[chelidon]

So my 08 STI saga comes to a happy ending at last. After ordering my 08 DGM/BBS the very first day it was covered under the VIP Program (early January), then having it finally show up on the exact same day the Stop Sale order came in (early April), and finding out it was in fact in the affected VIN range, then sitting around for two weeks waiting impatiently for any word from Subaru, I was beginning to think this order was cursed.

But the car was cleared, and I picked it up a week ago last Wednesday. I've put about 800 miles on since then, and am enjoying the heck out of it. Changed the oil yesterday, AP comes in today, and I expect to enjoy it even more

And I really can't complain, even with the delay and Stop Sale. I got 2% under invoice on the car and options, snagged the 3.9% financing, and got exactly the car I wanted. The dealership put my RA mudflaps on for me during PDI, saving me the trouble, making sure they were on before any miles (well, almost any -- delivered with 23 miles on it, dealership said that was from driving to and from the detailing place...right)

Yes, the iPod interface sucks rocks, but it's not as bad as I'd feared it would be, and it's light-years ahead of the FM transmitter I'd used previously. Non-NAV stock stereo is poor, but tolerable. I ordered and received the double-DIN bezel from Japanparts, and at some point will put in an aftermarket anyway, probably along with an HKS Camp2, so this just has to hold me for a while.

Paint is okay so far with the RA mudflaps -- no rock chips yet, and I live on a dirt/gravel road with a 1/4 mile gravel drive to the house. Keeping an eye on it, though.

Fog lights suck donkey for brightness, but I've got a set of yellows that I'm going to install when I get a chance, and hope that will help some. Will replace the whole units if I have to, but hope I don't have to.

I love DGM, in the sun and shade, wet and dry. Given the dirt road (see above), and my tendency to play in the mud, the car's not going to be squeaky-clean very often, but it looks good with bits of road on it, too.

My wife says this is her favorite car out of all I've owned (mostly AWD turbo hatches), excepting the 77 280Z 2+2, says it's comfortable, has a good greenhouse and visibility, a firm but comfortable ride, and she likes the shifter. My son thinks it rocks, too. My first drive was straight from the dealership to the airport to pick up a couple of friends and their luggage, and man, I'm glad I got a hatch.

Getting 18-24 MPG so far, but I haven't been really pushing it too hard, too often, either, just today started taking it above 4K RPM.

Steering is okay, a little dead on center, a little vague, but that may well be a future mod, going to let the tires and everything else break in for a while first and see what I'm working with. Handling seemed squirrely on mud, but part of it was just not being used to the level of active intervention the 08 STI provides. Messing with VDC, DCCD, and SI drive fixed that right up. I am absolutely getting a set of 17" winter wheels and Nokian RSis on here next winter, though, not having a death wish and all.

I'll post more when I take a break from driving , maybe set up a Member Journal, but I wanted to thank everyone here who has provided such good info all the way along. Civil, polite, and well-informed -- a combination which is far too rare on way too many boards. Thanks, guys.

08 DGM STI, BBS, sport grille, roof rack (for winter), autodim mirror w/Homelink, iPod interface, wheel locks, cargo nets, floor mats, RallyArmor mudflaps, Stage 1 coming today or tomorrow, yellow bulbs for the fogs, and then I'll see from there.

Pics (and the 01 Forester):

[GilMikalian]

very cool. congrats. you do realize you have the fastest color, so be safe out there.

[GhoSStRyda]

congratz! sounds like you are enjoying the new ride!

for your next mod, you should get an access port! for the longest time i held out on getting access port, then i got it and wondered why i didn't do it sooner. the factory stock tune sux major balls! i can't believe what a difference the cobb tuning made at just stage 1!!

[DGMSTIenroute]

Originally Posted by chelidon

then sitting around for two weeks waiting impatiently for any word from Subaru, I was beginning to think this order was cursed.

But the car was cleared, and I picked it up a week ago last Wednesday. I've put about 800 miles on since then, and am enjoying the heck out of it. Changed the oil yesterday, AP comes in today, and I expect to enjoy it even more

And I really can't complain, even with the delay and Stop Sale. I got 2% under invoice on the car and options, snagged the 3.9% financing, and got exactly the car I wanted.

Simply awesome. Best pics I've seen of the DGM, and finally w/sport grille. A few questions:

What was the term on your 3.9? I presume you got this through the VP program: Did they give you any hassle about getting the financing on top of the -2% at those rates?

Did you order the sport grille option, and it came over as depicted? (w/the STI badge)

And finally, did the dealer give you a free install on the flaps, and if they were Rally Armor, what color did you choose for the logo on the flaps? (post a pic if you can, whatever your decision was).

