BMW 135i VS Subaru STI ...

[sacha101]

What do you folks think of the Subaru STI ? I've never driven one... but i sat in it and it felt OK ... felt cheap and boring...
How are the driving and acceleration compared to the mighty 135i ??

[BMW86]

I'd personally pick the EVO X over the STI any day of the week.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...light=135i+STI

[Sylon]

I used to own an Impreza 2.5i, but I drove my friend's 400whp STi and it was awesome. If you are willing to give up a lot of luxuries, then go for the STi. However the Evo X is better looking and probably better handling.

[Vaaaan]

I had a 2003 WRX with lots of engine mods and I loved it more than anything. After it died @ ~110,000 miles (of extremely hard driving) I got a 2006 G35, sold the G to a friend last year and was ready to go back to Subaru and get a 2009 STi, but a Subaru rep on a forum pissed me off so I looked elsewhere and ended up in the 135i.

I miss the AWD of the WRX but love the RWD on the 135, I miss the power till redline of the turbo H4 but love the massive torque of the TT I6, and I miss the 'ugly' look of the Subaru but love the classy look of BMW, miss the old sound love the new sound, miss the raw feel love the smooth feel, etc...

Even though they have nearly opposite personalities they're basically equal in my mind. Couldn't be happier with the 1 and I think I would have felt the same with the STi.

[Lucky1]

Everything I've seen and heard about the STI leads me to believe that its basically a street legal rally car. If comfort and street manners are high on your list I'd stick with the Bimmer. But if you like stiff suspension, probably better handling (with the stock tires anyway) and turbo lag go with the STI.

[MOCKBA]

Any price difference? I noticed several members of the board sold 135 for WRX, so certainly you should consider STI

[ben14142001]

I came from an STi. It's similar and different. The thing that got to me was the rattles. I sold it with 40k on the odo, and there were like 7 different rattles in that thing I could never find. Other than that, the car was great. Very reliable, awesome in the snow and fun to drive.

[ErvGotti]

Here we go again

The new hatchback STi's are more civil, but not as civil as a 135i.

Ok my supervisor has a STi with a tune, suspension, and full exhaust DP and all, and I got a JB+, DCI's, Fmic, and coilovers, and I've got him from a dig and roll, but not by much, we're really about equal.

But I've still got the stock exhaust and it's easier to live with on long drives. Yes I want a performance Exhaust, and I'm gonna go with berk, but I'm gonna get the street instead of race to keep things quite in the cab.

Just my opinion I love the civility and performance of a 135i comapred to anything in it's price range, stock for stock. (Note the civility).

[Red Bread]

Yeah, the 135i is a big ol' teddy bear compared to the STi. Both generations of US STi's are much, much stiffer, have much more direct and immediate steering and have comical levels of turbo lag. They're also capable of returning mid single digit mileage if you drive them hard in the city. But to my senses, they're more driver involving (not quite as much as the EVO) but they're a bit tiring for longer drives.

The 135i is much more of a GT style car, much softer, friendlier to the driver, and less direct, but rewarding in different ways. I'll always prefer pure rwd, no amount of computers can hide that the STi is moving power all over the place, which is amusing, but not very rewarding to the driver, my grandma could drive one just as fast as I could. Different cars, different approach, but pretty similar results. The 2011 STi sedan without a wing would be an interesting comparison to the 135i, and probably pretty similar in price.

[JimD]

The EVO is compared to the M3 in the current Roundel. The 135 would have probably been a better comparison. I was surprised the EVO is over $40K. The other surprising thing is the EVO overheated pretty badly, both transmission and engine, when used on a track. They also found it to be an obviously less expensive car in terms of the details of construction.

I suspect that switching to a STI versus a 135i might result in similar points but I've never driven or even ridden in a STI (nor do I have any real desire to).

To me it's apples versus oranges because I do not look at the 135 or even my 128 as fast compact cars. I look at them as quick luxury cars.

Jim

[Xyloft]

the 2011 STI is supposed to be a lot more race inspired than the 08/09/10 STI's. i havnt followed to closesly though.

I had an 06 sti and it was raw and the most fun car to drive when you wanted to push the car to the limits. it was a little too harsh for a daily driver for me though.

can't go wrong either way, but if you compare the price tag of an optioned 135 to an stock STI you'll have a lot of money to spend on mods

[michifan]

The STI is a good car, but I would never buy it because of the boy-racer looks and cheap interior. To me it screams I just got out of college and bought this instead of saving up for a house.

