[Graystone]

Need help being talked outta trading my 07 335i sedan in for Wrx Sti 11.
This is the thing I dont think that I can swing the options that BMW has left on the table I dont Want a N55 and the others are just outta reach maybe a M1 with the n54 but still pretty high in price.
Should I keep the 07 35,000miles and just figure into expense of fixing (luve the car cant think of anything better that I could resonably afford) or take the 20000 or so left in the car and put it to a car i can afford and have no headaches ....the sti is 35000 base with a cobb tune for $585 maybe pushin 270whp basically our cars stock whp. Seems like a fun car by no means a BMW as far as prestige but a very fast small track car. I would get the 5door hatch cause the sedan is way to boyracer for me. 0-60 in under 5sec same as ours with cobb faster than a stock 335i.
P.S. ive been from stock to full bolt and back to stock so very farmiliar with potential.
Suggestions..welcome

[Litos]

to be honest with you, i miss my 05 STi more than anything and enjoyed every single moment driving it. the exhaust sound is the greatest sound you can ever be blessed with.

the 2011 STi sounds like a sick little car though. all it takes is a 3" ebay exhaust and a PROTuned Cobb and you'll have yourself a high 12 second car that appears as if it's riding on rails, 4 comfortable seats, 6 speed transmission that's built out of bits and pieces of the son and Chuck Norris' beard, a vehicle with less than 50 miles and a car with the same exact potential as an N54 without all the recalls and garbage fuel system parts.

you can't go wrong with any year STi, but PLEASE, do NOT get a WRX......

[boostd92]

Originally Posted by Litos

a car with the same exact potential as an N54 without all the recalls and garbage fuel system parts.

....and minus the low end grunt.

I've built a dozen 4 cylinder turbos from 1.6L to 2.5L and you can make the same 425whp with an STi that you can with an N54, but the power delivery is COMPLETELY different.

I was a HUGE 4-banger turbo guy for about 10 years. Have built Hondas, toyotas, DSMs, etc. Maybe I'm just getting older, but having 250wtq+ at 2-3k rpm is awesome - and that comes much more naturally in a 6 or 8 cylinder (3L+) car. You can actually use the power all the time if you want.

I think the Subaru exhuast is a love/hate thing. To me it sounds like either a Harley motorcycle, or a car that someone pulled one of the spark plugs out of. (yuck). It is bass-y though.

[DR_E92]

my brother and a good friend of mine both have 09 sti hatches.

cars are sick and lots of power with completely diff power delivery as previously stated.

downside: motors are weak. seems the newer they get, the cheaper. your going to have to do internals to keep it running in great condition because sooner or later with some mods and extra boost, your going to start seeing some failures

[Litos]

Originally Posted by boostd92

....and minus the low end grunt.

but having 250wtq+ at 2-3k rpm is awesome - and that comes much more naturally in a 6 or 8 cylinder (3L+) car.

are you implying that the 2.5L boxer engine doesn't make any torque down low !?!?

because if you are - that's one of the most off based statements i have ever heard in this section.

17psi and 280-300ftlbs of ALL WHEEL TORQUE at 2400rpms with just an exhaust and a tune is typical for any STi from 2004 - 2011.

the STi makes gobs of tq down low, dude, it's pretty muchg a full autocross car, you HAVE TO HAVE GOBS OF TORQUE.

i will admit, a junk turbo'd Honda making 420whp and 210ftlbs is heartbreaking.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by DR_E92

downside: motors are weak. seems the newer they get, the cheaper. your going to have to do internals to keep it running in great condition because sooner or later with some mods and extra boost, your going to start seeing some failures

you're only gonna see failures if you're running a rotated GT35R on 30psi without proper race fuel and/or meth. that's good for 440awhp.

engines are strong, but like all other enbgines, they will have problems if pushed waaaay outta there limits.

[boostd92]

Originally Posted by Litos

17psi and 280-300ftlbs of ALL WHEEL TORQUE at 2400rpms with just an exhaust and a tune is typical for any STi from 2004 - 2011.

It sure is, at WOT on a dynojet.

On the street, the partial throttle low-load situations is where the N54 shines... it makes boost almost instantly anywhere above 1400rpm, even at 1/3-1/2 throttle. The STi is a different story.

I like all cars, I've owned "junk hondas" with laggy motors, I've built a stroker MR2 with a tiny turbo that was a torque monster (for a 4 banger), and I currently have a V8 RX7.

The driveability between a 2.5T and the N54 is different and saying they make similar torque is...well.. "one of the most off based statements i have ever heard in this section". Dyno numbers only tell part of the story.

[josephr25]

Drive the car for one more year. If you still feel the same way about the Subaru, then get it. You'll save some money in the meantime.

[Litos]

dude, i've owned a 20G 05 STi on meth and i currently have a JB4'd 335.

the boost comes on the same on the street.

when i got the tune i told my wife "it feels like the STi but this car is an automatic".

i had my STi for 3 years. 2 of those years it was on the stock turbo - and that stock turbo would make more tq in lower gears than the laggy twins on the 335.

have YOU ever owned an STi and compared the driveability/boost to an N54 !?!?

it's ok, i'll wait.....

[Litos]

Originally Posted by boostd92

On the street, the partial throttle low-load situations is where the N54 shines... it makes boost almost instantly anywhere above 1400rpm, even at 1/3-1/2 throttle. The STi is a different story.

no it's not..........

