i nearly bought a my04 wrx but then test drove a my02 sti ppp, guess what bought the sti no regrets magor grin. always prefered bugeyes:)

Well - I guess I'm pleased to see that the majority of WRX owners feel they have made the right choice :)

Thanks to everyone who has commented and maybe this thread will help the next scooby newby along asking if they should get a WRX or an STi ;)

I love my WRX and I am enjoying modding it as well - with PPP the performance is excellent and as a day to day drivers car it is very liveable and practical too..

....but an Sti - mmmmm,
or an Sti with PPP - mmmmmmm,
or even better what about Spec C - mmmmmmmmm,
or how about a Type 25 or an S203 - MMMMMMMMMM ! :D :D :D

I think whatever I had I would always want the next thing ;) :)

Thanks again..
Pete

Like a chap said previously...if you are going to rip out the standard parts and upgrade them, might as well be ripping out cheaper parts and getting bigger gains:D:D

Gimme an Sti with 5 doors and the current seats wrapped in leather and I'll be a happy camper. But as they don;t do one, I'm not, so WRX is fine

yep
 

had uk classic 2000 turbo always wished i had bought an sti tried to convince my self that if i modded it that would make me happy!


WRONG!!

Now 2 years down the line goin 4 the best i can 2003 spec.c
hope there will be no regrets now?!

Well I went the other way - 03 STi PPP to 05 WRX SL PPP, and I'm now driving the better all round car, and can't say I miss the STi. Its nice knowing you have the top of the range, but 95% of the time the WRX PPP is as quick, handles well enough and puts the same smile on my face.

100% of the time its cheaper to buy, cheaper to fuel, cheaper to insure, more comfortable (especially the heated leather seats), easier to drive quickly (5 speed box and power delivery) and more refined on the motorway.

Yes there is still a part of me that misses the STi (mainly my middle back when I floored it in 3 or 4), but after 50,000 miles in 18 months in the STi, the WRX is the better option, and unless I was doing half the mileage or had twice the salary I wouldn't consider another STi.

The STi is technically the best car, but not the best real world car.

Gareth

Yeah we are the same, but the money we have spent and are still spending makes me wonder if it would of been just as cheap with the STi as its a case of what can we add now and it seems to be endless!

Had my '03 STI with Tek3 for a week now.

Great googamooga does she shift !!

I'm Absolutely in Love !!!!!!

Don't know what all the comments about harshness of ride are about after a Tein coilover setup on my last two cars this is lovely and soft ;)

I freely admit to being an attention whore :D

Glad I spent the extra for the top (uk) model, save's me a fortune in mods !! (And moods form the missus !!)

Dave Hughes
03 STI UK Tek3 PFF7

They'll always find something to get in a modd about mate! Glad you'r enjoying the car though.

I think this thread proves two things:

1) People will always want more, irrespective of whether they start from a WRX or STi

2) It's unlikely that you'd be unhappy with either!! :) BUT You can always mod!!

NS04

There speaks a wise man :thumb: ;) :D :D

Utter crap. An STI would blow you into the hedgerows

Did the same as you m8, bought my99 turbo, started to mod, loved the car but it was an STi that i wanted. after 9mths traded in for a STi type uk prodrive ppp, thought the insurance would kill me but it worked out cheaper than my classic with mods. got the car i really craved, very happy now.:)

Lee

Not at all!!!

I have an 04 WRX with a prodrive rear box, my mate has an 03 STI (standard). Once we both hit 60+ my car is quicker up to 110, at which point his starts to pull away again.

We have driven each others cars, and he was slightly annoyed at how quick mine was. Obviously the supsension etc on b-road blasts would show up a bigger difference in performance.
My mate has owned a few Scoobys and reckons its a case of his STI being a 'bad one' and my WRX being a 'good one'. His last WRX was dyno'd at 238bhp unmodified, which he says he prefered to his current STI for everyday use.
http://dyno.scoobynet.co.uk/uk/carl_harvey.htm

Tested an STI and a WRX back to back before settling on the WRX. Really liked both cars and rated them but settled on the WRX because it was a more suitable type of car for the journeys I do feeling less frantic than the STI in normal busy road conditions. Also liked the more subtle look.

For me things I like about the WRX are:

1) Easier to drive (but still enjoyable) on those days when all you want to do is get home after a long day.
2) More comfortable ride.
3) Cheaper to insure/fuel etc.
4) Not so attention grabbing (when you don't want it that is).
5) Still a fast car (not the fastest got the edge when compared with most of the latest GTI bunch).

Things I liked about the STI:

1) Sledgehammer power.
2) Stronger more modern transmission although for me 5 speeds are still enough.
3) Steering crispness (have since fitted Prodrive springs to the WRX and they have made the steering and handling far better - should be like that as standard)

They are both great cars and its all a matter of personal preference. Suppose the ultimate would be a spec C but now having had one scoob I am addicted to the 4 wheel traction/turbo boost/flat four character thing.

My next car will be an STI, but I am more than happy with my MY03 WRX - I have had it for 19 months and it is great. The mods I have done to it I would have done to the STI (mainly) anyway so it has not been a waste.

It is powerful enough or everyday use and mixed journeys.

For a weekend toy - the STI no competition but
For everyday use and "liveability" - the WRX has to be the choice, with or without PPP.

Brian :)

Although i have said previously i love my WRX, the only things that really did annoy me were the non colour coded side skirts, even a 6 grand KA comes fully colour coded now, also the stupid spoiler really lets the car down IMHO.

Both of the above have been rectified and now the car looks as it should.

Rant over

Me too :D

oh and i forget. larger STI scoop, instead of that cheese slicer that came standard

Funny, i find the new STi scoop too big for my liking

LOL old boy!!!

Thats what i thought-but the reality is completely different from what you say.
You obviously havent had the chance to compare-or youre a crap driver;)

I originally had an MY98 with Prodrive exhaust / RAMair filter. Then I got a P1 with induction kit and full replacement exhaust. To be honest I could drive the MY98 on the edge all the time and enjoy it. P1 run out of road before I could get to the edge, so you never really got to 'enjoy' it, so in my opinion I would get a WRX.......

I've had my '01 WRX for a month and love it. I too, have got used to the BHP now and wonder what an STI would be like but I'm looking forward to getting PPP fitted.

It's also due it's 30k service (5k miles early) and I'm hoping that will make it feel quicker too as it's 12 months overdue if you go by the service intervals.

Am more than happy with my wrx, a mate has ans STI and i'm on his bumper from during traficlight drag race's and it uses less fuel. So no the STi in my opinion isn't worth the extra insurance or running costs.

yes it is mate :)

I could literally watch the fuel gauge go down in the P1, whereas the MY98 was generally OK....

I wouldnt swap for an STI. Its too heavy.

I'm happy with my decision to go for a MY05 WRX in crystal grey. I'm really not into gold wheels, huge spoilers and neon blue interiors, plus i don't want to drive at 9/10ths all the time. The WRX suits me perfectly, though I have to admit i've added the STI side-splitters and fog lamp covers (de-stickered), as well as 'blacking-out' the headlights to subtley improve the front end look. All i need now is a prodrive backbox to make it sound right, and i'll be in hog heaven.

ehh u what now?? u talking cobblers now lad

yes buy the STI, i wasnt sure when I bought my 02 wrx... I have now spent a fortune on making the car look and go like a STI

a std WRX is not vey quick... well a 182 Clio will out run you all day

did the same thing mate made the mistake when i should of just brought a sti