I have 13,400 miles on mine and no real problems. The oil level is barely down since the 7,500 mile change. I guess I seated the rings by doing an auto xs the 8th and 9th days I had the car. After that I was below 4,000 rpm until 1,200 miles. The last 400 of those on the freeway going to a hillclimb. The stock tyres still have enough tread to last till summer.

The problems are all the mentioned in this form and are from the get go. I had to fix the glove box and a rattle in the passenger B pillar myself. Dealer fixed the trunk latch and the hose from the intercooler was half off the throttle body. Final problem. Just had a light frost and the windshield fluid didn't have any alky in it! The fluid in the nozzles was frozen.

I plan on keeping mine a long time...

 

I have 13,400 miles on mine and no real problems. The oil level is barely down since the 7,500 mile change. I guess I seated the rings by doing an auto xs the 8th and 9th days I had the car. After that I was below 4,000 rpm until 1,200 miles. The last 400 of those on the freeway going to a hillclimb. The stock tyres still have enough tread to last till summer.

The problems are all the mentioned in this form and are from the get go. I had to fix the glove box and a rattle in the passenger B pillar myself. Dealer fixed the trunk latch and the hose from the intercooler was half off the throttle body. Final problem. Just had a light frost and the windshield fluid didn't have any alky in it! The fluid in the nozzles was frozen.

I plan on keeping mine a long time...

well thanks for the info. So there r rattle problems? r they eassy to fix? i have heard about the glove box like the ecu cover or something correct?
:thumbup:

 

Glove box door doesn't shut tightly and it rattle, or squeaks. Simple latch adjustment so it shuts a little tighter.

For the B pillar I stuffed in a little foam. It's easy to pull it back.

 

It should be outstanding. Subaru has a great reputation for building long lasting, extremely durable vehicles. One of the greatest things about owning a WRX is talking to people who have owned Subarus in the past. They always have a story about their diehard old Subie, running the hell out of it for well past 200k miles with no problems and selling it to someone elso who drove it for another 150k miles.

To be honest, nobody can really answer about the long-term reliability of the USDM STi. It's only been around for a few months.

The STi is my second WRX (traded in my '03 WRX - brakes too weak, gearbox too weak). The fit and finish is outstanding and the car is very well put together. I used to own a C5 'Vette with mild mods and the Subaru is built so much better. The Vette was fun but expensive to keep, couldn't hammer it in the rain, and a definite no-go in the snow. The STi feels almost as fast and should be faster with some light mods. It seats five, has a big trunk, and goes great in all weather. It has a Cd of .33 (vs .32 for my '99 Vert) and is Vette like stable at high speed - all with decent ground clearance.

It is pretty comfortable, much more so than my '03 WRX which left my back hurting after long drives. The seats aren't as comfortable as the C5 but are still really good and should last longer (I had tears in the leather after three years in the 'Vette).
It rides a little better than the 'Vette but you can still tell it has a good suspension. One thing - the ergonomics aren't bad but will not touch the C5. Once seated, the C5 is definitely more comfortable but is harder to live with than the STi.

It shouldn't start to rattle like a Vette or any other GM product after time. You said you only wan't it for the next 4 to 5 years - it should last hell of a lot longer than that. I feel that over many years it will be like an old Toyota - it will start and run good every time you turn the key and will never leave you stranded.

If you take care of it, it should last quite a long time. If you don't overboost it and it gets warmed up and cooled down then the turbo should last past 100k. The STi gearbox is pretty strong and should last but I wouldn't abuse it too much. It's AWD so there's no give and you can't religously dump the clutch, powershift, and be blatently heavy handed like you can on the T56 in the 'Vette.

I hope this helps a little. I can't comment too much because it is too new. But I've definitely been impressed with the STi thus far.

 

It should be outstanding. Subaru has a great reputation for building long lasting, extremely durable vehicles. One of the greatest things about owning a WRX is talking to people who have owned Subarus in the past. They always have a story about their diehard old Subie, running the hell out of it for well past 200k miles with no problems and selling it to someone elso who drove it for another 150k miles.

To be honest, nobody can really answer about the long-term reliability of the USDM STi. It's only been around for a few months.

The STi is my second WRX (traded in my '03 WRX - brakes too weak, gearbox too weak). The fit and finish is outstanding and the car is very well put together. I used to own a C5 'Vette with mild mods and the Subaru is built so much better. The Vette was fun but expensive to keep, couldn't hammer it in the rain, and a definite no-go in the snow. The STi feels almost as fast and should be faster with some light mods. It seats five, has a big trunk, and goes great in all weather. It has a Cd of .33 (vs .32 for my '99 Vert) and is Vette like stable at high speed - all with decent ground clearance.

