opinions on 2011 Subaru STI
 

Hey guys been contemplating picking up a 2011 STI but am on the fence. I love the 370z for the aggressiveness, sexy lines, great power, but i've been pondering the fact off AWD during the winter and long road trips.

I test drove the 2011 STI and it was easy to drive, clutch was softer than the Z, but definetly had power when pushing it. Aesthetically the 370z wins but the ability to drive an STI in bad conditions such as snow, and heavy rain is pushing me to make a decision with the STI.

Thoughts? any 2011 STI owners?

here's some pics of my trip today.

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Why choose? Get Both!

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I've had that same thought multiple times in the last few months and I don't even live in a place where it rains or snow a lot (Vegas). Still, there is something to be said about knowing you have a car that will always be able to handle inclement weather. I never understood the point of AWD in dry weather until I got my 06 WRX back in 06. Prior to that I only drove RWD (240sx, 300zx, 280z). In dry weather the WRX was just fantastic and always stuck. I remember several times I took turns that I though would never be possible and the WRX just stuck to the road; where as my 280z or 300zx would have spun out. The main thing that got me was the first monsoon storm I drove in with the WRX. Vegas sewer systems really suck as they weren't designed to handle a lot of rain as it's typically always dry, but when it rains here it pours. I was going down a street with literally a river running across it and the WRX just plowed through no problems. In both 2006 and 2007 we got snow here and it was wonderful to be able to drive my car and get it up the driveway. There were some people abandoning their BMW's and Porsche's because they wouldn't move. Yes, people here are idiots in the snow just leaving their cars on the side of the road. My neighbor at the time actually got stuck outside my house in her 350z and I had to help push the car so she could at least get it near her house.

In short, yes, AWD or in this case the STI does present a lot to offer. My only problem with the STI is that you have to go Stage 2 just to be competitive with the Z. Essentially subaru is really behind the times right now when it comes to $/performance ratio. It's rumored that the next gen STI for 2013 won't come with more than 300hp either and instead they will try to get the weight down 100-200lbs. For whatever reason subaru is not interested in pushing the power up on this car yet they still want to sell them for 35k.

You have a hard choice but in the end I don't think you can go wrong. Your Z looks awesome but the STI doesn't exactly look bad either. Stage 2 is relatively cheap and easy to do in your own garage and you'll have your piece of mind with AWD. Honestly if I lived anywhere else where rain and snow were regular occurrences I would be in the STI and not the Z. It's easy for me to say that though because I still have my 280z and 300zx to fulfill my Z addiction.

The STI is pricey right now, and it is hard to get a fair deal on one. To me, the value proposition is not great. That said, it's a great car if you want a performance car you can drive year-round. It picks up nicely with a new tune as well.

Couple reasons why I wouldn't want a STI

#1 Engine problems (search about blown motors)
#2 My friend bought his 09 brand new for $7K below sticker at year end, wait for year end sale if you do get one
#3 The car might not be pushing 306hp like it claimed

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it, need to think about it some more at the gym. Hmmm.

1:ringland failure issues are no more
2: there are not going to be any deals on the 11's-- supply is very short.

Not true, apparently. I've seen a few 11 owners getting issues.

Unfortunately.

I sort of wanted one. :/

No Sir, I dont like it.

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Keep the Z man. You want AWD, get a G37.

I have a coworker who just got his shortblock replaced on his '11 due to a ringland failure. Car has 5k miles on it.

AWD itself does not make for a better winter car. Ground clearance is an underappreciated part of that equation. And performance AWD cars are low and usually shift most of the power to the rear wheels anyway. Get all-season tires or a set of winter tires/rims. The Z comes with summer tires stock. It still won't handle winter as well as the STI, but not terrible. Cheaper investment than a new car.

Let me rephrase-- there is no major ringland failure issue like there was in the past. I've seen a handful of isolated cases, all of which were heavily abused cars. One of them that I saw was the result of someone that attempted to crank up the boost and "street tune" his car.

I am not convinced the failures are due to an inherent engine issue. Unfortunately, the car is too new to rule for sure either way I guess.

As much as I dont want to I have to agree with Red_Zed on the engine faliure the Spun Bearings and crap went away in 09. It was just a batch of cars. Sucks but Subaru made good and fixed them. My friend has an 09 Rex it is a great car. My mom has had 2 Foresters and the new one is an XT. There very reliable and if god forbid something happen to my Z (stolen, toatled etc) I would probably pick up the new STI Sedan. About as fast as the Z maybe a tad slower but tuning is endless and it looks so sexy.

