Forester STi - When did they start making them?

[subypower]

I have a mate who has a 1998 Forester stb 'STI'.

It has a red STI Garnish and the STI Fog light covers.

Pulls very strongly for a Foz.

He has just asked me to ask the Club on there opinions on whether or not it is a genuine Forester STI as I wasnt aware that they were making them back in 1998?

[Joker]

reckon model code or pics would help

[madmike]

I saw a white one go past my ofice the other day.. Had sti all over it and a set of Brembo's.

[subi4snow]

I was looking at buying a 1998 Forester STI when I got my current vehicle but due to funding at the time couldnt do it (kicking myself in the balls much now???? yip!! ) so unless there are a few people claiming incorrectly i think 98 would be legit as long as it has the sti extras obviously. The one i looked at had 4 pots (i think they were brembos but its a while ago now so not sure), strut braces, sti intercooler etc

note: all that stuff could also have just been bolt on and glue an sti badge there too so no real proof i guess

[Kiwi_Fozze]

check the model code, passenger side strut top. they made them from the conception of the forester iirc, as it is effectively a raised impreza with subframe spacers and bigger boot

[Joker]

bigger? bout the same with a bigger flap you mean

[Kiwi_Fozze]

boxy too... like an epic fridge on wheels.

[madmike]

 kwi_fozze said:

boxy too... like an epic fridge on wheels.

I was goin to say a tissue box with wheels..

But yeah..

[reaperblitz]

Yes its genuine and you can get them.. I have only seen 1998 upwards too. All black or all white tho.

They come with the fog light covers, the garnish in the middle and a slight kit to the rest.

From memory they only released them in small numbers due to demand.

Though it isnt exactly hard to upgrade the foz to have sti running gear

[subypower]

The car is black. Did they have the red manifolds?

[Kiwi_Fozze]

Afaik yes....

[subypower]

This help?

[LAZLO]

i thought sti engines were ej20k??? im probably wrong though

[slystiguy]

Sti can be a few different codes. depends on the year

[reaperblitz]

^ what he said. Early Wagon and forester ejs we're called ej20g even tho they were pretty much ej20ks.

Only obvious difference was the turbo - td04

[GT2.2]

Forester STi's are VERY different beasts to Imprezza STi's

As far as I'm aware they only started pumping out the "STi" Forester from 1998 onwards as the Forester STi type II M. The SG5 Foresters were the first forester model to get the real STI treatment.

All the SF5 Forester "STi"s I have seen have been Auto, had STi trimmed Forester seats, Fog light covers and STi wheels Some were optioned with 4pots. Engine wise I haven't had the oppertunity to take a look at one first hand but from all the pics I have seen the SF5 ones did not come with a red manifold unless it had been painted by the owner.

That vin plate reads to me as just a regular SF5A. Pre-facelift. EJ20G was pre-facelift only then they moved on to EJ205's I believe in the facelift models.

Could likely be a S/tb Type II M as they seemed a bit grunty compared to the average foz for unknown reasons.

As said, not hard to give a foz STi equivalent power with an orange afm, yellow injectors and 6S ecu. My old Foz (the mighty DeFoz R.I.P) put out 184@wkw on the above on the standard TD04 much to Gary Capper's surprise

[newsuba]

First real Forester STI, (2001 ?), limited to 800 units

http://www.sti.jp/e/product/previousmodel/2001forester.html

Full production models from 2004, 2.5L detuned Impreza STI motor, 6-speed, Brembos, 18" wheels etc.

[GT2.2]

 newsuba said:

First real Forester STI, (2001 ?), limited to 800 units

http://www.sti.jp/e/product/previousmodel/2001forester.html

Full production models from 2004, 2.5L detuned Impreza STI motor, 6-speed, Brembos, 18" wheels etc.

nail + head

gotta lay off the st paddys spirit...

SF5a's DID NOT get an STI spec

They got S/TB type II's as the highest performance spec

[subypower]

Car does not have a red manifold and rims are aftermarket so not sure what they were originally??

It also has STi seats in it...

Real or a fake? Thoughts?

[reaperblitz]

Crinkle red cover on the manifolds can crack and peel off leaving bare grey ones. But in saying that- there isn't much difference between the two...

Also don't get confused with information from USA forums as they received a different batch of engine setups compared to JDM/ nz

[mbb]

 newsuba said:

First real Forester STI, (2001 ?), limited to 800 units

http://www.sti.jp/e/product/previousmodel/2001forester.html

What turbo does the STi II Type M run? TD04? or?

[dzk]

Cousin in auckland has sti type m 2 forester. Has normal wrx engine td04 turbo. But has sti trim and sti spotlight covers etc. No red manifold and ran ten or so pounds of boost. Had 4 pot and 2 pot brakes. Think its a 2001 model

[irisvicks]

hey mate uno any one who is selling forester sti bodykits jus like tht one on the pic ? as im keen on buyn one fo mi 2001 forester

thanks