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GaToR
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Post by GaToR »

scheherazade wrote: Are you saying stage 2 STI is the sweet spot?
Stage 2 on an LGT or STI is a nice place to be. 300whp without having to do turbo/injector swap. Just intake and exhaust (+tune).

Powerful, reliable, economical. :drive:
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Post by scheherazade »

How about a different perspective on this...


Riddle me this :

A man walks up to you, and offers you one of 4 cars.

LGT, for $0
STI-08, for $9000
EVO-X, for $8000
335XI, for $15000

Which one would you take/buy?

-scheherazade




legasleeper <<
Even so, the EVO X style is pretty hot.
As much as I don't want to be seen in a 12 year old's wet dream, I still got some 12 year old in me...


I'm still looking for something that's a knock-out technical reason why one is straight up the superior choice, even if by a small margin.
It seems like the more I look into this, the harder it is to find what I'm looking for.

I wish I could live 3 parallel lives, experience each choice in the long run. Then go back in time and make that choice at the beginning.



I hope once I drive all 3, things become more clear.
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Mr Kleen
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Post by Mr Kleen »

food, beer, cars: free is always better.

no, there is no AWD 1 series, at least not yet. from what I gather BMW's AWD offerings aren't performance oriented they're safety oriented. if you want a sporty BMW you get a RWD. with traction control, winter tires and an intelligent driver there is no reason why you can't drive a RWD car year round in this part of the country or further south.

there is no BEST car so you can give up now if thats's what you're looking for. there wouldn't be hundreds of different cars for sale if the question was as easy as you want to make it. :wink:
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Post by GaToR »

Mr Kleen wrote: there is no BEST car so you can give up now if thats's what you're looking for. there wouldn't be hundreds of different cars for sale if the question was as easy as you want to make it. :wink:
:plusone:
You're trying to pick from a handful of truly excellent vehicles. If the LGT did not exist for example, the STI would be a logical choice for me. And if that did not exist, I'd have the EVO. No question. And I'd have no regrets. Its just preference at this point. You are unlikely to pick a suck vehicle from your list of choices.

I'd test-drive the rest of your choices. The winner only presented itself for me through steering-wheel osmosis.
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Post by Sabre »

legasleeper wrote:The winner only presented itself for me through steering-wheel osmosis.
Very good point! Go drive each of these cars and see how they feel to you!
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Post by scheherazade »

Sabre wrote:
legasleeper wrote:The winner only presented itself for me through steering-wheel osmosis.
Very good point! Go drive each of these cars and see how they feel to you!
Mr Kleen wrote:"there is no BEST car so you can give up now if thats's what you're looking for"
Looks like the test drive impression is going to be pretty much the only factor.


-scheherazade
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Mr Kleen
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Post by Mr Kleen »

and what better excuse to drive a series of nice cars than "sorry, I just can't seem to decide. maybe I'll take another lap..." :wink:
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Post by derangedazn »

drwrx wrote:The EVO 9 can get close to 350whp w/o having to swap the turbo, but injectors, fuel pump, turbo-back exhaust, cams and cam gears as well as a tune would still be required.
Just a quick correction. The Evo IX with 3" TBE, Fuel Pump upgrade, Manual Boost Controller, and a Tune will get you close to 350 whp.

The mod you listed is what an 8 would need to get 350whp.

Stock injectors are fine, most people wont upgrade them until they run a bigger turbo or want to max the potential of the stocker.

Now add Meth to the equation, you will definately exceed 350whp
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Post by drwrx »

The problem with the "test drive theory" is that the BMW, EVO and STi will all feel faster and more responsive than the LGT (as well they should). It may not be a true assessment of each car.

Again a stage 2 LGT/STi/EVO will be significantly faster than a stock version. That would put the stock 335i at a big disadvantage.
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Post by scheherazade »

I've seen problems getting the dealer to let me test drive an STI. (think : manassas subaru).

Do you guys know any dealers that would be relaxed enough to let me drive them?



drwrx <<
I think for the LGT I would mentally say to myself : Consider it as fast as the STI (due to upgrades).

I would mostly be comparing "how they feel", since I can say all are about as fast if I make them about as fast.

The only thing I'm worried about is the new EVO's ability to be upgraded.
I read stuff like "open deck", and "aluminum means a lot for tuners", which to me rings like "danger".




Also, the evo X is the first US spec evo with their super-all-wheel-control system. Apparently it makes the thing handle like a video game. I would consider that a plus of sorts.



legasleeper <<
I'd try to test drive all 3 in the same day so I have a fresh comparison.
If you don't care, I'd take you with me so you can give me your take on what you see with the 08's.

-scheherazade
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Post by Sabre »

scheherazade wrote:I've seen problems getting the dealer to let me test drive an STI. (think : manassas subaru). Do you guys know any dealers that would be relaxed enough to let me drive them?
Wow, I thought that policey was gone... I didn't test drive my car before I bought it back in 2003.... but NO ONE was allowing it then. Now'a'days, I thought they let people drive them. Maybe call Don Beyer?
scheherazade wrote: The only thing I'm worried about is the new EVO's ability to be upgraded.
I read stuff like "open deck", and "aluminum means a lot for tuners", which to me rings like "danger".
You and me both worry about this... only time will tell.
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Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
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Post by scheherazade »

Sabre wrote:You and me both worry about this... only time will tell.
I've been burned so many times getting 1.0 computer parts the day they were out.
(And also, the best mainboard I ever had was a 1.0 a8n32sli)

Is it accurate what I've read :
subaru = open deck + aluminum + iron sleeved

I presume the evo would need iron sleeves too... right?

