my99 STi, 156 xxx km lemon or okay?
 

hey guys im new to perth wrx and am thinking about buying a my99 STi
just wondering at 156 xxx km as to weather im going to start having any major problems with compression, gearbox etc? Thanks for your help guys i just dont want to get stuck with a lemon

Regards Andrew

[QUOTE=andrew]hey guys im new to perth wrx and am thinking about buying a my99 STi
just wondering at 156 xxx km as to weather im going to start having any major problems with compression, gearbox etc? Thanks for your help guys i just dont want to get stuck with a lemon

Regards Andrew[/QUOTE]
Can depend on how the Previous owner looked after it. Check to see if the owner has log books from when it was getting its services and where it was getting a service. Its had a average of 19,000km odd a per year. So may all come down to how it has been looked after.

Matt

If your really keen on the car, then get a WRX specialist workshop to give it a look over to give peace of mind.

thanks for your help guys i apreciate it.
Oh and also im sure theres a thread regarding this but i cant seem to find it.
What is the difference between the wrx and wrx sti? is it anything significant?

[QUOTE=andrew]thanks for your help guys i apreciate it.
Oh and also im sure theres a thread regarding this but i cant seem to find it.
What is the difference between the wrx and wrx sti? is it anything significant?[/QUOTE]
ummm yes there is big difference between a WRX and the WRX STI. Goto [url]www.subaru.com.au[/url] and compare the difference between the latest models of both the WRX & STI. The STI's have "PINK BITS" which make it handle and perform quicker. the STI is the FLAGSHIP of the impreza range and sets you back $20K more in the pocket.

Matt

[QUOTE=andrew]thanks for your help guys i apreciate it.
Oh and also im sure theres a thread regarding this but i cant seem to find it.
What is the difference between the wrx and wrx sti? is it anything significant?[/QUOTE]


Ooo damn, you sure you should be buying a Subaru with a question like that? My suggestion before you even think about buying anything is do some research and know what it is your actually buying. Your just asking to get ripped off otherwise.

99sti has over the vanilla WRX.


Bigger turbo - vf28
better suspension
forged pistons(AFAIK)
two pot rear calipers
4.11 gearbox/diff

I think thats about it mechanically anyway.

i didnt think they got 2 pots till my01 ? only the RA with the R180 rear end gets 2 pots?

Yeah not sure when they started but I got 2 pots.

Umm.. slightly stronger gearbox (20% is some bull shit figure I heard of), sodium filled valves (whatever the fuck that means), higher boost (15psi), slightly bigger intercooler (or more efficient, something), different seats, white faced dials, baby pram spoiler, decals, fog light covers, rear window wiper, key pad security system... and two doors.. did we mention it only has two doors.

Two pot rears...MY00

[QUOTE=andrew]thanks for your help guys i apreciate it.
Oh and also im sure theres a thread regarding this but i cant seem to find it.
What is the difference between the wrx and wrx sti? is it anything significant?[/QUOTE]
not much difference, just the "sti" badge at the back and a pink one at the front, costs $20k more though

[QUOTE=nauli]Two pot rears...MY00[/QUOTE]

No.

Two pot rears were not standard until MY01 for Oz.

Main differences are (focusing on preformance):
- Bigger turbo
- Bigger injectors
- Bigger intercooler
- Forged internals
- Semi-closed deck (i think the standard wrx was open by this stage?)
- More aggressive cams
- Higher redline as a result (8,000 rpm)
- 4.44 gears
- Better centre, front and rear diffs.
- Thicker, stiffer dampeners and springs.
- Thicker sway bars.
- Strut brace
- Alloy upper and lower control arms front and back
- Few other suspension bits I am probably missing.

Then there is all your obvious extra wings, suede and pink bits.

OZ spec 99 STi does not have 4.44 . . .

Also what injectors do they run i thought they run 440's?

[QUOTE=rspct]No.

Two pot rears were not standard until MY01 for Oz.

Main differences are (focusing on preformance):
- Bigger turbo
- Bigger injectors [COLOR=Red]actually both WRX and STI had 440cc injectors[/COLOR]
- Bigger intercooler
- Forged internals
- Semi-closed deck (i think the standard wrx was open by this stage?)
- More aggressive cams
- Higher redline as a result (8,000 rpm)
- 4.44 gears [COLOR=Red]Only the RA had 4.44. Normal STI had 4.11[/COLOR]
- Better centre, front and rear diffs. [COLOR=Red]Centre diff was a higher rater VLSD but the front and rear wernt any stronger just different ratios (4.11) but the rear diff was still a r160. Only STI RA had R180[/COLOR]
- Thicker, stiffer dampeners and springs.
- Thicker sway bars.
- Strut brace
- Alloy upper and lower control arms front and back
- Few other suspension bits I am probably missing.

Then there is all your obvious extra wings, suede and pink bits.[/QUOTE]

Corrected

And sti boxes are NOT stronger then the normal wrx box... they have the exact same size gearset.

My original box was 4.11 Sti, when it came apart it was identical to the box that replaced it.

No GC8 sti came in 4.11, ever.
All STI GC8s were 4.444 with the exception of JDM V1/V2 STI which came with 3.9's.
The rear r160's were suretrack LSD's, (AU delivered, JDM non RA)
The rear r180's were mechanical 1 way LSD with DCCD, optional front 1 way LSD (JDM RA)

So what was it Stace?

Simple JDM WRX?

tj- your box would either be a jdm wrx, or more then likely a standard rs liberty box,
sti did make a limited batch of RS libbo 4.11, but i think it was more a cosmetic change to the car, rather then an improvement to the gearset.

This box that I've just popped was a Liberty one I know that. First one was out of japan, so either jdm wrx or liberty.

