Ok one thing I would like to point out is the 2.4 that is found in the SRT-4 is NOT the same 2.4l motor that is in the stratus etc... It is completly different, truth be told but it has been used in Mexico for years I believe.

I was originally going to get a srt but here in Colorado dealers are marking these cars up $4000 dollars, and the true beauty of the srt was that it is only $19995. Fortunately I decided that I would buy a 04 wrx instead and thank God for that because I recently looked at Kelley blue book and a 03 srt-4 with 1500 miles on it just like my 04 wrx has a resale value of $13000 and some change!!! On the flip side my WRX is worth 23,500!!!!! actually more than what I paid for the car.... I know that this isnt a real blue book but hey it gives you a pretty good idea of what the resale value is going to be on both cars.

The srt-4 although it is a FAST car, the WRX is no slouch, I raced one at the track the other night both stock cars, I ran a 14.87 he ran a 14.68??? I would have to look at the time slip. Keep in mind this is in Denver. He didnt pull until the last 100 feet. I trapped at 94 he trapped at 97. I had him by a car until a 150 feet or so.... so stop light to stop light racing and its a drivers race but top end and the srt-4 has the wrx hands down.

 

Fast or not it's still a friggin Neon - think headgasket

 

I'm just... going to start off by saying that I'm a Subaru fan, like the rest of you. Obviously this is I-Club... I own 2 Subarus right now and have plenty of friends with RS' and WRX's etc.

Anyway I've been doing a lot of research on the SRT-4 lately, because I'm looking at acquiring one, and have come across everything. People swearing about it, SCC *****ing about how they HAD to give it car of the year (oh yeah forgot about that) , and of course some of you guys flaming it. Now... I LOVE the STI, been waiting for years to see one with my own eyes (although it isn't the one I always wanted to see, it's better). But for a person like me, that can only justify 20k or so to spend, the SRT-4 is an awesome deal. It's everything I've wanted.... a turbo'd powerful inexpensive car. But.... yes it's a neon. No more then 2 months ago, you would have heard me swearing about how Neons suck. But then I started reading about it, and the numbers started to soak in and the name didn't matter much anymore. Now to get the facts straight, since I've been doing all this research.

One thing I've seen on this thread (I didn't read it all I don't have the time and or patience so if I post doubles forgive me ) is people quoting wrong prices for the mopar upgrades. The Stage 1 is 320 dollars. This buys you 4 new injectors (20% I believe bigger) and a new ECU, to kill the boost cut at the end of the rev and better manage the fuel. One minor fact is that the 2004 is said to have basically the stage1 included it in it's price. The stage 2 which should be out by this December (I hear) is going to roughly be about 1200-1500 dollars. Not the 2500 I saw earlier. With the Stage 2 you get the HP people have been posting (around 260-280), along with a switch for different modes for the ECU, an IC Sprayer, 3 Bar TIP sensor, 3 Bar MAP sensor, along with some other stuff like even bigger injectors.. For 1500 dollars this is one hell of a deal.

About the no LSD (not the drug), the 2004 has a computer controlled (although I haven't heard anything about it's performance yet) Limited Slip Differential. So can't really ***** about that anymore, I’m assuming it should be fine or they wouldn’t have put it in to correct their problem. With that and the Stage 1 included in the standard package, the Neon will cost 1000 dollars more. But I see it as money well spent.

Now lets talk numbers and facts, this is compared to the WRX (since the price difference is less then the 6-14k of the STI)
1.) It cost 3.5k less then the WRX
2.) The power curve on the neon is a lot more impressive.
3.) It makes 34 more WHP then the WRX
4.) It makes 57 more Torque then the WRX
5.) .4 liters more displacement
6.) The 2003 gets.86g on the skidpad, the 2004 WRX .84g on the skidpad, and in slalem it gets 69.9 MPH and the WRX gets 67.4 MPH (so that kind of kills the handling argument),
7.) 0-60 the 2003 gets it’s *** kicked but I’m assuming that has a lot to do with the lack of an LSD.
8.) ¼ mile the 2003 (without the LSD and Stage 1 since it’s a 2003) gets 14.0 at 100.5 MPH, and the 2004 WRX gets 14.6 at 91.7 MPH
9.) SRT-4 weighs 2870 lbs and the WRX weighs 3140 lbs.

Now taking all of these random but valuable facts into consideration, saying that the WRX is a better deal for the money, is kind of asinine to me. But I’m just another enthusiast like you people with my own opinion. But for the few that this applies to, please in the future take these things into consideration before flaming the SRT-4, yes it isn't a subaru. But it IS another option. At least until 2005 when Subaru comes back with their backhand

 

for the record, that kids conduct is not represtative of the way all srt-4 drivers act, especially not toward rexes. i have nothing against wrx's or their drivers and racing them is fun because they are far more mellow like srt-4 drivers that i know. UNLIKE honda kids. that is why srt4 drivers and wrx drivers should get along, to take down the honda kids and their weedwhacker mufflers that their rich dads bought for them. haha. i have been insulted straight up by honda and acura drivers on more than one occasion for sole reason that i drive a dodge. although, where i live most of them are squidies anyways so that already speaks highly of them. haha j/k brothers in arms, the navy gives us rides. anyways, back to the topic at hand. do not let the actions of one child affect your opinion of all SRT drivers.