2008 STI review from an ordinary fella

Stedenko · 05-06-2008, 08:18 PM

I wanted to write a review of the 2008 STI from a slightly different perspective. I read everything I could get my hands on about this car because I was considering buying one, and pretty much every review was from the perspective of people who were serious about racing them and trying to get the best times. I wanted to know what the car was like for someone who loves cars, but wanted a good daily driver for them and their family. As well, I'm a pretty good driver, but no professional. I can heel-toe shift and match revs just fine, but I would need some work to get good times on the track.

I picked my 2008 DGM up last Tuesday. Before actually committing I took my first test drive. Like many test drivers on this forum, I forgot (or didn't realize) that the car starts in "S" mode when you start it up. I was a bit concerned because the MazdaSpeed3 I was also considering blew this car away for $10K less! Halfway through the drive I remembered to switch it to S# and then it turned into the car I wanted.

I drove my new STI as much as I could over the next day, but the following Thursday I took off on a 7 hour drive through winding Rocky Mountain roads (Calgary, Alberta to North Shuswap, BC) to go to a funeral. The trip was pure bliss. I couldn't believe how much fun this car was on the highway. I didn't want the drive to be over. The drive back was just as much fun. Lots of quick shifting and taking tight turns at very fast speeds. The shocks do their job perfectly for someone like me. My wife tolerates the ride, but I get a car that can corner like it's on rails for normal city driving. A warning though: this car can go through 94 octane like nothing I've seen if driven hard. I knew it wasn't going to be great on gas, but if you drive it like it wants to be driven, you pay for it at the pump. It's a small price to pay as far as I'm concerned.

Subaru really seems to have the downforce and aerodynamics worked out well. The car seems to smooth out at higher speeds. The fastest I hit was 180km/h (112 mph) and it was smooth as glass and had lots left over. I'll go faster this summer when I head down to those long, open Montana freeways. I also noticed the STI is quiet on the highway. Much quieter than the Mazda I was looking at before.

From the perspective of someone who loves to drive fast but also needs to take the kids to cub scouts and soccer, this car is perfect. It's really 3 cars in one because of the si-drive system. This works out well because my wife doesn't want the boost to kick in like I do. It really is a different animal in S# vs. Intelligent.

Regarding the car's power, now that I'm used to it I'm looking forward to a Cobb AP. The car has plenty. Way more than your average car, obviously, and more than enough to get away from you on the city streets. Definitely more than anyone "needs." However, now that I'm used to it I want a little more.

I love the seats. I understand they aren't great on the track, but 99% of the car's owners aren't on the track 99% of the time. The Canadian seat warmers work very well. In fact, the entire interior makes me happy to be inside it. Fit and finish seem really good. The doors, hatch, and hood are all solid and sound and feel good when closing them. I'm also that one person who likes the taillights the way they are.

After a week with the car, I can see a few things that I wish were a bit better. The car is so great that it makes the negatives stand out a bit. I wish the steering was a bit more responsive with a bit more feedback. The navigation system is a bit clunky. It's sometimes slow searching and the interface doesn't seem modern enough. The stereo could definitely be better, but it's adequate. Driving-wise, It's a bit of a hard car to launch for me. I need to practice a lot more, but 1st and 2nd are over so fast that you have to be good at it to do it well. This is driver error for sure. Unlike many of the cars I've driven recently, the STI takes some skill to drive well. The pedals are a bit apart for heel-toe, and as I just said, I find it hard not to be jerky when launching.

The paint on the rear fenders is definitely an issue. I had a single, but painful, rock chip on the drivers side rear fender after the 30 minute drive home. I've already put plastic on and the flaps are going on as soon as I get a nice day and a couple of hours to do it. With that said, I haven't seen any of the other issues that people are reporting but it's only been a week. The empty front license plate spot is pretty ugly, so I'll be doing something about that pretty soon.

My summary is that if you're an ordinary guy like me and agonizing over all the reviews you keep reading, then just buy the car if you like it. I'm in love with it. I daydream about getting in and driving away. This car just makes me happy. If you're testing one, make sure you crouch down behind it and listen to that beautiful idle. Yum.