It is pretty comfortable, much more so than my '03 WRX which left my back hurting after long drives. The seats aren't as comfortable as the C5 but are still really good and should last longer (I had tears in the leather after three years in the 'Vette).
It rides a little better than the 'Vette but you can still tell it has a good suspension. One thing - the ergonomics aren't bad but will not touch the C5. Once seated, the C5 is definitely more comfortable but is harder to live with than the STi.

It shouldn't start to rattle like a Vette or any other GM product after time. You said you only wan't it for the next 4 to 5 years - it should last hell of a lot longer than that. I feel that over many years it will be like an old Toyota - it will start and run good every time you turn the key and will never leave you stranded.

If you take care of it, it should last quite a long time. If you don't overboost it and it gets warmed up and cooled down then the turbo should last past 100k. The STi gearbox is pretty strong and should last but I wouldn't abuse it too much. It's AWD so there's no give and you can't religously dump the clutch, powershift, and be blatently heavy handed like you can on the T56 in the 'Vette.

I hope this helps a little. I can't comment too much because it is too new. But I've definitely been impressed with the STi thus far.

k so i go and drive the bemmer for the second time today.... sure it is way more luxurious than the sti, but i keep saying scome on, the sti seems to me, to be one hell of a car. I just don't know how to be sure. What about used imprezas or wrx's can u find ones with 100,000 miles? r they rattle traps? i am just not really sure what to make as far as the decision goes. My dad has it engraved ion hgis mind thgat the sti is gona be a pos in a few years, but i dissagree. I need to find a wrx with high miles to prove him wrong. He is thinking of it as a tin can, and just b/c my uncle owned some subaru truck that was a pos her does not like it.... it pisses ,me off!

 

Dude, they're made by SUBARU!


Rattle traps???? You're trolling, right?

 

Get the STi...i've driven several wrxs and they all seem to be very well put together...then again, im a Ford guy, so take that with a grain of salt.

 

I've yet to have any problems with any of the three Subarus I have owned. My first was a 98 Legacy GT, then an 02 WRX, and now an STi. All have been solid cars with no problems whatsoever.

 

Get the STi...i've driven several wrxs and they all seem to be very well put together...then again, im a Ford guy, so take that with a grain of salt.

When are you jumping the boat?

 

When are you jumping the boat?

yeah man c'mon ford = Fukin Old Rebuilt Dodge... not the best quallity in the world...

 

Subaru is not a truck manufacturer

[just b/c my uncle owned some subaru truck that was a pos her does not like it....

Your dad (or uncle) may be thinking of another car manufacturer. To my knowledge, Subaru has never made a truck (Correct me if I'm wrong).

Subaru has made some odd cars that resemble a truck, such as the Brat and the very new Baja. They are basically cars with a very small truck back end. But I would not classify them as trucks.

If your uncle really had a Brat, then this info is relevant: The Subaru Brat had outstanding reliability, with many owners keeping the car for over 200k miles. The only downfall of that car, at least from longevity perspective, was rust.

 

Re: Subaru is not a truck manufacturer

Your dad (or uncle) may be thinking of another car manufacturer. To my knowledge, Subaru has never made a truck (Correct me if I'm wrong).

Subaru has made some odd cars that resemble a truck, such as the Brat and the very new Baja. They are basically cars with a very small truck back end. But I would not classify them as trucks.

If your uncle really had a Brat, then this info is relevant: The Subaru Brat had outstanding reliability, with many owners keeping the car for over 200k miles. The only downfall of that car, at least from longevity perspective, was rust.

yeah, it was a bratt.... saposedly it was a rattle trap...

 

So ,how reliable is the sti? Is it comfortable? after i put 100,000 miles on it will it be a rattle trap?

It depends on your point of reference. I've been less than impressed so far. The overall build quality seems good and I expect that the drivetrain and mechanicals will last a long time if cared for. However, I have less than 10,000 miles and the car's interior buzzes and rattles more than my 90,000 mile Ford truck or my 200K mile civic ever did. On a perfectly smooth asphalt freeway, it's not bad. Textured concrete is hell. The door panels buzz, the change holder rattles, the glove box rattles, and the rear window sounds like an overdriven subwoofer. There are fixes for some of these, but I havent found out how to fix the rear window and it's by far the loudest. But, I'll accept sub-chevy cavalier NVH because I get a drivetraiin that I couldnt get in cars costing twice as much.

 

Brats were tough, what car in the early 80's WASN'T a rattle trap?

Just FYI, we beat the crap out of a Brat (3ft high jumps? Tipped it up on its side?) and it ran and drove fine until my uncle windowed the block. Sure it was rattly, but it was great for what it was for


As for the STi, I've noticed very minimal rattling... and am nothing but smiles about it

 

Brats were tough, what car in the early 80's WASN'T a rattle trap?

Just FYI, we beat the crap out of a Brat (3ft high jumps? Tipped it up on its side?) and it ran and drove fine until my uncle windowed the block. Sure it was rattly, but it was great for what it was for


As for the STi, I've noticed very minimal rattling... and am nothing but smiles about it

well, the post before yours makes me woorry, as i don't want to get a car and have a rattle trap, i don't mind if it starts to rattle, as long as there is a fix. but if there are rattles that will not go away, then ohh man i am gona bee uber pissed, so far i am hearing nothing but good things about the subaru drive train, so reliability is no problem. but as for rattles, i guess most of theese can be fixed... so for now, i am pretty sold on the sti :thumb up:

 

If you are worried about noise think very hard about buying an STi. Tyre noise is significant. Under the thin blue carpet it is just sheet metal between you and the road. No sound deading pad. No undercoat. If you drive over pea gravel in a parking lot you can hear the tink, tink, tink of it hitting the inner fenders (Sticky stock tyres). Course aggregate pavement on the freeway can be very loud. Fortunately, I only have about a 1/4 mile of that on my 20 mile commute. I drove mine for 6 weeks and ~2,000 miles without a radio. Tunes do help a lot though...

 

If you are worried about noise think very hard about buying an STi. Tyre noise is significant. Under the thin blue carpet it is just sheet metal between you and the road. No sound deading pad. No undercoat. If you drive over pea gravel in a parking lot you can hear the tink, tink, tink of it hitting the inner fenders (Sticky stock tyres). Course aggregate pavement on the freeway can be very loud. Fortunately, I only have about a 1/4 mile of that on my 20 mile commute. I drove mine for 6 weeks and ~2,000 miles without a radio. Tunes do help a lot though...

I am 18 dude, i hardly wory about noize... although i don't want the car falling apart, i classify rattles as a different type of noise... i may be stupid for saying that but ohhh well.

 

Not stupid. You can get use to a ticking clock on your night stand and squeaks and rattles in your car if they develop slowly. The human brain has a remarkable ability to filter, or I'm 40 and going deaf...

 

Glove box door doesn't shut tightly and it rattle, or squeaks. Simple latch adjustment so it shuts a little tighter.

For the B pillar I stuffed in a little foam. It's easy to pull it back.

How did you adjust the glove box rattle? My make a kind of creaking noise and I put some soft stuff around the metal hook thing and that cured the problem, but maybe there is a better way. It looked like you have to take the whole thing apart, can you explain how you did it?


Back to the topic. The STi is for one thing and one thing only: AWD performance. If you're looking for anything else, then you have the wrong car, period.

 

It's embarrassingly cheesy fix. Before a run, I downed a 32 oz Gatorade bottle, and rather than find a trash can, I stuffed it in the glove box on top of my tyre pressure gage and owners manual. Left it there on my way home. No more rattle. It provides the preload for the latch...

I'm not a bad shade tree mechanic, a mechanical engineer, and work for an OEM supplier of heavy truck components. It was less than free and it works. Over the years I've learned never to argue with what works. Just to try and understand it....

 

It's embarrassingly cheesy fix. Before a run, I downed a 32 oz Gatorade bottle, and rather than find a trash can, I stuffed it in the glove box on top of my tyre pressure gage and owners manual. Left it there on my way home. No more rattle. It provides the preload for the latch...

I'm not a bad shade tree mechanic, a mechanical engineer, and work for an OEM supplier of heavy truck components. It was less than free and it works. Over the years I've learned never to argue with what works. Just to try and understand it....

hahaha :thumbup:

 

My STi rattles alot on uneven surfaces at highway speeds. Aggregate is wretched and when the concrete is textured it will buzz and sing horribly. This car is alot more noisy/rattly and sqeaky than my 99 Toyota Camry, but if you want a tight riding race car, then learn to deal with rattles for 31k...

 

Just remember: This isn't a BMW. There will be squeeks and rattles, but it is the most kickass car for 31grand

 

A good sound system can cure the irritation of any chassis rattle. My wife says the new ski racks whistle. I wouldn't know.

 

A good sound system can cure the irritation of any chassis rattle. My wife says the new ski racks whistle. I wouldn't know.

true that...:thumbup: