up4aruk

Ok, i'm sure this has been covered before but maybe considering either one of these. Any thoughts/ experiences on either one such as performance, thirst, depreciation, handling etc. Need to know how they stack up against each other.

AliWrx

Try this thread for slightly less biased opinion.
http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?threadid=103896

I had a P1 and IMHO it was and is better than the new STI7 but there will be a host of people who disagree.

Only way to find out is drive them both.

Ali

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Driven an STI7 Type UK and its a fantastic car even against a P1.
It does feel different, especially if you come from a classic shape to the new shape, the suretrac diffs make the car feel and handle differently, its a more outstanding drivers car IMHO but you need to drive both to get to see what you prefer.

Tony

W9GTR

Right i don't own either but my best mate had a P1 for a year which I drove on a regular basis and was also lucky enough to spend a day at prodrive twatting STI7's around.
My honest opinion as follows,
I rate the STI7 as a better all round car, so much so that I am giving serious consideration to ordering one. While i enjoyed my drives and passenger rides in the old P1 I was never sufficiently impressed to buy. Why? well several things really......Understeer (before bump steer mod) being one, slowish steering rack which caught the owner out a couple of times...at least and a crumby interior which i couldn't stand to spend any length of time in. While the interior of the new is much better than the old it is still not great but there's a start. The new car to me seems to have more bite at the front end, and there's always the option of some oversteer antics in the wet as the power transfers rearwards. I felt in total control of the new car on both the circuit and tarmac rally stage and had confidence in both the cars ultimate ability and perhaps more importantly how much grip was left in the bank. What is also impressive is the very progressive fashion in which the STI finally lets go making any adjustments easier to judge.
At the end of the day both cars are great fun but ultimately I can imagine myself living with the STI but not a P1.
Steve

scoobynutta555

steve, i will give the benefit of the doubt as i have never driven a new shape, even the prodrive model. For a new model that will cost the same as what i paid for my car brand new possibly more, i would expect it to be a significant improvement. I simply havent been convinced by peoples first impressions on here, yours included.

Are you saying that the new model oversteers more than a P1? i havent read any opinions that have said this before. Granted there is a slight understeer bias on the P1, but IMHO that enhances point to point performance. If oversteer is what you require then i suggest you go for an sti4/5 typeR. I previously owned a sti5 typeR and it was one mean bugger to drive in the wet. If power slides and wild oversteer are your passion thats the way to go, and it has a quicker rack


One thing though, id like you to clarify the point u made about the power transfering to the back with the sti, "some oversteer antics in the wet as the power transfers rearwards" you can get power slides in the P1 on a dry surface, and feel confident with it. Im not sure about the power being transfered to the back though as you suggest especially in the wet, i may be wrong though as i havent driven it

chrisp

Julys EVO makes interesting reading

SteveB

iTrader: (1)

Wouldn't swap my P1 for an STI 7.

Had the pleasure of driving a STI7 around Castle Coomb a few weeks ago and for me thenP1 is still the car to have. Better feel to the steering, much better handling(mines got Leda) and more ooomph.

Plus they look sooo much better.

Thanks

Steve.

MartinM

OK - I have a P1 and test drove a STI7 Prodrive UK the other day for an hour or so.

Was considering starting a thread, but thought it would start a flame war, so never did it.

But anyway, a brief resume (STI first):

- Ext Looks - looks good, in fact better than I thought it would in the flesh. Looks a much bigger car (not sure if it really is though). But wheels look too small/gap between wheel and wheelarch too big (see later). Not as lairy as a P1

- Int looks - better, but who looks inside!

- Chassis - very obviously much stiffer. But NVH from suspension still gets through when low speed on poor road.

- Power - obviously less, but could still press on respectably. PPP would obviously help quite a bit

- Gearbox - despite 6 speed (or because of?) and combined with power characteristic means you had to always be in the right gear to accelerate. Was easy to be in the wrong gear x2 ie was in fifth, want to accelerate, current speed dictates that best acceleration would be in 3rd...so two changes or straight from 5->3. P1 can accelerate v.quickly in any gear (except from maybe 25mph in 5th!). Wouldn't mind a highish 6th gear on the P1 for motorway/A road cruising though.

- Handling - harsh at low speed, and (much) too much roll/general wallow at high speed. Latter syptomatic of C of G being way too high (see first point). P1 handling is taut, but overall is consistent at all speeds from low to very high. Just didn't feel safe in the STI at high speeds on sweeping bends. Overall impression was that the handling/suspension was completely the wrong way round - too hard at low speed, much too soft at high speed. This was probbaly my biggest problem with the STI over the P1.

- 4WD - a bit weird to be honest. Seemed to suffer from torque steer at the front quite badly and have the overall impression of a front wheel drive car. Definitely had the impression that the two front wheels had minds of their own on poor surface roads. I think I read somewhere that the new (Torsen?) differential at the front has this 'feature'. It's really hard to say which wheels drive the P1 - its just completely neutral and the front wheels definitely work in unison all the time

- Brakes - Good. Better than P1 standard (hence I have APs )

- Depreciation - I (honestly) think that A1 condition P1s will hold their value well (limited edition etc etc), and it seems that prices are holding well. Yes, you might get a 60,000 mile tatty X-plate for 20K, but a 5000 mile 51 plate (hey, that's me ) will be significantly more. But have no real views on what an STI will do though.

- Fuel consumption - STI - no idea. P1 - low!

I really wanted the STI to be good (had had a good offer on my P1 and was seriously tempted to change - going to current model etc etc). But the power delivery/gearbox, the very odd handling and the torque steer 'effect' put me right off buying a 'stock one' I'm afraid. If you've never been in/driven a P1 though, I think the STI would appear pretty damn good.

Given a PPP (more torque, so less reliance on gear selected)and a lowering kit (dealer alluded to the existence of a Prodrive circa 40mm lowering kit sometime) it would be significantly improved. But list price would be (guessing) 27.5 + 1.8 + 1.2, so over £30K - a significant cost to change from even my P1, and with no guarantee of how long I'd have to wait for the PPP, let alone a suspension kit

So, I've stuck with the P1 and am happy within myself that I've made the right decision.

...all IMHO, of course, and I'm no professional road car tester

But its each to his own...
...the best advice is that if you're thinking of spending that sort of money, you've GOTTA drive both.
...and if a flame war starts from STI owners I'm unlikely to rise to it, unless its to clarify anything I've said
...and anyway, the latest EVO still says the P1 is the best


[Edited by MartinM - 6/12/2002 5:59:48 PM]