Luftwaffle

IkeWRX for life!

RX8-TX

Been saying it for a long time...Ike for mod!

Steiner

Ban shazam, delete his posts and then let the adults talk some more. I don't believe a word he's said.

Ike...you could probably get a better trade-in value on the WRX at a Subaru dealership. The extra $500-$2,000 might offset the higher cost of the STi. Just an idea.

There's a monster thread on the evoM forums about the clutch issues. Once you get to about page 3 or 4 of the thread you start to see a pattern: the guys complaining the loudest have signatures boasting 350+awhp and low 12 second quarter mile times. I know a lot of local Evo guys up here in NorCal...in fact some of the biggest Evo tuners are up here: Vishnu, WORKS, Grouppe-S, etc...but all of these guys have said the clutch issue is blown out of proportion. A lot of these guys that curse Mitsubishi's warranty support are tracking their cars. Mitsubishi is not your pit crew. You have to pay to play. Plenty of the local guys are seeing 300awhp with zero problems...well other than having to replace the factory Advans at 10k miles. Those things are sticky but they don't last. Like most new cars though, the Evo will be reliable as long as you take care of it. I think you have nothing to lose if the payments are less. The Evo VIII is a much quicker, nimbler, funner car to drive than a WRX. And I say that with the utmost respect for the WRX...I was extremely close to buying one myself in early '02...it's just a testament to how well the Evo performs. It's nothing short of amazing.

Sea Ray

Sounds to me like you really want the 05 STI. Keep your current one and wait a year or you will always regret not getting it.

G8rboy

Interesting thread diversion... anyhoo- my vote would be the 05 STi. I loved the '04 I spent some time with, and the '05 looks substantially better (more power, better AWD system). I would love to add the new STi to my garage, but I wouldn't consider the Evo for 2 seconds... too many problems and warranty nightmares... just my $.02

shazam

Not really concerned about a ban. But I find it ironic that you are fine with the WRX guy that takes every opportunity to rag on this sites car.

Anyway, come out and meet me at any of the Laguna Seca events on the calander below. I track a purple M coupe with a white rollcage. Come out and say Hi. If you would like, I can bring the various titles related to my cars, or even a credit report if you want to see my 801 fica score. Geez bud, some people are just better then others and I happen to be one of them.

Believe me or not, but probably the only thing you think about me thats correct is that I'm an *******.

http://www.ggcbmwcca.org/index.php?m...endar&calendar[view]=list&MMN_position=5:5

[QUOTE=Steiner]Ban shazam, delete his posts and then let the adults talk some more. I don't believe a word he's said.

RX8-TX

at least you are self conscious ...

shazam

self aware.

BlueEyes

This was the one that made me laugh.

magixpuma

Shazam what do you do for a living " dont say your a writer" get it shaq's best movie SHAZAAM!

shazam

Part time consultant in the pharma manufacturing industry. Mostly dealing with realtime automation of biologic processes. Quit a large biotech a few years back and Im half half retired.

MrH

Ah, get off your high horse, you pompous dash stroker. Not everyone cares how softly their dashboard sits there. Not everyone cares about the badge on the car. Some people don't care about how people view them based on their car badge. Now, I know you are new to this kind of thinking, but strangely, a ton of people feel this way.

I'd rather have a more fun car, than one whose panel gaps are 1/4" less.

I sure hope you don't call yourself a car enthusiast.

BlueEyes

No no, car enthusiast is too low brow for someone of his impecable tastes, more like car connoisseur. p

Steiner

If shazam represents the aristocracy I'm selling my home and moving into a trailer park today. I could never have that kind of ego no matter who I am or how much money I make.

shazam = disconnected

Ike

Actually the only changes that were made were very small tweaks like 1/2" wider wheelbase in the rear, wider wheels and the possibilty for 255 tires. Just those tiny changes made a big diffrence in understeer. Throw on a thicker/stiffer rear sway (why subaru doesn't make it standard I'm not sure) and some claim understeer is nonexistent.

Looks wise they have a new centerconsole and interior accents are different and a small fenderflare in the back with the rear bumber slightly changed to accomodate that.

Thanks for all the advice guys, posting this same dilema on a WRX or Evo board would have been pointless, so I really value all of your input. Well... all but one of you...

Steiner

Ike...here are all the changes on the '05 STi...

new Helical Front limited slip differential
new power steering oil cooler
new steering wheel
new wider 8" wheel (replaces 7.5") with dual opposed STi logos
new rear wheel arch flares, body colored (because the new 8" whl?)
new Immobilizer key, 3 supplied. Needed to start car
new climate control
new air filtration
new smoked headlight lens
new re-designed keyless remote fob
new seat cushion side bolster material
new center console cupholders, replaces the one by the center vent
new sam/fm/CD changer w/ bass, mid, treble adjustments, 6 spkrs
new door armrest redesigned, now cloth, includes mirror controls
new colors
new rear cup holders added
new yaw-rate sensor
new power-steering oil cooler
new beefier wheel hubs
new aluminum lateral links
new passenger side seat heater (available only on the Canadian model)
slightly larger front sway bar (20mm compared to 19mm)

G8rboy

When did they bump the power up to 300hp/300ftlb? I thought it was new for '05 as well?

MrH

Not positive, but I think 2004's had 300hp and 300 ft/lb. Hopefully someone will chime in with a more definitive answer.

Steiner

Horsepower and torque were unchanged. However the pinging problem that plagued many STi owners in the land of 91 Octane (CA) and neccesitated a TSB for an ECU reflash was fixed from the factory on the '05 models.

Ike

I knew about almost all of those, but was unaware of the cupholders. Now that I know that my indecision is over, I'm heading out to get an 05 STi today! :p

KC_Prelude

Just buy the STI like you know you should...
The EVO is cool but the Subie will always retain value better and be a better all around car.

G8rboy

My bad- all the changes my friend was telling me about it must have happened between the '03 and '04 models, and his must have been an '03. That was last summer, and he'd had it a while, so that makes more sense.

That means I could look for a slightly used '04STi ... excellent.

rx8wannahave

IkeWRX...come on, join us....

Get a used RX-8 with low miles and then stick a Turbo on it....lol, you know you have been waiting for a Turbo/SC RX-8 anyway...lol

You love your WRX so why change things? Just keep the WRX and mod it to HP HEAVEN, don't waste money when you already loved your WRX.

Consider the Turbo/SC RX-8...it's so much MO pretty than the WRX...lol...

HeelnToe

I researched the heck outa the clutch issue (and others) back when I was debating between the 8 and Evo. I read every forum post, and corresponded with many of the owners.

In the end, there was no consistent conclusion. Some people claim they babied it and it failed within a few thousand miles; others say the beat the crap outa it and it's still going strong at 20,000. Go figure.

Premature failure should of course be covered by Mitsu... but they can always argue it was "abused," and apparently have.

I figure you have to accept the risk of replacing it every 5-10,000 miles. You may not need to, but is it an acceptable risk? Can/will you afford the worst-case scenario?

That issue, along with the poor safety ratings, eventually turned me against it.

But I still love it

Ike

That's the thing though, and me wanting to start getting into heavy mods in making me wonder if ir really is cheaper. Sure it's not all that expensive to get STi/Evo power on a WRX, but then when you start adding it up, Brembos, coilovers, gears, clutch, etc etc I'd be saving money by just starting with a better platform like the STi or Evo. With my slightly modded car now the brakes and suspension are sufficient, but I have a feeling I'm not going to feel that way once I start getting closer to 300whp.