YACT-Thinking of buying a 2005 WRX-STi

[jagec]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

I'm not really in any hurry and I still have to get the spousal seal of approval (that's going to be a tough sell). If I can get rid of that boy racer spoiler I might be able to sell her on the fact that it's a 4 door. Although, she has already hinted that she would be open to the new Mustang so who knows. She's not driving it...what does she care?

"Surprise! Look what I got you for, um, your anniversary?"

 

[SoyBoy004]

2005 STi!! Very nice and subtle changes in the interior. Has similar look to the Saab92 interior with the center console. I would agree with you on white or silver in color. I have a black wrx wagon and boy does it get dirty!

2005 Mustang. I'm curious to see the resale value of these after a year or two.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Good looking car, out and in. STi vs. '05 Cobra......tough decision. The new Mustangs kick ass; STi's have a more boyish charm. Performance-wise, they'll both run down a straight quickly, but both will understeer.

Name one mass production car that doesn't understeer. :roll:

from what i understand, the 1st-gen S2000's had a tendancy to swing the tail out that enough customers found disturbing that honda made the handling more "neutral" for the revised version.

Actually, the 2.0L S2000s did indeed snap into VIOLENT uncontrollable oversteer... all the autoXers I knew put huge front swaybars to try to get more stability out of the car. BTW, the Evo doesn't really understeer... esp in comparison to the STi, it's very neutral.

There are a lot of production cars that come tuned for understeer from the factory but are an alignment away from neutral/tailhappy handling. I kinda doubt the Evo will be orphaned... but even if it is, 4G63T parts are all over the place.

 

[Desslok]

Originally posted by: PowerMac4Ever
If it were me I'd save some cash and go with an Evo RS.

No AC, no sound deading, no thanks

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: blazert40
The Subaru Impreza was on the top of the list for 2004 top Lemon List.

Link

Not sure if that means there would be an issue with the Sti however.

Lemon Law.com and the Center for Auto Safety are crooked as hell. Ambulance chasers, bribe-takers, test-riggers, and compilers of false statistics.

Sources you can actually trust rate the Impreza as one of the most reliable cars out there. Consumer Reports calls it a "Best Pick" and commends its reliability, and do thousands of owners who have gone well over 200,000 miles in an Impreza.
Who do you trust? Some link a law firm found off the internet (that just happens to have a cool name) and the special interest group that got caught rigging the "accidental acceleration" incidents against the Audi 500 in the mid-80s... or Consumer Reports?

Next time, try not to be an idiot.

 

[Vic]

Something you should know about Aspen White. It's beautiful color, but it is such a bright pure white shade that it is almost as difficult to keep clean as black, and show imperfections (like rock chips) every worse. I know this from experience. My live-in GF's 01 2.5 RS is Aspen White, and yours truly is the one who washes, waxes, and details it on a regular basis.

I still love WRB That's what a Subaru should be. If you bought a Ferrari, would you not get a red one?

Don't discount Obsidian Black Pearl without looking at it. With little blue flakes imbedded in the paint, it is beautiful.

 

[TuffGuy]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Good looking car, out and in. STi vs. '05 Cobra......tough decision. The new Mustangs kick ass; STi's have a more boyish charm. Performance-wise, they'll both run down a straight quickly, but both will understeer.

Name one mass production car that doesn't understeer. :roll:

Evo

 

[TuffGuy]

Originally posted by: PowerMac4Ever
If it were me I'd save some cash and go with an Evo RS.

Nah, Evo MR. Since the roof is aluminum and the car weighs 300lbs less, I think that the center of gravity is lower and it would handle a little better.

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Good looking car, out and in. STi vs. '05 Cobra......tough decision. The new Mustangs kick ass; STi's have a more boyish charm. Performance-wise, they'll both run down a straight quickly, but both will understeer.

Name one mass production car that doesn't understeer. :roll:

Lotus Elise.

pwned.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Vic

I still love WRB That's what a Subaru should be. If you bought a Ferrari, would you not get a red one?

