So that just happened - Went BRZ to STI
 

Well, a jump that I didn't think I'd be making any time soon or at all happened today... I was taking my BRZ in for a 60,000mile service and as I was pulling in I saw a DGM 2016 STI on the dealer's used car lot. I looked up the price while checking in and thought, "If they gave me X amount for my BRZ and took X amount off their sticker, then that could happen!"

To make a long story short they did exactly what I hoped! So! I wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everyone on the forum for the fun times, the crazy times, and for all the information made available here. I really enjoyed my BRZ during the time I had it, and know it will be car I will miss dearly down the road. It was an amazing car and a great experience! As for now, I'll enjoy having some more power and can better suit the needs of my family.

Sincerely,

Kimsey

keep us updated on how you like the STI a few months down the road after the honeymoon period

Enjoy the new car! I'm sure your feedback will be much appreciated for other people thinking of the same switch.

Sorry for your lapse of judgement ;P

Nah just kidding. Seriously the STis are an amazing piece of kit! :)

Thank you all! I don't plan on leaving this forum completely... I really enjoyed my BRZ so it will be nice to maintain a method of great information on the platform, and also see what people have to say about the newer models as they roll out.

So far I can say that the STI (at least the one I bought as its the first I've had the pleasure of driving) seems very raw, and I mean that in a good way! The power is impressive, the ride is sporty and a bit harsh but not painful, and the car is loud! The noise isn't really all Subaru's doing though, as the prior owner had put a Nameless catback on the car thats much louder than the resonated Perrin my BRZ had... I haven't decided if I'll maintain the exhaust due to it being louder; however, coming from the opposite side of the spectrum I can say that it is pretty darn fun hearing that boxer engine rumbling!

As for personal preference? So far I do favor the STI over the BRZ. Of course the cars are completely different; however, I have always had a love for sports sedans. They can be fun, haul a family and friends around when needed. My BRZ basically eliminated the ability for my family enjoying opportunities to go on a spirited drive with me, or at a minimum just take my car instead of my wife's! So really its the practicality that the BRZ lacked (and I understood this when buying it) to prevent me from keeping it indefinitely like I initially hoped. It did always maintain the RWD Integra feel that I fell in love with though!

Finally, and I don't know if others will relate; but my BRZ caused me a lot of anxiety to drive. It just seemed to be invisible to the people who needed to see it, always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (especially with road debris), and had some annoying quirks that I felt I shouldn't have had. The main annoyances being the tails fogging up, and my drivers side weather strip folding up every now and then when putting the window up. It may have been a majority of things that were my own mental blocks that prevented me from fully enjoying the car, but I can say when it was on a lonely twisty road it was a blast! I've not had the STI a full 24-hours yet but I don't feel the anxiety at all like I did the BRZ. I hope that feeling is maintained! Perhaps I couldn't adjust to the more claustrophobic interior of a pure sports car? HAHA

I only wish you the best with the engine. The 2.5L is a old motor that for some reasons Subaru still put in the STI, the MPG is horrific and not sure if they revised the latest years of the EJ25 but lot of ringland issue on cylinder #4 and #2 happened in the past. Other than that its a amazing car.

Yeah, the MPG hit is going to be something I'll have to get used to. Where I averaged about 31.5 over the life of my BRZ I can already say it looks like I'll be averaging around 18-22; however, it is fun as hell at the moment so hopefully that doesn't become too annoying! HA!

I know they've had issues in the past with the engine so perhaps its a gamble of sorts. I felt that they would most likely have sorted out those problems after using it so many years, and I haven't heard any complaints recently so fingers crossed! If they do have issues I'll just play the disease card in the means of, "As long as I don't know I have it, the longer I'll live." Or in this case, the car will live! :thumbup:

Well, at least you traded the most depreciating Subaru model for the least depreciating Subaru model.

Congrats on the new car! Having owned an STI in the past, there is something fun about having an all-purpose AWD sport sedan (or in my case, hatch) that you can haul family/friends in. That said, you'll be back ;)

pics or it didn't happen

you fucked up man :D

You just perfectly summed up how I feel. For some reason, this car gives me a little anxiety, and I don't know precisely why.

Congrats on the new ride! Did you have anything to part out, or trade in the car as it was?

Hah, no joke. His STI will still be worth $30k in six years with 85,000 miles on the clock.

If you have a 6 year old car with 85K on it you are not driving enough!

Sadly the EJ257s still have the ringland issues. I'm coming from a '14 STI and I had anxieties about it probably the same way as you did about the BRZ. Fear of engine issues took some of the fun of driving it away for me.

From my research here are some things to alleviate some of the gambleness of that engine.

• Get off the stock map, it is garbage. Cobb is a good start, pro tune is best.
• Air Oil Separator. These engines have lots of blow-by, oil in the intake can lead to detonation = bye bye ringlands.
• Fuel line mod. Could cause lean condition at high RPM. Cobb has a tech write up on it: http://www.cobbtuning.com/2008-sti-f...ical-overview/
• Oil pick up tube. Long standing issue with all EJ motors, cracked pick up tube starves the engine of oil = no beuno. Killer B makes an upgraded unit.

