Teh Subaru Technica International Thingy

Cereb Daithi · Post by **Cereb Daithi** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:51 am

Looking for an 05 Aspen White STi (year and color preferable but not required)

EDIT:

I suppose i should elaborate

I'm tired of bitching about wanting one. Life is too short and I can't predict the future. I will have the financial means to get an STi soon and I'm gonna go for it. I probably wont really be able to afford to buy one once I get further into life with my line of work so "make hay" and all that. I've been around the world, flown planes, driven tanks, dove in the great barrier reef, performed live in front of thousands of people, given unrehearsed speeches and talks in front of hundreds.... all before the age of 20. I'm nowhere close to living a rich and luxury filled life but I have discovered that chasing your dreams and making them happen can be just about the most important things a person could ever do in their life.

After driving the Mazda 6 for almost 2 weeks I had gotten used to power again and the RS just can't keep me happy anymore. I had started contemplating biting the bullet and looking into the costs that an STi would involve for me and doing the math. Then a few days ago my ex showed up knocking on my door showing off a new legacy gt she had just gotten that morning. After that my mind was made up.

I'll be searching locally but if you guys could keep an eye out during your forum travels it'd be greatly appreciated.

I'm not going to be officially in the market for one until late-spring/early-summer rolls around but it's fast approaching and I'm going to start looking now. I'll be browsing around nasioc and iwsti but if any of you happen to spy anything I miss or if you know someone who might be willing to sell sometime soon let me know!

aspen white is what im aiming for. CGM would be second choice followed by WRB then PSM then black (black changes so often i cant keep track of the color name). 05 would be the year of choice for me. Obviously the lower mileage the better. Mods are ok as long as it's not anything too over-the-top (while a 600HP monster, although doubtful I'd ever find one for sale, would be fun I'm sure. I have no illustions. I know I'm still a relatively inexperienced driver and would most likely kill myself with something like that. Stock or lightly modded would suit me just fine)

chicken n waffles · Post by **chicken n waffles** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:26 am

my $.02 -

i'm sure you've heard this before or contemplated this on your own, but really examine the long-term cost of ownership of an sti before you plunge. sure, a used one will not come with that juicy new car price, but the insurance won't be any cheaper. you're under 25, in which case you're probably getting reamed. you will be getting hammered with an sti. fuel costs are heading back up it would seem, and the sti is no slouch when it comes to drinking.

i can't tell you to not chase down a used sti, especially in ass-pen white (

) but i've seen plenty of younger folks take the plunge only to have the ol' for sale thread up within a year due to financial constraints. the private for-sale threads on nasioc are ripe with examples.

ask yourself why you're really looking at an sti vs. a wrx. do you absolutely need the amenities, both aesthetic and performance-based, that the sti offers over the wrx? could you be ok with a stage 2 wrx (tbe and engine management)?

good luck with your choice regardless. the sti is the best car i've ever owned, hands down, and i've only been driving it for 3 months. the 05's are mighty hawt, and the ass-pen white, well, yeah...

Cereb Daithi · Post by **Cereb Daithi** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:07 am

thanks. hehe yeah. ive stewed over this decision for months now and only recently decided. I was pretty cautious in my estimates of the cost to maintain the STi. Correct me if I'm wrong but at my age for a used STi I came up with somewhere between $20-25,000 a year in costs (payments, insurance, gas). It will definitely put the hurt on me. But I should be able to pull it off. As I get older I have no doubt my priorities in life will shift and I either wont be able to afford to get one or won't be as interested anymore. However I'm almost positive that I'll end up looking back and going "man i really should have gotten that while i had the chance".

Do I need this car? Hell no.
Will it be easy? Hell no.
Will it be cheap? Hell no.
Will I love every second that I'm behind the wheel of it? Hell yes.

If I wasn't so passionate about Subarus I'd have no problem with having a modded WRX. But I'm sure you STi owners can relate. It's that deep almost unexplainable feeling to dish out that extra cash for an STi. That difference between saying "I have a stage 2/3 WRX with *insert mod list here*" and saying "I have a STi". I've always felt they have had that sort of aura about them that no other car would ever reproduce.

Call it youthful ignorance or blind-materialism... but I'd rather look back on my life and think "Man... that STi sure cost me alot and was a headache to keep" rather then sit and wonder "What would it have been like if i had gotten one when I had the chance"

Again thanks for the input (and thanks in advance for any future input) I know you all have my best interest in mind when you say this all. If i were in someone else's shoes i'd probably say the same thing about a WRX being much cheaper and economical. It's just that this STi is my singular goal in life right now. The one thing I'm striving towards. Once you're so set on a goal it's a tough thing to shake. Damn why couldn't I be striving for something cheaper?

Mr Kleen · Post by **Mr Kleen** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:34 am

good luck with your search. I'd love to have an STi but just can't afford it. I've been super happy with the WRX, doubly so after going to stage 2. but if you just can't settle and you can swing the payments and insurance... it's your money.

as I said best of luck. and if you decide not to get an STi, you can't post again about buying one for at least 6 months!

spazegun2213 · Post by **spazegun2213** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:36 am

would you take an Obsidian Black Perl with a custom fender and an s203 wing? Fully stage 2 protuned, two sets of wheels and tires, two sets of pads, a set of hoosiers and a LOT of extra stuff?

ie, would you like my car?

