yamahaSHO

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Google "cracked ring land"









I have a 2005 STi and and S2000. The STi is good for a tame street car that you can get aftermarket parts for, but do it wisely. They're not strong motors and going above "stage 2", plan on a potential cracked ring land, spun bearing, or pushing coolant. I pushed coolant pushing my motor pretty far with a 20G and E85. I could have solved it with new gaskets and head studs, but since you have to take the motor out to do that, I built a motor and sold the old short block to a friend. It's not got an EFR 6758 on it and I only run it around 400whp because I prefer it not Subaru anytime soon.


I also tune a lot of Subaru's locally and via e-tuning, so my experience is not just of the GD models. That said, my S2000 is far more fun to drive and push. Could an STi be a good car for you, maybe. It really depends on what you want to do with it. Big power on these cars with any sort of reliability is very expensive, so keep that in mind when you start modding.

fusionchickenleg

Yeah I don't want to sound like a paranoid nut but when I had my STi and hung out with the Subaru crowd more I knew a few folks whose stock STI engine just gave up the ringland, it's not super common but it does happen, mine never had that issue

I also had an Evo 9 and X and as fun as these 3 AWD turbo with short gearing cars are, the driving dynamics and feel is just very different from a car that just has better chassis balance and lower center of gravity. These AWD cars always felt too much like a "compromise" car to me, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it's just not what I was looking for ultimately since I was spoiled by the s2000 from long ago

YMMV of course, I still keep in touch with buddies who've kept their Evo / STi for over a decade who still love their cars, I do envy them looking forward to rainy days, whereas my c6 cannot enjoy the rain as much

postwarart

This is one I will never get.
Like the stock market, you will 'NEVER'* beat the market on cars.

Also, once you buy the new car, you have negative equity. How is "owning" a $20,000 car you owe $30,000 on be worth more than an $8000 car you owe nothing on?



(yes there are notable exceptions, but if ---> then why are you driving it?)

Pimpo

Hmm OK...first of all I said to keep the engine stock or do a mild tune, and it will last forever.

Second, why does everyone think that STis and EVOs MUST make Bugatti Veyron power? You are saying that "anything above a stage 2" is a problem...well no s*$t. You are adding 100hp (fw) through boost and then complain that you might crack some rings here and there? It's still a 4 cyl engine, go easy on it

rob-2

STI engine is not bullet proof.

zeroptzero

I had the owner of a brand new Sti give me the thumbs up as he passed me, I thought that was cool as I liked his car quite a bit.

dc24me

Sure your car has 100k on it, but it is a Honda after all. Since you drive it year around and it is your only car, you probably live in a area where it doesn't snow and the car is mint underneath. How about just spending money on wear and tear?

If you want to mod your car and freshen it up, maybe spend money on Flashpro, intake/hfc, new suspension and fix all the other flaws. It sounds like you are bored with it, which is why the a new STI is on your radar. But seeing responses from other current and former STI owners, the new car novelty will wear off and you'll end up looking for another S2000.

yamahaSHO

Hmm OK...first of all I said to keep the engine stock or do a mild tune, and it will last forever.

[/quote]

Not quite. Stock STi's blow up pretty often. In fact, there is a thread on IWSTI specifically for 2015 STi's that haven't had issues... Generally, it's the other way around! There are several factors that lead to this, one of which is the tuning from the factory as emissions afterthoughts command lean conditions at peak load. EJ257's are the antithesis of bullet proof. There is not debating it. Just go to one of the two major forums and read for yourself.

This I can agree on. Many people are upset that these don't hold up to a lot of power. It's a relatively small, and weak motor. They make decent power because of the turbo, obviously. Couple that with decent gains from minimal parts, people start wanting more. By the time they have what the "want", they've spent a significant amount of money. Sure... You can get a lot of parts for these cars, but it takes a lot of them to make the power many are after.

What I am saying is above stage 2, you need to know what the hell you're doing. I run cars "above stage 2" all the time, but I let people know of the risks. A good "stage 2" with E85 is a high 11-second car in the right hands and they can be a lot of fun, but in all aspects of "bullet proof", it is not.

