Blobeye WRX or STI?
Discussion
Probably been covered a lot, but here is my scenario.
I currently run about in an old Passat, which is starting to get unreliable (and it's boring). My commute is 6 miles round trip, I also have a motorbike I'll use if it's nice, and through the summer I'll probably cycle a lot. Because of this MPG isn't a big worry!
Mrs used to have a Clio 182 as a daily, recently replaced by a Fiat 500 so she has reliability and economy for her 30 mile commute.
She's keen to have another performance car she can use every now and then, so thinking of replacing the Passat with a Impreza.
Love the Blobeye, so looking at £5k-£6k on a Blobeye WRX, or maybe up to £8k on an STI. Insurance suprisingly not to much more for an STI.
I have been reading threads in here... lots of people seem happy with a WRX - it's like the WRX is so good, an STI isn't really required???
Help me decide!!
I currently run about in an old Passat, which is starting to get unreliable (and it's boring). My commute is 6 miles round trip, I also have a motorbike I'll use if it's nice, and through the summer I'll probably cycle a lot. Because of this MPG isn't a big worry!
Mrs used to have a Clio 182 as a daily, recently replaced by a Fiat 500 so she has reliability and economy for her 30 mile commute.
She's keen to have another performance car she can use every now and then, so thinking of replacing the Passat with a Impreza.
Love the Blobeye, so looking at £5k-£6k on a Blobeye WRX, or maybe up to £8k on an STI. Insurance suprisingly not to much more for an STI.
I have been reading threads in here... lots of people seem happy with a WRX - it's like the WRX is so good, an STI isn't really required???
Help me decide!!
Lots of people buy a WRX and love it to bits, specially the sportwagons. Equally, lots of people buy a WRX, wish they'd bought the STi, then spend fortunes trying to turn it into an STi.
If you decide to get a WRX get the latest model you can, and try out a wagon if possible, you'll love it as i and many wagon owners love theirs. IMHO i think the wagons have much more character than 4dr cars and more worth it to turn into an STi. P.S. 5spd box is lovely and smooth to use daily.
If you decide on the STi try and get the best you can, ideally a 2005 UK STi with DCCD or 2003/2004 JDM(Import) Blobeye because they come with DCCD unlike same year UK STi's, making them very desirable but they all have a 6spd box and better handling out of the box.
Either way drive them all back to back then make up your mind. It's a buyers market, there are plenty of good low mileage cars for sale, take your time and drive as many as you need to from private sellers and main dealers.
Everybody wants your money and some sellers will jump through hoops to accomodate you.
Good luck and most of all.....Have fun!!
If you decide to get a WRX get the latest model you can, and try out a wagon if possible, you'll love it as i and many wagon owners love theirs. IMHO i think the wagons have much more character than 4dr cars and more worth it to turn into an STi. P.S. 5spd box is lovely and smooth to use daily.
If you decide on the STi try and get the best you can, ideally a 2005 UK STi with DCCD or 2003/2004 JDM(Import) Blobeye because they come with DCCD unlike same year UK STi's, making them very desirable but they all have a 6spd box and better handling out of the box.
Either way drive them all back to back then make up your mind. It's a buyers market, there are plenty of good low mileage cars for sale, take your time and drive as many as you need to from private sellers and main dealers.
Everybody wants your money and some sellers will jump through hoops to accomodate you.
Good luck and most of all.....Have fun!!
I bought a 2005 WRX PPP last year and have not regretted it at all. I had the same WRX vs. STi debate but for me the WRX was perfect as it is my daily driver and also does some fairly long distance. With the PPP installed, it is bloody quick (certainly more than my old 190bhp Celica). If I ran a second car for day to day driving and the Impreza was a weekend car / track toy, then I would have probably gone for an STi.
The only way you'll ever make the right decision is to test drive them both, standard cars, no mods.
Once you've done that you'll be able to make a better choice based on what you prefer.
If you're Yorkshire based let me know and I'll be happy to let you have a drive of my standard (ignoring the exhaust) WRX.
Once you've done that you'll be able to make a better choice based on what you prefer.
If you're Yorkshire based let me know and I'll be happy to let you have a drive of my standard (ignoring the exhaust) WRX.
If you are looking to mod the car at all, I wouldn't bother with PPP. It is a generic set of upgrades, including a generic map which can be bettered in just about every way (including mpg) by a reputable mapper, ie. Jolly Green Monster, Bob Rawle.
The only plus point I suppose would be the sport cat, more free flowing than the normal downpipe and will pass an MOT with all the other cats removed.
All opinion above in my honest opinion of course.
The only plus point I suppose would be the sport cat, more free flowing than the normal downpipe and will pass an MOT with all the other cats removed.
All opinion above in my honest opinion of course.
supertouring said:
I went WRX first, and enjoyed it, but swapped to an STi within 12 months.
Would highly recommend jumping straight into an STi even if you currently think otherwise. It will be the right decision.
Yeah, I have a WRX now and have spent a little modding it to around 300-310 bhp. If thats waht you want, go for the STI as you'll also have the 6 speed box which opens the door to much higher safe power. The 5 speed in the WRX could last with 350bhp, but could just as likely go pop after a couple of traffic light grands prix!Would highly recommend jumping straight into an STi even if you currently think otherwise. It will be the right decision.
