Any sti current or former owners?

[freeburn]

Time is coming. Im looking at purchasing a new 2021 sti. I had planned on waiting for the Nissan z but subaru offered me more then what I paid for my used impreza 2019 so I might jump on it and get a new sti.

Idk I guess I'm just curious if you liked the car, regretted it, felt like it wasn't enough. Etc. My impreza is a 2019 limited totally paid off so I'm just upgrading to something more fun to drive while still being fairly practical to daily. Sti checks the boxes with decent gas milage and awd.

Talk me into it talk me out of it idk fukkk

[akmerle]

Former mildly modded bugeye WRX owner…..

Be sure to test drive a WRX when you test drive the STI. I never found the STI’s to be worth the extra $$$ over a WRX. Especially once they bumped up the WRX power.

WRX is faster 0-60, peak torque at 2000rpm vs 4000, MUCH better daily, better mpg, and is generally more reliable.

For the price of a STI, there simply is far better cars in that range.

[ChaoticReignPbt]

I have a reputation around the office for being the guy who always seems to be buying a new car. I've owned a lot of cars and the STI was quickest I ever got rid of one. Bought a brand new 2018 STI and dumped it in 7 months for a Golf R. STI's value retention is great so I didn't lose much on it at least.

The STI is a fun car to drive and the suspension and AWD system is excellent but the motor is a dinosaur, interior is garbage, gas mileage is abysmal for the hp, sound proofing is atrocious (road noise was BAD). The WRX is a better buy for the money. The STI's motor hasn't seen significant update since 2004. They're light on power and not especially mod friendly. For the price of an STI I would go Golf R again without hesitation. Most well rounded daily I have ever owned. Faster than the STI, better response to mods, amazing interior, way better gas mileage. Less "raw" but more practical.

Only sold the R to move on to an RS3.

[freeburn]

I have a reputation around the office for being the guy who always seems to be buying a new car. I've owned a lot of cars and the STI was quickest I ever got rid of one. Bought a brand new 2018 STI and dumped it in 7 months for a Golf R. STI's value retention is great so I didn't lose much on it at least.

The STI is a fun car to drive and the suspension and AWD system is excellent but the motor is a dinosaur, interior is garbage, gas mileage is abysmal for the hp, sound proofing is atrocious (road noise was BAD). The WRX is a better buy for the money. The STI's motor hasn't seen significant update since 2004. They're light on power and not especially mod friendly. For the price of an STI I would go Golf R again without hesitation. Most well rounded daily I have ever owned. Faster than the STI, better response to mods, amazing interior, way better gas mileage. Less "raw" but more practical.

Only sold the R to move on to an RS3.

Interesting take. Yeah I mean I'd love to wait for the new wrx but it's kinda butt ugly


The rs3 is on my radar just a huge price difference. Gf has a 2020 audi q5 and the interior is really really nice.

[jaimeruiz99]

I owned both a WRX and a WRX STI. I concur with everyone ITT, the WRX is simply the better car for what you're paying for.

[Holyfenix]

For the money I would rather get an S3.

[akmerle]

I never drove the STI, but had a WRX (current gen). the wrx had:
1. horrible rev hang. impossible to shift it quickly in traffic just keeping it at normal revs. either you drive like a grandma or like a boy racer, no in between. look it up, it's a common issue
2. horrible tune. the tune will drop power randomly based on whatever it's feeling. and it's not just heat soak, happens on cold days too. you'll step on it and the motor wheezes and coughs and you're like WTF.
3. no power up top. the car seems to have tons of power on the test drive as you're not winding it out, so you're left wondering what a beast it is at high revs. turns out, it makes all its power down low like a diesel. really disappointing to rev it out and get nothing.

some of these are semi-fixable problems with a custom tune, but the motor is still a soulless blender. The STI fixes all these issues. let's not pretend you're not getting anything for the extra you spend on the STI. defining a car by numbers is a noob mistake.

