Opinion please '02 STI or '05 WRX wagon

[richm]

Would like to upgrade my GTB in the coming months and would like your opinion. With a budget of up to 20K and the need for a daily driver to carry kayak (hence wagon) do I go for a '02 STI wagon or for the same amount of money a '05 WRX wagon? Is the STI worth 'sacrificing' 3 years of newness for?

Why not a newer Legacy? Well, I find the GTB a bit heavy, a bit big, with not much low down torque and I remember how light my '98 WRX felt to drive.

Thanks, you opinions are appreciated.

[nt_a_foz]

depends what you want out of the car..

The sti will have 6 speed gearbox, bigger diff, bigger turbo, injectors, harder tuned ecu, upgraded interior (i think) , bigger intercooler etc etc...

Especially in the gdb chassis the sti models have alot of upgrades over the normal wrx.

If you want nice power and like the newer shape then get teh 05 wrx.

If you want more power and harder tuned and setup factory go for the sti....

Actually coming to think about it now your talking wagons so what i have said may or may not apply i was refering to sedans

[subiv5]

Have you driven one of these?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/LEGACY/auction-247855867.htm

I know you said you didn't like legacy's but this makes same power as the WRX plus has plenty of torque down low

Great for chucking the kayak on the roof

[Scoobydoo]

If you're going to be going anywhere off road, you'll want more torque than speed, in which case a Legacy is more up your alley.

[lunchie]

 Scoobydoo said:

If you're going to be going anywhere off road, you'll want more torque than speed, in which case a Legacy is more up your alley.

new shape leggy can be had for well under 20k, turbo, 206kw and SUPER comfy

[Guest STiEVO]

Forrester

[nt_a_foz]

 STiEVO said:

Forrester

trust you to be difficult ay koro haha

[Pappu1]

02 sti... just for it being so beter engineered i mean engine box wise etc..

but then for the same $ get a newer car has always been a good idea..

if u dont really push that much for performance then the 05 wrx for sure..

the new legacies are super smooth (the rex on the other hand has a nice turbo kick if u like that)

[richm]

Hi.

Thank you for your opinions. Yes, I am glad also, I asked the experts. I had previously discounted the newer Legacy, but as you say it is seriously worth considering. I definitely would like a car with more power down low (torque) than the need to rev the engine high. But, it also needs to be fun. Thanks, I will look into it.

[gemini]

My 2c

2.5L turbo WRX (EJ255) which was available from late 2005 I think

You wanted smaller and lighter after all?

[richm]

Hi,

You mean like one of these?:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-246146131.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-248416885.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-241525900.htm

All very nice. No doubt a great car, but getting up there in budget a little bit. Could be worth waiting a few months for their prices to come down a tad. I think my question has been answered that probably best to go for a newer, younger car, than an older STI if being used as more of a daily driver, softer ride. Thanks for your opinion.

[Pappu1]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-

246146131.htm

is this certed for aftermarket suspension - with the huge wheels and thin rubber will be a harder not softer ride

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-248416885.htm

comfortable and v.good for everyday drive for sure and a bit of peformance when needed - also possiblt drive the price down if u serious + low km is a bonus!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-241525900.htm

same as above but lass outstanding so maybe less attractive to thieves if u want it as a park most places car. low km a good thins well.

--

between option 2 and 3 u have the daily driver type carr in my view - smooth and comfy and low down power and enought top end for the occational blat ..

get option 3 if u need the space and for it being less theft possibility

get option 2 if u want a bit of a more race/performance image and have got better parking options

[QRAF]

he want a wagon for his kayak all sedans are out that means

[Pappu1]

 QRAF said:

he want a wagon for his kayak all sedans are out that means

i see ur right bro.. option 3 is the go then bro..

ticks all ur boxes -

wagon

good low peformance

bit ot zing on the top end should u want

smoothe ride

not super low to scrape at kyking places lol

[QRAF]

got any pictures of the 02 sti?

As i own a wrx and I've alway regretted it.

Don't make the same mistake i did.

[nt_a_foz]

depends what he wnnts from the car QRAF..

If he just wants a nice tidy cruiser with a bit of go the wrx will be fine over the sti...

[QRAF]

nah he'll say that now just like i did then over time his opinion will change and he'll look for more power.

Then find out he should of just gotten an sti.

if i had it all over i should of waited for a nice ver3 sti or type R like your selfs to popped up but i wanted the newer shape.

[Pappu1]

 QRAF said:

nah he'll say that now just like i did then over time his opinion will change and he'll look for more power.

Then find out he should of just gotten an sti.

if i had it all over i should of waited for a nice ver3 sti or type R like your selfs to popped up but i wanted the newer shape.

thats so tru bro.. everyone says that eventually lol..

but ur one is pretty quick i wud imagine keep up with te sti ofthe era

[QRAF]

yeah it keeps up just, but if you've got a modded sti i don't stand a chance and i don't go kidding myself about it either.

this is just my 2cents at the end of the day.

[WRXER]

I agree with Qraf, I was in the same boat with my previous wrx.

However it really is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has their own oppinions on these cars, so really the best answer is too take what u read here and then test drive both to see how u feel about it.

[Guest]

I went for the v7 wagon because Brembo's isn't much to lose for a boot! I'm sure my fiancee would have preferred me to go for the wrx though, the stiff springs don't do much for her eh! The sti doesn't have that much down low, but the short gears make up for that, I commute in Auckland with it and it's fine, and fun. I sometimes think I should have got an 03 wrx instead, but then I just let it pull to 8000 and forget about it.

Oh, and you can get a v7 wagon for FAR less than 20k, I managed 15.5 almost a year ago from a yard.

[richm]

Damn QRAF - you said what I hoped you wouldn't say! That I would still be wishing I had the STI if I purchased the WRX. WRXER - you are right about driving both, which I have done. The STI makes one feel 'special' and more racie.

That brings me to my dilema and why I wanted your opinions. The '01-'02 STI wagon is 195kw and the '05 WRX is 169kw - not much difference - but then comes the 6 speed gearbox, harder tune, great looking, e.t.c. And I wonder is it worth giving up 3-4 years of newness fo the same coin? Perhaps it is?

Some examples of the last STI wagons. They happen to all be 2001s, but 2002s are available. Production stopped early 2002, I believe.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-205531593.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-232982952.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/Impreza/auction-245438251.htm

[QRAF]

they all look good i guess its the kms thats the difference in price

you also know that you can get your computer re flashed at stm (i think there a club sponsor) and they can un lock you up to 250kw without needing to do any modes to your engine.

i'm just glad there all sti's

[subiv5]

 richm said:

That brings me to my dilema and why I wanted your opinions. The '01-'02 STI wagon is 195kw and the '05 WRX is 169kw - not much difference - but then comes the 6 speed gearbox, harder tune, great looking, e.t.c. And I wonder is it worth giving up 3-4 years of newness fo the same coin? Perhaps it is?

Where did you get this figure from? The NZ New ones are definitely 206kw and seeing they are the same car's then the Jap import ones should be too. You may be confused with the Aus market models

I have the subaru nz brochure that someone on here posted up last time on my computer somewhere

[gemini]

Another 2c

Big difference between an STI and a WRX I would think... the WRX is a mass market performance car, the STI is a street legal race car.

The road is not a race track. Could get a WRX and a race kart/dirt bike/quad bike/jet ski with the difference to an STI.

But if you have your heart set on an STI, you should go for it. Could buy an older one to see if you like it then change up to a newer WRX/STI depending what you decide.

This one looks well maintained, don't know about prices

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Subaru/WRX/auction-240876246.htm