so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :)

jph · 12-13-2007, 03:50 PM

i posted this in the local norcal thread, but i guess i'll post it here too for all other potential '08 sti shoppers

a little background story; used to have an 04 sti, modified the crap out of it. then in august 2008, i got a new toy, a 2008 mazda mx-5 grand touring.

now, we have a second baby due in june 2008, so i'll be needing a car that has room for more than one passenger. ... i'm planning to get a 08 sti.

seriously, the car is great.
but it's more grown up (eg. the wife approval factor should be strong in this one)

i was getting an oil change done, and decided to run across the road to capitol subaru, asking if they had any brochures on the 08 sti.

the only sales guy there was new (one week on the job) so he was all friendly, and ran over to print some info from their internal site or something.

asked him to give me a call when he got one in, so i could take it for a spin.

then walked over to the service dept. to say hi to Justin. told him i'm thinking of getting a new sti. so he asked if i has seen them. "in pictures and magazines" was my reply.
so he asked: do you want to see one ? followed by a "hell yeah" from me

he disappeared for a minute then asked me to follow him to their back parking lot.
followed by a SOA rep that happened to be visiting the dealership... driving an '08 sti!

he gave me some info on the new dccd and SI drive system (holy complicated hell!)
but it's pretty cool. the stock ecu actually has multiple maps, each one of them programmable. he went on to say that companies like Ecutec and Cobb already had the software to do the programming and tuning this guy meant business

he said that he took it to an auto-x last weekend, and that while still playing with tire pressures, he was beating modified sti's.

then off to hit the road.
this car seemed fully loaded with options, fogs, optinal bbs wheels, nav system etc...

did a quick drive, took it over some spots where the road is torn up pretty bad to see how the suspension was. surprizingly good! it ate up the bumps! very comfy, yet firm. i did not do any wild cornering though.

got on the freeway and punched it in 4th from 50 to 80mph. not bad for stock, very little lag. nice.

the stock shifter has gotten better. it's a lot less sloppy. still, i'm sure that kartboy will come up with something better (and shorter)

exhaust note is pretty nice for being stock. but i'm driving a dead silent car right now. the SOA rep told me that it's actually quieter than the 07 sti.

rear passengers actually have legroom! yes! with the drivers seat in my favorite position, i could sit in the back without having to twist my legs in some weird position.

stock seats are nice too. but they don't grip me as good as the mx-5 seats.
they do seem to have bigger side bolstering, as i was hitting them with my arm when shifting.

the hand-brake is placed extremely close to the drivers seat...

and there you have it

my little review of the '08 sti after a quick 15 minute drive around the neighborhood.

J.

pwn · 12-13-2007, 04:17 PM

Awesome

thanks!

Subaru13 · 12-13-2007, 04:20 PM

sweet

USNSTI · 12-13-2007, 04:23 PM

You lucky SOB..... J/K thanks for the review.

RFFG · 12-13-2007, 04:26 PM

Nice!

Thanks for sharing...

USNSTI · 12-13-2007, 04:49 PM

NO video? FAIL.

***VSGTS14*** · 12-13-2007, 04:51 PM

damn i want one to come to my local subaru dealer! wtf!

Iguana · 12-13-2007, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USNSTI

NO video? FAIL.

No pics? FAIL.

Naw,Jk

STIVendetta · 12-13-2007, 05:32 PM

Great review! Thanks!

blaznwrx · 12-13-2007, 05:58 PM

thanks for sharing.
i am going into the dealer next week to get my front rotors replaced (i did the rears but i couldnt get the last friggin bolt off in the fronts...) so hopefully have they have an 08 sti... if not.. i noticed they had a 08 specB w/ the 6spd so.. i want to test drive that!

**Kevin** · 12-13-2007, 07:23 PM

Thanks for the review! I agree the car is better in person. Previous owners will come to love it more than they might think. With the boyracer look gone, this is going to be one hot car!

CharcoalSTI · 12-13-2007, 07:29 PM

Did it look better in person ...

jph · 12-13-2007, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharcoalSTI

Did it look better in person ...

actually, i never had a problem with how it looked in pictures.
i like hatches

honestly, do you think that the previous sti models looked good ?
i never got '04 sti because of it's looks either. honestly... imreza's, wrx's or sti's always have been ugly cars IMHO.

this one actually looks a bit more modern

but in all seriousness... compared to the "regular" '08 wrx, the '08 sti looks WAY better

J.

***sti-liger*** · 12-13-2007, 08:41 PM

man your lucky!! i sat in a 08 wrx hatch today and liked it so i cant wait to see the new sti, my dealer said not until February

blaznwrx · 12-13-2007, 09:03 PM

i dont know what it is.. i saw the 08 WRX and it was just not doing it for me.

the wide fenders of the STi however made it look friggin MEAN
i want silver on silver!!!!