WRXWagon2112 · Post by **WRXWagon2112** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:21 am

Wha- wha- WHAT?!?! Ross, why do you want to sell your STi?

Is this a case of "I have the track-prepped Porsche for fun and excitement I just need basic transportation for off-track stuff"?

--Alan

spazegun2213 · Post by **spazegun2213** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:28 am

WRXWagon2112 wrote:Wha- wha- WHAT?!?! Ross, why do you want to sell your STi?

Is this a case of "I have the track-prepped Porsche for fun and excitement I just need basic transportation for off-track stuff"?

--Alan

that about covers it. I love my sti, dont get me wrong, but its been taking second place to the 944 for a long time now. The car is nearly paid off and i realize that I have a race car for a reason. But then again I'm not "actively" selling it.. if someone wants an sti, and they like mine and I like the offer, its theirs.

hell, i would even think about trading cars + cash, i love subarus

chicken n waffles · Post by **chicken n waffles** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:39 am

eh, just give the sti to me.

spazegun2213 · Post by **spazegun2213** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:43 am

chicken n waffles wrote:eh, just give the sti to me.

if i had enough money to give an sti away, I'd be driving the fastest CGT int he world as a daily driver

cheshirecat · Post by **cheshirecat** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:54 am

Being that I just succombed to the same idealogy...

Dave, i looked at the very same things that you are now considering. I priced everything out and then inserted every detail into my current budget. (had to make the case to my wife)

For starters, I took into account my goals (driving, racing, simple auto desires...etc) and then compared them to the current car i was driving...(wrx wagon stage II) I also then considered the reliability differences (wrx tranny <<<<< STI tranny...it's not if it breaks, it's when) This is obv different in the RS.

Lastly, I talked to my friends who have extensive knowledge in all things Subaru and asked if it was worth upgrading the WRX (STI tranny for instance) or stepping up to the STI. Upgrade to the STI, hands down.....the WRX doesn't even compare, especially if you want to get technical. The price difference is ~10k and more than worth every penny. I payed ~16k for my WRX and 25k for the STI. And the number one most important thing that you stated and is also the one that everyone will tell you to overlook is: You are fufilling a dream.

I Say GO FOR IT!
Gas isn't worse than the WRX (unless you are 100% throttle all the time)
The insurance is going to be at least $100 more a month (i'm 25 and it was just so for me) WORTH IT
It is infinitely more reliable on the track than the WRX
It will always have a better resale value
#1 You will grin the whole way to and from work
#2 It's your decision, look at it realistically and optimistically, don't be convinced by what other people are scared of, period.

zaxrex · Post by **zaxrex** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:32 pm

cheshirecat wrote:It is infinitely more reliable on the track than the WRX

Current statistics from this board's members contradicts that statement.

Post by **Sabre** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:36 pm

^^^ Funny, I was about the post the same thing!

I'd say stock for stock, they are both reliable on the track.

Keep in mind Brandon that you're married, so your +100/mo will be +200 to Dave since he's not married and is going from RS insurance to STI insurance.

Be very careful Dave, I'd hate to see you get a STI and then have to give it back. I'd still be thinking about turbo'ing that RS of yours!

snaab · Post by **snaab** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:40 pm

While Chesirecat has some valid points, he's coming from a different direction than you are.

I get the feeling that my situation is probably closer to yours, and here's my thought process. I have the (albeit older) 2.5 RS, and I am making a step to a WRX for reasons beyond the price. The insurance is one... call to get a quote. I am probably going to choke when I find out what mine will be. The other thing is the level of car in general. I know that the faster the car I buy, the next one will have to be all that much faster...

I know some guys have told you just to buy a manual RS and not really lose any money. The manual transmission will make a BIG difference. I had a manual Civic sedan before the RS and my friend with an automatic was always asking me why mine was so much quicker. Having that extra control over what the engine is doing allows for better driving.

I'd be surprised if you were miserable in a manual WRX.

Just some more food for thought. At the end of the day, it's your decision, and I'll be happy to go for a ride in either car

And I love Aspen white too. I wish the WRX were such.

Mr Kleen · Post by **Mr Kleen** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:14 am

I'm going to split this thread, this isn't very fair to Cereb Daithi. I'll edit out my posts entirely and split the flame war off to an OT thread where the mud can be slung with abandon.

Cereb Daithi · Post by **Cereb Daithi** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:17 am

thanks much. It's a shame this happened. I'd comment further but I can leave that for the OT thread. But enough about that. Back to the your regularly scheduled thread!

Ross' STi is officially my #1 on my (very short) list of STi's im looking to buy. Basically if I can swing the cash, that's the one I'm going for. I'm going to save all the things that I was going to put on the RS like the TSX projectors, lilliput touch-screen (sale pending with kate once I get the extra funds to get that) saved to just build off of what ross has been doing already.

avriette · Post by **avriette** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:21 pm

spazegun2213 wrote:
chicken n waffles wrote:eh, just give the sti to me.

if i had enough money to give an sti away, I'd be driving the fastest CGT int he world as a daily driver

Just be sure your replacement vehicle has a turbo so when you do get back into modding it, you have a good base to build on.