markwild

I'm about to leap back into scoobyville (hopefully !)

However, I have a choice of 'entry' routes....

02 STI UK or 03 WRX UK. (Cant afford an 03 STI)

I know about the obvious visual changes (low/high spoiler - and 'those' lights) - and I'm can make a choice easily there, BUT....

What are the differences underneath ?

If the 02STI is basically an 03 STI without the facelift, what would buying the 03 WRX give me ? Bear in mind that I previously ran my 98 UK Turbo with 325BHP/300 lbs ft, TD05, AndyF Map/PFC etc, 18"s, eibachs, whiteline drop links etc, and subaru 4 pots on 330mm Godspeed disks so I'd prefer a harder car - with potential for improvement in a year or two....

I've yet to take them both out - but would appreciate anything worth looking out for (e.g. potential problems or differences between the two)

Many Thanks,

Mark

MaDaSS

If you are planning the upgrade route, then dont buy the 03WRX. you will gain nothing whatsoever over an sti. Older sti or not.
I have an 03 WRX and like most have spent thousands on it getting it to where it is ok, (lol ok). Why bother? You are far better off with the sti internals by far for upgrades. Especially the drive train.
Go sti imho.

jpor

iTrader: (1)

The big difference you'll notice between the 2 will be cost of owndership. The STi will cost you a bit more to run than the WRX. But the STi has Brembo Brakes which you will find a huge difference over your old 4-pots.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Mark

Buy an unloved but mint bugeye (MY02 WRX) for peanuts and spend the cash on making it a STi killer ........

I'm running probs 350 BHP in Mine and Ninnybobs nearer 400 .....LOL

Midlife.....

TypeUK_STi

I no which one I would buy

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Mark,
I must have been the only person who loved the Bugeye lights (well Sti's not WRX ones) I'd have to agree get the STi it's a far better starting place than The WRX.

Out the Box the Engine, Diff's, suspension, gearbox, brakes and comforts within Cabin are far superior in the Sti down size it has a weight penatly.

Depends on how far and much you want to mod? Also depends on how much comfort in comuting, handling for Trackwork or light weight for a Drag strip?For nearly all of those my preference would be Sti,

Although you will notice the biggest Classic to newage Difference the Newage is Lardy in comparision. You could get a WRX and fit suspension, Brakes and front LSD and stretch the WRX engine to it's limits and youmay just beat a lightly modded STi on most of the above points execpt comfort. The drag strip would see the biggest diffference. IMHO IIRC

Tony

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Starting with the bugeye isn't a problem.......

http://www.colourtechnik.com/index.html

Just live with the lower rev limit....ask AndyF with his TD04 hybrid....LOL

Midlife.....

markwild

Thanks People !

It looks like the STi is the one - I'll take them out this morning, but I must admit that I've pretty much made up my mind - just depends how the timing falls with getting rid of the existing car (03 WRX's are easy to come by at any time - the STi not so.....)

Midlife - I think I'll be getting a set of those lights as soon as I can - I prefer the colour-keyed morrettes to the sti lights - Can't see them for sale on that site though .

I won't be modding it to start with - and I don't want to stretch it beyond a 'sensible' limit, like I did with the classic (e.g. beyond the gearbox limit - having blown 2 up on the classic).

Again, though, this is where the STi comes in - I think that I should be able to make 330 ish (around the same as the old classic) without having to resort to fmic, injectors, replacement ECU and boost controllers etc and still have a daily runner

Thanks again - And hopefully 'I'll be back' as someone once said......

Mark

skoosh

Mark, I take it that you're looking at Jap spec cars?

Si.

markwild

Ay-up Skoosh me lad !

No - UK Spec - at Holdcrofts.... I'm just off up there now for a spin.

Why ? You seen some decent Japspecs locally ?

markwild

hmm - just got back. The WRX seems nice enough, but the 02STI had sold....

Not really desperate to buy for a month or so now, so I'll keep 'em peeled, as anyone old enough to remember police 5 will know....

Mark

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Mark, you can't go wrong buying from Holdcrofts. That's where I bought my 53 plate STi from, and had most of the parts and mods from. Yep I nearly missed out on that car if I went 30 minute later it would have been sold to someone else. All I can say is early bird gets the worm.

Daniel-S

I'd go bugeye sti

Andy 02STI

I just got an 02 STI type uk prodrive edition - different front lights and body bits. The sti has 6 gears which i think the wrx does not, it redlines at 7500 and stops like its hit a wall with the huge gold brembos. Also being a prodrive edition its cheaper to insure than teh sti which in turn is cheaper to insure than a wrx.

TypeUK_STi

Me too...

Awd Chaddy

Not sure whether I agree with T5NYW's assessment of differences between 02 STi and 03 WRX.

"Out the Box the Engine (agree), Diff's (agree), suspension (depends on whether you are looking for performance or compromise between performance and comfort?), gearbox (agree), brakes (agree) and comforts within Cabin are far superior in the Sti (totally disagree - the WRX provides for a much more comfortable ride than the STi plus the O3 interior is above (granted only a little bit!) above that of the 02 model) down size it has a weight penatly (is this true I thought the 02 was slightly lighter than the 03 model?).

Cheers and good luck with your search whatever model you opt for!

Jdub

I had exactly the same choice as you, in the end I went for a JDM 02 STI, IMHO it was no contest, the sti is faster, the interior is much nicer and it is more friendly if you want to hike up the power, who cares if its a bit ugly!!

Have you considered a JDM spec sti? as these are even more pokey than the UK ones and they even have a couple of extras over the UK spec ones.

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Chaddy,
Your right my assesment was made on 02-05 STi and 02-03 WRX's I'd driven on road and track . I havn't taken a 03WRX up the road to give a fair judment and should have refrained from posting that part.

Regards

Tony

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Tony, in what way ?

I've only driven an Sti for a short while, so can't really compare to my WRX. I always imagined the Sti cabin to be a harsher environment, noise, ride and so on.

Allan

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Please read my appology post no18 just above your post. My assesment was really A reply to this


My post should have stated 02STi to the 02WRX and not 02STi to 03WRX as in the original Post. Hence the appology

I know my MY02STiPPP PHP PF-7s was certainly not a harsher environment to the 02WRX's, i've driven shed loads of both WRX and STi's in many different formats on Track and road. MY MY02Sti was much more comfortable, better looking inside, better lights, better seats .

Regards

Tony

markwild

Some of the 'cabin' comes down to what you're after - in my case, I don't mind a hard ride (see first post). If the seats/dials/aircon etc are the same, which I suspect that they are - then the interiors are identical to me. The STi does have the rev limiter, but I don't see that as a major issue. Its the mechanical differences that really matter to me - cosmetics are easily altered (e.g. big wing on the wrx or 'nicer' lights on an sti bug)

I'm pretty certain that I'll go for the Sti - just need to hope one is available at the right price during April really.......

Thanks for all your input,

Mark

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Cheers Tony, hadn't read your correction.

Allan