Am I missing something?

-scheherazade
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Sabre
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Post by Sabre »

scheherazade wrote:(And also, the best mainboard I ever had was a 1.0 a8n32sli)
lol, you just made a friend ;) That was my last M/B (which is now in my fiance' computer). That was a great board!
scheherazade wrote: Is it accurate what I've read :
subaru = open deck + aluminum + iron sleeved

I presume the evo would need iron sleeves too... right?

Am I missing something?

-scheherazade
Subaru STI engine = semi-closed aluminum block that is iron sleeved. The heads are Al as well.

Not sure about the Evo engine... I presume it's iron sleeved...
Sabre (Julian)
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Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
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Post by scheherazade »

Sabre wrote:lol, you just made a friend ;) That was my last M/B (which is now in my fiance' computer). That was a great board!
let me guess...

evga 680i
or
striker extreme / p5n32-e

-scheherazade
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Mr Kleen
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Post by Mr Kleen »

Don Beyer is a good, but the salesman was really strict when I test drove a WRX in March of 04. :roll: other than that, it's been my best dealership experience by far.
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Post by GaToR »

scheherazade wrote:legasleeper <<
I'd try to test drive all 3 in the same day so I have a fresh comparison.
If you don't care, I'd take you with me so you can give me your take on what you see with the 08's.
That will be a fun day :mrgreen:
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Post by scheherazade »

I just hope wherever we go they don't pull a "manassas subaru" on us.

(Us = me and becca)

Us : "We'd like to test drive the legacy and the legacy GT"

Them : "Sure!"

*test drives the legacy*

Us : "Ok, let's do the legacy GT now"

Them : "Umm, ya know what? We can't actually let you do that... But we can go inside and talk about money! :D"

Us : " :-O "

You know they just didn't say 'no' at first to get you inside the regular legacy.
Then you waste your time not being able to compare the two side by side the same day, and have to do it all over again somewhere else.

-scheherazade
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Post by derangedazn »

Just walk in wearing a business suit, say you are looking to buy a car today. Test drive the vehicles you want. Have a friend/someone call you and tell you it is an emergency and that you have to leave.
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Post by BryanH »

My wife and I went to Manassas Subaru and she was interested in the LL Bean edition Outback with all the bells and whistles. She was not so politely told that there were other cars on the lot that "might have a bigger discount". She was fucking FLOORED and could not believe that someone try to NOT sell a car.

She then proceeded to the Volvo dealer and bought an XC70.

I have had a similar experience trying to get them to locate a WRX wagon for me...they seem to be COMPLETELY not interested in selling cars.
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Post by Phibs »

Mr Kleen wrote:Don Beyer is a good, but the salesman was really strict when I test drove a WRX in March of 04. :roll: other than that, it's been my best dealership experience by far.
Paul Brothers ( Now Stohlman ) let me drive the new 08 wrx hatch like I stole it for a test drive.
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Post by derangedazn »

Phibs wrote:
Mr Kleen wrote:Don Beyer is a good, but the salesman was really strict when I test drove a WRX in March of 04. :roll: other than that, it's been my best dealership experience by far.
Paul Brothers ( Now Stohlman ) let me drive the new 08 wrx hatch like I stole it for a test drive.
I should join NASIOC and wait for a thread about a wrx bought from the NOVA with problems. :lol:
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Post by Phibs »

derangedazn wrote:
Phibs wrote:
Mr Kleen wrote:Don Beyer is a good, but the salesman was really strict when I test drove a WRX in March of 04. :roll: other than that, it's been my best dealership experience by far.
Paul Brothers ( Now Stohlman ) let me drive the new 08 wrx hatch like I stole it for a test drive.
I should join NASIOC and wait for a thread about a wrx bought from the NOVA with problems. :lol:
LOL! *innocent*
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Post by BryanH »

Dude...Paul Brothers getting sold was the best thing to ever happen to that place. Between the service writer and the parts bitch that place was on a quick skid straight to hell. At least now someone has the cash to make the place work properly.
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Post by scheherazade »

With the subarus...

You have that SI-Drive thing.

I read that in "I" mode, it saves more gas, and in "S" mode, it gives more power, and in "S#" mode it is like S mode but with less lag.

So, if the fuel economy changes, that means that the ECU already has different 'tune' settings per SI-Drive mode.

Does that mean that if you get the car tuned, you could have 3 different tunes stored in the ECU, one per SI-Drive setting?

So that you could set/tune :
"I" to econo-mode (almost no boost ever, designed entirely to save gas).
"S#" to full power mode (designed entirely to go fast)
"S" to something in between

-scheherazade
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Post by WANGAN_X »

"if" you plan on only speeding up to the speed limit :lol: then the evo 8 or 9 or sti will do it outta the box, and you won't have to upgrade. tires can get expensive, and with the new Evo X ayc/acd diff fluid drains are exspensive. just want you to note that maitenance on these cars can be more expensive than your typical 30k car.

if it was me i would take the BMW simply because of the maitenance free policy for the life of the warranty, which i believe is 6 yrs

also if you plan on modifying kiss your warranty good bye with mitsu they don't play around...

I second the FSXT ideal, and sleeper they definitely are
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