I couldn't agree with you more. I was in this exact situation, and I ended up buying the sti and have not looked back. In my situation I sold my car as it was never going to be a sti regardless of what I did. Found a sti with a blown engine and it is currently having the engine rebuilt by Ed at eq tuning. It's going to be faster in every way possible for far less money than what it would have taken with the wrx. I like to autocross and will be tracking so my decision was based on I want to be in the fastest platform possible. My advice is do what you know you want to do not what everyone else says you should do. If you are doubting keeping the wrx you already know the answer. Best of luck!

 

I say keep the WRX. Other than the 6-speed with the DCCD and bigger brakes (which you could get cheaper than what you will lose on your sale/trade-in) would be that your car would never be a genuine STI but just another clone. That was my huge factor in getting an 06 STI vs a cloned GC STI, but if identity does not bother you, there is no reason to get rid of your WRX.

It would be a different story if you didn't have to fix your car up in the first place, but you've already poured a lot of energy and money into your current car, so there should be some positive sentimental value, which can worth quite a lot more than money in the end.

 

Depends what you want to do with it. Stage 2 STI daily driver is a great, fun car. With a good tune you can beat the **** out of it and have little to worry about.

If you want to do much modding, and possibly build a mostly track/autoX/car bowling car, keep the wrx. You will end up replacing a lot of the sti studf anyway, so save the money on a loan and mod a wrx.

You can start with a basic 06/07 6 speed swap with your 3.54 rear diff, and build up to the brembos/r180/hubs etc. It is a bigger 1 time investment but you dot go upside down on a loan AND add another loan on top.

I dont care what anybody says, if you have a wrxGC/whatever with an sti drivetrain, it is an STI. I would challenge anyone who says different to a race in my sti swapped 99L if they think that, for some reason other than the loan they are still paying off, their STI is "different" or "better."

 

I've got a classic 2000 WRX - the best one in my opinion - keep the WRX and mod it up. If yours is 2003 then it's almost classic. I've changed the block, fuel pump, turbo upgrade, remap and decat with bucket exhaust to the end. I'm loving the mods. What you need to ask yourself is, is it the look I'm want or is it the performance? I've gone for (well tech both) but the classic look. Nothing beats the original 2000 WRX look. Plus you'll have a lot of fun (and heart ache) upgrading and testing. One word of advise, don't mess around with boost. Always remap - expensive in the short run but not in the long.

"You don't know a car, until you've driven a Subaru!" girg

 

I've got a classic 2000 WRX - the best one in my opinion - keep the WRX and mod it up. If yours is 2003 then it's almost classic. I've changed the block, fuel pump, turbo upgrade, remap and decat with bucket exhaust to the end. I'm loving the mods. What you need to ask yourself is, is it the look I'm want or is it the performance? I've gone for (well tech both) but the classic look. Nothing beats the original 2000 WRX look. Plus you'll have a lot of fun (and heart ache) upgrading and testing. One word of advise, don't mess around with boost. Always remap - expensive in the short run but not in the long.

 

what do you plan on doing with the car?

 

I sold my WRX and bought an STi.

 

Oh I forgot to mention something. The above applied for those who:

1: Do their own work

2: Have the money to pay somebody competent to do their work

 

I daily drive it, I concidered trying auto cross, but just a thought right now. Id say Im lookin for like a 300-350 AWHP car. problem is i want the 6 speed, just the comfort of knowing its stronger and also i owned a 6 speed before it and I learned the hard way I miss that extra gear

 

Although they can handle it, driving your scooby everyday isn't too good. You need to constantly vary the speeds and throttle on your drive, under performing is a source of damage as well as constant thrashing!

Considered getting a cheap run around?

"You don't know a car, until you've driven a Subaru!" girg

 

other than the mpg, I say the wrx and STi make a great dd. Once all the fluids are warmed up, thrash it all day.

 

What? This does not make sense. Daily driving is fine for a WRX or STI.

Do you know something we don't?

And are you going to add that signature line every time you post?

 

My reasoning definitely points toward money. If you think the near future you'll have some dough rolling in, then hold off on the current mods on your car. Wait until you GET the money before you do something with it. Don't go on credit and then make a future investment just to figure out that motor was shot to **** too.

Get the money first, then decide. IMO I've always leaned toward the same ride as you know exactly what you have with it. Getting a new ride, you never know exactly what is up with the internals and that could of course be a pain in the *** and a lot of $$.

 

I say keep the wrx. You have a good engine now to work with. Install a 6 speed and some better seats and you will come out ahead.