MadMark

Now I see what all the fuss is about!

My 03 WRX is fab, but all the areas where I would like just a little more - the STi provides - better brakes, more power, more noise, less wide gearing, less understeer, less body roll and is much more FUN! Even the G/F liked it (although not the rear spoiler) .....

I am convinced - it's going to be my next car - but now saving frantically ....

jhrfc1

Was it the used blue one for sale at SGT? I drove that a few weeks ago and have to say I came to a different conclusion.
It just wasn't THAT much different to my WRX PPP, It's feels taughter and quicker, but it just didn't knock my socks off, unlike when I had the PPP put on the WRX wher eI thought the difference was explosive.
I guess it's when you really throw the car around on a track the difference would tell.

MadMark

jhrfc1 - Used and blue - but I think it was new in! Did you drive the one with the PFF 18" wheels (53 plate which I saw 2 weeks ago, and asked to drive, but it was sold) or the 03 on the golds (which was sold whilst I was driving it on Saturday)? Over 10,000 miles they seem to get MUCH faster .....

My Wrx is on record as producing 260bhp and 245lb/ft of torque (unmodded except a Prodrive Backbox), but I thought it was radically different!
- I was sliding it around ..... and seriously pushing it!

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Even better if it had the springs, bump stops and geo

jhrfc1

The one I drove was a 53, I was really trying it out to check out the six speed and stiffer ride with a view to ordering a WR1, but I decided (although the WR1 would be quicker still), that it just didn't seem different enough to jusify spending 15k to change.
I have to say it was p**sing down when I drove it, so I wasn't really chucking it around. I was really trying to see if I could live with it as an everyday commuting car.

zilch

Mark, test drove the Type 25 the weekend at Litchfields , another step
change in power to the STI (test drove one 2 weeks ago at Adams), not sure about the PPP version, but assume its a fair bit ahead in the game..but the type 25 is simply awesome ...Seriously looking at getting a JDM STI from Litchfields, comes with twin scroll turbo and approx 300 gee gees as standard, all for 26K.. It might be worth a trip down to Litchfields/Powerstation to have a look..if you are not wedded to Subaru UK (IM), as an original owner of a UK300 i am certainly not happy to put my money elsewhere

MadMark

Zilch - Funny you should say that - I saw the Litchfield demo car when I was last at Powerstation. I had ruled out a spec C as it is my daily runner, but I'll have a look at the JDM STi .......

Jhrfc1 - Yup not many miles on that one - so would have been tighter! Luckily for me the roads were merely damp and as one of the salesmen had upset me - I had the customer service manager in the back as I wound it up to 3 figures (and up to 7,500rpm), chucked it into corners and booted it all over the place ...... as you would!

Steve 777 - Yup understand that's very good for the understeer!

wilko44

I have read this with interest, as I am driving a MY03 WRX, and am seriously considering either going for the PPP, or upgrading to STI.
One concern for me is running costs.
It is my own car, so I pay for my own pertrol.
I average 15,000 miles PA and around 25-27 mpg.
I would expect that the consumption would dip whichever option I ultimately go for, but by how much?

Can anybody advise?

MadMark

Wilco44 - I get much the same 25-30mpg and I do about 17-18,000.
I have been told to expect 20-25mpg for the STi - depending on driving style and motorway percentage.
- To be honest I will gladly pay the extra!

chris singleton

Sorry to go off thread but Mad Mark, is your WRX really producing 260 BHP with just a Prodrive Back Box or do you have the full PPP?

MadMark

No Chris - it's producing 260bhp - witnessed by quite a few on here! Nothing but a Prodrive Backbox and a TSL "Green Cotton" Air filter!
Gave 252bhp on Power Engineerings' rollers when it had done just under 10K and G-Force (when it got to 260bhp) was at about 16K - and after the fully synth oil at the 10K service.
- Great isn't it?
I would love to know what the full PPP would do to it - but it's not worth £1600 to find out! I'm now aiming for a few mods or an STi .....

RoadDog

Last year I started out with a 03 wrx then I put the ppp kit on and what a difference, then I got used to this, so I traded it in against a sti with ppp with 5K on the clock, a whole new league, I must say the more miles that were put on the clock the more responsive the throttle was, and mpg improved from about 16 to 19mpg (I live in the countryside, nice windie roads and bloody foxs) In November I kind of avoided a fox as not to cause any damage, and ended up aquaplaning into a ditch and up two trees, total loss to the car, but all four occupants walked away. I now drive a 01 P1 again a whole new league over the sti ppp.

corradoboy

Surely it would have been better if the fox was a total loss (and maybe the front bumper/splitter). Glad no-one was hurt though.

KJ

Hey RoadDog, sorry to hear about the STI.. I came out of a P1 into an 03 STI PPP\suspension\PFF7's and would not say that the P1 was in a whole new league over the STI. I think there are pro's and cons with both...

