[daghdha]

hey all,

since everyone is giving their impressions, I thought I would give mine.

most of the stuff has already been said....power, power and more power...the handling is more than enough for me, but I'll be going to a driving school later on in the summer to really learn how to drive awd...(my prev car was a GSR).

here are things that I have noticed on the car...

* hood scoop - The spoiler I don't mind actually....the hood scoop makes it a little harder to judge where the corner of my car is when I park...most of the people I run into don't like the scoop...spoiler not bad...scoop very noticable.

* I'm 5-7 145#...the thigh bolsters are fine...like the magazine, I find that the seats are made for someone bigger and wider than myself.

* The steering wheel doesn't telescope, and sometimes I wish I could move it a little back, rather than just tilting it. Half the time I can't see the top of the tachometer when I get the steering wheel to where I want it.

* the tweeter location is really small! some of the larger tweeters that I wanted are probably not going to fit there.

* I don't smoke, but does anyone else's sti come with a PLASTIC cigarette plug? guess they think that no one is going to smoke in the car...they figure you'll be smoking other cars and enjoy it better....

* the exhaust is a great sound...not major loud to the point of going deaf, but definately there.

Also, since I have never had a new car before (always used), occasionally I would smell a burning solvent or something...is this normal? It's not oil, and it's not rubber (I've done both). and no, I haven't gone over 4k, I have taken it easy on the gas and done a bit of highway driving...*shrug*

josh.

 

[Tb311]

The clutch maybe?

 

[murley]

The smell is the exhaust and the brake components. Both are caoted with a light mixture from the factory to help resist rusting before purchase.

As for the lighter, ALL Subies come that way. SOA doesn't believe in smoking. In fact, if you want to use a lighter in that power point you have to buy an adapter from SOA so you don't blow fuses...

 

[amdmaxx]

Sold!!!!!

Hey, I am 5-7 and 150lb, u think I will find the seats uncomfortable, or you like the seats as they are?
Enjoy the car...

 

[murley]

I'm 5'10" and I'm 155lbs. I thought that they were fine when our order showed up.

 

[SnowbordrWRX]

I'd never allow any smoking in my car except for the smoking of other cars

 

[SFRinNJ]

Jason: do you need that adaptor from Subaru if you want an 'adaptor extension multiple port' for say a hands free cell phone and a radar dector power cord. Will two systems blow a fuse or can you just use an extension? Seats fit me fine by the way and I'm only 5'2', but then again I'm a woman and have a whole different perspective on driving my new powerhouse.Thanks for all your help over the last several months.SFRinNJ

 

[murley]

Re: Should I wait until 2005my?

Jason: do you need that adaptor from Subaru if you want an 'adaptor extension multiple port' for say a hands free cell phone and a radar dector power cord?


....but then again I'm a woman

No to the question. You can use that outlet for anything power EXCEPT a lighter if you don't have the adapter. For splitting it into two plugs you can go to RadioShack and spend $3 on one that should work fine.

Second, I had absolutely NO clue that you were a lady! That's Kool! It's nice to see that we're (dumb car jocks) not the only ones wetting ourselves over this Impreza...

 

[SFRinNJ]

I didn't go to quite that extreme when I picked it up, but did get all dressed up for the picture with the new toy-my new bad boy! and even bought a new pair of sneakers! Wow-new car, new stereo, and new sneakers==and with this car everything this girl needs to run away from home. NJ has too much traffic. But the curving roads are great to put the car through its paces. Found a bunch today and it was still a really tight feel with tires really gripping the road. But the wing does cause blind spots and you do need to get comfortable with your side mirrors.But since I also drive a jeep for work that's no problem. SFRinNJ

 

[murley]

Unknown delivery or drive out of state?

You'll have to post the pic of you getting your new toy!

 

[BMo]

I thought the seats were just about right but I'm 6'3", 205lbs. Many have said the seats are slighted towards bigger people. Maybe SOA was going for the average American male stats, something like 5'8", 170lbs?

