USEFUL INFO: For all considering the purchase of a new 2008 STI

**Kevin** · 12-26-2007, 07:32 PM

This is an evolving thread, which means it will be modified as more IWSTI members contribute to it based on their knowledge and or experience. If you know of something that you believe would be useful to other potential owners, please reply to this thread.

The web can deliver some useful information, but I thought I would add this here for those considering the purchase of an 2008 Impreza WRX STi. I will also include a few things that I find myself repeating to potential STi owners.

Feel free to drop me an email and let me know what you think of this information: kevin @ i w s t i.com

You should go into the dealership armed with this information so you are on equal footing to negotiate the price of your STi. When the dealership agrees to charge you 500 over invoice, you will know to ask whether that is 500 over invoice for just the car or whether that is a total pf 500 over invoice for the car and all the options (is it with or without tax?).

Nevertheless, remember that dealerships are in business to turn a profit. If you are a continuing customer, then the better dealerships will reward you and demonstrate that they appreciate your business. Others will treat you exactly how you do not want or expect to be treated. You need to remind them you are the one with the money they want. Of course, they will do their best to remind you they have the car that you want, but the 08 STi is not like the 04 STis--they will not command the same premium for a number of reasons.

Plus, the Internet is 4 years older and we know how to shop it.

This is the old checklist we created when the 2004 STI came out. For now I am reprinting it in full:

Before you pick up your STi, check the following because most (not all) Subaru dealerships are notorious for doing an incomplete job:

1) Check to see if your tires are inflated to the proper setting

2) Check all the fluids in the engine bay including the engine oil, antifreeze in the radiator, and transmission oil.

3) Specifically ask the dealership to check the oil levels in the differentials (some STis have been delivered with low levels of oil which were not discovered until significant mileage had occurred.)

4) If you get any options that involve the removal of a stock piece like the mirror or the armrest, request the stock pieces back; or ask for a rebate. Since they want you to pay for the stock piece (when you calculate the base price) and then pay the price of the option, you should be entitled to the stock piece or a rebate.

5) Did I mention floor mats?

6) Verify that you receive the little ID tag that identifies your STi's key code in the event you need to request one in the future.

7) If you want to buy an extended warranty, do not worry you can still purchase it up and through the 3 yr and 36k mile warranty. It may be cheaper to negotiate through another dealership after you have a chance to learn more information. If you buy the extended warranty and then decide to cancel it, you loose a certain percentage.

8) In almost all instances, if you buy the service warranty where the dealership will perform all your oil changes, etc, consider whether you will want to switch over to synthetic motor oil and ask if that is covered in the warranty and if not, how much more is it. Generally, these warranties do not make sense from a financial standpoint. They are more for convenience and piece of mind. You lay out a bunch of money up front that you could be investing elsewhere. You could then spend that money AS NEEDED to have the dealership or your local mechanic perform your service work.

9) Do not fall for the bogus add ons like paint protection. I would refuse to pay for it.

10) Seriously consider the area in which you live and the conditions under which you will be driving your car. Subaru paint is considered by some to be inferior to a lot of other factory paints. Over the course of a year, you could end up with a few rock chips. To prevent this, I strongly recommend that you have someone professionally install the type of 3M paint protection. I wished I had. You can thank me in a year when you see that other Subaru have the rock chips and yours still looks like it did when it came off the showroom floor. I would recommend the whole nose be covered with this product in addition to the mirrors and lights. Before selling yourself on it, learn about it more including its warranties and anything you might consider drawbacks. I have only touted its advantages. Also, do not pay for a dealership to provide, they can charge you up to 5xs what it costs for you to contract with a professional installer.

11) If you think something a dealer says to you is BS, it probably is. When in doubt, post a question here and the experienced members including myself can give you advice concerning fishy statements such as, "These are the last remaining STis in the state this month" or "Subaru will be discontinuing the STi after this year." If they say something that is bogus, ask them to back it up with objective verifiable proof such a legitimate document from which they received their information preferably something on Subaru of America stationary.

