Roaddemon

Ike won, I was a no show. I got better things to do, plus I don't know what he's talking about half the time. I woud'nt race his sissy evo anyway. It's below me. And i would'nt be able to drive straight after laughing so hard at his funny looking clown car.

KRNrx8Driver

hey i've driven the STi and i own a rx8, if you're looking for pure specs the STi is the way to go, AWD turbo (which is lag free even with the stock 17 psi) and the boxer engine is incredible its powerful and reliable and its pretty rev happy for having turbo and stuff installed, its funny cuz it revs higher then that stupid new Z 6800 rpm on a NA how sad huh? but anywayz STi beats the rx8 in specs anyday BUT if you want a car for passion you cant beat the rx8, its the most fun car i've ever driven, next to possibly the FD or FC but rotary cars are incredible without a doubt the feel you get when you drive the FC or FD or the rx8 is absolutely uncomparable to any other car feeling, the fact you feel no stress from the enigne and it feels like it'll rev forever its absolutely perfect how great the car feels, it turns in better then most FR cars and the suspension is completely street-able a little on the soft side for serious driving but its absolutely perfect for daily driving, and plus it looks better then the STI, STI's need to wipe the smile off its face (look at it from the front and tell me its not smiling at you and i'll call you a liar ^^) it all depends on what you want, you want specs get the STi if you want fun driving/passion (if you're one of the type who likes rotary cars) then get the rx8 =) best of luck shopping

Roaddemon

KRN

That was a good post. I like that STI boxer engine too. You described the rx8 to a tee. Some think I'm a fanboi. They're wrong. I just have passion for my 8. if I bought any other car regardless of price or brand, I'll always keep the 8. It's too good to let go because of the rotary engine.

newcastle

iTrader: (3)

ROFL...and the olympic pissing match is still running strong I see! I got a question. Kia Rio or Hyundai Accent?

sti_eric

So, what's so good about the rotary engine? Is it the lack of torque, the poor gas mileage, the burning oil, or the blown apex seals?

9291150

Has anyone noticed that ONE guy here, a STI owner, has dominated this thread? A huge chunk of the 327 replies are his, all recycled crap about why his Subaru is so much better than ours. If he is so sure, then why the hell is he here? Do we give a F what he thinks?

Are there RX8 guys on STI sites doing the same, or are we not that pathetic?

Maybe the administrators can put car comparisons in the “general automotive” section, so we don’t have to see this crap in the general section.

Please people, let this thread die.

HeelnToe

The small size and low weight which allows for a four-door sedan chassis to be built around it which handles like a two-seater mid-engine exotic?

Roaddemon

If I have to explain , you woud'nt understand. Ask your wife since it's her 8. Maybe she can explain it to you.

sti_eric

Typical. Boo hoo hoo, I'm a Mazda fanboi, I only want to hear what other Mazda leghumpers have to say, I'm not really interested in any factual information. This is a forum for open discussion, get used to having people not leghump along with you.

As for me having "dominated" this thread, I didn't post until #227. There were 226 posts before I even posted once. Hardly "domination". I only posted after roaddemon (predictably) posted his same old crap about why the RX-8 is the greatest car ever built.

Also, I appear to be the only person on here who owns both an STi AND an RX-8. People like roaddemon post crap about the STi and Evo, even though they never set foot in one. I at least know what I am talking about.

9291150

Of course you know what your talking about, you're so big and strong and smart.

Between you and Ike, you both are really creating quite the image of the typical STI owner. By the way, I was talking about Ike, I thought that such a smart guy like you would have figured that out.