Lol, should have stopped reading after “never drove the STI”. Saying the STI fixes these issues, while never driving one, or experiencing / acknowledging the host of issues the STI has is more a newb fanboy mistake.

At least you can drive the WRX like a grandma, the STI is so clunky / rough / heavy clutched that it’s very unsophisticated unless you are flat bill boy racer mode all the time. STI’s feel like they are from the Stone Age, and not in the endearing analog mechanical good way.

Am sure the current Gen WRX issues are frustrating, but are relatively easy to fix. Mild tune, quality fuel, and not being an idiot will get you a well balanced fun little car. And for the record, I wouldn’t buy either a new WRX or STI.

Like I (and everyone else) said, WRX is a better daily driver, and for STI money there are a multitude of better options.

[5431]

Lol, should have stopped reading after “never drove the STI”. Saying the STI fixes these issues, while never driving one, or experiencing / acknowledging the host of issues the STI has is more a newb fanboy mistake.

At least you can drive the WRX like a grandma, the STI is so clunky / rough / heavy clutched that it’s very unsophisticated unless you are flat bill boy racer mode all the time. STI’s feel like they are from the Stone Age, and not in the endearing analog mechanical good way.

Am sure the current Gen WRX issues are frustrating, but are relatively easy to fix. Mild tune, quality fuel, and not being an idiot will get you a well balanced fun little car. And for the record, I wouldn’t buy either a new WRX or STI.

Like I (and everyone else) said, WRX is a better daily driver, and for STI money there are a multitude of better options.

every reviewer out there disagrees with you. you can fix the tune but not the blender motor nor the cable shifter that feels like you're shifting in sand. quality fuel? I only put shell 93 in it. ass munch

[TTV6]

Both WRX and STI are, quite frankly, ****. Boy racer on the outside, Geo Metro on the inside - cheap materials, cheesy design, very few options, low tech, uncomfortable seats... Add in road noise and turbo lag and you quickly see that they're far, far behind competition from even a decade ago. They're also slow but every fanboy thinks they're fast, which is laughable.

Then there are the reliability issues... Buddy of mine tunes them for a living, says it's a steady flow of fanboys who always blow their engines because they're not capable of making any decent power for more than a day, but they don't care because it's usually grandma's money they're spending. Subaru used to be a decent choice 15yrs ago when there wasn't much competition but they never innovated. Every single person I knew with a turbo Subaru got rid of it with no regrets.

These ****boxes aren't even in the same galaxy as the Golf R - the VW is significantly better in every single way.

Cue the fanboys foaming at the mouth with rage at this post...

[ChaoticReignPbt]

These ****boxes aren't even in the same galaxy as the Golf R - the VW is significantly better in every single way.

As I said above. A million times this. Owned both and the R did everything better. Not to mention the R will break into the 11s in the 1/4 on just a tune.

If you're not a hatch guy the S3 is essentially the same car mechanically though the R handles a little better in most of the track tests out there. Until the STI gets a complete overhaul you're driving 2004 tech. There are better options for the money.

[akmerle]

every reviewer out there disagrees with you. you can fix the tune but not the blender motor nor the cable shifter that feels like you're shifting in sand. quality fuel? I only put shell 93 in it. ass munch

Everything I see (and have experienced) is that the WRX is a better daily driver.

Lol and the STI EJ257 is any better than the WRX’s motor? It’s damn near 20 years old, and still has issues.

If you run 93, then there are a host of reliable and well regarded tunes you could run that would fix much of your issues.

I understand your issues with the WRX, and it obviously wasn’t the right car for you. Why did you choose it over the STI? Better luck next time.

[DrFeeIGood]

Excited for the next gen STI. Golf R and S3 are better cars no doubt, currently.

