and what exactly does a straight line race prove about a cars balance, performance stamina, steering, general handling, braking and for that matter a drivers abilities?


Andrew

 

I have never owned a classic, I have driven a few and can see the point being made, they are generally a more raw driving experience which takes a better driver to get the best out of them, I have owned 2 Newage cars over the space of the last 6/7 years a UK Bug which I spent 5 years modding the **** off until all the main components and more had been changed only to find it was all a waste of time and money as soon as I stepped in to my spec-c, Out of the box I don't think there is a better car that gives you the same driving experience for the price and that covers a lot of cars.

But to answer the OP's question ,

"A real life view of which is quicker and easier to live with"

A JDM STi is probably the car your looking for, it ticks all the boxes, It's faster than a P1(standard), More refined, very easy to live with and drive around town with power instantly on tap

The Spec-C is a bit more hardcore for everyday, Depends on what you'll use it for

 

Agree but would be funny showing him how quickly an old classic with its floppy chassis, crap diffs and poxy gearbox can get down the strip....

 

A red LTD. Nice car Gazz.

 

Sorry Matt, was just stirring things up

 

Well I think I can put an end to this argument as I have owned 4 Imprezas.

It is all to do with the colour, I have owned:

Green Classic WRX= Slow
Silver Bugeye WRX= Faster
Ice Blue Blobeye WR1=Fast
WR Blue Hawkeye Spec C= Fookin' Fast.

So that's the end of it, the bluer it is the faster it is.

The end. Thread locked.

 

I know you were you bugger

 

Why thank you very much

 

I like your analogy but you never had a red one

 

Or a white one, everybody knows white is the fastest

 

cool grey ftw but im biased and were off topic lol

 

Yeh but yours is a classic and mines a newage

 

A newage I can deal with but yours is a spec C, the greatest car ever made

 

+1

 

40kg according to our Tone, with a reasonably fair like for like comparision.

I think Tony is winning the battle, and considering he has both, is in a better position than most to judge.

Mine is no spec c, but even in my ppp blob wagon with AP's, its a fair bit quicker than my type r at just over 320 bhp.

So first ish stage mods on both cars and the classic with 50 odd bhp advantage a 6 point cage and a few handling mods and ish 100kg lighter,
and it's slower and cost a damm sight more than my blob.

 

There is no battle buddy, just two guys expressing their opinions.

Tony, what's the spec of your Type R ?

 

I used to own a 1998 type R and currently have a 2004 JDM STI. The type R with a few mods was kicking out ~330 bhp and had lots of suspension work done etc. It was an absolute joy to drive and I must say there is very little in it in terms of fun at the wheel between the type R and the 04 JDM. I preferred the close ratio 5 speed box to the newer 6 speed (just my preference) The JDM is a bit more composed on the road, but you can definitely feel that it is bulkier / heavier. It also doesn't feel as fast as the type R did, but it is quicker. The type R was also louder inside.

Very little in it really, depends on what has been done to the car too. Both of mine have had lots of suspension work so both feel tight in the corners and well planted, just the type R was slightly more nimble. If I had to chose between the 2 again, I couldn't tell you which way I would go. Whatever came along first that was nicer I think!

(probably doesnt help much, but thats how little there is in it)

 

Good summary that, and pretty much what I found owning the very same two cars, with pretty much the same mods...

Only thing I would add, which tipped the balance for me and selling the JDM, was the Type R, as well as ultimately being the more fun, does it at a little less speed, which keeps everything that bit more safe

 

very true - sideways is faster in the JDM, which isn't a good thing! Then again, I am pretty sensible these days so not as much of an issue.