Cheers.

[QUOTE=tuna]tj- your box would either be a jdm wrx, or more then likely a standard rs liberty box,
sti did make a limited batch of RS libbo 4.11, but i think it was more a cosmetic change to the car, rather then an improvement to the gearset.[/QUOTE]

All Australian Libs were 3.9

The very rare Liberty RS-RA of which 5 were imported for Rally were 4.44 I believe

Legacy GT manuals are 4.11 auto is 4.44
Legacy RS are 4.11
Legacy RS-R are 4.11
Legacy RS-RA are 4.44

mate, as for your question with the 156000 kms, all depends on the owner (as previously said), my MY99 has done 319000!! and still on original eng, trans, turbo, diffs etc

So kms shouldnt scare you off, bonus is... it should be alot cheaper!

jesus!

[QUOTE=Carnivore]jesus![/QUOTE]

Yes?

[QUOTE=Mister Two]Corrected[/QUOTE]

Looks like you were wrong my friend :)

I'm pretty sure the WRX only has 390cc injectors also...

Now the question should be asked. What oil do you use? How often do you change it? & What kinda gear changes do you make... 3 Grand or 2 Gran? etc :)

[QUOTE=MY REXTC]mate, as for your question with the 156000 kms, all depends on the owner (as previously said), my MY99 has done 319000!! and still on original eng, trans, turbo, diffs etc

So kms shouldnt scare you off, bonus is... it should be alot cheaper![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=rspct]Looks like you were wrong my friend :)

I'm pretty sure the WRX only has 390cc injectors also...[/QUOTE]

Nope. Im right. You're Wrong. :D

Seriously, Both the WRX and the STI of my99 and my00 had 440cc injectors

that is correct, the yellow side feeds on the MY99/00 WRX and STI are 440's.

[QUOTE=tuna]that is correct, the yellow side feeds on the MY99/00 WRX and STI are 440's.[/QUOTE]

I gather then that the EPA stepped in the later years and endowed us with the 390s? :)

[QUOTE=Darken]Now the question should be asked. What oil do you use? How often do you change it? & What kinda gear changes do you make... 3 Grand or 2 Gran? etc :)[/QUOTE]
AUTO trans, but I do change it manually on a daily basis (auto gets boring!!!) Mobil oils as recommended by Subaru, just the Synth S stuff 10w40 I think. Changed as recommended, every 12,500kms. Although it burns a bit in between services in its old age, so I top it up with about 1 litre between services/oil changes.

And I don't treat it lightly, do drive pretty hard day in day out. Bit of freeway driving though, work in Kenwick live in Mandurah, so travel everyday up the freeway.

Thanx REXTC... Good to know!

[QUOTE=MY REXTC]AUTO trans, but I do change it manually on a daily basis (auto gets boring!!!) Mobil oils as recommended by Subaru, just the Synth S stuff 10w40 I think. Changed as recommended, every 12,500kms. Although it burns a bit in between services in its old age, so I top it up with about 1 litre between services/oil changes.

And I don't treat it lightly, do drive pretty hard day in day out. Bit of freeway driving though, work in Kenwick live in Mandurah, so travel everyday up the freeway.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=rspct]I gather then that the EPA stepped in the later years and endowed us with the 390s? :)[/QUOTE]

grey side feeds were 390cc, GC WRX 94-98

yellow side feeds were 440cc, GC STI 98-00, WRX 99-00

blue top feeds were 440cc, GD WRX 01-03

pink top feeds were 550cc GD STI 02-05

grey top feeds were 390cc GD WRX 04-05

I wouldn't buy a 99 with heaps of k's ....

I bought a 99 sti 2 door and the 5 speed was on the way out with teeth coming out of the box . Motor was built and has lasted perfectly though.

I would buy a bug eye or something so that you get the 6 speed and brembo's and AVCS which are the REAL bonuses of STI parts.

Unless you budget to fit ppg to the gearbox I wouldn't buy the car with 150,000k's.

On my 2 door which has 158,000 the speedo stopped working and the power steering and altenator have both needed replacement/rebuilding.

So all up maybe $3500 worth of fixing stuff that had just plain worn out.

they just dont build em like they used to.

lets be honest tho simon, you don't exactly baby your car do you? speedo works fine on my 280,000km 93 gx

I think the puk clutch on the stock 5 speed might have had something to do with it.

I wasn't suggesting everyones speedo would go... but its an example of the kinda small problems that crop up on the older gc8's.

Still I am happy I have my car now as its got all the good bits but without the heavy weight of the newer sti's.

[QUOTE=POLARBEAR666]
Still I am happy I have my car now as its got all the good bits but without the heavy weight of the newer sti's.[/QUOTE]

The GC8 body flexes like Rolf Harris' wobble board though...

Personally I think a bug sti or peanut, if you can afford it, would be the more 'economic value'. The 2 doors have that whole collectors item feel about em but goodies versus money spent just doesn't add up if the sentimental value of a 2 door doesn't float your boat.

Interior is 34234114234534 times better in a GD series too.

mines only got 62 k on it.....^^......i love my car....hahahaha

once u fit front and rear strut braces and a 4 point cusco underbody brace the old Gc8 stops flexing like paris hilton getting pumped.

Mines feels pretty tight, maybe the 2 doors are stiffer.

[QUOTE=POLARBEAR666]once u fit front and rear strut braces and a 4 point cusco underbody brace the old Gc8 stops flexing like paris hilton getting pumped.

Mines feels pretty tight, maybe the 2 doors are stiffer.[/QUOTE]

Yeah for sure. Most cars can be stiffened/improved with a bit of dough spent on em. Once again, economic value ;)