12) When in doubt, tell them you want to think about it, get up and walk out. Chances are they will concede to whatever you are asking for before you get in your car and pull off the lot. Any offer made today should still be open tomorrow so long as the car has not already sold.

13) [No longer applied, so I deleted it.]

14) The wheels can be a pain to clean because the pads throw off a lot of dust. Read a write up on what has been found that works well to help with this. If you scroll down you can learn what others have found that works for them as well

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/detailin...rake-dust.html

15) Test drive the STi you will be buying. I think all if not most of the 2004 STis were driven off the dealership lots with the steering wheel crooked. It is hardly noticeable until you know that it is an issue, then it will begin to buy you everyday that you drive your STi. This is correctable by a simple alignment which I believe every dealership is required to do before you take possession of the vehicle (i.e. do not let them make you pay for it). Simply drive the car in a straight line and verify that your STi does not require the steering wheel to be slighting off center to do this. I cannot recall if the wheel was only to the left or the right, or whether it was mixed on the 2004 models, but you can also check it by holding the steering wheel perfectly straight and monitoring whether the car drives in a straight line or not.

16) There are all kinds of theories out there about how you should brake in your car and for how long and when you should change the oil for the first time and when you should change over to synthetic if you plan on doing that.

17)After buying your 2008 STi and posting pictures of it for all the members on imprezawrxsti.com to see, visit some of our sponsors and buy accessories and performance enhancements for your new vehicle early and often. (okay, I know a shameless plug)

18) [no longer applied so I deleted it]
19) If you were even thinking about getting an EVO, check it out. EVo drivers will tell you to buy EVO, STi drivers will tell you to buy STi. Why not drive both and choose for yourself. I am biased and like the STi because of the linear power delivery. I have not driven an 08 balls-out in a straight line or in the twisties yet, but it seems Subaru made changes to push it out ahead of the EVO in a lot of respects, but we will have to wait and see what the magazines say. The STi's interior is hands down superior to the EVOs, though the EVO does come with Recaros while the STi gets added support in its Sport bucket seats--something lacking in STI.

If you are in the Western Region area looking for your 2008 STi, email me and I can try and put you in touch with the right salesperson who will try to work with you on your purchase.

Good luck and remember that the dealership has to make a reasonable amount of profit. So many times people forget this, but be prepared to negotiate for that reasonable price because dealerships can attempt to charge you a premium when it is unwarranted or overcharge you without you realizing it until it is too late and you are doing your post purchase research or you learn about somebody's else experience. I put this together so you could have a positive experience and walk away from your purchase happy and with no regrets.

Some common lingo you might read about on these forums if you buy a 2008 STi and decide you want to participate in this highly addicting dialogue about everything STi:

JDM=Japanese Domestic Market
USDM=US Domestic Market

In Japan, a special version of the STi is made called the Spec C, which is a stripped down model without the creature comforts and some additional performance items.

We can add more to this thread so the ignorant can become less ignorant. Unless you have been around Subarus for the last 5 years or more, chances are there is still more to learn.

Please donate if you have the means so this site can continue to grow and expand.

For those new to IWSTI, here is an FYI: The forums are a bit like the wild wild west. If your statements can be interpreted in more than one way, chances are they will be. Be ready for anything, and come back early and post often. The more the size of this rapidly growing STi community grows, the better for everyone.

Welcome aboard. The goal of myself, the moderators, and the members of this site are to organize and share as much information so to make things easier for everyone. If you feel like you have something new or different to add based on your own experience, please feel free to post a reply (even if you have been a lurker for awhile).

Kevin
kevin @ i w s t i.com

PS: Do not forget to support the vendors on this site by purchasing your performance items from them. Sometimes you might be able to find a slightly lower price elsewhere, but chances are you may not get the same service or individualized attention or suport as you will from the vendors that pay to be on these forums.