Referencing a 4-cylinder engine and the S2000... It can do 700whp more safely than an EJ can do 400 whp. However, the OP likes the car for the mods that are available, but I'm warning him that it can become a very, very expensive proposition if he doesn't know exactly what he's doing and has to pay people to do most of the work.

It lacks strength, but the size isn't really the issue. Yes, this counts for stock, especially if you're a car enthusiast that likes to "drive" their car.

Gotpepsi

I had an 05 STI and 2 AP1s. I think I can contribute a little to your questions.

1. I personally feel like my used STI was worth a few extra bucks (10k over the price of my s2ks to be exact). I found the STI to be more comfortable and a way better daily driver. The car was a lot more powerful, useful, and safe. I loved that AWD and all the features it had compared to the s2k.
2. I have had a lot of vehicles in the past and do not have a sentimental value towards my cars. But in general I was pretty happy with the switch because it was something new. New = exciting for me.
3. In terms of fun factor, I think the s2k has the STI beat hands down. I prefer a rwd over an awd for fun factor. The s2000 is a roadster while the STI is a powerful sedan. Not much fun when your not pushing the vehicle. Even if you are pushing the vehicle, doing straight line pulls in a lifeless sedan gets old after a while. Sure, its fast and powerful but it does not have the same "feel" as the s2k. It feels very numb in comparison.
4. I trust an s2k with 100,000 miles more then an STI with 60k. In my opinion, I think an STI with 60,000 miles is considered highly used. I think it's my personal bias against the engine. I saw a lot of STI's with rebuilds before 100k which throws me off in a loop.

In my situation, I would not purchase a NEW STI. That's a lot of money to put down and the STI is kind of a toy. I am a Grad student. No point in spending that kind of money when life situations could come up. Girlfriend, kids, house, relocation, etc. Probably end up selling the STI over the next two years while taking a huge loss.

If you want to explore, sell the s2k buy a used STI. Sell the STI if you don't like it. If you love it, keep it. No need to over think. Buy right and you don't lose much money.

EsA2000

^^ This is so incredibly accurate.

Just my .02, the S2000 is a special car. And sure, we all show our knowledge of that by being a part of this community, as does everyone who is a part of other forums for thousands of other cars. But this is a RWD sport roadster with great handling, a driver-centric cockpit, screaming redline, Honda reliability, and enough uniqueness to make it exotic in some sense. When you step inside a S2000 it just feels like you're witnessing something timeless. Though I have to yoga stretch to put my water bottle or wallet into the center-placed glove box, and avoid putting anything inside the meticulously placed cup holder... I feel pampered. And maybe it's just me, but I think that is attributed to this car's soul. It may not be super fast or super practical but it's SUPER fun. Why? Because the S2000 does what SO few cars accomplish anymore, and that is its ability to be more than just transportation. It's an extension of all we cherish most; hair-tossing freedom and sensible(ish) exclusivity. Even further, it takes the simple action of driving and evolves it into an intimate experience between driver and car; a true enthusiast's only necessary justification for two seats and a 6MT
But hey, I think to really enjoy your S2000, you have to really love it for what it is. And if you don't, or its shortcomings really nag at you, I think for sure you should look into something else. The WRXs are great options with 4 doors and enough speed to keep you entertained, but in the end, it's a quicker, more aggressive Impreza that wants to mix a daily spirited driving experience with rally heritage and practicality. That's a great mix of all things good, but if your heart yearns for raw sensation and purpose, I think the WRX and even STI will fall a bit short with their personalities. As to their reliability, I'm not a fan, as I love to mod my cars without constantly worrying about my engine going bad. These cars are great feats of engineering, and with a little care, they will reciprocate many happy miles beyond 200k, even with mods (which are the BEST things- in an experience sense, not financial haha- you can do to a car if you love driving, no matter the miles!!)
I think the question you should ask yourself is...
If you got a WRX/STI would you miss the S?
I'd venture to say yes, and I think that can say a lot about a car even when it goes against most senses of practicality LOL
I love just driving, so the feeling I get behind the wheel is the most important factor, over all else.
But I very well could be crazy and put way too much emotion into my car-buying decisions
Either way, best of luck to ya!