12-13-2007, 03:50 PM	#1
jph S204 Racer Car: '08 STi Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,690 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (9)	so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) i posted this in the local norcal thread, but i guess i'll post it here too for all other potential '08 sti shoppers a little background story; used to have an 04 sti, modified the crap out of it. then in august 2008, i got a new toy, a 2008 mazda mx-5 grand touring. now, we have a second baby due in june 2008, so i'll be needing a car that has room for more than one passenger. ... i'm planning to get a 08 sti. seriously, the car is great. but it's more grown up (eg. the wife approval factor should be strong in this one) i was getting an oil change done, and decided to run across the road to capitol subaru, asking if they had any brochures on the 08 sti. the only sales guy there was new (one week on the job) so he was all friendly, and ran over to print some info from their internal site or something. asked him to give me a call when he got one in, so i could take it for a spin. then walked over to the service dept. to say hi to Justin. told him i'm thinking of getting a new sti. so he asked if i has seen them. "in pictures and magazines" was my reply. so he asked: do you want to see one ? followed by a "hell yeah" from me he disappeared for a minute then asked me to follow him to their back parking lot. followed by a SOA rep that happened to be visiting the dealership... driving an '08 sti! he gave me some info on the new dccd and SI drive system (holy complicated hell!) but it's pretty cool. the stock ecu actually has multiple maps, each one of them programmable. he went on to say that companies like Ecutec and Cobb already had the software to do the programming and tuning this guy meant business he said that he took it to an auto-x last weekend, and that while still playing with tire pressures, he was beating modified sti's. then off to hit the road. this car seemed fully loaded with options, fogs, optinal bbs wheels, nav system etc... did a quick drive, took it over some spots where the road is torn up pretty bad to see how the suspension was. surprizingly good! it ate up the bumps! very comfy, yet firm. i did not do any wild cornering though. got on the freeway and punched it in 4th from 50 to 80mph. not bad for stock, very little lag. nice. the stock shifter has gotten better. it's a lot less sloppy. still, i'm sure that kartboy will come up with something better (and shorter) exhaust note is pretty nice for being stock. but i'm driving a dead silent car right now. the SOA rep told me that it's actually quieter than the 07 sti. rear passengers actually have legroom! yes! with the drivers seat in my favorite position, i could sit in the back without having to twist my legs in some weird position. stock seats are nice too. but they don't grip me as good as the mx-5 seats. they do seem to have bigger side bolstering, as i was hitting them with my arm when shifting. the hand-brake is placed extremely close to the drivers seat... and there you have it my little review of the '08 sti after a quick 15 minute drive around the neighborhood. J. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

12-13-2007, 04:17 PM	#2
pwn Senior STI Driver Car: WRB 08 STI Fav Mod: Only one - Cobb AP Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 346 Join Date: Jan 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) Awesome thanks!

12-13-2007, 04:20 PM	#3
Subaru13 Silver Member Car: 07 STI Fav Mod: 05 taillights Location: Taunton, MA Posts: 578 Join Date: Feb 2007 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) sweet

12-13-2007, 04:23 PM	#4
USNSTI Silver Member Car: OBP 07 STi Fav Mod: Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame Location: San Diego Posts: 1,027 Join Date: Dec 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) You lucky SOB..... J/K thanks for the review.

12-13-2007, 04:26 PM	#5
RFFG Spec C Club Car: 1998 Impreza GF8 Location: Miami, Fl. Posts: 2,260 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (3)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) Nice! Thanks for sharing...

12-13-2007, 04:49 PM	#6
USNSTI Silver Member Car: OBP 07 STi Fav Mod: Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame Location: San Diego Posts: 1,027 Join Date: Dec 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) NO video? FAIL.

12-13-2007, 04:51 PM	#7
*VSGTS14* Muller Chevrolet Car: 05 WRB STi Fav Mod: fp green Location: Milford, NJ Posts: 9,425 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) damn i want one to come to my local subaru dealer! wtf!

12-13-2007, 05:32 PM	#9
STIVendetta Spec C Club Car: << 07-STi >> Fav Mod: A Good Wax Job Location: NC- Kingdom of AWD Posts: 1,238 Join Date: May 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) Great review! Thanks!

12-13-2007, 05:58 PM	#10
blaznwrx Junior STI Driver Car: Blaze Yellow WRX Fav Mod: New Fat Sticky Tires Posts: 158 Join Date: Oct 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) thanks for sharing. i am going into the dealer next week to get my front rotors replaced (i did the rears but i couldnt get the last friggin bolt off in the fronts...) so hopefully have they have an 08 sti... if not.. i noticed they had a 08 specB w/ the 6spd so.. i want to test drive that!

12-13-2007, 07:23 PM	#11
Kevin Admin Car: Silver 2004 STI Fav Mod: The Driver Location: Southern California Posts: 11,654 Join Date: Jan 2001 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) Thanks for the review! I agree the car is better in person. Previous owners will come to love it more than they might think. With the boyracer look gone, this is going to be one hot car!

12-13-2007, 07:29 PM	#12
CharcoalSTI STI Driver Car: SGM 06 STI Fav Mod: Prodrive GC010G's Location: Ballard, WA Posts: 263 Join Date: Nov 2007 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) Did it look better in person ...

12-13-2007, 08:41 PM	#14
*sti-liger* this space for rent Car: 04 psm sti Fav Mod: custom 03 seats Location: california Posts: 739 Join Date: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) man your lucky!! i sat in a 08 wrx hatch today and liked it so i cant wait to see the new sti, my dealer said not until February

12-13-2007, 09:03 PM	#15
blaznwrx Junior STI Driver Car: Blaze Yellow WRX Fav Mod: New Fat Sticky Tires Posts: 158 Join Date: Oct 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: so i got to test drive a 2008 sti today :) i dont know what it is.. i saw the 08 WRX and it was just not doing it for me. the wide fenders of the STi however made it look friggin MEAN i want silver on silver!!!! This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.