12-26-2007, 07:32 PM	#1
Kevin Admin Car: Silver 2004 STI Fav Mod: The Driver Location: Southern California Posts: 11,671 Join Date: Jan 2001 Trader Rating: (1)	USEFUL INFO: For all considering the purchase of a new 2008 STI This is an evolving thread, which means it will be modified as more IWSTI members contribute to it based on their knowledge and or experience. If you know of something that you believe would be useful to other potential owners, please reply to this thread. The web can deliver some useful information, but I thought I would add this here for those considering the purchase of an 2008 Impreza WRX STi. I will also include a few things that I find myself repeating to potential STi owners. Feel free to drop me an email and let me know what you think of this information: kevin @ i w s t i.com You should go into the dealership armed with this information so you are on equal footing to negotiate the price of your STi. When the dealership agrees to charge you 500 over invoice, you will know to ask whether that is 500 over invoice for just the car or whether that is a total pf 500 over invoice for the car and all the options (is it with or without tax?). Nevertheless, remember that dealerships are in business to turn a profit. If you are a continuing customer, then the better dealerships will reward you and demonstrate that they appreciate your business. Others will treat you exactly how you do not want or expect to be treated. You need to remind them you are the one with the money they want. Of course, they will do their best to remind you they have the car that you want, but the 08 STi is not like the 04 STis--they will not command the same premium for a number of reasons. Plus, the Internet is 4 years older and we know how to shop it. This is the old checklist we created when the 2004 STI came out. For now I am reprinting it in full: Before you pick up your STi, check the following because most (not all) Subaru dealerships are notorious for doing an incomplete job: 1) Check to see if your tires are inflated to the proper setting 2) Check all the fluids in the engine bay including the engine oil, antifreeze in the radiator, and transmission oil. 3) Specifically ask the dealership to check the oil levels in the differentials (some STis have been delivered with low levels of oil which were not discovered until significant mileage had occurred.) 4) If you get any options that involve the removal of a stock piece like the mirror or the armrest, request the stock pieces back; or ask for a rebate. Since they want you to pay for the stock piece (when you calculate the base price) and then pay the price of the option, you should be entitled to the stock piece or a rebate. 5) Did I mention floor mats? 6) Verify that you receive the little ID tag that identifies your STi's key code in the event you need to request one in the future. 7) If you want to buy an extended warranty, do not worry you can still purchase it up and through the 3 yr and 36k mile warranty. It may be cheaper to negotiate through another dealership after you have a chance to learn more information. If you buy the extended warranty and then decide to cancel it, you loose a certain percentage. 8) In almost all instances, if you buy the service warranty where the dealership will perform all your oil changes, etc, consider whether you will want to switch over to synthetic motor oil and ask if that is covered in the warranty and if not, how much more is it. Generally, these warranties do not make sense from a financial standpoint. They are more for convenience and piece of mind. You lay out a bunch of money up front that you could be investing elsewhere. You could then spend that money AS NEEDED to have the dealership or your local mechanic perform your service work. 9) Do not fall for the bogus add ons like paint protection. I would refuse to pay for it. 10) Seriously consider the area in which you live and the conditions under which you will be driving your car. Subaru paint is considered by some to be inferior to a lot of other factory paints. Over the course of a year, you could end up with a few rock chips. To prevent this, I strongly recommend that you have someone professionally install the type of 3M paint protection. I wished I had. You can thank me in a year when you see that other Subaru have the rock chips and yours still looks like it did when it came off the showroom floor. I would recommend the whole nose be covered with this product in addition to the mirrors and lights. Before selling yourself on it, learn about it more including its warranties and anything you might consider drawbacks. I have only touted its advantages. Also, do not pay for a dealership to provide, they can charge you up to 5xs what it costs for you to contract with a professional installer. 11) If you think something a dealer says to you is BS, it probably is. When in doubt, post a question here and the experienced members including myself can give you advice concerning fishy statements such as, "These are the last remaining STis in the state this month" or "Subaru will be discontinuing the STi after this year." If they say something that is bogus, ask them to back it up with objective verifiable proof such a legitimate document from which they received their information preferably something on Subaru of America stationary. 