Little Miss WRX
10-19-2001, 02:21 AM
So, you want to know what it is like and how much it will roughly cost. Don't rely too much on the figure I put as I could have bartered the guy down a little bit and other garages have advertised it for less.
Driving my WRX away from getting the geometry settings re-done after putting the GAB suspension on, I spied the import car centre and saw my first STI 7 in the flesh.
Well, I had to go have a look, it would be rude not to!!!
Sitting there gleaming, untaxed, unregistered, a lovely brand new STI 7, pride and joy in the showroom.
I naturally enquired about it and was told by the salesman, don't ask, just drive it first. Rubbing my hands with glee I patiently waited for him to sort out the trade plates and had a look around.
The first obvious thing to separate it from a normal WRX is the (I think it is WR blue someone correct me if not) Lovely blue and the STI badging. The lights I would still stick morettes on and of course that appalling rear spoiler would have to go for a Scoobysport high rear wing.
The salesman returned and I got in the car, the usual STI trim was there making it look that little bit more special. It has even got a unique STI keyring :rolleyes:
I fired her up and listened to the flat four roar to life. It purred temptingly as I prepared to unleash the beast onto the streets.
Good feel to the clutch nice and firm but not overly hard, nice bite point. I looked at the clock and noticed it was only on 300 odd miles - I would have to stick to under 4000 revs, still, I could test the handling rather than the power. Having a high powered old version WRX I was used to the kind of acceleration and power that this STI would reward me with.
The salesman knew the roads around and was able to give me good warning of bends and te kind of speed I would be able to approach at.
Having just fitted some very hard track suspension to my car the STI felt softer, but compared to how my WRX felt on its normal suspension, it was a lot firmer.
It stuck to the road, felt very sure footed, on the straight it felt well balanced, round corners it felt like nothing would shift it.
I took it into corners too fast hoping to shake it a little, but that slight drift of understeer, corrected by a slight lift off then back on the power was all that it was willing to do. With the salesman beside me I didn't want to drift it too much!!!! Even over bumpy corners with a crest the car stuck to the road unwilling to lose grip.
The brakes???? Wow!!! touch them and you are thrown inot the windscreen!!! I have group N rally brakes on mine but these............oh yes, you can stop!!!!! Just make sure that seatbelt is secure!!!!
When it had warmed up sufficiently I gave it some stick, only touching past 4000 every now and then ;)
A lovely turbo whine, not as loud as mine, but there all the same. The growl of the engine was not as loud as expected and it definitely needs a full de-catted exhaust system on to provide the popping burbling roar that is worthy of such a beast.
So, would I buy one?
Having an MY94 standard WRX I have the performance of the new STI for £7000. I cna modify it as I have done for a lot less as there are so many second hand parts available for it.
Styling wise it would cost me £2000 or more to ge the STI to how I would want it to look.
The new Scooby is a lot more solid than my tinny WRX, but that also makes it feel heavier too. My WRX feels a lot lighter and nimble.
The price? This one was advertised for £29,995 far too pricey for what it is IMHO. I would spend that extra couple of grand and buy a P1 - but then again the P1 is not value for money at all. You couldn't use either cars for rallying because they have too many luxuries and they weren't built for it. The P1 is vastly overpriced for what you get, effectively in my opinion you pay to have Prodrive badging................
The WRX type RA however, that I would like to get my hands on as it is a worthy basis for a rally car and was purposely built in that way..............but I am straying from the point.
At the end of the day it depends on whether or not you wish to spend the money they are asking for it and what purpose you wish ot have the car.
For all round performance and head turning factor I cannot fault it.
I shall stick to my WRX at the moment till those P1s come down in price. OR I shall do what I plan t do, strip my WRX out and use it for competition rallying...........
The choice is yours.............
Michelle.
PS sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
Driving my WRX away from getting the geometry settings re-done after putting the GAB suspension on, I spied the import car centre and saw my first STI 7 in the flesh.
Well, I had to go have a look, it would be rude not to!!!
Sitting there gleaming, untaxed, unregistered, a lovely brand new STI 7, pride and joy in the showroom.
I naturally enquired about it and was told by the salesman, don't ask, just drive it first. Rubbing my hands with glee I patiently waited for him to sort out the trade plates and had a look around.
The first obvious thing to separate it from a normal WRX is the (I think it is WR blue someone correct me if not) Lovely blue and the STI badging. The lights I would still stick morettes on and of course that appalling rear spoiler would have to go for a Scoobysport high rear wing.
The salesman returned and I got in the car, the usual STI trim was there making it look that little bit more special. It has even got a unique STI keyring :rolleyes:
I fired her up and listened to the flat four roar to life. It purred temptingly as I prepared to unleash the beast onto the streets.
Good feel to the clutch nice and firm but not overly hard, nice bite point. I looked at the clock and noticed it was only on 300 odd miles - I would have to stick to under 4000 revs, still, I could test the handling rather than the power. Having a high powered old version WRX I was used to the kind of acceleration and power that this STI would reward me with.
The salesman knew the roads around and was able to give me good warning of bends and te kind of speed I would be able to approach at.
Having just fitted some very hard track suspension to my car the STI felt softer, but compared to how my WRX felt on its normal suspension, it was a lot firmer.
It stuck to the road, felt very sure footed, on the straight it felt well balanced, round corners it felt like nothing would shift it.
I took it into corners too fast hoping to shake it a little, but that slight drift of understeer, corrected by a slight lift off then back on the power was all that it was willing to do. With the salesman beside me I didn't want to drift it too much!!!! Even over bumpy corners with a crest the car stuck to the road unwilling to lose grip.
The brakes???? Wow!!! touch them and you are thrown inot the windscreen!!! I have group N rally brakes on mine but these............oh yes, you can stop!!!!! Just make sure that seatbelt is secure!!!!
When it had warmed up sufficiently I gave it some stick, only touching past 4000 every now and then ;)
A lovely turbo whine, not as loud as mine, but there all the same. The growl of the engine was not as loud as expected and it definitely needs a full de-catted exhaust system on to provide the popping burbling roar that is worthy of such a beast.
So, would I buy one?
Having an MY94 standard WRX I have the performance of the new STI for £7000. I cna modify it as I have done for a lot less as there are so many second hand parts available for it.
Styling wise it would cost me £2000 or more to ge the STI to how I would want it to look.
The new Scooby is a lot more solid than my tinny WRX, but that also makes it feel heavier too. My WRX feels a lot lighter and nimble.
The price? This one was advertised for £29,995 far too pricey for what it is IMHO. I would spend that extra couple of grand and buy a P1 - but then again the P1 is not value for money at all. You couldn't use either cars for rallying because they have too many luxuries and they weren't built for it. The P1 is vastly overpriced for what you get, effectively in my opinion you pay to have Prodrive badging................
The WRX type RA however, that I would like to get my hands on as it is a worthy basis for a rally car and was purposely built in that way..............but I am straying from the point.
At the end of the day it depends on whether or not you wish to spend the money they are asking for it and what purpose you wish ot have the car.
For all round performance and head turning factor I cannot fault it.
I shall stick to my WRX at the moment till those P1s come down in price. OR I shall do what I plan t do, strip my WRX out and use it for competition rallying...........
The choice is yours.............
Michelle.
PS sorry if this is in the wrong forum.