STi to BRZ? Who Else Made The Switch?

[Turbowned]

Unless your daily commute resembles this:


You probably won't miss the STi too much

[Marcoscrdo]

I wanted a 13 sti and after reading so many posts about people trading theirs for a BRZ i was shocked too. After reading this thread you guys made some really good points and i dont feel bad about not picking the sti. I would love to test drive one though. Like always I feel proud to own a BRZ espeically how new it is, to people and the attention it brings!

[infinite012]

Had a 2008 STI 320whp/340tq. Sold it for the BRZ. Don't regret it.

[DarkSunrise]

I had an STI hatch before my FR-S. About the only thing I miss about the STI is the power. Don't get me wrong -- power is a big part of the driving experience, but everything else related to driving, the FR-S does better (quicker steering ratio, more steering feel, better shifter, lower seating position, better seats, better handling balance, more responsive to inputs). Overall, it's simply the more rewarding car to drive IMO.

I knew what I was getting myself into though, having driven a bunch of S2000's and Miatas in the past on some good roads. That's probably the best way to know whether you'll like the BRZ, go drive a bunch of lightweight RWD NA cars on twisty roads. You'll know instantly whether you love it or not.

[dsgerbc]

Another thing to keep in mind:
BRZ is here in the next few years, STI hatch might be axed for good.
There is no real alternative to 300hp, awd, MT, 3400lbs hatchback now and there might be nothing in the future.
That's the reason I'm getting an STI while keeping the BRZ.

[industrial]

I had a 02 wrx, 04 sti and a 08 sti. The 08 sti was a torque monster and all of them were modded pretty heavily. I miss the sound and feeling of the turbo rush but the throttle response on the brz is so crisp and the car just feels so light and playful...it makes it easy to cope with the loss of power. I replaced my sti with a forester and a brz. They combine to make a way better car than the sti.

[overlookedx]

I had an 02 WRX before this, not exactly an Sti in terms of power, but here's what I do and don't miss from my WRX:

Do miss:
- The sounds it made... turbo sounds, UEL headers, nothing sounds better than getting on the freeway WOT with a Subaru turbo engine

Don't miss:
- CELs
- Gas mileage
- Modability.. say what you will but that shit gets expensive when you realize how much power you can get out of the engine, at least with the BRZ I know I won't be getting much bang for the buck with mods, so I've been holding off

[kilrb]

Originally Posted by Haole-Pino

did anybody out there went from a STi to a BRZ, or for that matter, a higher HP car to a BRZ? I'm just trying to convince myself is it worth selling my STi?
Dave

Dave, I can't comment on coming from an STi, but my last two toys were a 410whp heads/cam LS1 Vette, and a 445whp Cobra Mustang. I was very worried about the power, but I took the plunge, and haven't regretted it yet in the little over a month I've owned the car. I used to be all about power, and how quickly I could accelerate, but I got over it pretty quickly after owning a car that runs in the 11's. The Vette was just plain old overkill on the street; you just couldn't push it on the street without risking a helacious ticket, or someone's life.

When I drive the BRZ, it just flat out puts a smile on my face. What's really funny is, you can wring it out, and feel like you're going pretty fast, only to realize you're really not. Some people would laugh at this idea, calling me lame, but I figure if I can get a thrill and enjoyment out of pushing the BRZ on the streets without wickedly exceeding the speed limit, then I'm doing pretty damned well. If you're not over the desire to be fast, and feel compelled to answer every challenge to a street race, then don't make the switch. If you're looking for a super-fun car to drive, and enjoy, you shouldn't regret switching to the BRZ.

[industrial]

Originally Posted by kilrb

I used to be all about power, and how quickly I could accelerate, but I got over it pretty quickly after owning a car that runs in the 11's. The Vette was just plain old overkill on the street; you just couldn't push it on the street without risking a helacious ticket, or someone's life.

This is truth man! Dding a legitimately fast car kind of sucks most of the time because it feels like you're driving so slow. Driving a slow car fast is far more enjoyable. This is exactly how I felt going from my sti to the brz.

[yohan04]

Here's my take;



I came from (and still own) 450whp 2005 STI and while it seems like the general consensus is that STI is all straight line torque monster and BRZ is "pure handling delight", I do believe that the STi, stock for stock, was faster in the corners. The grip and response from stock RE070 tires (OEM tires for NSX type R, S2K CR) was insane.

Like Jive, I also did every conceivable suspension & engine modification to make the perfect track/auto-x monster; the speed that car carried through corners was terrifying, and it had ZERO turn-in/on-power understeer that most subarus are plagued with (took me YEARS to set-up this car). So of course, my prepped STI is faster in all ways than BRZ and then some.

However....

I was just talking about pure numbers -- there's more to a car than that. The difference in feel of the BRZ is much more amazing that the STi, even compared to my modified sti. That quick steering (I no longer envy EVO owners and their fast steering!), firm brake feel, driving position and more responsive front end....STI owners drop so much money just to have the response and balance the BRZ come from the factory STOCK. And honestly, I believe that BRZ has higher potential and better platform for tuning overall; low weight and COG is something blessed from the factory...something you cannot achieve by simply by modification.

[bdub85]

Originally Posted by kilrb

I used to be all about power, and how quickly I could accelerate, but I got over it pretty quickly after owning a car that runs in the 11's. The Vette was just plain old overkill on the street; you just couldn't push it on the street without risking a helacious ticket, or someone's life.

I feel exactly the same. I've had a low 11 sec STI and a high 10 sec Evo. It just got to the point where it just wasn't worth it. You spend all this money to have a fast car. Then, you just get used to the power and you can't really utilize the power on the streets without risking getting in a wreck or getting a ticket.

I got my FR-S to have a fun car to drive that I could daily drive which gets good mileage and is reliable. The FR-S fills that role perfectly. It's not the fastest car in the world, but it's really really enjoyable to drive. I love it.

[Prowl647]

Although not coming from an Sti owner, I had an Evo X and traded that for an Audi S4. Now I'm contemplating trading in s4 for a Brz and a Mazda cx5. Both drivers cars (for the most part) with low power but huge fun factor, more so the Brz than the cx5. I get what everyone is saying: I want a car I can drive 100% of 100% of the time than a car I can only drive maybe 50% of 100% of the time.

[Wonderbar]

^ and if you want more power, supahchargahs are available.

Power to weight ratio is where it's at anyhow.

[Marcoscrdo]

AND peoples reaction to your BRZ. Break necks everywhere from how new the car is