Wouldnt go so far as to say the car is sexy, its average compared to the sleek lines of the Z, would probably be slightly more attractive if they scrapped that HORRENDOUS wing. They also need to get with the program and switch to a front mount intercooler, heat soak with those top mounts is ridiculous.

Definitely not true. I saw one of the first few STI in North America to be lemon due to engine failures. My friend have had two engines replaced on his 2010. The motor on both of them were all stock. They did autox it (never track), so the run to the limiter might not have helped.

I don't get it. Why do people even consider the looks of the Subaru as really, really important? They're universally regarded as fairly..ahem...ugly looking cars. They're outlandish and polarizing, especially when you dump that humongous wing on top of it...but I still love them :tup:

If you wanted the good looks, stick with the Z, or save up for a German car.

Also, ringland failures were a huge issue in '08, but since there's only been a few isolated cases. Like Zed said, most occur when someone is really, really pushing their car. Until then, Subies have generally been pretty reliable.

cossie, don't underestimate the effect Auto-X can have on a car. I think Auto-X is actually more punishing than a track day, just because of the extreme technical nature of the courses, and the driver is typically in the really high RPM ranges, or constantly adjusting / shifting / etc.

:iagree: Scoobies aren't the prettiest cars out there. But they look like a mean hot hatch/sedan, and they back all that up with performance.

I actually love how the wagon and sedan look! Sure, it isn't sleek like the Z is, but I think it is pretty awesome.

I still sort of want one.

i kinda like their hatch version better but it comes with some crazy premium these days, right?

three dealerships i have gone to have asked 2k OVER sticker due to their "rarity".

pfffffft!

whaaaaaaaaaaat?

You can get one for a good amount under invoice here.

Sort of odd, though. You'd think the price would be lower in a place where you never get snow. :p

Under invoice? Skepticalhippo.nef

Wait till December, Subaru loves running HUGE sales around that time. My friend got his for $8K under sticker. It was like $29900 plus tax

they LOVED running huge sales. dealerships right now are ******** and upcharging everything. natural disaster fee. pfft.

This.

Cossie has a good point, though. December is a fantastic time to try for a deal. They're looking to offload whatever's left on the lot so they don't have to pay taxes on it.

I have a 2008 Sti as a daily driver and I love it. You can't beat the practicality of a 5 door hatch with awd for everyday use and I still take it to the track once in a while too.

I think the 2011 sedan is really hot and a nicer looking car than the hatch but obviously less practical.

Get the Subaru if you're concerned about winter weather driving and unless you're tracking the car IMO I don't see the price premium of the STi over the standard WRX. On paper the numbers are close enough that street driving won't matter. Additionally the later m.y. WRX (5 door) has a bit more STi like styling. If you get a Subie, you will need winter tires for any snow driving - don't think you can just tromp around for any distance on your summer shoes.

I love the WRX for utility, high altitude performance, fuel mileage and AWD. It's easier to drive than the Z for day to day driving.

I love the Z for styling, low end torque, handling that requires skill to extract, tech features, fit and finish and uniqueness.

If I had to choose one, I would choose the WRX for the sole reason of snow. If I lived in a no snow zone, it'd be the Z.

What exactly does a stage 2 consist of? Higher boost, down pipe and exhaust? Anything else?

You don't even need exhaust:tup:

So its just higher boost then? is that all it is really? just curious...

Tune and downpipe is a common "stage 2" setup.

aaahh gotcha. thanks. For some reason I was under the impression that a stock STI was as fast or if not faster than a Z. Dont know why I thought that after reading this thread, granted a WRX is easy to mod...

Straight-line the z definitely has the edge in anything but maybe 0-60.

Just noticed you're in Western Washington. Get a Z and be done with it. You can stay home for the 2 days you might get snow and bum rides to Crystal if you ski/board.

Im assuming due to AWD vs. RWD off launch..

Good to know, thanks for the info..

you can't even tell the difference between sti and regular WRX anymore if they're debadged. i think.

thanks for the info guys, another reason for the possible switch, is i would like to possibly go on road trips, any huge diffference in gas mileage?

Depends how you drive. I can usually get a few mpg better in my Z than my WRX, but it's pretty close.

does the STI have fender flares over the WRX?