MadMark

RoadDog - Owch!

wakeboardar

mad mark how on earth can your push out 260 with no mods many people with ppp dont reach that
i have never known a back box to give you 40 bph

if you were not the first owner i think you should find out what the other owner has done in case you get trouble in the future
your ecu may have been tampered with

if it is giving out a safe 260 maybe get some uprated plumbing to your ic to help it cope

waky

p1doc

likely due to g-fforce dyno being optimistic
martin

jhrfc1

Wilko, go for the PPP. You could argue about the pros and cons, but as you already have the WRX £1600 is much less than you'll have to pay to upgrade to an STI (even without PPP). My fuel consumption improved when I put on the PPP. I think that's due to the removal of one of the cats. A non PPP STI has 2 cats and a standard exhaust to conform to EU regs for emissions and noise on new cars, so I wouldn't count on one getting as good MPG.

RoadDog

I agree entirely with you mate on the performance side, it's the looks and exclusiveness that a P1 offers over and above the sti8. (now I don't want to start an argument here, calm down now sti8 owners!!!!!)

Chip

Sti7 Prodrive is more exclusive than a P1

Chip.

MadMark

Guys - my car was Brand New from a Subaru dealer in March 03 and has not been touched (except for the backbox and panel filter)!

G-Force rolling road is probably the most accurate in the UK as it is used by various Motorsport bodies to "referee" the bhp produced (F3000, Touring Cars, GT Series etc).
That my car was still tight before it's first run, and produced 252 bhp at Power Engineering and was within 8bhp when run at G-Force nearly 8,000 miles later is pretty consistent with a new car loosening up.
Most runners at G-force actually produced less power than at PE - so go figure!

Dazza's-STi

Well impressed by my Sti... i've done 20k in 8 months.... if you are steady on the m-way then its possible to get 28-29mpg @ steady 70 its running 2700rpm... @ 80-85 it does around 24mpg

as someone said with a few miles they feel even quicker, mine ran 313bhp with the PPP kit last weekend @ well lane... so happy with that! + on cold night over the moors last week, jeeeees it felt quick i mean realy quick... slightly bumpy twisty c- road and it just sorts it all out. and it will be even better when i get the prings on!

& it looks the bogs dollocks

r32

I get about 20 mpg on my MY03STI with PPP, and that is mixed driving. It can drop to much less. I just love the car, if it was a toss up between the wife and the car, well car wins ...............!
Get one you will not be disappointed.

SirFozzalot

MPG's with my 03STi have been:

Best = 25

Worst = 18

Averaging about 21-22 at the moment

MadMark

Dazza's Sti - Nice Pics - your car looks good. 313 on a PPP is about the best I've seen / heard of - so that should be quick!!

R32 / SF - OK maybe you're all giving me the fuel figs I was dreading! My WRX has never dropped below 22mpg on a tank and put it this way - my Dad had a heart attack and I did 80 miles cross country - absolutely flat out to get it that low ........ and I normally get 27-28!
- I still want one .......

SirFozzalot

Do it mate, you only live once! I ummed and arred for ages before getting mine, worrying about running costs and stuff....but now I've had it 5 months and I certainly don't regret a minute of it.

Mikkk

I've had my Black My03 STi since mid-November, clocked over 4k in it already, which considering I usually do 6k all year shows the shear fun factor these cars generate

Personally I get between 20-28mpg depending on whether it's spirited cross country or laid back motorway cruise. Last time I tried doing the steady 70mph cruise down the M6/M5 and got a surprising 30mpg popping out. As a result I'm sure I've made a mistake on the mileage & litres used but it gave me a brief smile at the end of a long day

Bottom line:
drive conservatively = OK mpg
drive aggressively = poor mpg

It's also relative to what mpg you are used to getting, my previous car was a Classic Range Rover 3.5 v8 chugging out a soul destroying 16mpg on a motorway cruise @70 ... the Scoob is saving me money, even when I drive it with a lead foot

As a side note: can anyone confirm/deny the old chestnut of the PPP giving a slight improvement in mpg?? logically it would make sense as the engine is not being pushed as hard to deliver the same performance. I'm saving at the mo for the PPP (bless that mpg) and it's another excuse to get it fitted, though insurance cuold get a little scarier

MadMark

Mikkk - Interesting viewpoint! Cheers.
70mph on a Motorway? Can't remember the last time I went that slow ....

Remind me to buy one with the PPP already on it!

harrymonk

I get about 20 on average but hey i didnt buy it to watch the fuel dissapear i bought it to watch the roads dissapear behind me!

Mikkk

Hehe ... never sure if 'interesting viewpoint' = 'original contribution' or 'please put the spoon down before you hurt anyone'
I rarely do 70 on motorways with the Scoob I have to confess, usually cruise @80 ... engine is happier, honest Officer
Only problem doing that is the then endless aggrevation of mid/fast lane cruisers @70 who should move into the 2 mile empty stretch of highway to their left so I don't get stuck out in the fast lane for two hours with a BMW/Volvo/Audi/Merc sitting in my rear view mirror (You know they're the major bad boys of impatient overtaking ... yes you do, well, them and the white van brigade)