I know people really like pictures so here's one. It rained today, so the car's dirty. That's my '73 Chev Caprice convertible in the background for those who like old cars. That's our Sienna too, for any sickos who like minivans.

Rootus · 05-06-2008, 08:43 PM

Nice review, and nice STI!

SirMattieP · 05-06-2008, 08:56 PM

Sickkkkk review!! Congrats, i cant wait for mine!

chmura · 05-06-2008, 09:25 PM

Nice STI!

I dont know whether I should get your color or white!

Stedenko · 05-06-2008, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chmura

Nice STI!

I dont know whether I should get your color or white!

It's a tough call. I love the white too. The DGM handles dirt a lot better than I thought it would. It's pretty dirty in that picture, but I think it looks pretty good.

I think the white handles scratches better though. I think I like every color this car comes in.

AEM08WRX · 05-06-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chmura

Nice STI!

I dont know whether I should get your color or white!

white

YeloFva · 05-06-2008, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stedenko

I took off on a 7 hour drive through winding Rocky Mountain roads (Calgary, Alberta to North Shuswap, BC) to go to a funeral. The trip was pure bliss.

How often do you see these words follow one another? I giggled a bit while I was reading

.

Congrats on the purchase & that was a great write-up. It really is a well rounded car. Welcome to the forum.

HRCboy · 05-06-2008, 09:56 PM

Nice summary... Wait till you take your car to the track... Just got back from Portland and was pleasantly surprised. Downpipe and AP and your set. Though there is bodyroll I find the stock suspension quite adequate. Sticky tires are next for me.

Enjoy the car... Love that fact when you get bored.. it's easily upgradeable.

neptunian588 · 05-06-2008, 10:19 PM

really nice review

i like it in white better but you can't go wrong with dgm either.

STIcer · 05-06-2008, 11:18 PM

great review, I would only add that the SI system alway defaulting away from S# and DCCD resetting every time you start the car is annoying...

raindance · 05-07-2008, 02:46 AM

Well said. You pretty much hit it on the head with your review as far as the average driver who wants a fast, fun car. I've had Subies since the '80s and this is my fav. It's the XT, Legacy, SVX and '05 STi rolled into one very nice, very exciting car. Yeah, I'm thinking AP too. Just for that little extra. As far as your chips, get some RallyArmor flaps. They look great on the car and do a good job protecting it. There's a good thread around here about them. Very nice car you got there.
-rain-

Kilya · 05-07-2008, 04:57 AM

I was originaly going to grab a DGM one but my dealer happend to have a PRE-Stop white one and I wass all over it, dare i say it, like white on rice! Car looks great but gets dirty really easy. I miss silver I could go for weeks without washing and it would still look good. Definatly get RA mudflaps, they arent as terrible as they may seem and im happy to say that with 1000 on the clock im not seeing any chipping issues.

I 100% agree with your review. I feel the same way. I had an 07 STI and I felt like it wasnt enough for the money, although I really got it because of how fast and nice it drove. This car solved pretty much all the problems I had with my 07 except the stereo but I'll fix that myself. And also, this car needs some sways =] 07 stayed much flatter.

BuzSTid · 05-07-2008, 05:57 AM

Congrats, nice review.

wait til the engine breaks in a bit, your grin will get bigger.

southeastern BC is Great for backroad burning

Stedenko · 05-07-2008, 06:05 AM

Thanks for the responses. I've got my RA flaps here already, and I'll get them on as soon as I get a couple of hours free.

Calgary is supposed to get 5-10cm of snow tomorrow, so that puts a damper on things with these summer tires.

frcefed · 05-07-2008, 06:19 AM

Are you kidding me, snow!! Man I hope it doesn't travel up to Edmotnon lol..

Great Review!! I think I might have my WRB by the end of the month!
My RA mudflaps are here and my accessport (LIghtspeed innovation in Red Deer hooked me up)is on it way lol... I'm still deciding on wheels and if I want the Rocket Rally Exhaust!! I have a little problem with modding (like most of the people here !!)

