donutman

i am in the market for a new car,so i had a test drive in a sti 8 (with ppp fitted)on thursday, it was was nothing like i expected. it did not seem that quick (well not the neck snapping power i thought it would have). i seem to remember my old wagon had more character and go in it. it felt like subaru took the heart out of the newer cars as it seemed so simple to drive.


not sure what to buy now as i want a bit of a raw brute car.

DrJP

Mate you're taking rubbish

Type_RA

assuming your old wagon was a classic it would only need ~250bhp to have the same power to weight ratio as a 300bhp sti8 ppp

terryb

I think he's referring to the newer cars being so refined in comparison to the classics (and at least what he remembers of his wagon). I don't think you can argue with that..

Take an EVO VIII out for a test drive and you'll be impressed - there are 2nd hand FQ300s for very good money now - have a look on the MLR..

davedipster

Look at the speedo m8, the power spread of the new PPP is much longer and the power is smoother. The 'snapping power' feeling may feel good, but it's not very fast cos it soon tails off.

My stiPPP is very quick indeed

Dipster

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Well, there's always a Mitsubishi Evo... <ducks>

I test drove an FQ-300 which was undoubtedly very quick indeed, but it too didn't really feel that fast. You had to check the tiny speedo to see how quick you were going - but I figured that the car was just a recipe for losing my licence.

You could try a JDM twin scroll car, which spools up a fair bit earlier than the PPP, and the Type 25 is quicker still but is again tuned for smooth power and is rarely described as 'raw'. That said, it's rarely described as slow or disappointing either.

donutman

yes it was a my 99 and it ran full decat along with other mods (large turbo etc). i suppose the lack of a after market zorst to add that rumble, could have something to do with it, but to me it felt very happy to potter around as go quick. my old wagon on the other hand never did feel that happy at low speeds,and had more character

STILee

Get another old wagon then sorted!...

StickyMicky

sounds like hes gonna buy a evo to me

davedipster

Rather him than me.

Dipster

donutman

yes i could buy a old wagon again, but the only problem would be i would start to build my old car again. i want something different that i can play with and mod

terryb yes that was the word i should of used "refined".


the only thing that me off a evo is the servicing. every 4500 (which i think it is on a evo) is alot of service bills.

Chris L

I'd test drive a new MY05 spec STi - according to the write ups I've seen, they've sharpened the handling and steering. While this may not make the car 'feel' any quicker, it should certainly make it a more involving drive - a problem that the Scoob has suffered from for as long as the car has been in production.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Got to agree with this

I went from an MY00 PPP'd decat car to a MY03 JDM STi, and yes its more refined, its more powerful, it doesnt have the flat 4 rumble (due to even length headers/manifold etc) it goes like stink, its stops pretty quickly too, it corners better, handles better, drives better.....
The PPP'd STi's aint far off this (300bhp/299lbs v 311bhp/331lbs) but the UK MY03/04 STi's with PPP's are a far better car than you think. The uptake is smoother, it lasts longer, goes quicker in the mid range, ok the car is heavier but you have a 6 speed box that compensates for that, and after 5 or 6k miles they loosen up a little more
All i will say is that i will never go back to a classic after owning a new age STi as the new age car is just far better

Tony

simo

I'd 2nd Tony i went from a P1 to an MY03 STIPPP and I woul'nt go back. Just look at the speedo pick up, you are going a lot faster than u think. Th P1 @ 70 felt like 90, the STI feels like 50!

simon

Mark_S

I'd 3rd Tony's comments, having had a TEK3'd Classic which was a great car btw, I went for a JDM STI8. Suspension is rock hard, it handles like the corners are not there, and the acceleration is neck breaking. What a car!!, miss the Classic exhaust burble though.

Type_RA

Tony, Simon and Mark take your cars down to 260bhp would your answer still be the same ?

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

I now exactly what you mean m8. Just sold a my99 uk with full decat etc. I went and test drove a JDM STi 8 with a few extra's and while addmittedly it was quick, steering was pretty amazing I personally felt there was something lacking... the grin factor. I think this is down to Subaru doing a superb job in refining the car. The only thing I can really put my finger on, is to say that although I knew it was going fast, it didnt feel it and didnt sound it. Stupid I know

Anyway, I have just bought a STi 5 Type R... now that did put the grin back on my face... big time!

J

All just IMHO of course

(oh and its easy for Tony to say... cos he has a Spec C )

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Its a PPP'd car that he tried, so 300bhp not 260

Tony

SiBurt

Donutman,if you want to buy something a little bit special then check out my

'03 STi in the 'Cars For Sale' section!

Si.

Ditto Tony.

Type_RA

LOL didnt read that bit I should have taken Albert Einsteins advice


If A equals success, then the formula is: A=X+Y+Z. X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut.

GRIFF007

....RELATIVELY speaking...

Andy Porter

Very interesting read for me. I'm thinking of changing up from MY94 STI but I'm worried the MY03 and MY04 JDM cars will leave me cold. I looked round a few last week, build quality seemed much better, I like the look of them, but I sat in it and started it up and it was so quiet ! I was aware of the lack of burble for the reasons mentioned but this this was really quiet ! The thing I like most about my Scoob is the noise and throb, can you get any of this into a '03 or 04 STI ?
I'm just worried about spending 14k to change and I'll be dissapointed.

PS I didn't test drive the cars as one was sold and I wasn't keen on the silver one left, I know I should of

The Fixer

I used to have a V5 STi but a few years later ended up with the STi 8. They are certainly more refined than the classics, quality is much better and they feel more solid. Didnt take much to get the arw edge back that you describe. Ended up doing a few mods and got 362 HP, it used to scream So much better than my STi 5

Conrad

Mark_S

Andy, the blob eye STI's are a LOT quieter but that can be fettled with a few mods as Conrad mentions. Bob Rawle has a Janspeed system on his JDM STI 9 which sounds awesome, no lack of throb on his car!

Cosworth427

No, m8, scoobs are the faarstest fings in the world m8, like init?

Anyway...enough banter...no, a little bit more.

I remember carrying 4 passengers in my mk3 supra, (270 kilos extra) it didn't feel or actually go that fast. I realised that this is how slow most Imprezas are, (uk classics, P1s, wrx's, and even import STIs). When you work out the rwhp/weight of my car to the awhp/weight of various stock and modded Imprezas.

And I was right. 2 weeks later, had 3 passengers in the car (210 kilos extra) while doing 60 mph some black import STI (they make 190+ hp at the wheels standard) tried to pass with his "super invincible in the twisties, real world, a-to-b, rallye type-R weapon", he worked the gears like a mad man but kept falling back after each shift.

This is a classic STI, that has at best "equal" performance to my supra, which when it is loaded with passengers it does feel so damn slow that it worries me. Gawd knows how disapointingly slow the new porkier STI must be.

Andy Porter

Cheers Mark, I guess I need to have a nose round a modded one !

DrJP

Why does your post begin in Cornish?

sKunk

....and ends in bollocks? lol

donutman

i have sat and though about this for a while and i am still not sure what it was about the car. yes it was quick,the interior was superb (compared to the my 99 that i had) and if i had not had my wagon i probably would not think like this and been over the moon with it, i think i will have to hunt a round for a jdm car. i think with a decat and a remap it could have the x factor (as it is a better base car).

are there any dealers (with website) that sell second hand jdm ones (the only one i know of is litchfields which i thought just did new)

chris's scooby

They do have some used ones as well. Have a look at the "stocklist" section.

There was a Type 25 on there a week or so ago.