choice $125).

Oooo, almost forgot...performance driving school!

Check out the '02RS thread...you can get some more ideas from there.

First mod is free. Read, no STUDY, the information here. Don't ask for answers, seek them out (you'll find much more).

Ed

I would get rid of those RE92's and get some real tires :)