VikingDJ

Well, it's got 14.5psi, but close enough. Anyway, This thread has been amusing to read. I myself own an STI, and formerly an RX8, so here's my opinion. The STI was purchased as a daily driver for me. I put tons of miles on it, drive it through the harsh winters. Do I admire the STI? For it's performance, yes. I do find it to be an unattractive car, with little going for it both interior and exterior wise, but only if I compare it to cars like the RX8, G35, 350Z, ect ect. It really does not have any refinement, and certainly does not feel or look like a $30k car. I park next to a Mazda 3 every day at work, and I have to be honest with myself when I say from inside and outside the 3 looks a lot nicer. I need to jump on it hard, and fly around corners to allow myself to justify why I spent $30 grand on this thing. After that I get over the looks part. This is just an opinion. You really have to admire the performance though. I think it's just our own personal taste that swings our views on this, and it leads to arguing. I hold a high regard on looks, and this is why I purchased the STI as my get around town commuter car, and nothing else. I cannot imagine this as a fun sports car, simply because it's an Impreza, and just doesn't do anything for me looks and interior wise. However, as a daily driver, I absolutely love this car, and there is not another car I'd want to get me through winter, and get me to work. It's simply a blast to drive. I do miss the RX8. It had to go, because I wanted a convertible, and the RX8 just had too much practicality to be a pure fun car for me. If they make a convertible, I'll buy one in a heartbeat.

sti_eric

I thought a smart guy would be able to figure out that Ike has never owned an STi and now owns an Evo...

Rumboo

VikingDJ: Wow, RX-8, STi, S2k...

Top 3 cars on my fav list. niiiiiice

9291150

Evo or STI, both Jap econoboxes with 4 wheel drive and a turbo. You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig, You guys ever gonna realize that?

HeelnToe

How's the ride quality for commuting around on ordinary roads? Livable?

I've never been in an STi, but the Evos I drove were pretty darn stiff. Especially on a 40ish year old butt, lol.

VikingDJ

It's livable, but it took some getting used to. When I get a drive in a regular car, it becomes apparently clear just how uncomfortable the STI is compared to them. My friends comment all the time when they get in about how stiff the ride is, and the road noise. I hear the EVO is worse. I find myself leaning towards buying another car for daily driving sometimes, because of the road noise, and bumpy ride, along with the not so smooth shifting, and heavy clutch, which is horrible compared to other cars when in traffic. The fun factor though allows me to live with this stuff, but as I get older, I have a feeling it's gonna become less tolerable, and an STI will not be my next daily driver. I have considered going soft on suspension when these struts wear off. Not everyone can own this car like I use it, because it lacks comfort. I look at STI as stuck in between a sports car and daily driver. It has practicality, but feels like an impractical car.

Roaddemon

Vike,

That was a good post. If it came down to a choice between the Evo and Sti I would spring the cash and buy the Sti. It's a solid machine worth the extra cash. The EVo is just a wannabee copy of the subi. Subaru makes the original rally car. It's the real deal. Eric knows that. Don't you Eric?

wushunut

Maybe I can interject some balance and reason here (I hope)

I owned a 2004 RX-8 for about a year and I recently traded it in for the 2006 STI. Two very respectable cars, each with its own positives and negatives. Both are great cars to own and great cars to drive.

I'll start with the RX-8:
Everyone here knows this already, but there is just no sensation like that of the rotary engine at full hum. When Jeremy Clarkson said "it feels like it runs on double cream," he hit the nail right on the head. I actually love high strung engines. Seeing the RPMs hit 9000 on the tach and having the engine just go and go and go, it is an experience like no other engine on the road. It made me feel a bit like a F1 driver with their astronomical rev limits. Coming from a first gen miata, the car definitely felt more refined. It was well behaved it needed to be, yet you could as have your fun when you wanted it. Handling wise, the car just makes you feel like a champ. Always balanced, always confidence inspiring. The driving dynamics were spot on. Not nearly as tossable as the miata, but definitely still very fun to drive. The interior is not opulent, but still nice. There are definitely classy touches here and there. I can't say much more since I'm never really happy with any cars interior. The only one I've been impressed with are high-end luxo-barges. Guess my age is starting to show.

The STI:
Going to the STI is a whole different experience. Not better, not worse, just different. I was actually prepared to hate the interior based on what I had read on the internet. It's actually not bad at all. I give the RX-8 the slight edge in terms of refinement, but Subaru did a decent job with the STI interior. I like the blue/black seats. Everything about it is purposeful and no nonsense. The ergonomics of the radio stock leave a lot to be desired. But...Climate control! I was really surprised to see that in the STI. Nice bonus. Interior space is better/ to be expected in a true four door, and I can fit one more passenger that the RX-8.

