d-bo

If you plan on modding it at all don't even bother.
Anything stage 2 and up for a prolonged period of time is asking for trouble. If you buy one leave it stock.
The transmissions on WRX's also suck after a few years of modded use.
If I HAD to have a Subaru I would pick a WRX limited. Way nicer than an sti and a way nicer pricetag.
If considered getting an 11^ Wrx for a dd but their unreliability after modding deeply scares me off. And lets face it, the car will be modded somehow lol

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aklucsarits

It does not sound like you would be happy with the STi anyway. I'd keep the S2000 and get a sub-$10,000 daily driver/beater. The one thing I've found is that I appreciate my S2000 a LOT more when I have not driven it in a while and switch from any other car to it.

Andrew

Mister Jew

Off topic but if I were you I would get a used 335 or c63 believe there in that 35k range. Sporty fast and obviously a better build quality and interior..

DL771

I almost traded my CR for an STI at one point, but then later figured I would be upset at myself later down the road. I now have both. If I had to get rid of one, the STI would go for sure.

Don't trade your S for one.

yamahaSHO

I had always questioned, despite what I've seen online, whether the rods and crank are forged on the WRX. I did confirm this past winter after installing a KillerB pickup tube and windage tray on my buddies 06 WRX, that the rods and crank are forged. The rods didn't look to be as beefy as the STi, but still very stout. Out of the many of the Subaru's I've tuned, I can directly reply to 3 close friends that I keep tabs on with their builds as they have been "poster children" if you will. In short (I tuned all the cars):

2006 WRX Wagon - Ran last year on a STi turbo (09+ WRX turbos are basically the same size), STi intercooler, ELH, EWG, intake, full exhaust, and on E85 at 21 PSI. He put about 8,xxx very hard miles on the car last year and it performed extremely well. He never launched on the 5-speed, but slammed gears like a boss when racing and the transmission never broke. Because he wants to launch and push the car harder, we did install an entire 07 STi drivetrain (with everything upgraded) from the flywheel to the wheels over winter. He just got the clutch broken in last night out Americruise in Lincoln, NE last night and was launching the crap out of it. While that doesn't speak for the 5-speed, the motor is driven very hard. If I had to guess, it would probably put down 340-350whp with 400+ wtq.

Some videos of the wagon prior to the ELH and 6 speed(WAY past stage 2 power and is on a stock long block):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpgieaoLORc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdX9Um1qsaY

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Against my 500+ whp SHO:
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The car: https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...84343383_o.jpg

2007 WRX Limited - Nearly the same as above aside from the ELH, but running 24 PSI (I told him to run less for clutch and transmission sake... He wasn't having it). After getting it up to 24 PSI, it felt good. Added some timing and the clutch wouldn't hold on the very first pull in 3rd gear. Replaced clutch, then stripped 3rd gear and he now has a built transmission. Yes, it can break, but you have to realize, that car was being pushed harder than probably 99% of WRX's out there and was a mid-11 second car.

07 WRX Limited (93 octane @ 19 PSI/ 17.5 on dyno)

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2009 WRX - To preface, his transmission had some defect and something came loose not relating to anything power related. With that, he is a basic "stage 2" with E85 and 21 PSI and a VERY quiet exhaust. It's his DD and he drives it spiritedly and pulls new 5.0 Mustangs with ease. The car has held together great and it's been almost 2 years.

The WRX is just as prone to a ring land failure, it's all in how hard you're pushing it an the tune, but as you can see, they'll handle well over "stage 2" power if done right. I'm pushing my STi over what is the "accepted" limit of 400whp on a stock block. Another buddy of mine is doing well over 500whp on the stock STi block and ran 3 consecutive 10.8's at TX2K13 this year.

With that said, the newer WRX transmission are a bit stronger than the 06/07 I've shown. However, depending on what you really want to do with the car, the 6-speed can be more than worth the additional cost. There's nothing wrong with buying used if you know how to look at a car in the car buying process and request a compression/leak down test.

How far are you really looking to push the car and what will you want to do with it (or possibly evolve to)?

dv55xc

Keep the S and buy a cheap beater. Does your soon to be wife have a car???

Dizings2k

Thank you again for the indepth reply Yama! That's great info from someone who knows subarus. The Internet has so much conflicting information on what power they can/can't handle.

Basically I would want the car at stage 2, maybe slightly more. It's going to be my DD, it will not get tracked and I will not be launching or slamming gears in it. I'm generally very gentle and conscious with manual transmissions.

The power level that I would want would be the highest reliability possible as the car is my DD, I would like a 12.x second quarter mile reliable DD. is this possible with an Sti or legacy gt?

Moddiction

I was in the same position recently. I was thinking of selling my S and getting a new or newish sti or evo X

I wound up getting a 2008 Legacy GT 5-speed instead.

The sti I felt didn't have very good handling and was mostly fun just going straight with the nice torque. Because of that I decided to get the legacy gt for the much nicer interior and creature comforts as well as saving me lots of money and keeping the S.

Really comfortable and has nice leather, heated seats, mirrors windshield etc.
Power wise with a stage 2 tune on the legacy gt will be faster than an STI easily. Handling is not good but you'd be saving so much money you could put $500 for f+r sways and end links and another $500 or so on koni yellow shocks and will handle infinitely better.

I'll be putting my downpipe on Thursday and getting a stage 2 E-tune until I can make it to the dyno.

These engine don't feel very fast stock. The instant torque hit is nice but with such a small turbo up top the car feels dead. Sti is a little better but still sucks too end. I wish they had the same stock power potential as Evos but a stage 2 LGT, WRX or Sti will feel great over all.

The vf52 turbo from newer wrx engines is a direct swap into the legacy gt. I will be doing that withina year I'm sure. With a good tune and that you can easily be at 300awhp and 350ish tq I believe.

You can definitely be in the 12's with them. Not sure if stage 2 gets a legacy gt into 12's or not but I'm sure it's close if not.

Moddiction

Or if you can find a legacy gt spec b they come with the stronger 6 speed and some slightly upgraded suspension and nicer 2 tone interior. They also come stock with an in dash GPS. However stock stereo or GPS is not the best.

I didn't feel the added cost was worth it for one. I actually like the 5 speed. Longer gears feel nice for it around town.

yamahaSHO

Very possible on gas. E85 on the STi can get it into the 11's on the stock turbo/intercooler/motor.

If you buy a good clean one, mod it right, and get a clean tune on it, it should last a long time.