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Old 07-14-2018, 03:18 AM   #1
ben_7
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Default Anyone thinking of trading in their 2018 (or older) STi for a 2019 STi?

I thought I’d write this post for anyone thinking of trading up to the newer STi (also applies to any WRX owners wanting to trade up as well) and would love to start a discussion on it.

But before I go further, I want to state that I absolutely love my 2018 STi Limited, however I was toying with the idea of trading it in for a 2019 STi, only because it had the following upgrades that interested me:

1. A much better HU with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
2. Strengthened pistons with sodium filled valves
3. Better ECU tune

For item number one, I felt that the newer HU should really have come with the 2018 STi since the HU that I have honestly feels like those times when you were trying to play a computer game with a processor from the late nineties and the graphics freeze halfway into the game. The response on my HU is horrible and I don’t even bother to use the aging voice command system! I understand that the mission of my car is performance, but for a car that costs over $40K, the infotainment system is just embarrassing (until it was rectified in the 2019 WRX/STi models).

Items number two and three (especially number two) would really help with modding the car with power mods as I plan to mod my car toward the end of my warranty period.

However, since I paid just over $44K including taxes for my car last year (I have a few options as well like the STi SPT exhaust, vortex generator and a few other options), and with around 5,500 miles, the best dealer trade value that I would probably get is around $35K and if I sold it privately, then possibly a couple of grand more which doesn’t interest me at all because an equivalent 2019 STi Limited would probably cost me about the same money I paid for my STi so I would have to come up with another $7K to $9K or so for relatively the same car with a few options that I can get a lot cheaper in the aftermarket (HU and power mods + tune).

And unless I’m able to get an exact dealer trade with my car for a 2019 STi Limited (basically I would walk in with my car and walk out with a brand new 2019 STi Limited with the same color and all the options that I had on my car without paying anything more), I wouldn’t trade in my car since it doesn’t seem to make financial sense.

So my final verdict is that I will end up keeping my car as long as I can since it’s such a wonderful piece of engineering, an absolute breath of fresh air in a world full of refinement and automation over a pure, raw and fun experience.

Regardless of trading up, any STi is a fantastic car and if you purchased one, then I’m sure you’re not disappointed.

What are your thoughts on trading up?
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Last edited by ben_7; 07-14-2018 at 03:31 AM.
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:42 AM   #2
YungBoba
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Makes next to zero sense given the fact that we are right on the verge of a completely new generation of STi and not just a minor refresh.
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:47 AM   #3
ben_7
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Default Anyone thinking of trading in their 2018 (or older) STi for a 2019 STi?

Quote:
Originally Posted by YungBoba View Post
Makes next to zero sense given the fact that we are right on the verge of a completely new generation of STi and not just a minor refresh.


Yup that’s true, however I don’t know if the next generation STi would fall into today’s “refined and comfortable” category, thereby losing the ”rawness” and “old school manual feel” of the current model, which is one of the reasons that I purchased my 2018 STi.
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:56 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ben_7 View Post
Yup that’s true, however I don’t know if the next generation STi would fall into today’s “refined and comfortable” category, thereby losing the ”rawness” and “old school manual feel” of the current generation STi, which is one of the reasons that I purchased my 2018 STi.
The current generation STi is way more refined and comfortable than any of the past ones go and the next one will be even more refined. We're in a day and age where even sports cars are getting plush interiors and all the creature comforts that were generally only reserved for luxury cars. The new STi will almost certainly have a twin-scroll turbo with equal length headers, so you can pretty much throw the classic Subaru rumble out the window too.

To answer your original questions:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ben_7 View Post
1. A much better HU with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
2. Strengthened pistons with sodium filled valves
3. Better ECU tune
1. This can be solved with an aftermarket setup which I guarantee you will sound even better than the OEM 2019 unit with CarPlay/AA

2. Unless you are pushing the upper limit of power, this will not affect you in any way. The EJ motor in the current STi has been around forever and is very well documented and researched as far as how much power you can reasonably extract out of it without building the internals. For the vast majority of people, the stock internals will be more than adequate for the amount of power you are looking for (or can afford to get).

3. If you are going to be modding (and therefore getting a custom tune), then this is irrelevant. If you plan to stay stock then...yeah, I guess.