Driving: Wow. That will be your first response. Break-in for the car is 1000miles. Nothing above 4kRPMs during that time period. I was already impressed with the car at under 4000. Torque is all over the place. I couldn't believe this car could have more power. After break-in is a whole new revelation! This car is just scary fast. I'm almost (almost) afraid to drive it. I've never had a car with this much power. Handling wise, I don't think it give up anything to the 8. Whereas the 8 chooses to take corners with finesse and balance, the STI chooses to just overpower the turn into submission. The car has grip..lots and lots and lots of grip. It allows lesser drivers to become heros. My friend (who owns an S2000) took the STI on a curvy section of road we like. We've both driven it in our RX-8 and S2000s. We were impressed very much with the STI. There were actually sections that we were able to take FASTER in the STI. I credit the prodigious amount of grip and the AWD for that. Just different tools for the same task.

About the ride. Some complain about the ride being too harsh and the car being unrefined. Two simple mods changed the whole character of the car. First, I dynamatted the trunk. The majority of NVH in the STI is from the rear. That helped...ALOT. The second, tires. I ditched the stock Potenzas (which are some of the best summer tires you can get) for some Michelin Pilot Sport All Seasons. We got a good amount of snow here and I don't want to kill myself in summer tires. Wow...what a difference. The car is quiet. Regular car quiet and the ride is smooth and soft. No harshness. I thought I had a new suspension put in. It actually feels a bit like the RX-8 now in terms of harshness or lack of.

Finally, I've learned to live with the wing. It's functional. I plan to do HPDE's so it stays. Not my favorite part of the car, but I've grown to like it. BTW..the new nose does away with the "smile".

So to end my novel, both great cars, both approach performance driving differently. I've enjoyed both. I picked the STI because (if I'm honest) I wanted more power, AWD, and a trunk opening I could fit stuff through. I wanted reliability, not to knock the RX-8. I'm sure the 8 and the renesis are well engineered and well built but I honestly didn't do my homework before I bought the RX-8. There are just too many quirks about the car that I wasn't prepared for. Despite the styling, the STI seems to be the better car for me. Thanks for reading and if you find yourself getting too worked up over interweb posts...just go for a drive.

DARKMAZ8

^^^^Great post

9291150

wushunut, nice review. You obviously prefer the STI because you traded the 8 on it. Thats cool!

I must admit I never drove a STI, and they don't sell Evo's in Canada, but I still drive a friends WRX often. Its a real fun car, though I can't get past the econocar roots to consider one myself. Worse, I hate the understeer to oversteer transition that all wheel drive cars have, not as predictable or as fun as the rear wheel slides of a good independently suspended rear wheel drive car. To me anyway. And like the 8, the WRX has no low end. But I'm sure the STI is way quicker.

Enjoy your STI!

DARKMAZ8

If you can't respect a car company that has the guts to go against the grain and offer an alternative to the conventional piston engine. You my friend, are a sorry excuse of an enthusiast.

BTW your wifes 8's an auto. I drove it last night.

wushunut

Thanks for the comments.

As for the WRX to STI. I must say that the WRX and STI are completely different cars. The STI is much more than a WRX with parts thrown at it. Before I bought the STI one of my co-workers let me drive his WRX around to get an initial impression and help me make my decision. However, after driving the STI, I can say the only similarities between the two cars are the name (Impreza) and the overall body shape. My experience in both cars was completely different. I think the STI is just put together much better than the WRX. I can't quanitify it. I can only say, go drive a STI if you want to evaluate a STI. The WRX isn't a true representation (I'm not referring to the power here.)

One neat thing about the STI is the DCCD, where you can change the front to rear bias of the AWD. You can make the car more rear biased if you want too, or change it up front for more initial traction. The 2006 added a steering sensor to the center diff to make the handling even more predictable. If you ever get a chance to drive one, jump on it.

Ike

My how easily we are swayed... You have no clue what you're talking about, that's what Eric knows. The Evo was introduced over a year before the STI came to market in Japan, it was even introduced in the US before the STI was. What now smartguy?

Elara

Closed, since no one can get along, it seems.