[Litos]

compare dyno graphs from an N54 and an STi - they're pretty much identical.

nasty loads of tq down low, by 5200rpms, it starts falling and that's where the hp kicks in.

not different on the street at all. hell, the STi weighs less too HAHA !!!!

[boostd92]

Originally Posted by Litos

dude, i've owned a 20G 05 STi on meth and i currently have a JB4'd 335.

"dude..." you have an obvious case of "purchase defense," and I'm aware there will be no point in arguing facts/logic with you. I've driven tons of STi's, and N54 cars, but you are totally allowed to have your own opinion.

[Litos]

it's ok to say that you're wrong.

instead of just "test driving" cars, i actually own them.

so yeah, unless you have driven and tracked each car you talk about, you're arguments are baseless, even if you swing and miss with the typical arguing facts/logic with you defense.

people usually say that in conjuction with short responses when they know they've been defeated.

[Litos]

jeeez, i hate how this car makes massive amounts of torque from the stock turbo.

and read closely, that 329 ALL WHEEL TORQUE on a mustang dyno - from the STOCK TURBO !!!!!

[boostd92]

.. like I said, you are welcome to your opinion.

If your opinion is that an STi and a 335/135 deliver power identically in all throttle situations... I think you'll have a hard time finding facts/others to agree with you... but see post #12.

[mkiv]

I have owned 2 STIs(04 and 06), 06 was stock for a year and went GT35R with a lot of track days. 04 was just turboback+cobb Etune.

IMO: I do miss the STI indeed, but I will pick 335 over STI anyday. the reason is very simple, 335 is WAY more luxury and i do hate the SHITTY interior of subaru. rattle king. Its just too raw for my taste now. I was ok back in 2004, but 7 years later I just can't stand for the noise and poor interior.
I have not check out the new 2011 STI yet, so if theres any big differences please educate me . anyways im still an subaru fan none less, damn right i owned 2 of them. they just don't fit my lifestyle now.
hope this helps OP.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by mkiv

I have owned 2 STIs(04 and 06), 06 was stock for a year and went GT35R with a lot of track days. 04 was just turboback+cobb Etune.

IMO: I do miss the STI indeed, but I will pick 335 over STI anyday. the reason is very simple, 335 is WAY more luxury and i do hate the SHITTY interior of subaru. rattle king. Its just too raw for my taste now. I was ok back in 2004, but 7 years later I just can't stand for the noise and poor interior.
I have not check out the new 2011 STI yet, so if theres any big differences please educate me . anyways im still an subaru fan none less, damn right i owned 2 of them. they just don't fit my lifestyle now.
hope this helps OP.

i didn't see where you said that the STi is torqueless down low, HAHA !!!!

the 335 is a lot newer, that's probably why you wouldn't chose it over your 04 lol.

BUT, go drive an 09 or 2010 with less than 15K miles and you'll change your mind. all cars tend to rattle and start making weird nopises after the first 60-70K miles.

[shockin330i]

I love the sti, just hate the interior

With that said I really love my n55 :woot:

[mkiv]

Originally Posted by Litos

i didn't see where you said that the STi is torqueless down low, HAHA !!!!

the 335 is a lot newer, that's probably why you wouldn't chose it over your 04 lol.

BUT, go drive an 09 or 2010 with less than 15K miles and you'll change your mind. all cars tend to rattle and start making weird nopises after the first 60-70K miles.

lol, been there done that
it was a good time.
for the rattles, all my cars were under 20k miles. i do not keep my car that long.

[zzz04pt]

Originally Posted by Litos

you're only gonna see failures if you're running a rotated GT35R on 30psi without proper race fuel and/or meth. that's good for 440awhp.

engines are strong, but like all other enbgines, they will have problems if pushed waaaay outta there limits.

I owned a brand new 2008 STi and I can assure you that the motors are junk. Mine went at 1,200 miles on a stock car that had not even been beat on yet. I traded it w/ 4,600 miles since I had no faith in it holding up long term. The newer piston design is simply garbage. The car handled great and I loved it when it ran right but it even had issues after the short block was replaced. The pic is at around 3,500 miles or so.



The older GD models seem far more reliable. Search for GR STi engine failures and read for yourself.

Here's some information you can use as well.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...d_test_wrap-up

[jreich]

my buddy has an 06 STi with COBB tune and turbo back exhaust. The car is deceivingly fast. Every time I ride in his I feel that it is much faster than my n54, but when i raced him at a traffic light, we were neck-n-neck. I think their lighter weight and different suspension makes the car feel faster than it really is. I will say, when he got his COBB tune + turbo back, that really opened up the suby. I agree with every ones statements: car is very noisy at highway speeds, the stiffer suspension isnt pleasant when you are bouncing around like crazy, and lack of interior is a big minus IMO. In terms of reliability, I'd have to go with the Japs on that one. I do feel that the extra guardbanding in our N54's has us on the upper when it comes to horsepower increase over stock.

[issabmw]

Had my '05 STi from the dealership for 3 years.

There is torque down low, but not that low, the lag is slightly bothersome, and the delivery is nowhere near as smooth as the N54. The trans was bulletproof though and because the block was a semi-closed deck, excessive power was not a worry.

Great motor, but would rather take a '99, swap in a 22T with a closed deck and do a 22b widebody conversion.

Interior insulation was insufficient, interior material quality was lacking, and the ride was average. Its a sports car, so the luxuries shouldn't be expected, but with age comes the desire for comfort.

The 335 is a completely different animal and should not be compared unless the buyer's preferences are vague as to the offerings of both vehicles