Agreed.

Someday, my girlfriend and I are going to have matching blue STi's...

Well, except mine will be faster.

Hey, one can dream...

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Good looking car, out and in. STi vs. '05 Cobra......tough decision. The new Mustangs kick ass; STi's have a more boyish charm. Performance-wise, they'll both run down a straight quickly, but both will understeer.

Name one mass production car that doesn't understeer. :roll:

MR2

 

[TuffGuy]

$2395 to boost the Evo from 228whp to 364whp

 

[RagingBITCH]

BTW, there is no 2005 Cobra.

I'd wait for the Mustang, or at least wait till you can test drive it first.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: kaizersose

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Good looking car, out and in. STi vs. '05 Cobra......tough decision. The new Mustangs kick ass; STi's have a more boyish charm. Performance-wise, they'll both run down a straight quickly, but both will understeer.

Name one mass production car that doesn't understeer. :roll:

911

BS, 911 may be closer to neutral than most but I would suspect Porsche would dial in a slight amount of understeer for a production car just like every other manufacturer out there would. They certainly wouldn't want oversteer in a production car because most drivers wouldn't know what to do with a car that oversteers.

Um. 911 are notorious for oversteering. They've dialed it down a lot in more recent years but rear-engine and RWD = bigass oversteer.

The 70s 911 was notorious for that but Porsche has dialed out that characteristic. Most cars understeer because it is much more predictable than oversteer for the average driver to cope with. Why do you think Porsche worked so hard to eliminate that characteristic? I'll admit that it is probably slightly inclined to oversteer if you are throttle off cornering but I would suspect that it is more neutral than anything.

They still oversteer a bit, but are waaaay more neutral than they used to be for sure.

Still, most production cars understeer.

Very true.

Back to the WRX-STi please!

Hey, you're the one who got all huffy and started yelling "BS!".


At any rate, I'd go for the STi over the 'Stang. That much stock HP + great suspension + AWD = big fun.

The S2000, imo, had quite a bit of oversteer in the first couple of years (00 and 01). They reduced it in the later models. Some people on www.s2ki.com add larger front anti-roll bars to make the car more neutral.


I'd go for the WRX over the 05 mustang.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
BTW, there is no 2005 Cobra.

I'd wait for the Mustang, or at least wait till you can test drive it first.

Yeah, I seem to remember reading that there wouldn't be a 2005 SVT Mustang (Cobra name is going to the production Cobra in '06 I believe). I think 2006 is going to be the first year for the SVT Mustang. I'm guessing the '06 SVT Mustang will cost several thousand more than the GT though. The current Cobra is about $35-36k isn't it? I haven't priced one.

 

[novon]

get a lancer instead

 

[RagingBITCH]

I think MSRP is $35K. It was about $29K before the 03-04 supercharged models. I don't know if Cobra will be the moniker anymore - I know Ford signed a deal with Shelby to produce a Shelby baed Mustang - it may use the SVT Cobra moniker, it may use the Shelby name. (They did produce a totally seperate Shelby prototype though)

 

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: blazert40
The Subaru Impreza was on the top of the list for 2004 top Lemon List.

Link

Not sure if that means there would be an issue with the Sti however.

Lemon Law.com and the Center for Auto Safety are crooked as hell. Ambulance chasers, bribe-takers, test-riggers, and compilers of false statistics.

Sources you can actually trust rate the Impreza as one of the most reliable cars out there. Consumer Reports calls it a "Best Pick" and commends its reliability, and do thousands of owners who have gone well over 200,000 miles in an Impreza.
Who do you trust? Some link a law firm found off the internet (that just happens to have a cool name) and the special interest group that got caught rigging the "accidental acceleration" incidents against the Audi 500 in the mid-80s... or Consumer Reports?

Next time, try not to be an idiot.

How did the impreza get to the top of that list?
I understand people beating the living hell out of them, but not to THAT extent.