 

[BHODGES3]

Actually, if you read in the book. It says that you can use a cigarette lighter no problem (read: no adapter). However, if you plug anything else into it BEFOREhand (read: car phone charger, etc.) and then plug in a cigarette lighter, chances are it won't pop out like it should and can cause blown fuses and fires. Something about phone chargers and such being to big for the little mechanism that ejects a charged lighter, and damaging it. This should be no problem as long as you never plan on using it for lighter purpose.

 

[daghdha]

amdmaxx,

it depends on where you are coming from...I'm coming from a GSR, where I loved the seats (12-18 hour road trips were fine in it). If you come from a 1979 woody station wagon with the bench seat, These seats would be better...

if you're coming from nice recaros or sparcos, then you will probably find the STi seats to be less supportive...

I just find the seats to be less snug than my GSR. I'm not slipping around in the seat at all, just not as snug.

my brother, who's 5-10 180 sat in the car and thought the seats were great...

 

[pgetchell]

about the smell,

i would guess it could be the clutch. but i have really smelled this in my WRX only after very hard driving.

i think it has to do wih my beating on the transmission, having come from a rear-wheel ///M3. in any case i have noticed this sort of "burnt dust" smell...

just a thought, and you said you were taking it easy too. maybe just the surface coating of oil on the parts etc.

here's a funny story, when i first test-drove the WRX last year, the crazy sales guy let me take out a car that was still wrapped in plastic! i do not know if it was even prepped for driving, but that thing stunk bad when i got through with a little test ride! i felt bad for the thing.

anywho... have fun

signed,
waiting in Beantown.

 

[CloNeGTS]

The smell is just things burning in. Anything that is painted or coated is coming up to temp for the first time.

Enjoy the smell. In a few weeks/months/years, you'll yearn for that smell again. Think of it as the enthusiast new car smell. While everyone else is oohing and aahing over the new carpeting smell, you're enjoying the smell of newly broken in ass-kicking machine.

 

[MKIVSupra]

The other day I got back from cruising around, parked and went and did some stuff. Later I had to go out to the garage to get something out of my car and the whole parking garage smelled like my new car.

 

[BHODGES3]

My new car smells like used shoes. I think it is the Mississippi heat baking that Escaine.

 

[4MLA1FN]

The smell is just things burning in. Anything that is painted or coated is coming up to temp for the first time.

talk about stuff burning in. i drove home from the dealer; about 4 miles. i got the usual new car burn-in smell. by the time i pulled in driveway and got out, there was smoke pouring out the hood scoop. i was alarmed at first. i opened the hood didn't see anything and the smoke didn't smell like anything (e.g. oil, coolant, etc). once i calmed down, i realized how totally cool it looked with this thin smoke coming out of the enormous scoop. kinda like a snorting bull. it'd be cool if we get some action like that in the winter. the car has been fine ever since so i have to believe it was just burn-in

 

[4MLA1FN]

i found that i'm really glad this car has cruise control. my shin muscle is getting really tired keeping my foot off the gas. i first, i thought it might be due to the height of the seat, even in the lowest position. but it might be just a function of it being a high-performance car: it doesn't need as much accel input to maintain speed. anyone else experience this??

 

[Rufus3383]

IF this thread is abou nitpicks, I have a couple.

I checked out a Silver STI at Irvine Subaru. Looks great, except the
side decals look ill fitted and tacky. They won't last 6 months before they
flake off.

In addition, the passenger side carpet is lumpy or bunched up. I realize this is an "R" type car, and that undermatting would add weight, but at least the surface covering should be well fitted so that it doesn't bubble when your foot hits it. Hopefully more attention has been paid to the mechanicals than the interior or exterior trim.

Finally, the last nit. The salesman explained about how they had near 200 on the waiting list, and then realized that they would never have any to sell right off the floor, so they just kind of made other arrangements.
So this particular STI is being sold at 41K. Yeowch.