I have a baby on the way in March, and despite the fact that my wife has said that I can keep my car (god bless her), I just don't know if it would be practical.

We do have another full size car that my wife drives, but there's always the possiblity that something may happen where I need to take the baby somewhere. So I need something with a back seat.

I'm considering picking up a used STi. Has anyone had any experience with these cars? Common problems/issues?

Thanks

 

i can't really comment on an '04 sti but i, myself, had an '02 wrx myself that was heavily modified(usdm sti block/build wrx head). if you're going to leave the car stock or do minimal mods to it(full turbo-back exhaust/ecu flash), the car will be harmless. these cars only become headaches once you really start modifying them heavily.

as far as the usdm sti goes, you may want to frequent nasioc.com. yeah, there's a lot of kids on there, but there's also a lot of useful information from the gearheads. when i was researching back in my wrx days, i noticed that some people had some issues with the new 6spd in the sti. issues consist of gear grinds and not being able to get the car in gear. again, this isn't the issue with every sti owner.

another thing to consider is soa's lack of warranty approval. even though you would still be under warrant doesn't necessarily mean you won't be denied certain work...especially since you would be buying this car used. all they have to say is that you bought this car used and the previous owner may have "abused" it.

i know some people can't stand the alpha romero designed '06 wrx, but it's worth a look. for the price of a used '04 sti, you can get the new 2.5l '06 wrx. this should be exceptionally considerable if you plan on swapping out the turbo anyway. the only real benefit of the sti that i see is the 6spd tranny.

don't think i'm bashing the car. i'm just giving you some things to think about before purchasing. which ever you choose, good luck.

 

theres more differences than just a 6speed vs 5 speed when comparing wrx vs sti...and I doubt someone that is having a kid, wants to take his new car and start swapping out tranmissions......

If wanting to keep looking used, I would look at the 05 STI instead of the 04. The 05's came out well into 04, so you won't have problems finding used 05's. The steering was changed for 05, for the better. Better interior, stereo standard, wider wheels, stonger bolt pattern, revised suspension and AWD. Simply a better car then the 04.

I had a hard time deciding between the sti/s2000......the sti was faster, had more room, and a lot more practicle. Just wasnt as fun as the sti....obviously subjective.

 

STI is good with kids, a good friend of mine takes his baby in his car all the time. The little guy just drifts off to sleep.

Subaru is a good company, STI is very reliable. Get familiar with Cobb. Good luck.

EDIT: do not go to Nasioc, they flame left and right. Go to iwsti.com, exclusively for STI owners.

 

go to nasioc for the info, dont' worry about the flame (who cares what some 19 year old thinks). for the money STi is a great car, and more comfortable than an EVO for a daily driver.

 

If you're only going to be carrying the kid occasionally, why limit yourself to 4-doors? How about a used M3 or even a 2 or 4 door 330?

The 05 STi is by far the better car than the 04.

 

i agree, subby is a great company, that being said, get a EVO MR 9. one test drive and you'll understand.

 

I'm in Canada - EVO's not available

 

I think what he was saying was that aside from the motor, the other apprecialble difference in the STi is the 6 speed gear box. Like a guy with a baby in the car is going canyon carving. Learn to read between the lines.

 

I have 2 kids, they are 3 nd 5 now... hte Sti is perfect for them. We have the Pilot to mve them around 95% of the time. When I need to move them, its easy as cake... and they love playing "corners".