WRX or WRX STI & Waiting

[chuglobal]

I need to get a new car soon since I think my car is about to have problems. I've always wanted the WRX STI however the STI will not come out till another 1.5+ years. I can get the WRX locally without a problem but should I wait for the WRX STI to come out next year and buy a cheap car for now? Does anyone offer a tradeup policy for cars so I can pay the difference is I want the WRX STI in the future?
What are the differences between the WRX and WRX STI except for the new disc, engine, turbo, and seats? Can I buy a WRX now and modify it to STI specs and still be cost effective? What mods would I need to produce 275+ hp and such as the STI has? I really wanted to wait for the STI however my car may die and any point. Please give me some ideas. Thanks.

[ATX25RS]

STi is not for sure yet, as for power two words Cobb Tuning They have the setup for like 300 at the wheels....hehehehe thats a lot.

Andres

[ChrisW]

buy a WRX so you can use your current POS car as a trade in while it still has any value.

There is no confirmation that the STI is coming over. If it does, then it sounds like a limited production run (1500 cars) and will most definately be over $35,000

Get the WRX, and use the extra 1.5 years to mod it to STI performace levels... That's what I will most likely do.

[Siper2]

I'm in the same dilemma. You'll see to the left that I have a 2000.
The STi is ohhhhhhhhhhhh so tasty a possibility, but then again, by the time the sucker gets over here, I'll probably have mine paid off (or close to), and can maybe do the kind of mods that would bring it to STi level. Granted, it's a 2.5 and not the 2.2 preferred platform, but...

If I have the money at the time I'd either give the RS to my girlfriend and do an STi, or upgrade mine and get a Miata or S2000 or something like that. It's a tough call. This is assuming I'm not broke, of course.

EDIT: (pic) 'Tis nice to dream, though... What a view this would be for the 97% of people on the road I could pass!!!


-S2-

[neurotic]

I think we need to devote an entire forum to just "is the sti coming"

[fanatic]

buy a WRX so you can use your current POS car as a trade in while it still has any value.

since when did the WRX become a pos car. i wish i had a WRX.

[imprezawrxsti.com]

He never said he had a WRX, he said he has a POS car that he is thinking of trading in for a WRX, or WRX-STi.

My advice to you:

Wait: you will not be disappointed.

JJ
www.imprezawrxsti.com
All STi, All The Time

[Siper2]

Got one on order, eh? That's cool. You must have a dealership with a brain!!! hehe

I've put my name "on the list" for one at my dealership.

Whether or not that means anything, remains to be seen...

-S2-

[Imprezer]

If I was asked to describe the New Age WRX STi Version in 2 words, I would say this:

LIGHTWEIGHT

POWER

Neither will ever be able to make it over here in its original form.

Lightweight=no airbags, no bumper beams, no door beams.
Power=less than 3 cats, 100+ octane, bigger turbo.

If you know what it took SOA to bring the regular WRX over here, you will understand where I am going with that. Best case scenario, you'll get an STi. It will be a "visual" STi rather that the real STi version that Japan gets. Plus, STi name cannot be used in US.

So anyone wants to buy a WRX SPT Version which is basically a regular WRX with few extra ponies, some body kit and bigger rims (or something similar to that) for ~$28,000-$30,000.

Hehe. Go ahead.

[Siper2]

Well that's what we all know will probably happen, but we have to hope, man.

I don't think it's unreasonable to see a WRX, with the 276hp. turbo and the good tranny and six-speed, with the new suspension. Maybe it'll keep the support beams and air bags, but to that I say "Good." I'll sacrifice a little speed for safety, personally.

-S2-

[Gerlando]

Well my inital reasoning was that I'd buy a WRX now and trade up to the STi once it comes out. Now that I've had my car for about 4 months I can't imagine getting rid of it. Even at my lazy pace of mods it'll probably be near STi levels of power. Of course,.. I still won't have STi seats, a 6-spd, or the cool headlights (amoung other things),..hrm,... maybe I'll get an STi after all

I wouldn't wait though,... you'd be missing out on a lot of fun over the next 1.5+ years waiting.

-Gerlando.
http://www.clubSTi.com

[Siper2]

I located some GREAT STi pics, just now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://car.nifty.com/news/001024news-1/wrx.htm

For example, speaking of those headlights...