Basically the name of the game is do everything you can to reduce detonation. ie. Try not loading the engine up under 2500 RPM in a higher gear.

Or, you could just go forged internals and not have to worry about it as much. Not saying that it would become immune from detonation, just the ringlands wouldn't be the failure point anymore.

Not trying to scare you with any of this, just wanna make sure a fellow Subie bro is informed.:party0030:

The STI really shines in at least 2 aspects... exiting corners... and dropping it to 3rd at 60mph and flooring it.

Also, it's a great feeling looking at the $100k cars on the fwy and knowing "I could take you, and you, and you... "

the twins could also take those $100k cars on the freeway... as long as they don't know what you're thinking lol.

OP still has to worry about visibility issues though... just now he has to worry about being noticed TOO much with that big ass wing on the back.

If I hadn't caught myself off guard I'd been smart to part out my Perrin exhaust, JPM Coachworks interior pieces, and look into reusing my LED lighting but I didn't. To add to that I now have a extra stock wheel, the original exhaust, and the original interior pieces laying around. I guess I'll try to put them on the forum, but I doubt I'll get any offers that are even worth while for taking the time to ship that stuff off!

HAHA, I sent the dealer's link to my wife earlier in the day to see what she thought and the reply was, "That's pretty." Get the car home, bring her to the garage to look... She sees the wing in person and says, "That's freaking ridiculous!" :lol:

All I have at the moment is the obligatory Mr. Blurry cam picture of the car in the garage last night!

Question for everyone... Is it worth the trouble to try and sell my left over original BRZ/FRS parts? I have interior pieces, exhaust, and a spare wheel... I would imagine I wouldn't have any offers that would be worth a darn.

Well the exhaust and wheel you probably can't give away but the interior pieces may interest somebody. Worth a shot for the little bit of trouble it would be to take some pictures and post them up.

Good luck. I have both the BRZ and my 04 WRX. Both cars are amazing. So much fun no matter which car I take. With a family the STI will be more practical. My BRZ is my commuter and really is only 2 person car most of the time. Maybe you could find someone to do a trunk swap and get rid of that wing. Also put some good oil in that EJ.

I look forward to hearing more on the STI over time. I was in a toss up between the BRZ and STI when I got my BRZ. It came down to the enjoyment I got out of driving and the fact that I only have my dog as a passenger most days.

STI is good!! and you gonna miss the sliding fun!!
congratz!

The interior pieces could be valuable for someone wanting to send them out to be custom covered like JPM Coachworks did.

:thumbsup:

What 100K cars are you taking in a stock STI, lol. :slap: Also, at what are you taking them!?!?

That's how I obtained my "blanks" 😀

He's in Australia where a WRX STi is a $62k car. A $100k car there is like a 328i.

I'm aware of the location they have listed. lol

BRZ to STI
 

I have a 2015 STI (I'm actually considering a new BRZ!) and Misfire's AOS advice is essential IMO. Even if you never do anything but drive on the street, get one and have it professionally installed right away. Also get a Cobb Accessport and find a Cobb certified protuner- a conservative protune will change air/fuel mapping (that will probably eliminate the need for the fuel fix kit) and put a cap on boost pressure that adjusts thru the modes button on the console. I feel like I gained a margin of safety and got 40whp to boot. Pick up tubes can crack, typically on higher mile STIs, but KillerB is the one to get.
It's a fabulous street car, have a blast!

Which AOS are you using in your STI? I'm basically a daily driver that will bomb some mountain and valley roads so it looks like the grimmspeed should suit me well from what I've read up on.

I am going to contradict everyone else and suggest don't do any mods that void powertrain warranty until it has lapsed.
Ringland issues without warranty coverage would be disasterous financially.

In fact same with the oil pickup, etc. When the warranty ends its a different story. Subaru is notorious for denying warranty claims, so a potential engine blown isnt something you want to pay for.

I opted for a WRX as my winter/family car since I still have my SC twin for agressive driving. Had I not kept the FR-S it would have been STI all the way. So, the fuel money I save with the WRX goes to the FR-S.

Good to see you didn't get the park bench wing. That would be a deal breaker to me. I'm too old for a ricewing!
Edit- ya got the wing. Oh well, it looks cool except when you're my age!

Enjoy!

Lol, yeah my wife thinks it's ridiculous, but I like it since you always knew a STI by the massive wing growing up! I'm probably too old for it, but I'll live young :)

To actually be able to separate any air & oil in an AOS, IMO, you need a recirculating system that has an outer coolant jacket to keep temps up in the AOS itself. I have a Perrin but I know the IAG version is well liked now too. The Grimmspeed is an AOS only because they call it that, but it doesn't have any meaningful function. It's a mystery to me how a company that makes a lot of good products can make such a useless piece for such an essential engine protection mod.

Guilty of being far too old for the "big wang," but I'm also too old to give a f***! Because STI:party0030:

My wife has the opposite opinion. She would not let me buy a WRX because it looks to much like a plain sedan. According to her, the wing adds the pop a performance sedan needs.