Chris Barn

Drove the UK Sti yesterday for the first time. Not the car I thought it would be. Nothing below 4000rpm, hard as hell (Who said it wasn't as hard as the Evo. I had it for the day and went to work. In/out of B'ham 3 times blast through my favorite lanes back home (where incidentially I couldn't go much faster then my current Turbo for fear of my internal organs being rearranged). Got home well knackared.

Thinking of the family I just carn't imagine a (nice) drive in the country so wots the point in all out power if it hurts like hell 6 days a week.

Been to look at a Jag X-Type today. Must get my pipe and slippers.

Any comments??

mutant_matt

Hard? Are you sure?

I thought it was a little soft (UK owner only with Eibachs).

You may be right, you *do* need your pipe and slippers

Matt

pwebb

I would agree that the uk sti has a fairly unforgiving ride - I had a test this pm and took the car around some familiar country lanes - as well as the ride being very firm, the steering is quite heavy(albeit very precise). It is certainly not a relaxing car to drive and takes a lot of effort to go quickly. I stepped back into my B4 and promptly drove back along the same route - the b4 is massively more relaxed, refined , comfortable and dare I say it, quicker - without any of the effort needed to propel the sti along at the same pace.
Having said that, I would love the sti's brakes gearbox and front diff on my car.
The car I drove only had 300 miles on the clock so I was expecting to be underwhelmed by the available power , however I didn't think there was much lag - except maybe pulling out of junctions - where the b4's primary gets things going more quickly - both cars are similar weight - though the sti doesn't feel as solid and pitches around more - maybe the sti could do with bilsteins/porsche suspension tuning too?
I have to say that the sti is a big improvement on previous imprezas in terms of refinement but it won't win over people who are used to more expensive cars - it is still a cheapo saloon with a lot of tweaks.
If the prices in the uk were the same as in australia I would reckon that it was a steal (though the liberty b4 is the same price in aus and is even more of a bargain) but I think IM still have some way to go pricewise. I would still get a jap import every time and , on the strength of the brief test I had it wouldn't be an impreza - maybe the d revision 2002 blitzen with suretrac diff at the front.
I think I need to test a properly run-in example - as, if it had the manic acceleration of my old sti 5 , then I might be won-over by grin-factor alone. But there again, if I wanted zero refinement and insane performance it would have to be the RA spec-C.
There will doubtless be many people who are very happy with the sti 7 uk , however it is not the most refined or quickest subaru
but a reasonable effort and probably the best sorted uk spec car yet.
What it does do is show up how woeful the standard wrx is - I can see the wrx sales figures plummeting if people test drive both!

Paul W

mccltd

I had a MY99 and now have the STi WRX, I find the ride to be lovely compared to the old car, also the noise level has dropped considerably.
I can talk normally now at 70-80 with no problem.

Iain Young

I also find the ride far more relaxing than in my MY00 turbo. As Dave says, you can actually hear other people / the radio whilst driving along!! Certainly didn't find the ride too hard, (and we've got some pretty poor rural roads in the Swindon-Newbury area). When running it in, did the 1000 miles in a week driving around the twisty Lake district roads. Didn't get tired at all (well apart for my face muscles from all that grinning).

It may not win over people used to more expensive cars, but would you really expect it to?
For me, it's at the limit of my budget, but I'm enjoying every minute.

Iain.

dewi

I'm surprised the Jaguar X-type is seldom mentioned in this forum. I haven't driven one, but I'd have thought an X-Type 3.0 Sport would make a viable alternative to an Impreza WRX. I think I'd consider an X-type before an Audi S3, for example. What do people who've driven one think?

Tiggs

drove it- fast, but not fast fast!

and it looks to short in the flesh- its a very cleverly designed car that looks superb in black and white on your telly but is actually a lot shorter/stubbier than it appears.

Chris Barn

Driving the X-Type on Wednesday so I will let you know. but for starters for a little more than a Standard Sti UK you get Sports suspenson, 17" alloys, Options Chosen inc:- Full leather, trip computer, full climate control,electric seats.

231Bhp 0-60 in 6.6secs (claimed) 150mph top.

And wait for this GROUP 15 Insurance........

All this for £26,326 if you haggle for discount.

Also looking at Audi A4 3.0 Quattro costs a bit more with the options listed above.

Choices,Choices.....

Head says Jag, Heart says STI

sillysi

Chris,

If I had the STI for the day I would of not been going to work !!

Chip

I wouldnt go to work either. Also disagrre about the turbo lag. Had one for the day this week and thought the car picked up a lot better than my MY99. Ride is firmer but what do people expect.

Chip

Chris Barn

Unfortunately I have to work for a living to pay for the car and at the end of the day I spend a lot of my working day in the car in the city centre, so a full day on the welsh hills would not have been a good test of wether the car is suitable.

Anyway all immaterial now as I have just been to the dealers and told them to keep the car on order. I carn't afford the Audi in the spec I would want and I'm to young for a Jaguar (despite all their recent marketing efforts it still seems to have an old mans stigma attached to it - **** sticks!!!)

Roll on May for the Sti.

PS Sorry to the guys at Showells for being such a pain in the ****.

Chip

So it wasn't that bad then!!!

RB5 243

DRIVEN 3 LITRE XTYPE GOT OUT JUST BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP
THEN GOT BACK IN MINE WOKE UP AND REALISED JUST WHAT LIFES ABOUT

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

Jaguar X type beautiful car fantastic ride and it also has 4 wheel drive seriously considering it as my next car.
Cheers
Colin

Chris Barn

Got to agree it's a good car and a serious competitor for any Impreza. For me it was the outside looks and image that let it down. It has to be said the package (with options) + the fact they ain't selling many 3.0 V6's (due to emmissions) so you can haggle is very tempting. BUT 4 me after 3 days deliberating, and being ONLY 30 the Impreza is still a drivers car the Jag is just a car!!! I have promised the wifee that the next car (in 3 years) will be sensible so a Jag / Merc / Lexus?? / Audi will be on the cards, for now a STi (with option to change to a "softer" WRX after a years of enjoyment of Sti) will have to do...

However a thread of people who have tried a Jag would be very interesting....

Cheers

Chris

Si

I just traded in my MY99 for an X-Type 2.5 litre sport having had two Scooby's so far. I love the Scooby but in it's new guise it's no longer the car it once was

In *my* opinion the Jag handles just as well as the Scooby and if anything understeers less, it's a step or two up in the luxury stakes but it's definitely a sports tourer rather than a sports car.

Si


[Edited by Si - 3/9/2002 12:55:11 AM]