I went WRX PPP wagon (2005). I love it, plain and simple. The STi's are proper weapons, but I needed a car to ferry dog and 3 month old baby as much as rip from A-B. It cruises fine ,rides well (now I've sorted the inverted suspension for non fail-o-matic) struts, but when you show it a proper road i can image few things that will go down it quicker. It's like a rabid dog! I also think the complaince of the car is important in road holding and feedback. Have a read of the evo WRX PPP review and see if you like the sound of it.
Reasons why I didn't go for an STi? I need a boot, and I've been in them before and the 6 speed box make cruising harder and less efficient IMO. The engine is so flexible that 3rd does it all in a WRX anyway! If I wanted a weekend or track car, Sti all the way. For a car that can hoon or be civilised, WRX. I was also concerned about the additional complexity (rightly or wrongly) and additional 'stress' of the STi - they are a car that demands to be thrashed from day one after all, tha's what they were built for, but to my eyes that makes picking the wheat from the chaff that bit harder.
Reasons why I didn't go for an STi? I need a boot, and I've been in them before and the 6 speed box make cruising harder and less efficient IMO. The engine is so flexible that 3rd does it all in a WRX anyway! If I wanted a weekend or track car, Sti all the way. For a car that can hoon or be civilised, WRX. I was also concerned about the additional complexity (rightly or wrongly) and additional 'stress' of the STi - they are a car that demands to be thrashed from day one after all, tha's what they were built for, but to my eyes that makes picking the wheat from the chaff that bit harder.
I wouldn't worry either way too much about cars that have been used properly.
I'd be a bit concerned if the car had done a lot of regular trackdays because people do generally go stupid and the car gets all the abuse, but couple of trackdays a year plus maybe a ring trip and general country lane hooning mixed in with the daily commute and shopping trips everyday is par for the course and not a problem for these cars whether WRX or STi.
So long as the car has had plenty of tlc, full servicing and in between oil changes as well as plenty of rest and recouperation, a warm blanket and hot cup of coco at night it will be fine
I'd be a bit concerned if the car had done a lot of regular trackdays because people do generally go stupid and the car gets all the abuse, but couple of trackdays a year plus maybe a ring trip and general country lane hooning mixed in with the daily commute and shopping trips everyday is par for the course and not a problem for these cars whether WRX or STi.
So long as the car has had plenty of tlc, full servicing and in between oil changes as well as plenty of rest and recouperation, a warm blanket and hot cup of coco at night it will be fine
I sold my 2005 STI for 8K last Friday (see my garage for spec - epic car). If your going for a WRX then the PPP (or similar mods) is essential really. However, for the STi I am not so sure it as important.
Personally, having used a WRX PPP as a daily (45K over 2 years), and then attempting to use an STi in the same vain, I have to say the WRX PPP is better daily for a number of reasons. Not just fuel consumption, but ride quality, worrying about leaving it places etc, etc...
Both are great cars
-P
Personally, having used a WRX PPP as a daily (45K over 2 years), and then attempting to use an STi in the same vain, I have to say the WRX PPP is better daily for a number of reasons. Not just fuel consumption, but ride quality, worrying about leaving it places etc, etc...
Both are great cars
-P
Thanks for the comments everyone!! I think a WRX with PPP will have the right blend of perfor.ance and pracricality!
cheesesliceking said:
The only way you'll ever make the right decision is to test drive them both, standard cars, no mods.
Once you've done that you'll be able to make a better choice based on what you prefer.
If you're Yorkshire based let me know and I'll be happy to let you have a drive of my standard (ignoring the exhaust) WRX.
I definately want to take you up on that offer... i'm in Leeds. would be nice to get taken for a short drive rather than go tyre kicking at garages initially.Once you've done that you'll be able to make a better choice based on what you prefer.
If you're Yorkshire based let me know and I'll be happy to let you have a drive of my standard (ignoring the exhaust) WRX.
AWG said:
If you want to tune the WRX you may as well go for the STi.
It's depends on the extent to which you want to tune really. Sure, if your going to be chasing power figures then an STi is a much better base car to start from. However, 270bhp or so in a WRX makes a great daily car and works too for a higher annual mileage. Also, my 2005 WRX was quite a bit better on fuel compared to my 2005 STi (although, the STi was better once Simon had mapped it).A WRX PPP is not miles off a standard STi in a straight line...
Glade said:
Want to keep it standard apart from PPP for insurance really.
A couple of mainstream insurers recognise the PPP as a model. I had mine with Elephant as a WRX PPP. It works out cheaper than declaring the individual mods. If you go with somebody like Keith Michaels then they take a more grown up view with mods.WeirdNeville said:
paulmoonraker said:
A WRX PPP is not miles off a standard STi in a straight line...
The WRX is actually faster to 60 as it does it in 2nd! 4.8 quoted by prodrive if you're into the numbers game.Feels like a rocket sled - real iron fist in a velvet glove thrust.
Yup, the Sti needs 3rd to get there, costing it half a second or so. No doubt the STI IS the faster car, the WRX just passes the line to 60 first apparently. Splitting hairs though, they're all bloody fast. I just prefer the less manic nature of the WRX's delivery.
Ideally I'd have both, of course. WRX for the wife.
STI for outrunning attack helicopters and losing my licence. Honesttly, If i had one I think i'd have to park it undercover and register it in a false name....
Ideally I'd have both, of course. WRX for the wife.
STI for outrunning attack helicopters and losing my licence. Honesttly, If i had one I think i'd have to park it undercover and register it in a false name....Gassing Station | Subaru | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff