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Advice on upgrading from a Viper to an STi?

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Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:07 PM
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Question Advice on upgrading from a Viper to an STi?

A friend of mine sent me email this week asking what I thought about my STi. He's looking to possibly sell his cars (Viper RT-10 & Z-28) and consolidate into a single car that can do everything. I'm looking for any feedback the Subaru community might have for a prospective new Subaru owner who's used to driving a v10 with 500ft/lb of torque.

"I'm thinking about selling both the Viper and Camaro and buying a STi. Can you point me to some good research sites, upgrade sites, etc. Do you have recommendations on an upgrade path? Do you still like yours? Any caveats? "
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:10 PM
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Piece of advise #1. Hand over the Viper and nobody gets hurt.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:25 PM
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He's going to have to do a good amount of work to get it to perform in a straight line like the Viper, but it can be done. Just tell him to check out here and www.nasioc.com for some good recommendations on an upgrade path to get him started.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:28 PM
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Keep the Viper and sell the Camaro only. I'm at work, don't have much time to give feedback. That's just what I would do.

-GDO
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:34 PM
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upgrade?

more like downgrading

i would say get rid of the camero and get a sti and keep the viper
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:39 PM
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second that notion .. unless he wants to dump all the money he gets from both cars on a sti .. den that'll probably make him the fastest sti around .. i'd say do it only if he's will to spend the cash he gets all on the sti. :-D
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 02:53 PM
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There are some great tuner around that can get you nearly the acceleration of the stock Viper. There's a few companies that could even build you an engine that'll walk the Viper in a 1/4 mile. With a ton of power, 1st and 2nd gear might be a little short. :)

When it rains you'll acutally be able to drive an STi. Likewise if the road bends or turns at all, the STi will be able to do that at speed. :)

4 people can sit in an STi, and trust me, it's more comfortable than a Z-28. :)

The STi certainly doesn't have a the cool factor or the neck snapping pull of the Viper but it's far from subtle... just cool for a different demographic I guess. :/

There's no tagra, sunroof or T-top for the STi. :(

STi has normal seatbelts, not those jacked up Viper ones. ;)

There's a lot more Subarus so the community is much larger and in general quite friendly and helpful. This also means there's a much larger resource for for tuning and general information. :)

If you have an STi you can watch it kick-*** in every other WRC race on Speed channel (don't watch the ones that have water crossings). :)

The don't make an "arrest-me" red STi :/

That's all I can think of for now.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 04:28 PM
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Yeah it will definitely be different than driving a Viper.

It looks like he needs more of an everyday car and is partially done with racing. I guess it just depends on if he has any racing plans for the STi or if he just wants something that has four doors but still has *****. Just tell him that it'll be slower in every major performance category but it has AWD, Doors and is more comfortable.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 06:41 PM
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I was IM'ing someone from perrin the other day. He was telling me that he had an STi and a viper. You might have your friend check in with him. Personal Experience may help him more.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 09:09 PM
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I whooped a vipers *** pretty bad in Gran Turismo 4, with a spec C with nothing done to it. It was a very short twisty track. Don't know if this helps, but I hear the game is pretty realistic hahahaahahaha

in short, going from RWD to AWD is weird, I did it, and going from a viper to a STI is like going from a STI to a Civic Si. STI is still a sports car, but acceleration and the fealing is never going to be the same, but at least it's not a Dodge.
Old Feb 23, 2005 | 11:58 PM
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if he's tired of the viper and camaro... he might enjoy the STi.... but depends on what he's looking for. . . i agree in the improper terminology.. in terms of upgrading. but i guess from a financial standpoint it makes some sense.
performance wise, its 2 different animals.



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Old Feb 24, 2005 | 11:07 PM
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Keep the Viper, eventhough it's a Dodge.
Old Feb 25, 2005 | 06:33 AM
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Originally Posted by gdogg
performance wise, its 2 different animals.
I'm not so sure. If he's willing to spend an extra $11k or so on a built motor, Garrett turbo, transmission upgrades and suspension mods, he could get close. There are several STis I know of pushing 470-490 WHP on pump gas, and I've driven one with about 400 WHP and it was surprisingly streetable and well-behaved in town. Certainly more streetable than the Viper! I've driven one several times, and you have to rely on 2nd gear all day long in town (start in 1st from a stoplight and you'll end up underneath the rear of the car ahead of you; shift into 3rd and you are going 60) and use psychic abilities to see around the HUGE rear blind spots.

Certainly above 120 MPH the lack of displacement and aero would hurt you, and the modded STi would never make it past 160, but how often does this driver hit that number -- that is the question.
Old Feb 25, 2005 | 07:07 AM
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Didn't any of you guys see the Vishnu stage 2 STI beat the modified viper in sac at the drags?



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