Formula 420

Is it worth testdriving?

RX_999

NO......cheap

EXA4DRIVER

Yes, very fun cars. And faster than the 8

Formula 420

but awd right?

Artifex

I second that. I definately put a smile on my face.

Formula 420

is that a typo? or an ego trip?

x28

I drove the STi today, man its differnet (duh).. VERY MUCH DIFFERENT. Since my friend owns an STi, I was able to push it a bit. I am not a pro racer or antying, so its just my own point of view. I think the Subaru STi understeers much MUCH earlier then the RX8. Yes, its normal to understeer a bit in AWD but man... its not fun to drive or as fun to drive. If you like the turbo feel, to I guess the STi is for you or Evo. However, its not fun to drive a turbo car ... it kicks in about 3700 or something and bam redline.. and redline and redline.. well you are up there in speed

so well.. I dun know.. handling RX8 really wins hands down... drive feel I lvoe the RX8 twenty times better. I was goign to trade the eight for teh STi.. well after today.. I guess not

Navybeardbb

Ike where are you, this is your thread!

sferrett

Try driving a 3rd-gen rx7 - handles like an rx8, accellerates like an STi... Turbos are fun

Out of curiosity, what is the redline on the STi ?

azureknight

The STi redlines at 7000rpm i think.

Koala Joe

Its definitely worth test driving! I test drove the WRX and the STI and both of them were fun behind the wheels. Yes, definitly faster than the 8, and yes, the Turbo "feel" is awesome, and yes, it feel cheaper on the inside than the 8. Aside from the performance, the interior of the car felt like it was put together by monkeys... (no offense to Subaru owners, my personal opinion). The console and the material used for the interior felt really cheap in quality, loose, and not sturdy.

But aside from the interior, I wish the 8 had a Turbo!!!

Ike

Yes it's worth driving, but it's not for everyone, and it's takes some time behind the wheel to really get the most ouf of an AWD turbo car. It's fast and fun, handles well, and will handle much better once you lose the lame all season tires on it.

The interior is simple and not bad as those that bash it say, most importantly it has great pedal placement, great clutch feel, and a notchy shifter (some like notchy, some don't). The seats on the 04s aren't as nice as previous year, but if you're a bigger guy you'll appreciate the change.

As for the STi not handling as well as the RX-8, you just didn't know how to drive it properly, if you want to get rid of understeer just give a little flick It may not be as tailhappy as the RX-8 but the roadholding abilities for the STi in the slalom and latteral acceleration numbers are remarkable and in some case up to suercar type numbers. Oh, and it redlines @7500 with a couple hundred more to spare before fuelcut.

AWD Turbos aren't for everyone, and the most of the fun to be had in this car will never take place during a testdrive. To really appreciate it you need to own one and allow it to own you (corny, I know). Best of all, it brightens up my rainy and snowy days.

<waves to Navybeard>

Imp

And the wagon versions are faster than the sedans. :p

Turbo and AWD together really takes some time, as others have said, to get the most out of. But once you do, you'll find it is a car that's easy to drive at it's limits. and VERY forgiving.

The WRX is better for those that are on the commuting end of things. The STi is much more performance oriented.

Deslock

I have a WRX wagon, but I've driven the RX-8 and am a big fan of it. The WRX's combination of utility and performance makes it one of the few "have your cake and eat it too" vehicles (the RX-8 offers some practicality, but nothing like the WRX's). The WRX is faster and its turbo boost puts a smile on my face every time. AWD provides better handling during inclement weather and drifting is a blast, especially on slick roads (you just have to be careful to do it someplace safe).

However, the WRX has more body roll, turbo lag is severe, throttle response is mediocre, the shifter sucks, and steering feedback is poor. The WRX handles competently (AWD helps a lot), but it feels like a boat compared to nimble and neutral car like the RX-8... you just don't get the same feel for the road in the WRX.

The WRX is easy to mod and some of thoese issues can be improved. I put in a short-throw shifter which made a huge difference, but it's still nothing like the RX-8's. I also put in a bigger rear swaybar, but that only helped marginally. I considered upgrading the suspension, putting in strut-tower-braces, etc... but ultimately I know I can't lower its weight, improve its weight distribution, make its chassis stiffer, and lower its yaw moment enough to make it feel like a *real* sports car.

Some more comments:

RX-8:
- engine spins up faster
- nicer seats (but the WRX's are good too)
- better build quality
- better looking, IMHO
- doesn't require 91 octane

WRX:
- better MPG
- has a spare tire (you can get one in the RX-8, but it costs extra and you lose trunk space)
- very easy to change the oil (I haven't actually changed the oil in the RX-8, but given the filter's placement and that it's upsidown, I'm figuring it'll be messier)
- costs less
- Subarus often rattle (I already have a few)

Clearly, both cars have strengths and weaknesses, but both are fun.

Velocity-8

I like movies and I like playing my guitar. Both are fun but completely different.

To answer your question, it's absolutely worth test driving. You should test drive any car you have an interest in.

merlot

The WRX is defintely worth a test drive. Once I drove it I knew it was time to get rid of the A4. The handling was tight and firm. The power may not seem great at first, but the engine really comes to life at around 10K miles. If you can test drive a used one, go for it.

Although the materials aren't great, I find the fit and finish to be just fine. At nearly 40,000 miles, all switch gear feels as good as day one, and there are no major rattles or annouyances. There is a lack of sound deadening to help keep the wieght down, so wind and road noice are pretty apparent, and just plan terrible if you have a ski rack on

As Ike said, the all-season RE92's aren't great, but they are ok year round, although there are much better choices. The first time I autocrossed it I was amazed at how nimble and flickable the car is. There is body roll, but it didn't seem to bother me in anyway, and it understeers if you enter a turn too hot.

Overall I love it and wouldn't trade it for anyhting. It's a great four seasons sports sedan.

Imp

You should try my car. 3050 lbs, header + turbo-back and Tein RA suspension (lowered a bit.. corner balanced and all)... REALLY makes the car tossable and handle soooo much better. But I'm a nut like that. :D

I'll probably have an RX8 tho... once they come out with the turbo.. or an RX-7 if that's still in development. I don't think you can get a braking system in a Subaru like Mazda has.. no matter how much money you throw at it.

--kC

Hanzo

I would say the STI feels more like a NA car instead of turbo (more like a V8). It virtually has not turbo lag and pulls from down low. If you want the turbo feel drive an Evo.

Formula 420

hmm.... woah .....
.........jedi's of knowlege

DAC17

I have both; a 2004 WRX wagon and a 2004 RX-8. The 8 is clearly a more sophisticated performance machine, but the WRX isn't about being sophisticated; it's about the driving experience, not the niceties. The seats are very comfortable, the pedal placement is right, the AWD is great in snow (ask me how I know in CT!). It is a rougher ride than the 8, but gets the job done real well. I would note that it comes with a 6-disc changer standard, and you can get one for under $22K.

Senseny

I second DAC17's post. I have a 2002 WRX wagon and a 2004 Rx8. Both have their merits and if you know what you want going in, the drawbacks to either are minimized. Test them both and make your own decision. I am very pleased with both cars. If snow or really crappy weather is prevalent where you live the WRX may be the better choice.

PoorCollegeKid

It redlines at 7000, not 7500. I think that you're thinking of the JDM and Eurospec STis.


I completely agree. You'll never really know how great or awful a car is until you've actually owned one for an extended period of time. A test drive is a good indication of how you feel about a car and is definitely worth doing for any car, but to really get the most out of a vehicle you have to drive it every day for while to get used to its foibles.

Formula 420: Yes, the WRX is worth test driving. At the least knock it off your list of potential cars, or you may even find that you like the car. You'll never know until you drive it.

KKMmaniac

Yes.

People pan the Subarus for things like cheap interior, uglyness, blah, blah... but it's mainly just opinion. Maybe interior styling is "cheap" but the materials and methods for fitting the pieces together seemed pretty solid to me. At least neither of my Subarus had bits peeling off and cracking. The exterior styling of the WRX wagon from the Hello Kitty school of design is funky, but it didn't bother me.

Subs have their own idiosyncracies; both of mine had piston slap when cold, and the WRX had clutch judder, which was repaired under warranty. I think most of the glitches I had were remedied later in production though. Overall, the Subaru is a solid little car.

I kinda miss the Rex's muted Volkswagen (real) Beetle engine sound when accelerating, and the nice push in the back starting at about 3500 RPM, and the AWD in the snow. I don't miss the understeer, (which better tires would certainly improve) body roll, weak off-idle throttle response and difficult to modulate clutch action.

All that said, I don't regret trading the WRX for the RX8, except when I want to haul stuff! Oh well, it's kept me from collecting more thrift store junk.

merlot

If the engines were '97 or newer, it was most likely the valve shims you heard. According to Subaru it's completely normal, since once up to operating temps they expanded to their correct size.

Lufa

2 of my friends own WRX's. Great cars, rock solid reliability, faster than an 8 in almost every way. I talked them into buying, well at least made sure they test drove one prior to buying an acura RSX, TL or some other car.

I think the 8 handles better for sure. I think the 8 is all around better car, just not as fast.

I dont have a lot to say that is bad about the WRX or the STi. Interior/Exterior looks are all subjective... but I have to agree the 8 beats a Sub in those categories as well.