 

Ha ha, See you coming round to our(newage crowd) way of thinking now

Each to their own and all that

 

We are just having fun will give you the spec later when Ive escaped from work

Tony

 

Ok, the type R off the top of my head has the following mods

17 inch unmarked oz alloys
lowered (springs on standard STI shocks)
FPR
Uprated injectors
FMIC
hks filter
3 inch full decat exhaust with 3.5 inch exhaust (rolled tip)
A set of AP 4 pots waiting to go on (still)
Polly bushes
Paddle clutch (horrid thing, takes a bit of getting use to)
GT spec manifold (H&S) wrapped
MD109? turbo (big laggy vf22 hybrid)
KS3
SPA gauges
Knock link
Lambda link
After market ecu (link)
Black mesh over the FMIC making it quite stealthy
Removed the water injection system (really wasnt needed)

There are probably a few more things (braided brake hoses for instance), and she is running around 320bhp (noting that this car has been in the UK since new, imported late 98, registered very early 99 so most of the mods seem to have been done back in her early life), and mainly cosmetic stuff that needs doing now, like the rear spoiler which has a crack in it so will use the 2nd one to make one good one out of
All the usual bits (ie rust) has been dealt with, resprayed where needed and treated, so the nasty stuff has not come back

Things I hate:-
Too low really, could do with going back to standard ride height.
Paddle clutches suck
The MD 109? turbo is too laggy, needs a vf series on there really, a 30, 34 or 35 would be more suitable with similar (320bhp) power, makes for a good drivers car

Tony

 

The only reason I ask Tony is that many on here say that your opinion on 'newage vs classic' is more valid as you own both.
The thing is that you own two very different cars. The Spec C you own for instance is a fantastic car out of the box, your classic however is not. And your own classic is hardly a mouth watering spec. So when you jump from the classic into your Spec C the difference is always going to be huge. A bit like playing 45 mins for Peterborough united and then 45 mins for Manchester united.
My point being, if you owned a classic which was worth the same as your spec C (would obviously be of huge spec) your opinion on the two may well be different.

Please don't think I'm slating your classic as that is certainly not what I'm doing. It sounds like a lovely car and with those AP's and some decent suspension fitted it would be a great drive. I'm sure you see the point I'm making Tony.

 

What springs Tony?

 

I have no idea, they were on the car when I purchased her.

 

I see what you are saying Matty, but where do you stop?
You can swap the suspension for something decent like AST's, Ohlins, bilstein etc on both cars, the spec of the type R is common to what they use to do in the late 90's and early 2000's before ecutek, and also my first car I owned for over 4 years (a mildly modded MY00 UK turbo), and those pioneers who are now pretty well forgotten, forged engines, PPG gearbox rebuilds, AP and Helix clutches (those were the norm before the cheaper options came on the market, though not necessarily better ), AP brakes, scoobysport exhaust systems, all these lead to where alot of classics are now, so where as this spec isnt that impressive, it was back in its day (including the water injection).
I shall give you something to ponder over, in your v3 STI, what is the final gear ratiio (ie your top speed at 8000rpm), as I will make quite a valid point and show you a rather large difference between my standard engine and yours

Tony

 

To be honest Tony I'm really not sure. I would guess that a standard V3 box would see 145 maybe at a push. I'm currently using a P1 box which users a slightly longer 5th so maybe (if I was stupid enough) could see 155.

 

I have a sneaky feeling he already knows your answer lol, loving the debate between you two gentlemen. Think you are both making fair points from each side but I feel you guys will never agree on which one is better.

As much as I hate to admit it I'm with tony,

I have had many an imoreza, but after having a 480/449 classic sti 5 and a 350/370 jdm sti type 25 I see where tony is coming from. The sti 5 was epic, stupidly manic and put a massive grin on my face, it was pure poops n giggles everytime I drove it. Just the much lower powered type 25 was so well balanced and I felt much much more comfortable going into bends at the same speed if not more. It felt planted where the sti 5 felt skittish and loose, also you didn't realise how fast you were going in the type 25 and on a few occasions I didn't wasn't paying attention and entered bends far to fast but it ate them up on each time without any issues now in the sti 5 I can't say for sure but I'm not sure it would of been quite as happy ending lol.

Both great cars and both are very different just share the same badge as said before. End of the day the car has evolved over the years and new technology has made them better.

 

Sounds like your classic needed a bit of setting up, handling wise

 

The only newage turbo Impreza I have driven was a 2005 JDM STI with a few little extras, including some Tein super streets. I can honestly say that my classic with its current setup is a far superior car through the bends, at any speed.
I'm not sure if the spec C or other special edition newages use a better setup than the newage car I used but that was my own experience.