having a good discussion. you?
really? all of my subie friends are all okay. i know people who have everything from the gc8 until the latest grb / gh8, and they're fine. everybody freaked out over the 2008 ringland issue, but that was for the most part resolved. the people i know who have issues are the ones who messed with their engines without ever learning what "leaning out" means. be prepared for a strange world where everybody <3s exhausts and free HP...but anything more will rip a humongous hole in your wallet.
as a lucky owner i have both a wrx and a z. yes, not an STi, but as mentioned previously, it's not like the difference is that big. yes, the transmission is different and the WRX obviously gets the short end of the stick in that department, but aside from the transmission there really isn't much different. even the body panels are the same. and personally, i drive the subaru EVERYWHERE. even to z meets
don't get me wrong the Z is a fun car but it's exactly that...a fun car. weekend warrior to me. if you want something more practical, the hatch WRX / STi is a good car.
and can't compare the z cars being more safe because AWD lets go, this and that happens. that's just people needing to learn more about their cars. driver knowledge goes a long way.