I just don't think it's worth trading in your current car and taking a huge hit just for a few minor improvements - definitely not worth a $9K hit.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:16 AM   #5
Archeech
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I say keep your options open and wait and see what the next gen STi will look like and whats under the hood. The 2019 model will still be out by then and maybe see a reduce price for dealers trying to rid the last ones. You will then have a clear picture on whether to trade for that 2019 or gain interest on the newest model.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:44 AM   #6
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Well, to your first point......I remember buying my 2.5RS in late 2000 and when I picked it up, I remarked "Oh, it comes with a radio". Some of our previous cars (91 CRX, 91 Integra) didn't even have radios from the factory. I don't get why people put so much emphasis on making their cars into audio tech centers.

With that said, I'll say "thanks" in advance. The company I work for has parts in every single car that uses Apple Car Play, so it's going towards my profit sharing check, which is pretty big (60% of my base pay last year).
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Old 07-14-2018, 12:06 PM   #7
ben_7
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Default Anyone thinking of trading in their 2018 (or older) STi for a 2019 STi?

Quote:
Originally Posted by YungBoba View Post
The current generation STi is way more refined and comfortable than any of the past ones go and the next one will be even more refined. We're in a day and age where even sports cars are getting plush interiors and all the creature comforts that were generally only reserved for luxury cars. The new STi will almost certainly have a twin-scroll turbo with equal length headers, so you can pretty much throw the classic Subaru rumble out the window too.



To answer your original questions:





1. This can be solved with an aftermarket setup which I guarantee you will sound even better than the OEM 2019 unit with CarPlay/AA



2. Unless you are pushing the upper limit of power, this will not affect you in any way. The EJ motor in the current STi has been around forever and is very well documented and researched as far as how much power you can reasonably extract out of it without building the internals. For the vast majority of people, the stock internals will be more than adequate for the amount of power you are looking for (or can afford to get).



3. If you are going to be modding (and therefore getting a custom tune), then this is irrelevant. If you plan to stay stock then...yeah, I guess.



I just don't think it's worth trading in your current car and taking a huge hit just for a few minor improvements - definitely not worth a $9K hit.


Yes, the current generation STi is more refined than previous STi’s, but if the next generation STi goes the way of further luxury and refinement, dropping the UELH along with the boxer rumble, addition of a twin scroll turbo, and *sigh* addition of an automatic transmission (DCT, CVT, whatever), then I think the 2018-2019 STi is at it’s sweetest spot where you have some creature comforts that you didn’t get in earlier STi’s without sacrificing the truly raw feel (ie: hydraulic steering, six speed manual gearbox, old school turbo feel where you can actually hear the whoosh of the turbo, tunable engine, signature boxer rumble, and so much more).

Also, if the next generation STi does go the “softer, refined” route, then we might see resale values favor the current generation STi, just like how an EVO 8 and especially an EVO 9 (probably because of that sweet 4G63 engine) is highly sought after compared to an EVO X.

For the aftermarket HU upgrade (I was looking at an Android tablet-type of HU), I found out that since my HU has an HK system, most aftermarket HU’s are not compatible with HK systems yet. Also, I’d like my backup camera to appear properly on the HU with the steering wheel controls integrated, so until HK systems are supported, I might have to find out if I can swap a 2019 WRX STi Limited HU for a “plug and play” experience.

For the rest of the points, yeah I agree that when I do mod it, the stock internals can handle it. I’ll probably look at max 350 whp and torque which I think my engine can reliably do on stock internals, I would also get it pro-tuned as well.

However, I guess having that “extra reliability” of the strengthened pistons is a nice feeling.

Regardless, as I said in the answer of my original post, I agree that $9K or event $1K more than a straight exchange is not worth it since the 2019 STi (apart from the listed upgrades) is identical to my car.

Thanks for your feedback!

Last edited by ben_7; 07-14-2018 at 12:25 PM.
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Old 07-14-2018, 12:31 PM   #8
ben_7
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Default Anyone thinking of trading in their 2018 (or older) STi for a 2019 STi?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Archeech View Post
I say keep your options open and wait and see what the next gen STi will look like and whats under the hood. The 2019 model will still be out by then and maybe see a reduce price for dealers trying to rid the last ones. You will then have a clear picture on whether to trade for that 2019 or gain interest on the newest model.


Yup, good point, if the next generation STi turns out to be refined like a Golf R, then maybe there might a good deal on a 2019 Limited STi.

