AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Last weekend I test drove an '03 STI with PPP. It was about a year old, had 11000 on the clock and was in immaculate condition.

However, the car seemed to suffer a slight hesitation when the throttle was opened. Rather than accelerating smoothly it would begin to accelerate, pause briefly, then take off. The effect was quite subtle but definitely repeatable and enough to be distracting. It may have been a suspension damping rather than an engine problem - it felt like a single longitudinal vibration of the whole car, and did once or twice occur on lift-off too.

Does this behaviour sound normal, or symptomatic of a serious problem?

The engine also made a somewhat unfamiliar throaty, gargling sort of noise around 3000-4000rpm - not unpleasant, but unlike anything I've heard from my own car (MY00+PPP). I guess that's normal, right?

Andy.

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

My 03 STi PPP has a very slight flat spot, only noticable when pulling away fairly gently in 1st It's something I've got used to and it's not noticable in higher gears.
Can't comment on the sound without actually hearing it, but I can't say as I recognise it from your description. I assume the car was fully warmed up?
JohnD