Subaru's are for people that need a bit of space, ie family etc but still won't some power for when the kids aren't in the car.
At 19 I'd be thinking of getting something fun like a clio 172/182 etc.

Unless you're taking about big power which were not i don't think.

 

Depends what you want i hate hatch backs and will go for a saloon or coupe over one any day now

 

Cheers bud.

 

driving you pillock , or do you live in an urban rally stage also ??? I remember why I left this forum now ! it's no wonder that Scooby net has a reputation lol

 

You are indeed "In your own little world"

Nice edit by the way. opps! I mean edit x2

 

utter crap written by a wrx owner with sti envy.

the sti has no more computer controlled stuff than a wrx, no traction control, no stability control etc.

 

Real roads Do you think I should of told him I live in a mountain region, and the roads look pretty real to me.

 

i love the computer controlled part, he is confusing the sti with something he has read somewhere about an evo i suspect.

 

I didn't clock that, read the first bit and just saw the whole post as the ramblings of a crack addict.

So obviously like I said, he's not got a tuba.

 

I have a WRX and tbh I didn't realise how bad it handled until I got the shocks and springs upgraded yesterday. It's too quiet now though, I used to have a free drum and bass soundtrack from all the clunking shocks

 

i shouldnt worry the odd noises will soon return from the failling hg and ringlands

 

Forged engine and STI gaskets

 

Made the mistake of not getting PPP WRX....that's your problem lol

Seriously though go try a STI, you will see how different it is from a WRX then you will soon be buying one over your WRX.

I own a WRX but that's because of a couple of reasons 1. I live in the back roads never use A roads or motorways and I never see my car over 70/80mph so didn't see the need for an STI with more power and better 6 speed box as I couldn't see it being worth the extra premium in buying the STI, but I do miss having decent brakes and suspension but I can change them.

The other reason is I've had big BHP cars such as Sierra Cosworth, Pulsar GTiR, type RA Impreza and I knew if I bought an STI I'd waste money chasing BHP, where as having the WRX I don't want to break it so have left it standard at 245bhp lol. It all depends on what you want out of the car.
Sounds like you need an STi

 

My WRX is capable of big power now but I'm playing catch up with the supporting parts before I got over my 280bhp - suspension done, brakes next!

 

You don't even realise what a helmet you are

 

so its not then is it, you have had to rebuild the engine, it also needs a six speed box and and some decent brakes.......

all of which come as standard on the sti.


its like saying my sti is 300 mph capable all i need is another 750 bhp and a bigger engine and a different gearbox and a million pounds.

 

Seriously, you are boring everyone now. We get it, the sti is a better performance car in standard form over the wrx. Now put your dick away!

 

OP, your biggest issue will be insurance, the WRX is more insurance friendly than the STI but dont expect amazing performance from the standard car, its not that fast tbh and the body roll is a little excessive for a "performance" car, its more of a daily fun car that Subaru never really got perfect, its got potential just not in standard form.

You also need to haggle hard, for a 2003 model with reasonably decent miles and FULL service history then you should be looking at £3000 or there abouts, also figure in another several hundred quid for any parts/service/service items that need doing, dont blow your budget all in one go.
I will say that a Subaru isnt a cheap car to run, tax wont be bad on a 2003 year car, insurance will be high, parts are extortionate via Subaru, running costs are high (fuel economy wasnt high on Subaru's list of things it needed to reduce) and always fit decent parts/tyres, oh and its not the ultimate grip vehicle in winter, even with AWD the summer tyres can bite hard if you mess up, fit winter tyres and you will notice the difference though

Tony

 

£3000 for what?

 

Hawk boxes are stronger than predecessors as confirmed by many on here and Scoobyclinic yesterday who said it can handle 400bhp no problems.

So as it stands better brakes and an SC36 kit = a car that easily outperforms a standard or moderately modified STI - That's about 80 - 90 extra horses (than I currently have) and about 2 grand, I'll spend the rest of the money on a massive STI wing to make you happy

So yes starting with an STI would have been a much better idea but it is what is is!

And the engine rebuild would (for my year / version) have been even more likely with the STI so that is irrelevant

 

si in sumary it will cost you about 5k to get to standard sti spec..makes sense that

 

Yes it's capable of big power due to a forged rebuild, a standard WRX is not capable of big power mainly due to turbo, gearbox etc so you looking 320bhp tops and I personally wouldn't want to run that on a WRX lump and box that's not really big power anyway I'm talking 400bhp+ for big power and if you want power like that you should really be buying an STI.

I stand by my original post to the op go test drive an STI before committing to buying one, and there's no point in talking about upgrading a WRX he's already said he can't due to insurance restrictions.

 

I didn't know where I wanted to take the car initially and as I have said on more than one occasion in retrospect I would definitely have waited a bit longer to start with an STI base for the project and would tell anyone else that.

I can get 400+ from my WRX with the standard (Hawk) box, some are running 450+. You'd have to change the STI standard turbo and add ancillary upgrades to do that sort of power in an STI regardless. Once you are talking big power it matters less what you started with as you're changing lots of bits anyway.

But yes, you obviously get a big head start in terms of braking and handling with the STI and if you can afford / insure one it makes much more sense to start there.

 

There is a huge difference between what the box can take on a dyno run and a few blips of the throttle impressing your mates to what you can get if you used that power in anger on a regular basis.

 

Exactly, if you drive like a **** everywhere then yes, an sti with stronger components is a good idea. However, for a usable family car with a bit of poke, the wrx is hard to beat for the money.

 

A 2003 year wrx because at 19 virtually no one will insure him on an STI (normally min age of 21).

 

I can't speak from experience (yet) but from what I have read on here people with the same setup seem to be driving them as they are meant to be without issues - Kev from the clinic confirmed the it would take 400 all day which is more than enough for me!

 

But its not BHP that will kill your gearbox, its the torque and even though they changed from a (now i am bound to get this wrong ) push - pull to a pull - push it takes some of the strain off the box but they are not that strong and have no real improvements over previous gearboxes.
If you want a strong box then the 6 speed all the way

 

I always find that a strange argument. Yes,of course it is the twisting force (ie torque) that kills your gearbox but when do you ever see 400 lb/ft or torque with 250bhp in an Impreza?

 

They must have some improvements over the previous if they can take a lot more power. Personally I'm taking mine to around 380 bhp I don't really want to fork out 3k (or whatever) on a new transmission when I don't need to