Well I have come to the realization that it is not the right time to get the car I “really” want…especially considering I am currently renting a place with no garage, not even a damn driveway.
Anyway…I am on a search to find a do-it-all kind of car. Something that I can drive year round and still have fun. Also considering I have a ~50lb dog to toss in the back. I also bike/hike/fish etc…
Right now I have my sights on a 2011+ Subaru WRX…and I am hoping some people on here can chime in because I have seen a few around.
Is the STI really worth spending the extra cash? I understand the benefits of the transmission, suspension, and slightly more power…but is this going to be that noticible as a daily driven, non-tracked, car?
Right now there is a WRX hatch for sale locally, in the color I want. I am going to try and get out to the dealership this week or weekend to check it out but I figured I would see if anyone here could help me out.
For a do it all car to have fun with and throw ure dog in the back the Sti is not worth the money. The wrx is a touch faster, has all the same options and comfort. You just lose the brembos, 6 speed (which sucks on the 11+) and some suspension upgrades. The Sti is a better built car but not worth the extra 4-7 grand.
Thanks for the replies thus far…I think I need to go out and take it for a test ride.
The car that I “really” want is an older 911, pre 993…but like I said, no garage, no driveway, and I do not want to have to buy a winter car. The Subaru seems like the best thing to consider right now. I was also thinking of checking out a new GTI, but VW’s don’t really do anything for me…
I hear ya, but I didn’t mean it in a different car sense. It’s like the 6 cyl stang guys that want the GT, of the Corvette guys really wanting the Z06/ZR1, etc…
Go drive the VW, its a fair comparison. 95% of the time (when you are not with your foot fully to the floor), it’s a “better” car. When you are putting the WRX to work, or when it’s snowing, it is clearly more fun.
As said before, theyve really narrowed the gap between the STi and WRX. When shopping for my 11 WRX the salesman even phrased it to me that unless you really have the money, its sort of sad to see people shoot for the STi with how similar theyve become.
Id say WRX all the way and use the extra cash for some nice snow tires, stage 2, and a bunch of other goodies thatll make you feel sweet.
The WRX is 265 hp compared to 305hp. The WRX is a tune away from being the same HP.
The WRX is missing the brembos. Wouldn’t miss them in a daily driver. Even if you do, new pads/rotors/SS lines would probably get you VERY close to the performance.
The WRX has a 5 speed instead of 6. Not really a big deal probably. Probably prefered in a DD to have a 5 speed.
The WRX doesn’t have as good of a suspension. This might be prefered for a daily. But even if not, $1000 buys fully adjustable coil-overs that allow for customization beyond what the factory Sti has.
The WRX doesn’t have the adjustable differential … big whoop. Not many people do much with that in a daily anyways.
The WRX doesn’t get the fancy wheels. Most tuners would want their choice of wheels and tires anyways.
The body styles are almost identical, so you’re not gaining much in asthetics.
In the end, you can a more customized/personalized car with the WRX, and probably at a lower price.
Last I saw, my local Subaru dealer was asking over $40k for the STi they have on the lot. The WRX was around $27k. Big difference in price there. A lot of room for either customization or plain savings.
I thought I recalled reading years ago that the WRX 5-speed was the prefered platform for drag racing due to strength, but that could just be my fuzzy memory.
It used to be that the WRX trans was weak, but an RA gearset swap solves that issue. The newer ones are for the most part, a pretty durable trans, and perfect for a DD. With an '11 you’re just a tune away from STi like power levels, and better all around drive-ability (the factory tune sucks), and yes, the WRX is quicker to 60mph than the STi, but only because the STi has to grab one more gear. So, it’s really picking nits at this point. Do you want the 6spd, DCCD, and SI-Drive, and limited slip diffs front and rear? Or can you settle with the 5spd, open diffs, and traction control? Do you need the big brakes on a DD? Most likely not. I’d say for an all-around car that that will do what you want it to do, the WRX is just fine.
I’ve had an '02 and '08 wrx…and now an '11 sti… the sti just FEELS more fun… 3lsd>0lsd also, the wrx is fun in the snow, but the sti can be tossed around in dry and wet where as the wrx will push BAD.
The sti just feels MUCH stiffer, especially the '11+… and I feel the sti holds it’s value a bit better.
Personally, I’d go STI, if you get the wrx you’re going to wish the whole time you bought the sti.
If it were feasible for me to own the STi, I probably would’ve bought one. So I guess I’m contradicting my previous post. I test drove both, the STi felt slower accelerating than the WRX. This due to gearing though. I have yet to rip on it yet since it’s still being broken in. This however, did not keep the West Herr Collision shop guys from beating my ride for 2 miles.
this is why I choose the STi over the WRX. i got a good deal and the extra money was worth it to me. i havent checked used wrx prices but the STi holds it value like crazy.