i went from a 04sti to a 03evo... everyone that has posted has made good point's, so there is not much more to add! but i will say this, stock for stock i would take the sti.. but that's it! if you plan on modding the car there is no comparison the evo is much better platform..

 

After buying my evo last week and letting my friend drive it (he has the same car you do), he put a for sale sign on it that next week. Or maybe it was the fact that my car took 2nd in the autoX being completely stock?

 

What are the differences between 03-05 models? Any specific model year or vintage I should avoid if I were to purchase a used EVO?

 

I would think if u traded in your wrx at a subaru dealership you will get more for your car in your trade in. I traded in my 03 wrx for an 05 sti and they paid off my loan and took 2k off my sti so I got it for $30,800. For those that say the 46g3 is stronger then the sti ej257 you guys obviously have no idea what your talking about. People are making over 500whp on stock block and stock head and running fine. Sti can make the same power as an evo and have better low end torque. Better awd, better weight distrubution and can handle just as good an an MR by upgrading the tires and putting a front swaybar. Steering on an 05 feels the same as any evo i've driven in. There both great cars, I just hate how people on this forum think the evo is "that much" better when its really not. Members on Nasioc respect evos and dont critisize on them like people over here do on sti's. Anyways both cars are great good luck on your decision.

 

I've had both cars. I've seen many stock block 2.5 STI's with cracked ringlands, including mine! Don't believe that the 2.5 stock Subie block can handle 500 whp, what a joke . I bought an Subie 2.5 LGT due to a nice trade in allowance on the STI but I'm not modding it. My 03 Evo has been bulletproof with 380 whp. Other than that if you can drive either car is fine. I can tell you I like the Evo better, and it's cheaper and easier to mod.

 

knowing both awd systems very well, im going to have to disagree with you when you say the subaru has the superior awd system, the evo def has the better awd system FOR NOW, the way the platforms are both laid out though, the sti's awd system could be better in the future if subaru makes some adjustments, but right now, the evo def has the better awd system(i would go into detail on this, but its actually quite complicated and would be a page long explanation), in terms of power, both make great power yes, no question about that, but it will be more expensive on the sti, the sti does have an advantage with dccd over acd imo, its more fun to play with and has an automatic mode as well, so that added option is pretty cool, bottomline both cars are incredible, you really cant go wrong with either, but its hard to argue that the evo isnt the better track and performance car, overall car is a different story that can be up for debate, and in terms of low end torque, thats corrected on the evo with intake exhaust so the sti doesnt really have an advantage there, only stock for stock it does, imo the sti is the better stock car but the evo is better after modification

 

you want an 05 as apposed to an 03/04. 05 has the ACD, 10.5 hotside (more power) and all the little factory kinks work out of it.

 

I sold my STi for an Evo.... Test drive both

 

I had a 2004 WRX Cobb Stg. 2.5 (VF34+ supporting mods).

Evo MR, stock, is 10x the car the WRX is.

The EVO MR is 110% the car the STi is. But you can't go wrong with both. I drive a subie wagon as my beater car.

 

hmm no offense but some of you guys need to catch up on your facts. Stock block sti's cant make over 500whp without breaking? lol you should at least read magazine or go over to nasioc and read up a little. In fact you could probably ask any tuner on this board and will most likely tell you your 100% wrong. I guess magazines that say the subarus awd system is superior obviously must be wrong. Whats the next thing your going to say, that Mitsubishi is more reliable then subaru? lol everyone i know that has an evo has already broken something even being stock. Evos are cheaper to make faster because of the all ready bigger turbo. To even get power you have to upgrade the cams. People that go to these evo vs wrx shootouts can not drive there sti's to the full potential. People are running 14's with stock sti's and evo's and its quite sad. Put the same mods on both cars and they can run the same times, i dont care what anyone else says. Reflash/exhaust/intake and an sti will run mid 12's with a good driver as will an evo. Its funny how you said the MR is 110% better then an sti? Please tell me why? Is it the tranny? The motor? The turbo? What makes it so much better? Like I said some people need to get there facts straight before they just start saying "evo is better then sti no matter what you say".

 

Hey champ, you ask about "facts" but quote my COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE opinion in the same paragraph-even in the following sentence! What were you thinking?

Let me reiterate: IT'S MY OPINION. You sound so insecure. Let me remind you that evolutionm is an EVO site.

I'm not the one you should be quoting anyway...I own a subie too!

 

you know what, I am insecure. I've been on the subaru and evo boards both for over 2 years now and read them every single day. I attend sti and evo meets all the time. When I go to evo meets nobody puts down the sti, in fact every evo owner i've met loves sti's and knows what they are capable of. I know just about the same knowledge about evos as I know on sti's. I hate hate how on this board even though its an "evo" board that people are just like evo is better and sti sucks. I love both cars but some people just have no idea what they are talking about. I just wish people on this board would realize that the sti is capable at whatever the evo is period. Not trying to start anything sorry. To me there is no "better" car when comparing the evo vs sti. Best cars for the money.

 

I think their must be something wrong with the USDM Evo's (Or maybe just some drivers?) But the Evo has always had a reputation for having one of the strongest factory drivetrains of any Japanese car.

There are Evo's everywhere cranking out 500-600HP still running factory Evo gearboxes and diffs. There was even an Evo running mid-9's on a factory gearbox with slicks on. Quite a few street-driven 10-second cars with factory boxes too.

Subaru's on the other hand, had always had an infamous reputation for their 'glass gearboxes' not to mention their reliability (or lack thereof). This was all until the GDB (01-present) was released. The 6-speed in the STi's is apparently just as strong, if not stronger than the 5-speed Evo box. With previous generation STi's it was pointless to take the power levels beyond 320-350 HP at the wheels. I must say though the way the STi 6-speed shifts is awesome. It's so smooth and precise.

Not sure if this is true for the 2.5L USDM STi's but the JDM 2L engines are far more reliable (EDIT: than previous generations.) and still retain forged pistons etc. from the factory. May also have the closed-deck engine block of some older EJ20 variants as well.

 

This thread asked for opinions -- You apparently have a problem with opinions other than yours. Your opinions are no better than anyone else that posts. This is the internet, what do you expect?

BTW, Nasioc is full of venom for Mitsubishis, do a search

 

I have owned a WRX with a Vishnu Stage1 (minus boost control) and later a STI.

I didn't own the STI long enough to have any significant issues other than that crazy knock/ping issue with the '04 models.

With the WRX, I had the clutch shudder problem at 20k, fixed under warrentee, plus a few problems with the grease seals on the axles later on as a result. When I got rid of the WRX at 44k miles, the tranny was grinding in 1st and second gear and I am pretty sure the clutch was on it's way out again.

I have owned the EVO for almost 1.5 years now. the only problem I have had with it was the p0300 reflash fix. Beyond that, the car has been more reliable than my WRX.

Just as with the WRX, you need to buy one with no dealer miles on it and properly follow the breakin period.

As for the fragile clutch in the EVO, it's the same deal with that glass tranny in the WRX. if you beat on the driveline, something has to give.