I'm in the exact same boat that you were (vip/dgm/sport gr/on order/stopsale/etc.) and your post gives me some hope that my expected delivery in 2 weeks will look and play like that.

Congrats.

PS, I think I recogize your surroundings from a place I drive frequently near Lake Sunapee, but I guess all of NH looks like that at least twice a year...

[Digitalfiend]

Congrats on the new ride and definitely one of the better introduction-threads.

[chelidon]

Originally Posted by GilMikalian

very cool. congrats. you do realize you have the fastest color, so be safe out there.

Thanks, man, I plan to. And thanks for your posts in particular -- you and Digitalfr...er, fiend have posted some of the best most useful info I found out there about the 08s. And you both picked the fastest color, means you gotta be smart.

[chelidon]

Originally Posted by GhoSStRyda

congratz! sounds like you are enjoying the new ride!

for your next mod, you should get an access port! for the longest time i held out on getting access port, then i got it and wondered why i didn't do it sooner. the factory stock tune sux major balls! i can't believe what a difference the cobb tuning made at just stage 1!!

Thanks, and yeah, I'm really loving the new ride. Stealthy, but I've had a couple of people over the last week pull over, drop their window and say, "nice car!" Everyone who says this car looks better in person is right on the money -- it's very sharp, and very classy, and I say that as someone who had a 1G Audi TT, I appreciate good design (though I'll take performance over looks if I have to choose, which thankfully with the STI, I don't -- it's got both). The only angle on it I'm still not overly fond of is dead rear, it looks too tame, but as soon as you rotate even a little way around, the lines come out and grab ya.

On the AccessPort, gotcha, been planning on it -- AP was supposed to arrive today, in fact, but didn't, so I suppose I'll have to wait until Monday, assuming they sent it UPS instead of USPS. I'm planning to try the Perrin 93 map first, see how that goes, and I can't wait.

[chelidon]

Originally Posted by DGMSTIenroute

Simply awesome. Best pics I've seen of the DGM, and finally w/sport grille. A few questions:

What was the term on your 3.9? I presume you got this through the VP program: Did they give you any hassle about getting the financing on top of the -2% at those rates?

Did you order the sport grille option, and it came over as depicted? (w/the STI badge)

And finally, did the dealer give you a free install on the flaps, and if they were Rally Armor, what color did you choose for the logo on the flaps? (post a pic if you can, whatever your decision was).

I'm in the exact same boat that you were (vip/dgm/sport gr/on order/stopsale/etc.) and your post gives me some hope that my expected delivery in 2 weeks will look and play like that.

Congrats.

PS, I think I recogize your surroundings from a place I drive frequently near Lake Sunapee, but I guess all of NH looks like that at least twice a year...

Thanks, and congrats in advance for your 08 DGM, hope it all goes smoothly -- I was seriously champing at the bit for mine to come in, and then to get cleared...

to answer your q's:

3.9% is Subaru's factory financing deal (though it looks like Chase is the one actually issuing the loan), I think anyone buying a new Subie is eligible. It's 0% for 24 mo, but the 3.9% goes out to 63 mo, which is what I did -- that's cheap money, and there's no prepayment penalty, so I can always double up the payments.

No hassle on it from the dealer, they get a kickback if ya go dealer financing, and I made it clear that if they couldn't get me a good rate, I'd go with my credit union. The VIP program is a separate thing, I think they were glad to make some extra $$ from the financing.

I ordered the sport grille, in DGM, and it came installed just as you see. All factory-installed options were covered under the VIP pricing as well (invoice - 2%). So you should be getting exactly the same thing.

The dealer did install my RA flaps for free, in part to compensate for the Stop Sale hassle, and I also explained that I knew all about the paint problems, and that this might save them from having to deal with me coming back in with rock chips and paint damage after 1000 miles. I ended up with the grey logo, as stealthy as I could make it. Don't have a pic yet with a closeup of the flaps, but if I remember, I'll take one sometime this weekend.

Yep, you got it, I'm not too far from Sunapee, but you're right, it looks like this all over right now.

Post pics when yours comes in -- they really are sharp-looking, especially in DGM.

[chelidon]

Originally Posted by Digitalfiend

Congrats on the new ride and definitely one of the better introduction-threads.

Thanks, and as I posted above to GilMikalian, thanks to you both for posting some of the best 08 info I saw, I appreciate it all -- good stuff! Now if I could only have gotten my 08 with the Recaros and heated seats...maybe not as cold here as Canadia, but it gets pretty darn close.

[couper]

Congrats!!!

Its tough enough waiting for a car you ordered. But having to wait even longer because of a manufacture issue would be tough indeed. Glad you are finallly in your car.

You will enjoy AP stg1!! Keep us updated.

[JuggernautTCW]

Originally Posted by GilMikalian

you do realize you have the fastest color

the fastest color should be black