Either way, I’m totally happy with my 2018 STi Limited.
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Old 07-14-2018, 12:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack View Post
Well, to your first point......I remember buying my 2.5RS in late 2000 and when I picked it up, I remarked "Oh, it comes with a radio". Some of our previous cars (91 CRX, 91 Integra) didn't even have radios from the factory. I don't get why people put so much emphasis on making their cars into audio tech centers.

With that said, I'll say "thanks" in advance. The company I work for has parts in every single car that uses Apple Car Play, so it's going towards my profit sharing check, which is pretty big (60% of my base pay last year).


I’m not concerned in getting a top of the line audio system. I hardly listen to any music in my STi, because I’m so mesmerized with the sounds it makes (the whoosh of the turbo and that sweet boxer rumble amplified through the SPT STi exhaust).

However I do like a decent navigation and hands free voice recognition system when I make calls. Since Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make that a breeze, I’m only looking for the new deck to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for navigation and phone purposes. Having access to my music library with ease is a bonus.

As for the sound system, the HK sound system is decent but I understand that it’s not very compatible with aftermarket decks.
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Old 07-14-2018, 12:47 PM   #10
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I'm not personally considering it, partly because I don't think there is a snowball's chance in hell I could get a 2019 for the discount I got on a 2018 in late-May (the current private party value of it with 3,300 miles is slightly higher than what I purchased it for new even after tax/tags/fees), and partly because none of the different features justify the inconvenience incurred (both financial and time, plus the risk of winding up with an individual specimen that is inferior to the current specimen.)

With that said, of the additions, CarPlay itself would certainly be a nice bonus from both a convenience and safety perspective, but it's not so much of a game changer that I absolutely cannot live without it (the 2018 STI HU is not great, but leagues better than the HU in my 2017 BRZ!)

(I would potentially be interested in purchasing another STI when it has a revamped platform, but I would probably not be interested in buying the first or second model year given no one will know the intermediate term/long term implications of ownership, where as with the 2018-2019 STI one can quickly get a very good idea of what they are signing up for before forking over $33,000+.)
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Old 07-14-2018, 06:16 PM   #11
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I've got AA and Carplay in my car and I find it to be highly overrated. The ability to put Google maps on the screen so it functions as an in dash GPS is nice, but I find more often than not, it's not worth the hassle of connecting it. It's also my understanding that with Carplay, you're unable to use any other map app other than Apple maps, so that's a non-starter for me right there.

At any rate, I wouldn't get rid of a car just for a different stereo.
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Old 07-14-2018, 10:34 PM   #12
ben_7
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Originally Posted by FaastLegacy View Post
I've got AA and Carplay in my car and I find it to be highly overrated. The ability to put Google maps on the screen so it functions as an in dash GPS is nice, but I find more often than not, it's not worth the hassle of connecting it. It's also my understanding that with Carplay, you're unable to use any other map app other than Apple maps, so that's a non-starter for me right there.



At any rate, I wouldn't get rid of a car just for a different stereo.


Yeah I’m not going to trade in my car for this however, it would be really nice if they had offered Apple CarPlay with my car, especially at the price point I paid as its a very convenient piece of technology to have.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:49 PM   #13
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Would love to trade up to a 19 sti, but so close to the new gen. I would rather wait to see what the new gen has to offer then decide.
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Old 07-15-2018, 03:55 PM   #14
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Ever thought of swapping in an 18 CarPlay head unit from a different Subaru model?

I have an 18 and I think it will probably be a direct swap for a 19 WRX head unit. I’ve never seen or used Car Play in a car before but I think my limited HU is good. I have factory Nav and it’s good except for the Nav In motion lockout
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Old 07-15-2018, 05:29 PM   #15
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I had the choice between 2018WRX Sport with 6.2 or 2019WRX Sport with 6.5 cp/aa and I chosed the 2018... (I got it thursday)
Why? because the 6.5HU may be a pita (or not... who knows ) to swap with my 4200NEX since I have everything (idatalink SW, breakout harness, antenna adapter, etc... and instructions) to make it work with the 6.2 setup.

Everything else is identical... except the steering... 2019 have less buttons to put functions with the idatalink

Oh, not to mention that 2018 was a better financial deal for me.
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Old 07-15-2018, 06:21 PM   #16
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The only reason Id consider trading in would be the pistons, but like it was said, the price difference would be more than enough to swap that into the current car anyways. Personally I couldn't care less about the stereo or nav. If the car wasnt used as a family vehicle I would have probably ripped out the stereo back seats and carpet at this point.
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Old 07-17-2018, 07:47 PM   #17
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Idk I feel like with the 10k depreciation hit you get selling/trading your car in you'd be able to buy a built motor and an updated HU. I'd wait to see what 2020 has to offer, then trade on a left over 2019 or slightly used one.

These cars should've came with CarPlay since 2015, but after having a few rentals with it, the HK system isn't bad at all. People bitch and moan about it, but I guess it's all preference. I get in my car, push the start button, it fires up, and music starts playing from my phone without taking it out of my pocket. And the sound quality doesn't sound piss poor imo.

Dunno if this is you, but this guy had the same thought lol.

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Old 07-19-2018, 08:54 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YungBoba View Post
Makes next to zero sense given the fact that we are right on the verge of a completely new generation of STi and not just a minor refresh.
Exactly. The 2020 redesign hints toward ditching the older 2.5 and going to something completely new. Why not wait until then? I am pretty excited to see what the redesign brings.
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Old 07-19-2018, 12:49 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ben_7 View Post
I thought I’d write this post for anyone thinking of trading up to the newer STi (also applies to any WRX owners wanting to trade up as well) and would love to start a discussion on it.

But before I go further, I want to state that I absolutely love my 2018 STi Limited, however I was toying with the idea of trading it in for a 2019 STi, only because it had the following upgrades that interested me:

1. A much better HU with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
2. Strengthened pistons with sodium filled valves
3. Better ECU tune



What are your thoughts on trading up?
Honestly, I wouldn't trade up just for those options.
1. Apple Carplay and AA don't matter that much to me. I do have an Iphone, when I get in I plug it in to the USB port and go...and it works. When I first got the car, it had a few bugs with it connecting to the phone, but they've gone away (I think it was more the phone than the car).

2. The difference in the pistons doesn't concern me, I don't go honing on my cars like some do. I bought this to be a DD for all conditions and it fit the bill (and the price was right where I wanted it to be).

3. This can be done with an AP, if you really want to change it.

Of course, the vehicles I had before were a 1995 Camaro Z28 and a 2001 Silverado 1500, so this car is quite advanced compared to those two. I'm happy with my purchase, the only thing I might do in the future is get an AP, maybe an exhaust. I may not even do that, I actually like the car like it is. It does everything I want it to do. And, it gets a heck of a lot better gas mileage too.
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Old 07-19-2018, 02:30 PM   #20
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That would be utterly fckn stupid, to trade in your 1-2 year old car, for a 10k hit, just to get some better interior amenities. I'm hoping the 2020 will have some MAJOR differences, between the 18+, otherwise I couldn't justify taking a hit on a trade in, just to be in a newer car.

My 18, the Bluetooth works fine, yea the interface is a bit clunky, and doesn't look as nice and smooth as apple car play, but you probably didn't get a Subaru for the interior. I use waze for GPS so the apple car play is useless. TBH, you can get a HU 2019 that's plug n play for car play for like a grand.
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Old 07-19-2018, 02:54 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vlad11591 View Post
That would be utterly fckn stupid, to trade in your 1-2 year old car, for a 10k hit, just to get some better interior amenities.
I was going to say the same, but didn't want to sound rude

Who on earth would anyone with a sane mind would trade a 1yr old car for the next MY's knowing the next BIG change is just around the corner???

(unless you had a 1yr lease? - does that even exist?)

Anyways.... carry on.
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Old 07-19-2018, 03:15 PM   #22
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If OP is really losing ~$10k of equity then it's not a good idea. However, I thought these cars hold their value very well (did something change with the VA STI)? I remember people with GR/GV's selling their car after a couple years for only 1-2k less.
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Old 07-19-2018, 03:48 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D-rock240 View Post
I remember people with GR/GV's selling their car after a couple years for only 1-2k less.
^really dude?
A couple years and people were willing to pay 1-2k less than new?

Do you also remember how Health Care reform was going to reduce the cost of health care?
Yeah I remember that also.
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Old 07-19-2018, 04:15 PM   #24
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Do you also remember how Health Care reform was going to reduce the cost of health care?
Yeah I remember that also.
LMAO...
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Old 07-19-2018, 04:58 PM   #25
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I have a 2016 STI and just bought a 2019 STI. Upgrade only if you want really want to. You're not missing much.
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