Let’s go back–all the way back to 2004. Facebook had just opened its eyes. The last Oldsmobile left the line. And Subaru gave shoppers its first U.S.-market Impreza WRX STI. It took everything that made the WRX so good and simply added more. More power. More scoop. More grip.
Future classic? Yes. Current classic, in fact, we’d say, as good, …
STI?
That's STi. Please. 
Appleseed said:STI?
That's STi. Please.
Since Subaru has changed from STi to STI, and seems to have retroactively applied that change as well, I followed their lead here for continuity. Believe me, there was some internal discussion.
But, but...the purity!!!
Love how these cars drive, but the Subaru quirks have made me decide to never own another one, turbo or otherwise.
David S. Wallens said:Appleseed said:STI?
That's STi. Please.
Since Subaru has changed from STi to STI, and seems to have retroactively applied that change as well, I followed their lead here for continuity. Believe me, there was some internal discussion.
Mazda tried calling the NC Miata the MX-5.
They were WRONG. It was too late in the narrative to try that crap.
Ditto STI. The badge on the car still has STi. Unless they want to provide free STI badges for everybody, they just have to suck it up.
Back in the late 70's early 80's it was a fantasy to get a car like this with name brand parts on it
300hp from a 4-cylinder? Yup. Recaro seats? Momo steering wheel? Momo shift knob? Brembo brakes? BBS wheels? From the factory? Yup.
My buddy bought an ACR Neon and split his gut because it came FROM THE FACTORY with Koni shocks.
I ordered an 04 STi 6 months before they were even available in the states. Put a deposit down, sight unseen and waited it out. It came with out a radio or floor mats to "save weight" according to Subaru. The dealer told me I had the third one in the state. It had a legit 0-60 time of 4.5 which was smoking fast back then. It rode hard and banged over expansion joints. It had gear whine at highway speed and the diffs clunked a lot. It was glorious. So mechanical. So basic. Nothing extra, only what was needed to go fast....... it's giant wing right in the middle of the back window. To break it in I took my girl friend on a weekend trip across the state. We went to a little place right on the beach. She bitched the entire time during the 4 hour ride. No radio and and rough roads were apparently not her thing. She complained as the STi sang it's song to me. I have had many wonderful automotive memories but none better than that weekend. Thanks Subaru for helping to provide the sound track to my life. You will always be special to me.
In reply to Feedyurhed :
What is the rest of the story?
You know; kept the car and dumped the lady?
Or we got married, dumped the car and got a Camry?
In reply to Feedyurhed :
Was 2004 really the first year for the STI? I bought my '03 Evo VIII brand new and I remember test-driving an STI the same day.
In reply to LanEvo :
Yep, 04 was the first year in the States.. They might have come over in 03, I don't recall, but were officially listed as an 04. By the way I miss the Sti/Evo wars. What happened to Mitsu?
In reply to Feedyurhed :
They stopped development and made the X for like ten years, then dropped it with no replacement. They'd rather sell transportblobs just like the other 27 manufacturers in that segment.
Knurled. said:In reply to Feedyurhed :
They stopped development and made the X for like ten years, then dropped it with no replacement. They'd rather sell transportblobs just like the other 27 manufacturers in that segment.
Yeah. It kind of makes me regret not buying one back when I had the chance instead of the Mustang GT I purchased. At the time, there wasn't a Mitsubishi dealer in Tulsa. So that meant a 230 mile round trip to OKC, or just a little less to go up to Missouri.
Knurled. said:In reply to Feedyurhed :
They stopped development and made the X for like ten years, then dropped it with no replacement. They'd rather sell transportblobs just like the other 27 manufacturers in that segment.
This also seems to be Nissan's strategy with their sports cars and they're doing great... right?
Back to STi's - I know they get a lot of criticism these days for reliability and how dated the engine architecture is, but outside of a Golf R, there just isn't anything else like it in the marketplace - especially with a manual transmission. I want to like the Golf R, but after owning my WRX for years I really don't like the idea of the Haldex awd system. At some point I'm not looking for perfection. I just want to meet my criteria. If my next kid-hauler isn't yet another boost buggy I'll probably just roll the dice and try my hand at an E90 M3 (4 door).
RIP Evo & RS.
And this is going to be the last year of the EJ in the STi. Part of me wants to just go spend the money on the last of the breed but I've been longing for a Hawkeye STi since I was a wee turd in college. I just need to offload this E36 M3 first.
I love everything about the 04-08 STi. They started getting watered down with the new gen in 08 and while the hatch was cool you didn't get the big wing and the sedan version was extremely forgettable.
Known in my circle of friends as the "STD" .
In reply to DirtyBird222 :
Yeah Subaru is supposed to have not just a new engine but a new WRX/STi chassis for 2021 so hopefully we'll see a production version sometime soon. I don't trust their concept cars after what we saw between the 2013 concept and the 2015 reality.
Regarding the 04-08 they'll always be probably the most iconic here in North America. They're smaller and more basic than the 08+ models, so you may be right about being a bit more watered down. I haven't driven the STi versions of both, but when I went shopping for the more pedestrian WRX with the intention of buying a 04-06 blob-eye I did my bank account a disservice by test driving a 2011 model. Literally everything felt better about the newer generation including acceleration and handling. I did not expect that.
DirtyBird222 said:And this is going to be the last year of the EJ in the STi. Part of me wants to just go spend the money on the last of the breed but I've been longing for a SEAT STi since I was a wee turd in college.
FTFY 
The 04-05 STi or WRX is a car I've wanted since, well 04 I guess... I could see buying one in the not too distant future. From previous owners, how terrible of an idea is this? I would be aiming for a good example, preferably unmodified. The more I hear about them the more questionable the purchase seems...
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