is the STi wired for sound??

[A-REX]

I know that the STi comes standard without a radio. But does anyone know if the car is pre-wired for sound. I think it would be a PIA if you had to get the car wired for sound.

Thanks for your help.

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[PerformanceAutoSolutions]

yes,the car does come prewired.

[JT-KGY]

It is??
Then how much weight do we saved exactly??
Considering that we only deleting the weight of
headunit, speakers and amp (unless using preamp from
headunit) from the car???

Is that a lot?

[bmrboy325is]

not particularly...

I think the no-radio-standard thing is much for for the hardcore image of the STi then it is for any real or tangeble performance increase.

a head-unit is 1 lb, maybe... I'm sorry, if you're that anal, then make sure you don't wear your jacket and heavy boots in the car too.

I'm also reasonably sure a great majority of STi's will go with the Dealer-Radio option (or I'll probably have a local shop throw and Aftermarket deck+ Focal's all the way around as soon as I get it)

-Scott

[lenyx]

Originally posted by bmrboy325is
a head-unit is 1 lb, maybe... I'm sorry, if you're that anal, then make sure you don't wear your jacket and heavy boots in the car too.

A head unit is more than 1 lb... especially when you start talking about the oem double din ones. I don't think it's a weight savings issue though as much as a bottom line issue. Deleting the radio brings the base cost of the car down... but it can easily be tacked on for people that want it.

[robmarch]

agreed. this is a cost move, not a weight move. shipping the car without a spare tire, like the BMW M cars, would give much more weight savings. (of course, we still haven't confirmed that it's got a spare)

but, it gets the msrp probably nearly 1k closer to the Evo, while also being a marketing gimmick. And, the dealers can make money installing it, very easily, since it's prewired.

The head unit might be 4-5 lbs, and the speakers another 5ish. How much does your spare weigh? How much does the wing weigh? If ten pounds radically transforms the handling or performance of the car, then don't take any passengers or cargo along.

and, if the story about meeting an artificial weight limit for fuel economy standard or whatever is true, and this wasn't a cost move, why not make the stereo a No cost port installed option?

[ResQDawg3]

The car is built for the track! Why in the blue hell would you want a stereo. The sound of the car's engine, exhaust, turbo....That should be plenty!

[robmarch]

Originally posted by ResQDawg3
The car is built for the track! Why in the blue hell would you want a stereo. The sound of the car's engine, exhaust, turbo....That should be plenty!

why give it a back seat, then? Why no rollcage? why does it have A/C?

Let's be honest with ourselves here...the car has been significantly upgraded for performance driving, but it's not intended to be a track only car. The Z06 will own this car on the track, even as equipped with a stereo.

[Hummer]

Originally posted by robmarch


why give it a back seat, then? Why no rollcage? why does it have A/C?

Let's be honest with ourselves here...the car has been significantly upgraded for performance driving, but it's not intended to be a track only car. The Z06 will own this car on the track, even as equipped with a stereo.

They should probably get rid of the door glass and motors for the windows too. That would save a lot of weight. Also, delete one wiper....why does the passenger need one?

[Nothonotus]

They are also only going to sell them to people that weigh under 150 lbs so as to not counter act all of the weight minimizing effort they have gone through. Get that mcfatty burger out of your face and start running...

[pio!pio!]

grap on my tired! 180 pount man!

[T-WRX]

The show-lady at the Chicago Auto Show stated the following (however illogical):

[paraphrasing]

The STi will have the radio as the only available option. It does not come with a radio in the interest of keeping the car as light as possible.

Me: Will it come prewired for sound?

Yes, the car will be prewired for sound, including speakers.

Me:


She was actually not that bad, technically speaking. All of the other chicago area goons must have gotten to her before me.

[JT-KGY]

Originally posted by robmarch


why give it a back seat, then? Why no rollcage? why does it have A/C?

Let's be honest with ourselves here...the car has been significantly upgraded for performance driving, but it's not intended to be a track only car. The Z06 will own this car on the track, even as equipped with a stereo.

Z06 is 3118lbs... comes with Bose stereo, power "leather" seats
with memory, HUD display, electronic traction controls...

What GM did is they use various lightweight items to save
weight.. Titanium exhausts, lightweight wheels, aluminum
sway bar links and thinner windshield for example... but then
of course MSRP of the car gone up too..

Still... I dont see the reason of removing radio... not enough
weight benefit to justify it (unless all wires/speakers are
removed as well)...

[Corn-Picker]

If weight was the real issue, I think the AC would be the first to go. Personally, I wish Subaru would offer an STi without the AC and spare tire/jack (throw some fix-a-flat in there). That option alone could save me a thousand dollars and a hundred pounds.

[BoyRacer]

Originally posted by bmrboy325is
not particularly...

I think the no-radio-standard thing is much for for the hardcore image of the STi then it is for any real or tangeble performance increase.

-Scott

I agree... The weight and cost arguments don't hold water with me... I think it's an image thing.

MGB

[robmarch]

Originally posted by BoyRacer


I agree... The weight and cost arguments don't hold water with me... I think it's an image thing.

MGB

I can understand your skepticism of the weight argument, but the cost argument? It probably cuts their MSRP by 800-1000 by not putting in the 6-disc in-dash changer. This is significant, with the Evo at $29k.

Again, if cost wasn't a factor, it would be a _no cost_ port installed option, just to technically pass whatever test they were trying to pass.

Hardcore racing options happen, but they're usually no cost deletes, like A/C and stereo deletes on porsches and ferraris.

[BoyRacer]

Originally posted by robmarch



I can understand your skepticism of the weight argument, but the cost argument? It probably cuts their MSRP by 800-1000 by not putting in the 6-disc in-dash changer. This is significant, with the Evo at $29k.

Again, if cost wasn't a factor, it would be a _no cost_ port installed option, just to technically pass whatever test they were trying to pass.

Hardcore racing options happen, but they're usually no cost deletes, like A/C and stereo deletes on porsches and ferraris.

You really think it saves that much money? No need to put in a 6 disk changer... Just the crappy radio CD player combo we have now would suffice... Plus they are dealing with an economy of scale, I don't think it would cost that much for a big company to add a radio, especially since they probably get a good deal on them...

MGB

[JT-KGY]

Originally posted by robmarch



I can understand your skepticism of the weight argument, but the cost argument? It probably cuts their MSRP by 800-1000 by not putting in the 6-disc in-dash changer. This is significant, with the Evo at $29k.

Again, if cost wasn't a factor, it would be a _no cost_ port installed option, just to technically pass whatever test they were trying to pass.

Hardcore racing options happen, but they're usually no cost deletes, like A/C and stereo deletes on porsches and ferraris.

800-1000??... does the changer comes with a tv too??
I thought the aftermarket players are at around 250... and
when manufacturers buying bulk the cost should be even lower...

No radio but with all wires & speakers in place...

Save weight?.. NO.
Save cost?.. Not much
More hardcore image?.. Sure, but why and at what cost??
Repels general public?.. Yes
A way for dealers to make extra $$ on the car?.. Maybe

[robmarch]

sure their cost is much less, but the full marked up cost of an indash CD changer with speakers has to be $800. This is what is in the WRX now, BoyRacer!

Look how much it costs to add the "premium" speakers that cost them probably $20. And, it would probably add at least $600 MSRP to upgrade from a single CD to a in dash 6-disc changer in a car that didn't come with a changer.

And, I haven't seen any 6-disc in dash changers in the aftermarket yet (like crutchfield, etc.) but sure, an indash CD with decent power is probably $200ish. Add 4-6 speakers for another $200. There's $400 right there.

It's the same story for everything on the car, you have to add the markup, if you want to look at the cost perspective. Little changes can have a big impact on MSRP.

edit...I think this is a lame place to save weight, but am ok with the saving cost. I'd probably rather take that $$ and put my own system in anyway. Though, the indash changer is nice.

ps...if you want to know the MSRP of the changer, wait until it's a dealer installed or port installed option, and you'll see the number. I would guess $800-1000.

[JT-KGY]

Originally posted by robmarch
sure their cost is much less, but the full marked up cost of an indash CD changer with speakers has to be $800. This is what is in the WRX now, BoyRacer!

Look how much it costs to add the "premium" speakers that cost them probably $20. And, it would probably add at least $600 MSRP to upgrade from a single CD to a in dash 6-disc changer in a car that didn't come with a changer.

And, I haven't seen any 6-disc in dash changers in the aftermarket yet (like crutchfield, etc.) but sure, an indash CD with decent power is probably $200ish. Add 4-6 speakers for another $200. There's $400 right there.

It's the same story for everything on the car, you have to add the markup, if you want to look at the cost perspective. Little changes can have a big impact on MSRP.

edit...I think this is a lame place to save weight, but am ok with the saving cost. I'd probably rather take that $$ and put my own system in anyway. Though, the indash changer is nice.

ps...if you want to know the MSRP of the changer, wait until it's a dealer installed or port installed option, and you'll see the number. I would guess $800-1000.

You're right about impact on msrp... but you're thinking the cost
for manufacturers to add them... if the wires&speakers are
prewired and comes with STi.... then the additional cost to add
radio is just the headunit... which I'm sure is less than $150 each
for Subaru...

It just doesn't make sense to me that Subaru will save $150 or
less on each car but risking the fact that it will not appeal to the
more general public.. (but then again maybe that's what they
want... who knows).

[robmarch]

the wires and speakers are disposable, and the speakers might not even be preinstalled, if they were really after weight savings, with all of the "heavy" magnets and whatnot.

They probably will install the "optional" stereo at the port on nearly every car, and add the $ back. But, they still get to claim a low starting msrp to compete with the Evo. It's a technicality, like Nissan making the base Altima, which they made like 500 of, just to claim the low starting msrp. It can still be an "option" and nearly every car to come through port can get one installed. If the $150 or so of stereo cost was the only thing stopping them, it would be a no cost port addition, and they would just absorb the $150, and everyone would be happy. As it is, they will probably make it a port installed option, for $800-1000, and have the best of both worlds.

So far, the facts are that the stereo is optional. I agree with you that it doesn't make sense to the consumer. And, the weight excuse doesn't fly with me, as long as the car comes with a spare. the water in the water spray unit probably weighs more than the head unit.

[rbehny]

ok on the price idea it does make a big difference not to us but to SOJ and SOA because 5000 x 800 or what ever deal they get on mass purchase of stereo equipment is still a huge deal and more money they save the more profit they can make so it's probably a 20% weight savings and image
80% profit increase and a way to help out dealers by pulling more money in.

think of it in the sense of being a big business and not as a consumer. think they really give a flying flup about us? no way they just want the cash, if they did care about us they would give us mad options on every part and a choice of putting the new STI engine/tranny/diffs in a "new" GC8 platform

[JT-KGY]

I agree with what robmarch said about claiming the low msrp..
to "sound" competitive with EVO...

Originally posted by rbehny
ok on the price idea it does make a big difference not to us but to SOJ and SOA because 5000 x 800 or what ever deal they get on mass purchase of stereo equipment is still a huge deal and more money they save the more profit they can make so it's probably a 20% weight savings and image
80% profit increase and a way to help out dealers by pulling more money in.

think of it in the sense of being a big business and not as a consumer. think they really give a flying flup about us? no way they just want the cash, if they did care about us they would give us mad options on every part and a choice of putting the new STI engine/tranny/diffs in a "new" GC8 platform

Sure.. 5000x150 will yield a big number... but still not big enough
to justify the risk that 150/car might repel the general public
from buying the car...
If 95% of car come with radio installed.. then it might just be
a way for SOA to claim low msrp.. and still make extra $500 or so
on the option alone... it's totall possible.. think Leather for BMW
and Benz, try to find one w/o it... it's nearly impossible..

Though... I still hope it will be a "true" option from SOA...

[Blindeye_03]

Yea, why spend ~$250 more on the stock headunit, when you can get something so much better for the same price (through aftermarket that is).

-justin

[robmarch]

Originally posted by Blindeye_03
Yea, why spend ~$250 more on the stock headunit, when you can get something so much better for the same price (through aftermarket that is).

-justin

actually, if the stock indash changer only added $250 to the price, installed, that's a good deal. In dash 6-disc changers are tough to find, and there are a lot of people who would keep the stock look, changer capability, etc., and just convert the speaker level output to line level into whatever amp and components they want to run.