[BimmerSchnitzel]

Originally Posted by michifan

The STI is a good car, but I would never buy it because of the boy-racer looks and cheap interior. To me it screams I just got out of college and bought this instead of saving up for a house.

Well shit I did that with the 135i lol

[ridin135]

I want to get a wrx for a winter car waiting on the 2011 to come out.

[babyboss]

in a drag race .. stock cars .. with lc off - i lose .. with lc on - i win ..

[Xyloft]

Originally Posted by michifan

The STI is a good car, but I would never buy it because of the boy-racer looks and cheap interior. To me it screams I just got out of college and bought this instead of saving up for a house.

lol exactly what i did, but i bought a house anyway...

[IUpod]

Ah, the rare thread I can meaningfully contribute to....

I had an 05 STi for 3 years. I spent a lot upgrading the stereo, exterior, suspension, exhaust/tune, all the basics. The car was done and perfect and then I gloriously destroyed it on a canyon road. I ordered a 135i to replace it, wussed out in the 11th hour and bought an 08 STi. The second STi, though, lasted me only 6 months before I tired of it and bought the 135i.

I would have kept my 05 forever. No frills but I thought it was plenty comfy as a daily driver. Clutch is much stiffer than a 1 but stock shifting is similarly medium-longish. It was a little tougher to drive as smoothly without the low-end torque but not unpleasantly so. Suspension, too, though stiffer, was not unreasonable. In fact, for harshness, the 135i with stock runflats hurts just as much over bumps. Power-delivery couldn't be more different as everyone knows. Similar in total but, yes, you wait for it. When it comes, it's very impressive. The 135 does not have that burst but feels stronger thoughout. You cannot drive an STi in any gear at any speed as you can a 135. All that applies to the 08 STi as well but there were more complaints....

The 08 STi's seats were absolute trash. The interior minus the blue and pink was reduced to mediocre AND boring. The exterior paint was comically thin. And I'm sure they've made progress by now but the 1st year, the basic Cobb and Perrin tunes (our JB and Procede equivalents) had all sorts of issues. Mine snapped into safe mode 1 too many times to bear. Body-roll with the wagon was obviously more of an issue. Still, the wagons look so badass (to my eyes). Everytime I see one (like every few minutes here in SLC), I think, "How did I not like that car?!" But I didn't.

As far as racing away from lights stock vs. stock (in the dry), the 135 should win (and surprise the Subie driver everytime). Backwards as it seems with the STi having AWD, it's very hard to launch well. I find the 1 much easier to tear away in given a real-world stop-light contest. The STi is closer to a racecar, though, no two-ways about it. 135s are a little too soft in the turns for my liking and high-speed bends? - advantage STi as that AWD goes to work.

And though the STi with Blizzaks was unstoppable in the snow, I've been pleasantly surprised at how usable the 135 has been wearing the same LM-25s. Finally, I saw about 21 mpg in my STis, 24 in my 135i on the same roads.

Very different cars through and though but similarly fast in the real world. Go drive one.

[JHOOPS2]

I had a 2004 WRX. I absolutely loved the car. It was a good change from the cobra, and very nimble. However, I am in my 30's now, and a scooby-doo, or EVO just doesn't make me feel comfortable or that I am being taken seriously. So, I will soon be getting another BMW, preferably a 135i.

[scott135i]

The new STI is a waste of $ IMO. If you want to do it right, but an Impreza WRX and have fun with some minor tweaks. Take one for a ride if you haven't. Power, handling, driving feel, and awd system are top notch for a new car at ~25k. The STi which is comparable to the EVO X are above the $30k mark by a couple thousand and not worth it IMO.

Yes, the interior is cheaper compared to BMW, but you're comparing apples to oranges. Overall feel and driving experience of the WRX and STi's are quite pleasant. Check it out and see for yourself.

FWIW, Subaru is re-releasing the sedan style STI for 2011, in the past (I believe) 2 years, for the STi it only had the 'ugly' (IMO) hatch..... Some people love the hatch..

[Evice]

I just can't get over the super soft steering feel of Subbys

[BForbes]

A friend of mine has a white '10 STI. I sure like how that thing sounds.

[auto-rocks]

Well, I can contribute to this. I have owned an 08 WRX which was total crap. it felt like my dad's malibu, fast yet soft. I then got an 08 EVO GSR with the 5 speed manual. The EVO is very fast, but did not compare to the handling to my 06 RX-8. I was expecting a sports car from the WRX and was disappointed. I also expected a sports car from the EVO and was satisfied, but the thing still felt like an econobox with a huge turbo and it needed a 6th gear.

I can't wait until the 1M. I guess a natural progression for a 31 year old "boy racer"