05-06-2008, 08:18 PM	#1
Stedenko Junior STI Driver Car: DGM '08 STI Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 152 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	2008 STI review from an ordinary fella I wanted to write a review of the 2008 STI from a slightly different perspective. I read everything I could get my hands on about this car because I was considering buying one, and pretty much every review was from the perspective of people who were serious about racing them and trying to get the best times. I wanted to know what the car was like for someone who loves cars, but wanted a good daily driver for them and their family. As well, I'm a pretty good driver, but no professional. I can heel-toe shift and match revs just fine, but I would need some work to get good times on the track. I picked my 2008 DGM up last Tuesday. Before actually committing I took my first test drive. Like many test drivers on this forum, I forgot (or didn't realize) that the car starts in "S" mode when you start it up. I was a bit concerned because the MazdaSpeed3 I was also considering blew this car away for $10K less! Halfway through the drive I remembered to switch it to S# and then it turned into the car I wanted. I drove my new STI as much as I could over the next day, but the following Thursday I took off on a 7 hour drive through winding Rocky Mountain roads (Calgary, Alberta to North Shuswap, BC) to go to a funeral. The trip was pure bliss. I couldn't believe how much fun this car was on the highway. I didn't want the drive to be over. The drive back was just as much fun. Lots of quick shifting and taking tight turns at very fast speeds. The shocks do their job perfectly for someone like me. My wife tolerates the ride, but I get a car that can corner like it's on rails for normal city driving. A warning though: this car can go through 94 octane like nothing I've seen if driven hard. I knew it wasn't going to be great on gas, but if you drive it like it wants to be driven, you pay for it at the pump. It's a small price to pay as far as I'm concerned. Subaru really seems to have the downforce and aerodynamics worked out well. The car seems to smooth out at higher speeds. The fastest I hit was 180km/h (112 mph) and it was smooth as glass and had lots left over. I'll go faster this summer when I head down to those long, open Montana freeways. I also noticed the STI is quiet on the highway. Much quieter than the Mazda I was looking at before. From the perspective of someone who loves to drive fast but also needs to take the kids to cub scouts and soccer, this car is perfect. It's really 3 cars in one because of the si-drive system. This works out well because my wife doesn't want the boost to kick in like I do. It really is a different animal in S# vs. Intelligent. Regarding the car's power, now that I'm used to it I'm looking forward to a Cobb AP. The car has plenty. Way more than your average car, obviously, and more than enough to get away from you on the city streets. Definitely more than anyone "needs." However, now that I'm used to it I want a little more. I love the seats. I understand they aren't great on the track, but 99% of the car's owners aren't on the track 99% of the time. The Canadian seat warmers work very well. In fact, the entire interior makes me happy to be inside it. Fit and finish seem really good. The doors, hatch, and hood are all solid and sound and feel good when closing them. I'm also that one person who likes the taillights the way they are. After a week with the car, I can see a few things that I wish were a bit better. The car is so great that it makes the negatives stand out a bit. I wish the steering was a bit more responsive with a bit more feedback. The navigation system is a bit clunky. It's sometimes slow searching and the interface doesn't seem modern enough. The stereo could definitely be better, but it's adequate. Driving-wise, It's a bit of a hard car to launch for me. I need to practice a lot more, but 1st and 2nd are over so fast that you have to be good at it to do it well. This is driver error for sure. Unlike many of the cars I've driven recently, the STI takes some skill to drive well. The pedals are a bit apart for heel-toe, and as I just said, I find it hard not to be jerky when launching. The paint on the rear fenders is definitely an issue. I had a single, but painful, rock chip on the drivers side rear fender after the 30 minute drive home. I've already put plastic on and the flaps are going on as soon as I get a nice day and a couple of hours to do it. With that said, I haven't seen any of the other issues that people are reporting but it's only been a week. The empty front license plate spot is pretty ugly, so I'll be doing something about that pretty soon. My summary is that if you're an ordinary guy like me and agonizing over all the reviews you keep reading, then just buy the car if you like it. I'm in love with it. I daydream about getting in and driving away. This car just makes me happy. If you're testing one, make sure you crouch down behind it and listen to that beautiful idle. Yum. I know people really like pictures so here's one. It rained today, so the car's dirty. That's my '73 Chev Caprice convertible in the background for those who like old cars. That's our Sienna too, for any sickos who like minivans. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by Stedenko : 05-06-2008 at 09:32 PM. Reason: quick revision about doors, hatch, etc.

