2.5rs vs 300zx

[Right_LiRrr]

Originally Posted by VAD0R

I got a video from Motorweek that begs to differ.

I couldn't see the video but in the description is says something about an STi 22B...but I was talking about the difference between an impreza modified to become an STi and an actual STi.

[drunken monkey]

at the time the 22B was indeed a massively impressive Impreza but as a road car it was always flawed because of an over stiff ride, mainly down to it being more or less a wrc set up car that was tamed slightly for the road.
on the other hand, the P1 that came about a year (if i recall correctly) was done more or less the other way around. It took a road car and worked it to be more like the wrc car. In reality this is more a quesrion of semantics but in execution it lead to the P1 being the ultimately more useable and compliant car, especially on UK roads where much of the set up was done (seeing as Prodrive is UK based).

incidentally, the 22B wasn't a japan only car (as said in the clip) as the UK got a limited number of them as well.

[triplerox]

Well after considerable amount of thinking, i finally planned on getting a wrx, only to be hindered by another thing.

I will be driving this car to college, which is like 7 hours away from home. as far as fuel economy on wrx/2.5rs go, is it bearable? or should i go for something cheaper like the si or gti which i know handles pretty well in long distance so that i can slowly save up for sti once college is over. any thoughts?

[Right_LiRrr]

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

at the time the 22B was indeed a massively impressive Impreza but as a road car it was always flawed because of an over stiff ride, mainly down to it being more or less a wrc set up car that was tamed slightly for the road.
on the other hand, the P1 that came about a year (if i recall correctly) was done more or less the other way around. It took a road car and worked it to be more like the wrc car. In reality this is more a quesrion of semantics but in execution it lead to the P1 being the ultimately more useable and compliant car, especially on UK roads where much of the set up was done (seeing as Prodrive is UK based).

incidentally, the 22B wasn't a japan only car (as said in the clip) as the UK got a limited number of them as well.

As did Australia. There is one for sale now in Sydney for about 120K AUD but no one is willing to buy it becuase it cannot be complianced for road use and also the authenticity is in question (I think).

Being an Impreza fan, I am hard pressed, but have to agree with you about the 22B. As impressive a car as it is, it's not that desirable for road use (I will probably be outcast now in the impreza forums =P).

However, ultimately, the idea of the STi, imo, is embodied in the 22B (and to a high extent the P1) - a lightweight, rigid framed, 2 door, power and torque machine. Ooohh yeah!!

And as I said before, no matter what u do to an RS or other base model impreza, it will never be that true sense of the STi - even the new 2.5L STi's I don't consider to be a true STi because they're not built in the same spirit as the original ones that made the Impreza famous. I mean, 2.5L pfftt...

[VAD0R]

Unless there are modifacations made to the frame itself within the 22b, P1 and even today's STi you can give a RS that WRX feeling by upgrading the springs, struts and sway bar aside from all the engine and exhaust modifacations. I mean, I don't think triplerox is going to take his ride for extensive rallying anytime soon so it should be ok to have it close and not at the "STi experience."

Also, I do agree that when it comes to striking a balance of sportiness and comfort hardly anything comes close to the 300ZX in its price range. And you are aware that the STi is 2.5ls only in the US, so if you consider that killing their spirit than that must make BMW souless.

[drunken monkey]

with regards to the P1, if i recall correctly, it was the Model that marked the biggest change in the WRC car of the same time with massive reorganising of the internal components of the car to make it more competitive in the WRC. However, i'm not entirely sure of how much this translated to the P1 road car.

i know what you're getting at though but it still strikes me as being sligthly strange why someone would do the engine swap instead of just getting the proper car.

[Broke_as_****]

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

i know what you're getting at though but it still strikes me as being sligthly strange why someone would do the engine swap instead of just getting the proper car.

They think it will give them the same car for less money.

Then they find out it won't.

[triplerox]

I found two cars that i really liked, but i dont know which one will suit me. Couldnt test drive the si because its 5 hours away... for those of you who owned it, what do you think? which car has the best blend of power and handling?

2000 civic si $12500
30000 miles
[VERY clean]


2000 2.5rs $11000
61000 miles
[with greddy evo exhaust]

i am a college bound student so i will be driving long miles with these car. The only reason im not going for the si yet is because it's fwd....i really dig cars with superior handling such as the awd cars..

[kman10587]

Decent 1st gen. 2.5 RSes are few and far between. Get it now!

[mason_RsX]

For the price they are very clean cars...They still look Subaru boxy, decent interior, and the engine, compared to its WRX counter part, gives hustle very low in the tach...which is welcome compared to the constant turbo lag

Plus I never really liked the Si's in that generation

Id say take the RS, you won't be disappointed

[9ball]

Both engines are rock-solid reliable. The civic looks like a good deal being that it's only 30000mi, in fact I would probably buy that based on that fact. Of course, don't buy anything until you test drive it. I don't know, I think this is purely up to personal preference because both of these cars would be great for college.

[silentscreams85]

2.5 rs. hands down

[drunken monkey]

i've merged your three threads here because they are essentially a continuation of the first one.

[kman10587]

The only reason to buy a 2.5 RS and do an EJ20T swap is if its a 1998-2001 2.5 RS, since we didn't have the WRX or STi here in the States back then. And that's not a bad idea at all. GC8s are pretty sexy, and it's not an overly difficult or expensive swap. If you're talking about the new body style 2.5 RS, forget it; just buy a WRX and soup it up, or buy an STi. If you can't afford either one of those, then you're not going to be able to afford an EJ20T swap either.

Anyways, I own a 2005 2.5 RS, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's not the fastest thing in the world, but it's very fun to drive. It has plenty of power in the lower RPM range (below 4000), but after that, it falls flat on its face. It's good for around-town spirited driving, highway cruising, and autocrossing; if you wanna drag race, get something else. I don't regret not buying a WRX back in '05, though the '06 WRX is pretty tempting, what with its vastly improved motor, stock 17-inch rims, upgraded brakes, and good sound system.

Though I'm obviously an advocate of the 2.5 RS, the Z32 300ZX is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful cars ever made, and it perfectly embodies everything that a sports car should be. If I had the balls to buy a 10+ years old sports car, I would have probably gotten one. If you don't get much bad weather where you live, and you think you can handle the possible maintenance issues of an older sports car, then get a 300ZX. Whether N/A or turbo, it's superior to the 2.5 RS in almost every aspect.

[drunken monkey]

Originally Posted by triplerox

I found two cars that i really liked, but i dont know which one will suit me. Couldnt test drive the si because its 5 hours away... for those of you who owned it, what do you think? which car has the best blend of power and handling?

2000 civic si $12500
30000 miles
[VERY clean]


2000 2.5rs $11000
61000 miles
[with greddy evo exhaust]

i am a college bound student so i will be driving long miles with these car. The only reason im not going for the si yet is because it's fwd....i really dig cars with superior handling such as the awd cars..

so how does the civic si he mentions stack up against the 300zx and 2.5RS?

anyway,
the way i see it, if it were me choosing the car to buy, i'd first think about what kind of car i am after.
if i were looking for an out and out sports car with no need to consider the need to carry more than two people, then it'd be the 300ZX (i won't be looking for the 2+2).
if i want a car that is all round good with decent pace, then it'd an STi (since the 300zx and STi are pretty much the same price around these parts these days; year dependent of course).

of the two, i have a slight preference to the Subaru, mainly because i like the more practical nature of the car.