I have put on 27K miles on my impreza in about 9 months, not a single semblance of a problem.

 

[SoyBoy004]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: blazert40
The Subaru Impreza was on the top of the list for 2004 top Lemon List.

Link

Not sure if that means there would be an issue with the Sti however.

Lemon Law.com and the Center for Auto Safety are crooked as hell. Ambulance chasers, bribe-takers, test-riggers, and compilers of false statistics.

Sources you can actually trust rate the Impreza as one of the most reliable cars out there. Consumer Reports calls it a "Best Pick" and commends its reliability, and do thousands of owners who have gone well over 200,000 miles in an Impreza.
Who do you trust? Some link a law firm found off the internet (that just happens to have a cool name) and the special interest group that got caught rigging the "accidental acceleration" incidents against the Audi 500 in the mid-80s... or Consumer Reports?

Next time, try not to be an idiot.

How did the impreza get to the top of that list?
I understand people beating the living hell out of them, but not to THAT extent.

I have put on 27K miles on my impreza in about 9 months, not a single semblance of a problem.

I've had very minimal problems as well. the only problems i've had have been because one of the dealers screwed up. maybe they are talking about the cold clutch shutter or the cruise control, both replaced by Subaru of America if asked. so, i don't see how our imprezas can be this terrible.

 

I've had very minimal problems as well. the only problems i've had have been because one of the dealers screwed up. maybe they are talking about the cold clutch shutter or the cruise control, both replaced by Subaru of America if asked. so, i don't see how our imprezas can be this terrible.

That was resolved with a complete replacement of the clutch in 2004. As well as a TSB put out on it and dealers honoring fixing the car even if it was past warranty.
Mabey that list is older.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: SampSon

I've had very minimal problems as well. the only problems i've had have been because one of the dealers screwed up. maybe they are talking about the cold clutch shutter or the cruise control, both replaced by Subaru of America if asked. so, i don't see how our imprezas can be this terrible.

That was resolved with a complete replacement of the clutch in 2004. As well as a TSB put out on it and dealers honoring fixing the car even if it was past warranty.
Mabey that list is older.

Maybe that list is biased.

 

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: SampSon

I've had very minimal problems as well. the only problems i've had have been because one of the dealers screwed up. maybe they are talking about the cold clutch shutter or the cruise control, both replaced by Subaru of America if asked. so, i don't see how our imprezas can be this terrible.

That was resolved with a complete replacement of the clutch in 2004. As well as a TSB put out on it and dealers honoring fixing the car even if it was past warranty.
Mabey that list is older.

Maybe that list is biased.

Well, that and it's based on 2003 data.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have another question. Does anyone know if the dealerships are getting a mark up on the WRX-STi?

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: SampSon

I've had very minimal problems as well. the only problems i've had have been because one of the dealers screwed up. maybe they are talking about the cold clutch shutter or the cruise control, both replaced by Subaru of America if asked. so, i don't see how our imprezas can be this terrible.

That was resolved with a complete replacement of the clutch in 2004. As well as a TSB put out on it and dealers honoring fixing the car even if it was past warranty.
Mabey that list is older.

The clutch and flywheel were replaced in the 2003 model, with a TSB released in 2003 to cover the free replacement of all 2002 clutch and flywheels (if the customer complained).

My GF's 01 2.5RS has some minimal cold clutch shudder. It's a little annoying sometimes but no big deal as it goes away as soon as the car is warm. It also has an aftermarket ACT clutch and light flywheel though...

My 03 WRX has never had a single instance of cold clutch shudder. Not once.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I have another question. Does anyone know if the dealerships are getting a mark up on the WRX-STi?

You mean the holdback? I think Subaru's is 2%, and then only if the vehicle is sold within 90 days of delivery (to the dealer). That's only ~$600.
With an STi, I would shoot for as close to invoice pricing as you can get. For 05, that's $30,575 with no options.