Import a Japanese STi or buy a USDM STi?

Devlin · 03-29-2003, 04:13 AM

I am from Germany and want to import a "real" STi (because I do not like the watered-down European version.)

Would you go for the Japanese twin scroll version or the US version if it was available? Do you think the emissions of the Japanese version are much worse? (This may also be a problem in Germany.)

Do you have any experience with Evolutionimports? (They sell the Japanese version.)

Thanks for any help,

Devlin

JT-KGY · 03-29-2003, 06:38 AM

Hmm... no one own or driven the USDM STi yet... why dont you
wait a bit until more reviews are out... ?

akoshy · 03-29-2003, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Devlin
I am from Germany and want to import a "real" STi (because I do not like the watered-down European version.)

Would you go for the Japanese twin scroll version or the US version if it was available? Do you think the emissions of the Japanese version are much worse? (This may also be a problem in Germany.)

Do you have any experience with Evolutionimports? (They sell the Japanese version.)

Thanks for any help,

Devlin

I would definitely go with the USDM version. Given a choice between the JDM STi with the 2.0L Turbo with twin-scroll and the USDM STi with the 2.5L Turbo without twin-scroll, I would without hesitation go with the 2.5L USDM version. Of course, if it was a 2.0L USDM version without twin-scroll, then I would have preferred the JDM version.

ANZAC_1915 · 03-29-2003, 10:19 AM

Also the US model is LHD.

Benjamin Tang · 03-29-2003, 10:38 AM

is insurance costs an issue for you? the 2.5L USDM version might put u into the poorhouse

ellisnc · 03-29-2003, 11:12 AM

apparently the top couple gears are going to be taller on the US market car so that might be useful on the Autobahn...

Devlin · 03-29-2003, 12:08 PM

@Benjamin German insurance premiums are not comparable to US premiums.

@ellisnc Good point! Moreover, the US emission are stricter...which may make it easier to get a German TÜV approval.

By the way...today I went to a German Subaru dealer and looked at a silver WRX with gunmetal wheels. It looked much better than expected. Cute and compact and simply great. The momo steering wheel was also very nice. Unfortunately the German WRX has only 225 hp and costs 30,000 bucks. The dealer did not have an STi.

Next to the dealer is Subaru Germany. Behind a fence I discovered a blue STi MY03 (European version with 265 hp) and gold wheels (but no BBS wheels). Obviously it was a private car of one of Subaru's employees. I had a close look at it and ... hmm...I was a little bit shocked. The huge prodrive wing was so ... HUGE! And the hoodscoop. Well, frankly speaking, it was just ugly. In particular, there was a small gap between the roof and the scoop which made the scoop looking like attached and not homogeneous fitted into the hood.

On the other hand, the smaller scoop of the WRX and the missing prodrive wing made the entire car looking perrfectly right. In reality, also the color (silver /w gunmetal wheels) of the WRX looked much better than the color of the STi (blue/gold). There was also an STi MY02 with bugeyes (and a smaller scoop). It did not look that bad...at least better than the MY03 STi.

I will still purchase an STi...simply because it's a much better car. But I will figure out whether it is possible to change the scoop. A German dealer called Allrad Daewel offers tuned STi with 330 hp. This may be an option if I cannot get a USDM STi (or a Japanese one).

Cheers,

Devlin

03-29-2003, 04:13 AM	#1
Devlin Scooby Newbie Member#: 33065 Join Date: Feb 2003	Import a Japanese STi or buy a USDM STi? I am from Germany and want to import a "real" STi (because I do not like the watered-down European version.) Would you go for the Japanese twin scroll version or the US version if it was available? Do you think the emissions of the Japanese version are much worse? (This may also be a problem in Germany.) Do you have any experience with Evolutionimports? (They sell the Japanese version.) Thanks for any help, Devlin

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03-29-2003, 06:38 AM	#2
JT-KGY Scooby Specialist Member#: 7852 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Alhambra, CA Vehicle: 03 White Lan EVO 8 97 Techno-Violet BMW M3/2	Hmm... no one own or driven the USDM STi yet... why dont you wait a bit until more reviews are out... ?

03-29-2003, 10:19 AM	#4
ANZAC_1915 Moderator Member#: 456 Join Date: Oct 1999 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Redmond, WA, USA Vehicle: 2008 Forester XT Steel Gray Metallic	Also the US model is LHD.

03-29-2003, 10:38 AM	#5
Benjamin Tang Scooby Guru Member#: 4496 Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: British Columbia Canada Vehicle: 2009 Forester red	is insurance costs an issue for you? the 2.5L USDM version might put u into the poorhouse

03-29-2003, 11:12 AM	#6
ellisnc Scooby Specialist Member#: 4229 Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Dublin, OH, USA Vehicle: 2003 S2000 Did someone say track day	apparently the top couple gears are going to be taller on the US market car so that might be useful on the Autobahn...

03-29-2003, 12:08 PM	#7
Devlin Scooby Newbie Member#: 33065 Join Date: Feb 2003	@Benjamin German insurance premiums are not comparable to US premiums. @ellisnc Good point! Moreover, the US emission are stricter...which may make it easier to get a German TÜV approval. By the way...today I went to a German Subaru dealer and looked at a silver WRX with gunmetal wheels. It looked much better than expected. Cute and compact and simply great. The momo steering wheel was also very nice. Unfortunately the German WRX has only 225 hp and costs 30,000 bucks. The dealer did not have an STi. Next to the dealer is Subaru Germany. Behind a fence I discovered a blue STi MY03 (European version with 265 hp) and gold wheels (but no BBS wheels). Obviously it was a private car of one of Subaru's employees. I had a close look at it and ... hmm...I was a little bit shocked. The huge prodrive wing was so ... HUGE! And the hoodscoop. Well, frankly speaking, it was just ugly. In particular, there was a small gap between the roof and the scoop which made the scoop looking like attached and not homogeneous fitted into the hood. On the other hand, the smaller scoop of the WRX and the missing prodrive wing made the entire car looking perrfectly right. In reality, also the color (silver /w gunmetal wheels) of the WRX looked much better than the color of the STi (blue/gold). There was also an STi MY02 with bugeyes (and a smaller scoop). It did not look that bad...at least better than the MY03 STi. I will still purchase an STi...simply because it's a much better car. But I will figure out whether it is possible to change the scoop. A German dealer called Allrad Daewel offers tuned STi with 330 hp. This may be an option if I cannot get a USDM STi (or a Japanese one). Cheers, Devlin