12) When in doubt, tell them you want to think about it, get up and walk out. Chances are they will concede to whatever you are asking for before you get in your car and pull off the lot. Any offer made today should still be open tomorrow so long as the car has not already sold. 13) [No longer applied, so I deleted it.] 14) The wheels can be a pain to clean because the pads throw off a lot of dust. Read a write up on what has been found that works well to help with this. If you scroll down you can learn what others have found that works for them as well http://www.iwsti.com/forums/detailin...rake-dust.html 15) Test drive the STi you will be buying. I think all if not most of the 2004 STis were driven off the dealership lots with the steering wheel crooked. It is hardly noticeable until you know that it is an issue, then it will begin to buy you everyday that you drive your STi. This is correctable by a simple alignment which I believe every dealership is required to do before you take possession of the vehicle (i.e. do not let them make you pay for it). Simply drive the car in a straight line and verify that your STi does not require the steering wheel to be slighting off center to do this. I cannot recall if the wheel was only to the left or the right, or whether it was mixed on the 2004 models, but you can also check it by holding the steering wheel perfectly straight and monitoring whether the car drives in a straight line or not. 16) There are all kinds of theories out there about how you should brake in your car and for how long and when you should change the oil for the first time and when you should change over to synthetic if you plan on doing that. 17)After buying your 2008 STi and posting pictures of it for all the members on imprezawrxsti.com to see, visit some of our sponsors and buy accessories and performance enhancements for your new vehicle early and often. (okay, I know a shameless plug) 18) [no longer applied so I deleted it] 19) If you were even thinking about getting an EVO, check it out. EVo drivers will tell you to buy EVO, STi drivers will tell you to buy STi. Why not drive both and choose for yourself. I am biased and like the STi because of the linear power delivery. I have not driven an 08 balls-out in a straight line or in the twisties yet, but it seems Subaru made changes to push it out ahead of the EVO in a lot of respects, but we will have to wait and see what the magazines say. The STi's interior is hands down superior to the EVOs, though the EVO does come with Recaros while the STi gets added support in its Sport bucket seats--something lacking in STI. If you are in the Western Region area looking for your 2008 STi, email me and I can try and put you in touch with the right salesperson who will try to work with you on your purchase. Good luck and remember that the dealership has to make a reasonable amount of profit. So many times people forget this, but be prepared to negotiate for that reasonable price because dealerships can attempt to charge you a premium when it is unwarranted or overcharge you without you realizing it until it is too late and you are doing your post purchase research or you learn about somebody's else experience. I put this together so you could have a positive experience and walk away from your purchase happy and with no regrets. Some common lingo you might read about on these forums if you buy a 2008 STi and decide you want to participate in this highly addicting dialogue about everything STi: JDM=Japanese Domestic Market USDM=US Domestic Market In Japan, a special version of the STi is made called the Spec C, which is a stripped down model without the creature comforts and some additional performance items. We can add more to this thread so the ignorant can become less ignorant. Unless you have been around Subarus for the last 5 years or more, chances are there is still more to learn. Please donate if you have the means so this site can continue to grow and expand. For those new to IWSTI, here is an FYI: The forums are a bit like the wild wild west. If your statements can be interpreted in more than one way, chances are they will be. Be ready for anything, and come back early and post often. The more the size of this rapidly growing STi community grows, the better for everyone. Welcome aboard. The goal of myself, the moderators, and the members of this site are to organize and share as much information so to make things easier for everyone. If you feel like you have something new or different to add based on your own experience, please feel free to post a reply (even if you have been a lurker for awhile). Kevin kevin @ i w s t i.com PS: Do not forget to support the vendors on this site by purchasing your performance items from them. Sometimes you might be able to find a slightly lower price elsewhere, but chances are you may not get the same service or individualized attention or suport as you will from the vendors that pay to be on these forums. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.