ok....since my ex has the focus I thought that this spring I would do something that I have wanted to do for a very long time....buy a factory hot rod.
now I have always been an STI fan and still am , however odd it may seem the insurence is much higher on it than an M3 or an S4.
so it will be one or the other.....my ceiling for money spent will be 60k out the door
just curious what your opinions are....I do prefer the M3 generally but I took an S4 out on the weekend......wow...totally changed my mind and am now finding it difficult to make a decision....
I would definatley go with an STI. the potential that car has is outrageous. Vishnu tuning. has a package. for like 3500 IIRC that will push the car up to 350 + whp.
Otherwise, i'd go with an S4... the m3 is nice. but there are wayyyy to many on the road, that being said, if you were to go used there are some good deals to be had
what about the RS4? that's coming out in the spring, and is a pretty hot little car.
Otherwise, Mustang GT, G35, 350Z would be my first few pics.
the S4 just isn't impressive to me... and while the M3 is nice, it goes against my moral fiber to suggest a bimmer.
have you considered a Cobra GT500?
the STI still remains as my favorite.....but other than the exhaust my engine mod days are over....what I want is factory horsepower delevered in a consitent linear fashion....plus the insurance is double for me...
the mustang....nope...great car for the price...just no likey
G35 coupe is still a consideration but sadly after taking that S4 out it just did not seem to have the overall balance the S4 has...
yes there is a lot of M3 out there ....but have you driven one...jebus what a car
as for the RS4 , noway that bad boy gonna any where this side of 90k any time soon. 60 k is the ceiling and that gets me a 2 year old low milage S4 or M3
again I think the cobra is an awsome car......just cant see myself behind the wheel of the thing...
it is probably about time I act my age.....lord knows it is about time
I haven't driven in an M3, I just can't buy one on... I don't want to be mistaken for someone who bought a car he thought he could drive.
what about the RX-8? I've driven that car, and it's a spritely little bugger, probably a lot more fun to drive around turns than any AWD car.
haha, i wish.
I could never get a testdrive on an m3. taking out a 350z was a stretch. lol
I've driven a mildly modded RX8... Fun car to drive... but you gotta rev the piss out of it to get it going.. and even then its pretty sluggish. certainly not in the same class as the M3, S4.
truthfully I have not so much as stepped into an rx8....I will do.
thing is my choices are not being made based on the " I want everyone to see me in a ____" It is just that there is so much excellent used product out there at the 40k price point.....but then you drive one of these beasts (S4 or M3)and you are so quickly reminded what good engineering is all about.
It is little things like knowing immediately that your feet are in the right position to heel toe, that your switch gear is exactely were it should be the first time you go to ues it....and dont get me started on the quality of the braking....It is not just that these cars can scrub off speed quickely it is how composed they both do it. Both of these cars are performance cars from tip to toe....and that means the hole car not just the motor or suspension....
these two cars actually remind me that I can and have raced, they communicate in ways you would not expect. The messages you recieve while driving them are absolutely clear but the are givin in such a way that you do not have to lock your jaw cause if you dont you teeth are gonna bang together...messaged rather than poked if you will.
none of the other aformentioned cars seem to offer this balance...
but at upwards to 60k they shaould right?
I've ridden in an STI, but not an M3 or S4, but if your spending that much money, I would think that when you sat in the car, you would like to feel like its worth that much. As much performance as you get and potential the STI has for upgrades , other than some nice seats, I didn't feel like I was riding in a car that had an MSRP just shy of 50k. What about a used Boxster S, though not quite as practicle as a coupe or sedan. Personally I love the M3, it gets my vote.
If my opinion matter... now that im clean, I always loved M3 and M5.
the Audi just dont have the presence that the bimmer has.
:)
-Marc
STI is great for what it is, but I too would be reluctant to shell over that much $ for a car that size.
I know what you mean about the STI...but if you have ever drivin one the kinda "unpolished" presentation wont bother you for long....one hell of a car. I just dont think it is me anymore...maybe I am getting old , who knows.
I spend my days building quality renovations in upscale homes, it gives me a unique lens as to the whole quality issue....and as much as I love the STI it is simply a muscle car of types. Just not sure it represents the level of quality I am looking for. The STI is a muscle car through and through with sound engineering on the mechanical side, sadly I am not convinced the engineering went beyond that.
a 01-02 M5 would be a nice choice too. its always been my dream car... not too many around either.
you know Marc I agree that the Audi did not seem to have the same stage presence as the M3.....until I drove it. I believe that the M3 is a little ballsier generally but I have to tell you we are splitting hairs here. The S4 I drove was quite simply the most all around balanced and composed hot rod I have ever been fortunate to drive...the awd with alittle more power than the A4 is amazing....and the torque of the 8 cylinder (7200 rpm I beleive) motor is the coolest and most confidence inspiring feeling I have ever had behind the seat of a car...
having said that the M3 does all that too and arguably looks a little better.
who knows
M5 seem to come down in value faster than the M3....maybe I should have a look see....kinda big though dont you think
dad,Feb 9 2006, 09:50 AM Wrote:ok....since my ex has the focus I thought that this spring I would do something that I have wanted to do for a very long time....buy a factory hot rod.
now I have always been an STI fan and still am , however odd it may seem the insurence is much higher on it than an M3 or an S4.
so it will be one or the other.....my ceiling for money spent will be 60k out the door
just curious what your opinions are....I do prefer the M3 generally but I took an S4 out on the weekend......wow...totally changed my mind and am now finding it difficult to make a decision....