(Found off of http://www.mrtrally.com.au/performance/WRX-RA01.htm )

-S2-

[GOLDBERG]

Originally posted by Imprezer
If I was asked to describe the New Age WRX STi Version in 2 words, I would say this:

LIGHTWEIGHT

POWER

Neither will ever be able to make it over here in its original form.

Lightweight=no airbags, no bumper beams, no door beams.
Power=less than 3 cats, 100+ octane, bigger turbo.

If you know what it took SOA to bring the regular WRX over here, you will understand where I am going with that. Best case scenario, you'll get an STi. It will be a "visual" STi rather that the real STi version that Japan gets. Plus, STi name cannot be used in US.

So anyone wants to buy a WRX SPT Version which is basically a regular WRX with few extra ponies, some body kit and bigger rims (or something similar to that) for ~$28,000-$30,000.

Hehe. Go ahead.

why dont ya just go over to japan when it comes and buy the real sti, then ship it back here some cars are cheaper there anyways.....

[makka]

haha.... that would be tite....
but they have it, and we won't....
and it would cost bundles to ship it over, change to left-drive.... it would never pass smog, never be able to be registered, end up costing more than just shipping over the sti parts and putting it on a wrx....
but dang that would be sweet to look at....

[Fido]

[Frank_M]

hehehe...along that line of thought

I was installing my Defi gauge pod and hardwiring my Valentine 1 up last week..
and to route the V1 phone wire, I took off the dash top

well that's where the VIN # sits!!!
it's not permanantely fixed to the car!!

I instantly thought, how easy it would be to buy a wrecked dash, from a US WRX or RS and ship an STI over from say......Germany or Taiwan???? both have left-hand drive

[T-WRX]

Don't bother waiting. You will usually know a car is coming out about 12 months before it arrives. Do you want to wait over a year?

Do you want to be put on a waiting list when SOA announces only 1 per dealer?

Do you want to pay premium MSRP, or possibly mucho $$ over sticker?

Do you want to pay some big repair bills on your current car, regretting not ditching it earlier?

[yuzo]

i say go with the wrx. if anything you could always enjoy modding your car to beat the
sti. don't go with junk car. well if your patient i say the sti but you'd have to have some
cash and a lot of patients. up to you.

[Stoopid MOMO]

Imprezer: why cant the STi name be used here? Its used in every other country.

[kaos200]

the same reason Trust is known as GReddy in the US, copyright laws etc, since the namee or abbreviation is already in use by another company...

[whtstr]

Just personal opinion here.
STi = less future improvement since it already have bigger turbo, better exhaust, etc. Even if you spend money on mods, probably you won't see as much improvement from a WRX upgrades.
Expensive it will be, and also the insurance.
A regular WRX, you can do lots of mod to bring it close or same to STi modded level. But, of course not better than a modded STi.
The regular WRX should have just as same potential as the STi. Watch these: You can get a bigger Turbo/intercooler and FEEL the difference right away. Get an aftermarket Exhaust and FEEL the difference now. Better suspension/tires and FEEL the difference. After that, you can call it STi or whatever you want it to be. Isn't that fun?
Another thing for STi is that, you get more stares and attention, and maybe on the negative side, it is in danger when you can't watch it/park it outside...... Watch out your baby and worry....

[chuglobal]

Thanks for all of those who replied to my posting. I picked up my 2002 WRX Red manual yesterday 9/22/2001. I really wanted a nce car and didn't want to wait another 2 years to get the STI. Someone reminded me that I can always tradeup. The car is the bomb so far; I've gotton 10+ complements in less than 5 hrs of owning the car. Sweet!

[Vineet Singh]

Congrats on the purchase! I too was hesitant at first, and now I just wait semi-patiently for my WRX to come in (should be less than 7 days...)

This will be a long 7 days hehe!

__________________
Vineet Singh
http://www.eaglecars.com/

[SammyDFG]

I beat all the Asians in Asia make fun of us.

WE DONT HAVE STI

[chuglobal]

Yeah I beat they're making fun of us on how we accept the WRX and not the WRX STI version for now. I really wanted the STI but 35K+ is not in my budget and you know that the dealer's are going to rape us in price. I'll see how much better the WRX STI feels as compared to the regular WRX. I might trade up later if it really is a big difference or I might just spend another 3-5K after the warranty period and get the after market turbos and ECU and make it 300hp+.