[batmanman]

I never drove the STI, but had a WRX (current gen). the wrx had:
1. horrible rev hang. impossible to shift it quickly in traffic just keeping it at normal revs. either you drive like a grandma or like a boy racer, no in between. look it up, it's a common issue
2. horrible tune. the tune will drop power randomly based on whatever it's feeling. and it's not just heat soak, happens on cold days too. you'll step on it and the motor wheezes and coughs and you're like WTF.
3. no power up top. the car seems to have tons of power on the test drive as you're not winding it out, so you're left wondering what a beast it is at high revs. turns out, it makes all its power down low like a diesel. really disappointing to rev it out and get nothing.

some of these are semi-fixable problems with a custom tune, but the motor is still a soulless blender. The STI fixes all these issues. let's not pretend you're not getting anything for the extra you spend on the STI. defining a car by numbers is a noob mistake.

This

I have the wrx, some days its very peppy then other times I step on it at a stoplight and it just farts like a saggy old man and doesn't want to get up and go

The power up top thing was expected with peak torque at 2xxx rpm and a twinscroll turbo

[hoop84]

For the money I would rather get an S3.

This, the s3 is a better car for a couple thousand dollars more.

[InPhase]

Both WRX and STI are, quite frankly, ****. Boy racer on the outside, Geo Metro on the inside - cheap materials, cheesy design, very few options, low tech, uncomfortable seats... Add in road noise and turbo lag and you quickly see that they're far, far behind competition from even a decade ago. They're also slow but every fanboy thinks they're fast, which is laughable.

Then there are the reliability issues... Buddy of mine tunes them for a living, says it's a steady flow of fanboys who always blow their engines because they're not capable of making any decent power for more than a day, but they don't care because it's usually grandma's money they're spending. Subaru used to be a decent choice 15yrs ago when there wasn't much competition but they never innovated. Every single person I knew with a turbo Subaru got rid of it with no regrets.

These ****boxes aren't even in the same galaxy as the Golf R - the VW is significantly better in every single way.

Cue the fanboys foaming at the mouth with rage at this post...

This man speaks the truth.

The WRX was good 20 years ago. It's gone nowhere since.

[5431]

Everything I see (and have experienced) is that the WRX is a better daily driver.

Lol and the STI EJ257 is any better than the WRX’s motor? It’s damn near 20 years old, and still has issues.

If you run 93, then there are a host of reliable and well regarded tunes you could run that would fix much of your issues.

I understand your issues with the WRX, and it obviously wasn’t the right car for you. Why did you choose it over the STI? Better luck next time.

I ran a MAPerformance tune on it and should have done so from day 1. I loved the car but that doesn't mean it didn't have its issues and that there aren't better cars out there. I bought the car because like you I thought the EJ was a dinosaur and the FA20 was the way of the future. The FA is a better motor spec-wise but it has no character. The WRX and STI are both slow but at least the STI has character with its unmistakable sound. What I found is that the WRX is a jack of all trades, master of none. Not a particularly luxurious & comfortable daily driver and on the track it understeers and the stock motor is a dog. The STI is at least good on the track. Do you even own a WRX or STI? And no reputable reviewer considers the WRX better than the STI. Look up savagegeese's review of the WRX. He's one of the few who actually point out its issues.

[rectifryer]

Subaru is clearly just improving the wrx until it overshadows the sti so it can just kill the sti.

[Tha big kahoona]

I do. Built. Pretty fun track car

[snailsrus]

Mine was modded out but it never drove as nice as my z

[JayJ350]

I own a 350Z and owned a turbocharged Subaru, the Subaru was the worst car I ever owned, while the Z has been fantastic.

[quadsbro]

I was able to test drive the STI and the competition over the summer.

Although it was only for about an hour max each on local street and backroads, my preferences are:

Civic Type R (better daily) and Focus RS (more raw and love the exhaust pops) tied for first
Golf R is a solid all rounder, middle of the pack
STI last because of the crappy stock tune + turbo lag, vague clutch and clunky shifter. This was my favorite car until driving it ... I would immediately tune it because the stock tune was that bad

[JUGGERNAUT1333]

I had a 2008 STi and it was the shortest car I owned. I think I had it 8 months?.....

I agree with just about all the points made ITT. It's not a great daily driver at all. It's built to be driven hard. I did not like the clutch feel at all. It engaged very high. I will say, with some Blizzak snow tires the thing was an absolute terror in the snow, unstoppable.

I really like how the newer models look, and briefly thought about getting one again, but the reliability of that 2.5 boxer engine is not great + combined with chitty fuel economy/need for premium made it a no-go. Just not a good investment IMO. You can do better for the price they are asking right now.

[JayJ350]

I was able to test drive the STI and the competition over the summer.

Although it was only for about an hour max each on local street and backroads, my preferences are:

Civic Type R (better daily) and Focus RS (more raw and love the exhaust pops) tied for first
Golf R is a solid all rounder, middle of the pack
STI last because of the crappy stock tune + turbo lag, vague clutch and clunky shifter. This was my favorite car until driving it ... I would immediately tune it because the stock tune was that bad

Yeah the Civic Type R and Focus RS are cars you will never need to tune, they are good to go from the factory. The Golf R has always been a more conservative/sleeper choice in that group. Cars like the STI, you can tell how they are meant to be tuned. I mean there's a good reason why everyone seems to tune theirs.

[hoop84]

Thoughts on 2022 golf r?

[awwchit2]

the fact that the sti to this day is still very "old school" and raw, I think it will gain value as the years pass by and we move towards boring electric cars. there is a market for an old fashioned 6 speed and manual handbrake stiff suspension cars srs.

and also the fact the 2022 wrx is simply abysmal in every since of the word, OP i'd jump on a 2021 ASAP.

i really think it will hold/gain value much like s2000s or other old school hondas have

the golf R is a can of BORING. yeah its faster but the car looks like a cuck car srs

[JayJ350]

the fact that the sti to this day is still very "old school" and raw, I think it will gain value as the years pass by and we move towards boring electric cars. there is a market for an old fashioned 6 speed and manual handbrake stiff suspension cars srs.

and also the fact the 2022 wrx is simply abysmal in every since of the word, OP i'd jump on a 2021 ASAP.

i really think it will hold/gain value much like s2000s or other old school hondas have

the golf R is a can of BORING. yeah its faster but the car looks like a cuck car srs

The problem with Subaru's is how their flat-4 turbo engines are unreliable. It seems like nobody has their old STI's running anymore.

[awwchit2]

The problem with Subaru's is how their flat-4 turbo engines are unreliable. It seems like nobody has their old STI's running anymore.

i dont know much about their reliability but its a heavily modded car generally.

the 2022 wrx is terrible it looks AWFUL and has no rumble.

the 2021 wrx will hold/gain value because of it.

thats my prediction at least

[JayJ350]

i dont know much about their reliability but its a heavily modded car generally.

the 2022 wrx is terrible it looks AWFUL and has no rumble.

the 2021 wrx will hold/gain value because of it.

thats my prediction at least

That's another problem with old STI's, most of them were driven hard and modified, and those flat 4's love to blow head gaskets.

[akmerle]

the fact that the sti to this day is still very "old school" and raw, I think it will gain value as the years pass by and we move towards boring electric cars. there is a market for an old fashioned 6 speed and manual handbrake stiff suspension cars srs.

and also the fact the 2022 wrx is simply abysmal in every since of the word, OP i'd jump on a 2021 ASAP.

i really think it will hold/gain value much like s2000s or other old school hondas have

the golf R is a can of BORING. yeah its faster but the car looks like a cuck car srs

Why the phuk would you want a older STI or WRX as an old school analog feeing car that holds or appreciates in value?

That’s what Porsche’s are for.

[freeburn]

Why the phuk would you want a older STI or WRX as an old school analog feeing car that holds or appreciates in value?

That’s what Porsche’s are for.

I mean, go look at what a 22b is selling for these days lol.

I don't think a 2021 sti will have the same value, but as cars go more electric and automated something as raw as an sti will be sought after. The reception of the new wrx hasn't been good either. I was one of the people waiting for the new design and I am pretty much no longer interested in the new model bc ugly.