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Out of your choices, based on repair data alone since I could never drive them, I'd say the M3 was your better choice. The A4 has so many things that go wrong its not even funny. I am surprised though that an M3 is cheaper to insure than an STI for you :blink:
NefCanuck
audis and bmw are generally safer cars....no other reason
dad,Feb 9 2006, 10:57 AM Wrote:M5 seem to come down in value faster than the M3....maybe I should have a look see....kinda big though dont you think
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They're big... but IMHO they seem more refined than the M3... more of an upscale interior. and if you want a v8... it seems like the way to go The m5 has 100 more torque than the m3. and about 70 hp.
I hope this link works
Carpoint Comparo 3 cars
A somewhat relevant article...the 2006 WRX reviewed and compared to the 06 BMW330 and 06 Audi A4 (if I could find the actual AJAC test article I would have posted that instead.....
Playing with the big kids
Not as luxurious as some of its rivals, but it's still a thrill
Fri Jan 20 2006
By Haney Louka
2006 Subaru Impreza WRX
IT takes guts to do what Subaru did. And it almost paid off.
During the annual Canadian Car of the Year TestFest in Shannonville, Ont., last October, Subaru made a gutsy move: they pitted the redesigned (but still gritty) 2006 WRX against the polished Audi A4, BMW 330i and Lexus IS 350.
Yikes.
Never mind that those three cars come from pedigreed luxury marques, or that they came to the ring wearing sticker prices at least $15,000 north of the WRX's. The Subaru fits in with this group about as well as Happy Gilmore at the country club. But that's OK, because in my opinion the WRX best defines what a sports sedan should be. Even though it was my personal pick for best sports sedan, the Bimmer ended up at the head of its class in this competition. WRX was third. The Audi was fourth.
One glance at the new WRX and two things become immediately evident: first, this is not a complete redesign. The car still has econobox proportions complete with short wheelbase and long overhangs, in a day when wheelbase measurements are being stretched on virtually every new model to be introduced into the marketplace. Not only does this practice maximize interior space, it also helps give the car a more aggressive stance. But the next thing you'll notice is that the car has a fresh new nose, along with other cosmetic changes, that manage to make the car look more upscale -- as much as the current platform will allow, anyway. Following the styling direction established by the 2006 Tribeca, the WRX -- along with the entire Impreza line -- sports a new headlight-and-grille assembly with the grille resembling the fuselage and wings of an aircraft. It's a nod, the company says, to parent company Fuji Heavy Industries' aerospace involvement that began in 1917.
The most significant change to the WRX for '06 comes in the form of a larger turbocharged engine -- up 500 cc to 2.5 litres, the same flat-four engine that thrums under the hood of the larger Forester XT. By the numbers, the resulting power increases relative to last year's 2.0-litre are mild: up three horses to 230 at 5,600 rpm, and a more significant 18 lb-ft gain to 235 lb-ft of torque. From the seat of the pants, and as well as I can remember from the WRX I drove four years ago, power delivery is more substantial lower down in the rev range and just a little more urgent when the boost is up. Not that there was anything wrong with the power delivery in the last WRX, of course.
Power is routed through a five-speed manual transmission (a four-speed slushbox is optional, but why?) to all four wheels via Subaru's "symmetrical" all-wheel-drive system. In the manual-equipped WRX application, this means viscous limited-slip centre and rear differentials to apportion torque appropriately to the wheels with the most grip.
According to tests conducted by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada in October, putting the power to the pavement is not a problem. A street start (i.e. no high-rev clutch-dropping) yielded a zero-to-100 km/h time of 5.6 seconds, neck-and-neck with the 300-plus hp Lexus and way ahead of the BMW and Audi that it competed against. Accelerating from 80 to 120 in third gear took just 4.5 seconds, fastest of the bunch.
Stopping isn't a problem either. When it comes time to dial that speed down in a hurry, vented discs are located at each corner, waiting to be sandwiched by four-piston calipers in front and dual-piston calipers in the rear. ABS is standard fare, as is electronic brake force distribution.
Not bad for a $35K Subaru, eh? $35,495 to be exact, with a decent list of standard features: automatic climate control, wheel-mounted cruise control, six-disc audio, fog lights, rear spoiler, keyless entry, 45-series 17-inch tires, front and side airbags, engine immobilizer, and a rear-seat folding centre armrest with trunk pass-through. Unfortunately, a split-folding rear seat is not available in the sedan.
The only factory options for the WRX are a glass moonroof and the aforementioned four-speed automatic transmission.
Certainly there are things that make this Subaru at least $15,000 less than the cars we compared it to at Shannonville. First, it doesn't look a whole lot different from the base $23,000 Impreza. It's not luxurious or especially quiet inside. Standing still, it's not a feast for the senses nor does it boast the latest technologies like its pricier rivals.
But these aren't criticisms; rather, they're simply justification for a lower sticker price than those of the WRX's rivals. But make no mistake: you may be giving up many things by buying this Subaru over an Audi or BMW, but performance is most certainly not one of them.
Shopping Around
Other than the pricier sedans mentioned above, there are a few other sedans that promise driving fun for the whole family:
Acura TSX ($34,900)
Mazdaspeed6 ($35,995)
Nissan Altima SE-R ($35,998)
VW Jetta GLI ($TBA)
A buddy of mine is on his 2nd STi. I guess they have too much power :)
If the STi is more on insurance, then I'd opt for the S4. There's a LOT of potential for those cars, even with non-powertrain upgrades only.
With that said, if I forgot my common sense at the door, I'd opt for the lower insurance but still fun WRX. I have this problem with paying silly amounts of cash for "extra", although the WRX - STi transition is more sensical than Focus ZX3/4 --> SVT Focus.
Wow... that article is just... WOW.
I want one.