4sevens
Flashlight Enthusiast
Does anyone here have one of these? 
Subaru WRX STI
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skalomax
Flashlight Enthusiast
Eghhh...
I myself am An Evo Man.
But have neither one.
I myself am An Evo Man.
But have neither one.
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dano
Flashlight Enthusiast
Have a non-STI...Though there's a lot of differences between the two....ask away
--dan
--dan
4sevens
Flashlight Enthusiast
dan,
Oh, i've been reading a lot on the wrx and wrx sti and I'm eyeing a local 07 sti limited
but it's way out of my range. Theres so much technology in the sti, boxer engine,
symmetrical awd, abs/ebd. It looks like an awesome driving machine.
How does it drive as a daily commuter? Is the interior noice level ok? How
does it compare to an accord? Also I know it's stiffer - it's a performance
car, but is it uncomfortable? Of course these are all subjective questions
and they are hard to quantify and will vary from person to person. But how
to you like it? Better yet, what don't you like about it and/or what would
you change on it if you could?
Oh, i've been reading a lot on the wrx and wrx sti and I'm eyeing a local 07 sti limited
but it's way out of my range. Theres so much technology in the sti, boxer engine,
symmetrical awd, abs/ebd. It looks like an awesome driving machine.
How does it drive as a daily commuter? Is the interior noice level ok? How
does it compare to an accord? Also I know it's stiffer - it's a performance
car, but is it uncomfortable? Of course these are all subjective questions
and they are hard to quantify and will vary from person to person. But how
to you like it? Better yet, what don't you like about it and/or what would
you change on it if you could?
analogguy
Enlightened
I'm sure that it is fun to drive, but it is too boy racer for my taste. The novelty of going fast probably fades quicky when every kid you see at a stop sign wants to go. I'm an old guy...I ended up with a Legacy GT Spec B. It looks like a generic Japanese car (ie-Toyota or Honda) but it is a sleeper. With mods you could turn one into a beast. Plus it has a bigger, nicer interior than a WRX.
LEDcandle
Flashlight Enthusiast
David, I've driven 2 different STis... (friends').. they're pretty ok comfort wise (by my standards, but I'm on track suspension on my Civic, so not sure if that means anything!) and is a pretty brisk car.
But it doesn't have the Gs like an Evo, and doesn't give you that kick-back in the seat feeling. Not that that's very important, but if I got a powerful turbo car, I would like to have that feeling when I open throttle.
Also, e stock gearbox on the 2.0lit WRXes tend to have some problems once you start boosting higher. Not sure if it applies to the 2.5 lit gearboxes. Apparently there's some piston issues with the 2.0 lit too (fuel rail positioning not ideal), or so I heard from my Rex friends.
But it doesn't have the Gs like an Evo, and doesn't give you that kick-back in the seat feeling. Not that that's very important, but if I got a powerful turbo car, I would like to have that feeling when I open throttle.
Also, e stock gearbox on the 2.0lit WRXes tend to have some problems once you start boosting higher. Not sure if it applies to the 2.5 lit gearboxes. Apparently there's some piston issues with the 2.0 lit too (fuel rail positioning not ideal), or so I heard from my Rex friends.
You might want to look up some Subaru owners forums (beware of clueless wanna-be boy racers, though) or forums covering performance rally (WRC internationally; used to be called ProRally in the US). STi's are very popular with the rally crowd and you'll find out about any problems and if there are any fixes there -- rallying beats the snot out of any car and since STi's are winning as often as they are and are run by so many teams there are good reasons. I haven't had the chance to drive one but have seen many at speed from very (actually, that should be "very, very, very") close up. Amazing cars with outstanding control and power.
alaskawolf
Enlightened
www.nasioc.com is a great Impreza forum to check out
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/t2romad/100_4226.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/t2romad/100_4228.jpg
my friend just sold his STI yesterday, it was a pretty good daily driver but being based on the Impreza platform it is kind of small inside compared to a accord, size wise its more like a four door civic.
it has great overall performance and is easy to control. there hadnt been any major problems with it since he had owned it.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/t2romad/100_4226.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/t2romad/100_4228.jpg
my friend just sold his STI yesterday, it was a pretty good daily driver but being based on the Impreza platform it is kind of small inside compared to a accord, size wise its more like a four door civic.
it has great overall performance and is easy to control. there hadnt been any major problems with it since he had owned it.
Go to http://www.nasioc.com and ask away, largest subaru forum on the net.
I have an '03 WRX sedan (non-STI) that's been my daily driver since November 2002. So far I have close to 75,000 miles on it, and the only repairs I've had to make to it were to replace the brakes (pads/rotors) once or twice, replace the tires twice, and had to have some collision work done from a minor accident that I was involved in. I see all of those as being the fault of the driver, though, and not the car.
Also, even after 4+ years of daily (and sometimes "spirited") driving, my car still feels very solid, with almost no squeaks/rattles.
I really love the fact that I can drive it as a commuter all week, but anytime I get the urge, I can press the gas pedal down a little further and have some fun.
If I could change anything, or if I have to find a downside to it, it would be the gas that it uses. Even on straight highway driving, I think the highest mileage I've gotten was about 24 - 26 MPG or so. That's really not bad, but if I drive it in any manner that is "more fun", my mileage drops well below 20 MPG. On top of that you have to use premium fuel, which adds some $$ to each fill-up, but you'll have that same problem with any car with a turbo.
Probably the highest praise I can give mine is to say, when the time comes to replace it, I will likely buy another one (if my finances permit)... I'll probably go for a WRX wagon next time, though.
This is just one guy's opinion. I would second (or third) the recommendation to visit www.nasioc.com to get some more answers.
In my opinion, it's fine for a commuter. The seats are comfortable for daily driving, and the interior noise level is fairly low. It's definitely not going to be as quiet as a more refined car, but for a "sporty" car, I don't think it is too bad. The noisiest part(s) of mine is the most recent set of tires that I put on it.4sevens said:
I've never driven or ridden in an Accord, so I can't comment from personal experience, but I think you'll find that the Accord's interior is probably larger, and more quiet.4sevens said:
The suspension is somewhat stiff, but definitely not what I would call harsh or uncomfortable. The closest thing to discomfort that I've experienced is some cramping in my legs, due to the side bolsters on the base of the seat. I find that they kind of limit where/how I can place/move my legs. On long trips when I'm just using the cruise control, I tend to get a little crampy because I can't move or stretch my legs out as much as I could in previous cars. This also is not necessarily a fault of the car, though, and can be easily remedied by stopping for a stretch every few hours.4sevens said:
I really like mine. I find that the AWD is great during winter (that probably won't be as much of an issue for you down in GA, but we just had 6 - 8 inches of fresh snow fall on the roads up here last night, and I had no problems getting to work this morning).4sevens said:
Also, even after 4+ years of daily (and sometimes "spirited") driving, my car still feels very solid, with almost no squeaks/rattles.
I really love the fact that I can drive it as a commuter all week, but anytime I get the urge, I can press the gas pedal down a little further and have some fun.
If I could change anything, or if I have to find a downside to it, it would be the gas that it uses. Even on straight highway driving, I think the highest mileage I've gotten was about 24 - 26 MPG or so. That's really not bad, but if I drive it in any manner that is "more fun", my mileage drops well below 20 MPG. On top of that you have to use premium fuel, which adds some $$ to each fill-up, but you'll have that same problem with any car with a turbo.
Probably the highest praise I can give mine is to say, when the time comes to replace it, I will likely buy another one (if my finances permit)... I'll probably go for a WRX wagon next time, though.
This is just one guy's opinion. I would second (or third) the recommendation to visit www.nasioc.com to get some more answers.
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4sevens
Flashlight Enthusiast
Wow thanks for all the helpful comments! I've already joined that forum (guess under
what alias ).
My brother is trying to talk me of out it. He says everything will be more expensive
to fix/maintain and I believe him, but the question is HOW much more? Low profile
tires, performance brakes - how much are their replacement costs?
The STI limited I'm looking at is in washington DC here:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1208476
and here
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/car/286672673.html
Whadda ya think?
what alias
). My brother is trying to talk me of out it. He says everything will be more expensive
to fix/maintain and I believe him, but the question is HOW much more? Low profile
tires, performance brakes - how much are their replacement costs?
The STI limited I'm looking at is in washington DC here:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1208476
and here
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/car/286672673.html
Whadda ya think?
Diesel_Bomber
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2006
- Messages
- 1,772
underdust said:
I have an '06 STi. Underdust nailed it dead on with the sentence I've quoted above.
:buddies:
DaFABRICATA
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have 2 friend that have the WRX (not STi) and both LOVE 'EM!!!
About 2 years ago we (3 of us)were doin a bit of back road rally racing and my buddy tried to take a corner that both my other friend and myself warned was very tricky and we are going to too fast (70mph) and need to slow, he didn't take us seriously enough and as we rounded the dirt corner sideways, slid off the road, off a 10 foot cliff and drivers door first into a tree! The driver and myself were only hurt slightly considering the speed and tree. I have to credit the build quality of the Subaru with saving us from worse.
These cars a very durable.
Earlier this winter he didn't take the cold air intake off, went through a large puddle sucked up a TON OF WATER! Well after taking the intercooler off, taking the plugs out to drain the cylinders, and blowing pressurized air through the turbo and draining what seemed like 2 liters or more of water out of the engine/intercooler, we reasembled it and it has run flawlessly since!
My other friend has about 150,000 miles on his 02 WRX and the only problem he has run into was blowing the seal on the center cartridge of the stock turbo. He knew he was loosing oil but didn't know how. Well before the turbo swap, he ran it dry of oil TWICE! and the car still runs great!
When up in Alaska a few years back, I noticed the largest amount of subarus(OLD & NEW) were there. I saw a Ton of older subarus that are rarely seen other places. I take the sightings of SOOO MANY subarus in Alaska as a testament to the durability and functionality of these great cars.
BUY ONE!!!
You won't be dissapointed!!
About 2 years ago we (3 of us)were doin a bit of back road rally racing and my buddy tried to take a corner that both my other friend and myself warned was very tricky and we are going to too fast (70mph) and need to slow, he didn't take us seriously enough and as we rounded the dirt corner sideways, slid off the road, off a 10 foot cliff and drivers door first into a tree! The driver and myself were only hurt slightly considering the speed and tree. I have to credit the build quality of the Subaru with saving us from worse.
These cars a very durable.
Earlier this winter he didn't take the cold air intake off, went through a large puddle sucked up a TON OF WATER! Well after taking the intercooler off, taking the plugs out to drain the cylinders, and blowing pressurized air through the turbo and draining what seemed like 2 liters or more of water out of the engine/intercooler, we reasembled it and it has run flawlessly since!
My other friend has about 150,000 miles on his 02 WRX and the only problem he has run into was blowing the seal on the center cartridge of the stock turbo. He knew he was loosing oil but didn't know how. Well before the turbo swap, he ran it dry of oil TWICE! and the car still runs great!
When up in Alaska a few years back, I noticed the largest amount of subarus(OLD & NEW) were there. I saw a Ton of older subarus that are rarely seen other places. I take the sightings of SOOO MANY subarus in Alaska as a testament to the durability and functionality of these great cars.
BUY ONE!!!
You won't be dissapointed!!
dano
Flashlight Enthusiast
The 5 speed WRX gearboxes are problematic. The 6speed in the STI's are good to go.
The boxer engine is bulletproof, and have, historically, haven't had any issues. The AWD drivetrain is also very good.
Gas mileage isn't too good, especially if you like to spool-up the turbo.
I do all of my own work on mine, but parts aren't too expensive (unless you goto the dealer for everything).
--dan
The boxer engine is bulletproof, and have, historically, haven't had any issues. The AWD drivetrain is also very good.
Gas mileage isn't too good, especially if you like to spool-up the turbo.
I do all of my own work on mine, but parts aren't too expensive (unless you goto the dealer for everything).
--dan
springnr
Enlightened
Take a hard look at the Subaru Legacy too. More comfort and easy to mod for power.
I have a Cobb stage 2 Legacy GT wagon (grocery getter) that steps out right nice but stays under the radar from cops and insurance.
Legacy forum
http://legacygt.com/forums/?
I have a Cobb stage 2 Legacy GT wagon (grocery getter) that steps out right nice but stays under the radar from cops and insurance.
Legacy forum
http://legacygt.com/forums/?
PlayboyJoeShmoe
Flashaholic
My opinion is worth exactly what you pay for it...
I would DEFINATELY go for the "Q-Ship". Give it enough handling stuff to be fun, and make it go like stink.
Than drive it VERY carefully, because at least here in my little part of Texas the cops are thick as bugs on my windshield!
I would DEFINATELY go for the "Q-Ship". Give it enough handling stuff to be fun, and make it go like stink.
Than drive it VERY carefully, because at least here in my little part of Texas the cops are thick as bugs on my windshield!
We've got a 05 Legact GT - it has the same 2.5L turbo as the STi but it slightly detuned. From what I've read if you add Accessport software and an up-pipe you can exceed stock STi performance.
We got it over the STi or WRX because:
- It was cheaper used than an STi
- Has more room (we have kids)
- I think it looks better
- It defanitly is nicer on the interior
- Isn't that much slower than an STi
- Doesn't weight much more than an STI
- Wife hated the huge STi wing and fender flares
www.lgt.com for more info, or ask away
Here's a crappy cellphone pick of my LGT (black on the left) and one that belongs to a coworker
We got it over the STi or WRX because:
- It was cheaper used than an STi
- Has more room (we have kids)
- I think it looks better
- It defanitly is nicer on the interior
- Isn't that much slower than an STi
- Doesn't weight much more than an STI
- Wife hated the huge STi wing and fender flares
www.lgt.com for more info, or ask away
Here's a crappy cellphone pick of my LGT (black on the left) and one that belongs to a coworker
Trashman
Flashlight Enthusiast
LEDcandle said:
That doesn't sound consistent with the 0-60 times I've read in car magazines. From what I remember, the Evo does 0-60 in 5.23 seconds and the WRX STi does it in 5.25--nearly identical.
One thing favorable for the EVO, that I do remember, though, is that a 2 grand-ish mod (different cam shaft, I think) will bring the EVO's 0-60 times down to 4.4 seconds! EVOs are quite a bit more expensive, though, and for regular driving on the street, IMO, are not worth the extra money. If you're a street racer, though, the EVO has more potential. For regular folks, though, the WRX STi is already way more power than necessary and it is likely that it will hardly ever be used.
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