I bought a impreza sti (04 reg) brand new and had to put a new clutch in it at 9500 miles. Thought this was pretty crap and sold the car. I then missed it so bought another one, a 53 plate with a prodrive kit and 21k on clock and guess what.....clutch is going again!!!

Has anyone else had problems or have I been unlucky?? I called subaru to get a new clutch and they told me that I had to buy a new flywheel too as the old clutch kit has been upgraded. I think this sounds like the old clutch was crap so they needed to upgrade it.

Has anyone else had problems with the clutches on these models?

 

Is the clutch slipping mate or is it just the burning smell that you're getting when reversing / parking etc?

My 53 plate sti showed signs that the clutch was on its way out but was not slipping. Dealer took the car out when it went in for servicing and they confirmed the "smelling" was normal and appears to be a characteristic of the car.

 

12,500 easy miles and no problems - wife drives it most of the time!!

 

My 03 PPP STi has a bit of a burning smell if riding the clutch to park on a hill or holding the car on th eclutch at Traffic lights etc. No signs of it slipping though and mines now on 36k miles

 

got the smell but also have the slipping. On my 04 reg I could always smell it. I must admit that I do drive my cars very hard but even so you would expect the clutch to last a bit longer than this!!!

 

I dont understand what the problem is. What were you expecting?

Its quite simple. Drive a car hard and give it some and you get threw clutches.

I just put AP clutch in mine. So far so good. BUT doesnt matter what clutch, it can only take so much abuse being booted off the line at 6000RPM! LOL

Just spend £1000 each time on a good clutch and hope you can make it last 6 months. I estimate with my style of driving a clutch every 4 months.

 

I know what your saying but I still think that a car like that should be able to take abuse for more than 10k before a clutch goes. my cossie was running over 400bhp and I done over 30k in that car without any problems to the clutch at all and my evo was running 310bhp and that clutch lasted no problem.

It costs 1200 quid getting the clutch done at subaru.....about 900 of that is labour....but its only really a 3-4 hour job

 

Dont go Subaru. TSL all the way. They did my AP clutch + lightened fly wheel both suppled and fitted for just over £1300

I guess it depends on driving, i have an EVO VI running 350bhp as well as my Scooby running 350bhp and i get threw same number of clutches in my evo as i do my scooby.

It really does depending on driving style. I have no mercy with my car, if i give it some then it really really gets some.

My mate with an evo 8 FQ320 also gets threw clutches regularly.

To be honest i know some one with a Lambo Galerado, you can not boot that car off the line hard cause its clutches break instantly and their £3500 per clutch! LOL. So little to say he doesnt do that very often! ha.

 

so I guess its me and not subaru thats the problem then!!! I feel a little bad having a go at the fella from subaru now. My mate has a p1 and has owned it from new, it has 70k now, had a new engine about 10k ago and he really really really hammers his cars but he never went thru a clutch once in his. To be honest I thought it was a problem with the new subaru's.

 

he got threw the engine before the clutch! BLIMEY, thats some going.

To last 70k without changing a clutch is really impressive, i even change clutches every 30-40k in my saxo and my missus saxo.

Well i think the standard clutch in the new STI's should be able to take around a dozen or so high RPM starts before starting to give way. But as i say, even my AP clutch when you take off the traffic light line at high RPM letting go of the clutch really struggles. DOH

Ah the fun.

 

my 03 sti ppp has got the burning smell as well, i bought the car second hand from a subaru dealer and when i looked at the first service sheets one item mentioned by the owner was "a burning smell from the clutch" that was 23k miles since. still smells, sometimes judders when cold, but touch wood no other problems with the clutch.

 

where can I buy an uprated clutch from then? I will put one of them in rather than a standard one and hopefully that will last longer!!!!

 

TSL in Nottingham, from experience best advice and service, no BS just straight talking Graham!

 

thanks mate...really appreciate it. I will give them a call.

 

I second that, ask for Graham or Gavin. Both spot on and dont mess you around with any lies. They tell it straight.