05-06-2008, 08:43 PM	#2
Rootus S204 Racer Location: Africa Posts: 2,742 Join Date: Sep 2005 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Nice review, and nice STI!

05-06-2008, 08:56 PM	#3
SirMattieP Professional STI Racer Car: DGM 2008 STI Fav Mod: Soon Accessport Location: So-Cal Posts: 633 Join Date: Mar 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Sickkkkk review!! Congrats, i cant wait for mine!

05-06-2008, 09:25 PM	#4
chmura STI Driver Car: 07 Lexus IS250 Fav Mod: Future 09 STI Owner :) Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 206 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Nice STI! I dont know whether I should get your color or white!

05-06-2008, 09:56 PM	#8
HRCboy STI Driver Car: 08 STI and 07 R6 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 214 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Nice summary... Wait till you take your car to the track... Just got back from Portland and was pleasantly surprised. Downpipe and AP and your set. Though there is bodyroll I find the stock suspension quite adequate. Sticky tires are next for me. Enjoy the car... Love that fact when you get bored.. it's easily upgradeable.

05-06-2008, 10:19 PM	#9
neptunian588 Amateur STI Driver Fav Mod: Coming Soon Location: Elmhurst, NY Posts: 37 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella really nice review i like it in white better but you can't go wrong with dgm either.

05-06-2008, 11:18 PM	#10
STIcer Junior STI Driver Car: DGM, 2008, WRX STI Fav Mod: Coming Soon Posts: 133 Join Date: Mar 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella great review, I would only add that the SI system alway defaulting away from S# and DCCD resetting every time you start the car is annoying...

05-07-2008, 02:46 AM	#11
raindance Grassroots STI Racer Car: DGM 08 STi Location: Lakeland, FL Posts: 543 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Well said. You pretty much hit it on the head with your review as far as the average driver who wants a fast, fun car. I've had Subies since the '80s and this is my fav. It's the XT, Legacy, SVX and '05 STi rolled into one very nice, very exciting car. Yeah, I'm thinking AP too. Just for that little extra. As far as your chips, get some RallyArmor flaps. They look great on the car and do a good job protecting it. There's a good thread around here about them. Very nice car you got there. -rain-

05-07-2008, 04:57 AM	#12
Kilya Junior STI Driver Posts: 156 Join Date: Aug 2007 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella I was originaly going to grab a DGM one but my dealer happend to have a PRE-Stop white one and I wass all over it, dare i say it, like white on rice! Car looks great but gets dirty really easy. I miss silver I could go for weeks without washing and it would still look good. Definatly get RA mudflaps, they arent as terrible as they may seem and im happy to say that with 1000 on the clock im not seeing any chipping issues. I 100% agree with your review. I feel the same way. I had an 07 STI and I felt like it wasnt enough for the money, although I really got it because of how fast and nice it drove. This car solved pretty much all the problems I had with my 07 except the stereo but I'll fix that myself. And also, this car needs some sways =] 07 stayed much flatter.

05-07-2008, 05:57 AM	#13
BuzSTid STI Driver Car: 08 WRB STi Fav Mod: Stage 1 Location: Calgary Posts: 205 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Congrats, nice review. wait til the engine breaks in a bit, your grin will get bigger. southeastern BC is Great for backroad burning

05-07-2008, 06:05 AM	#14
Stedenko Junior STI Driver Car: DGM '08 STI Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 152 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Thanks for the responses. I've got my RA flaps here already, and I'll get them on as soon as I get a couple of hours free. Calgary is supposed to get 5-10cm of snow tomorrow, so that puts a damper on things with these summer tires.

05-07-2008, 06:19 AM	#15
frcefed Amateur STI Driver Car: 06 STi cobb stage 2 Location: alberta,canada Posts: 39 Join Date: Sep 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI review from an ordinary fella Are you kidding me, snow!! Man I hope it doesn't travel up to Edmotnon lol.. Great Review!! I think I might have my WRB by the end of the month! My RA mudflaps are here and my accessport (LIghtspeed innovation in Red Deer hooked me up)is on it way lol... I'm still deciding on wheels and if I want the Rocket Rally Exhaust!! I have a little problem with modding (like most of the people here !!) This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.