WRX vs 348TT

And "riced" german (and american) cars are also featured on "ricer" pages. (Remember the Chevy with a wood wing?)

But nobody has to "pretty up" a car with Bertone or Farina coachwork. Heck, 90% of the new cars could blow off my little Alfa spider -- but the Alfa is still prettier.

The "totally disinterested" are a large majority, though. In a 6-Sigma class exercise, from knowing that I had bought a new car, the group was supposed to "poll requirements" to guess what kind. Only one of the group had ever heard of an STi, and didn't know about the EVO.

But in the parking lot of supposedly professional engineers, I saw one car that had a pseudo-Skyline nose bolted to his IS300. (gak)

Ah, but that's where Mitsu's clutch hydraulic "damper" comes in -- it really gets in the way of fine clutch control. Even on "normal" quick shifts, I feel like the clutch is fighting me. (And I drove an Alfetta GT from MA to southern NJ without first or second gear -- I know how to finnese a clutch. After 15 yrs and 98Kmi, I sold my Celica AllTrac with the original clutch still intact.) The @#$% damper even oscillates in slow maneuvers in tight parking garages in DC.

Mitsu dealers have been getting sticky about clutches and warranties. I hear that Scooby dealers have been getting the same about trannies. If I can find a good local dealer (e.g. one that isn't going to void the entire warranty for one mod) then that @#$% damper is going to be history.

And when I say "not very good off the line", I'm only talking about the first ten feet. Once it gets rolling, it'll run the tach in an amazingly short time.

I suspect that the newer EVOs, with the six speed box, would be a bit more "livable" on the street, as first is a smidge tall as a "low" on my '03's 5-speed.

 

LOL, I haven't seen that particular Chevy, but I'll take your word for it. I might hurl if I saw it in person.

You should ask them if they've ever heard of far rarer cars, like the TVR. If that doesn't stump them, ask about the Leblanc Caroline I'm sure, just like me, you find the car knowledge among many people to be just, well, pathetic.

Oh, the humanity !! Especially when the Lexus can be turbo-ed to make fairly big power; instead the money is wasted in ricing it out.

That sounds horrible, mate. I can't really relate since to be honest, I've never driven the Evo or any Mitsu for that matter, my WRX clutch felt fine compared to what you're describing.

Very true, unfortunately.

 

I find this very interseting thread.

I own a Toyota GT4, it is bored out a little and now a 2.1L, Forged pist, 700HP flow ballbearing turbo, etc...etc...etc.... and final result is 520HP. It is ****ing scary car to drive.

I want a 348 and hope to buy one in the next two months, when I return to Australia. Now having a 520hp GT4, it is going to kill my 348. And yeah racing the 348 against other cars in cairns, would lose quite a bit. But thats not what I will buy it for, it just driving the thing and respecting for what it is.

I had a R1(2001) motorbike, was the best in its class, more power then anything else on the road, but I upgrade to a MV F4(ferrari designed the engine for this bike) hence the F4. The bike was slower and the way it preformed was like the 360 I drove once. The smile on my face was bigger on the F4 then the R1, but it had... 25 less HP!

I hope to have the same feeling from the 348. Driving this car and repecting the history of the car is whats it all about.

Now I would like to do a review on both cars, when I buy the 348. It will be very different. But what you must remember is. If I spent the same amount of money on the 348 as I did onmy GT4, the 348 would be a totaly drag car!!!!

These Jap cars are running at there best, the only thing you could realy do more to my GT4 is NOS. apart from that all is done to modifiy it. The 348, I beleive can be a totaly scary thing to drive if you would spend the same amount mods to it.

I think my GT4 will beat the 348 in every aspect. Its lighter and AWD. But at the end of the day, I own one and I still want a 348. and I would swap my GT4 for a 348 also. And the guy driving the WRX or EVO that passes your 348. Ask him, you want to swap and see what he says, cause he would jump at it!

Eye m not hold reliable 4 every speling mistake on me post

 

You know, you can 'rice up' a Ferrari too. It costs more, but who cares?!

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/find/4100_results.asp?bsubmit=true&lmodelflag=12271&lmanufacturer=10042&whatbutton.x=0&page=0&lCarID=1705947

I'd like to give that a go once or thrice...

 

aj, you know how much i respect your superior knowledge but...the 0-60 time on a 2004 WRX Sti is 4.6 seconds. thats faster than a ferrari 456M, maserati spyder and a porsche 911 carrera. this is in completely stock trim, right off the showroom floor. your right in saying most all of these compacts are posers, with slap-on muffler tips and cool graphics who think they are fast. but some really ARE the real deal. the STi has some good brakes to, it goes from 60-0 in 111 feet. thats better than the 360 spider, 550 maranello, 911 gt2 and nsx. these are impressive numbers for a $30,000 car arn't they?

 

Hey guys,

I dont want to start anything here... But...

On my way to work not long ago, I came across an Sti on the highway. I knew the gent (he is a customer of mine) and I like his car, but...

I was in my Mondial t coupe (3.4 = 300 HP) - We were on the highway @ around 60 MPH (four lane, no other traffic - okay). We both put the pedal to the wood - and I pulled away till I let off. Twice.

He has a great car, I wont deny that. But I have heard (since this little meeting of ours) that the Sti runs out of wind at the top end.

I can sure confirm that.

BTW... My Mondial t is "only" a 13.9 @ 107.1 - 1/4 machine. But it has a hellofa top end charge 'eh.

So... 355's & 348's: Bring on the Sti's.

 

That would be very true! These rally cars only have good times on paper because they are all standing starts. 0-100km, 1/4mile(from 0). So the All wheel drive helps heaps. But as for running starts, they lose benifit of the AWD, which is a power loss and also creates a lot of weight!

So yes from a running start they are not so good!

 

I find it very hard to believe that a 348 of any type would have a chance against a stock WRX STi, except for top end ! The STI is faster and handles better per the specs.

 

All of this is very interesting and no doubt these cars perform well, but there is one problem...the Evo and WRX are Butt-Friggin' ugly. Thus, even should you put a rocket engine in them and do 0-60 in 1 second I still wouldn't buy one...of course, this is just one person's opinion.

 

Same weight, same hp, so the acceleration should be about the same. The STI may do better in the quarts and 0-60 because it is geared quite low and the all wheel drive will help it hook, the the trap speeds should be very close. The handle should go to the 348 with the wider tires, stiffer chassis, double A-arm suspension front and rear, and much better weight distribution. Comparing published specs is probably a mistake because trires have come a long long way in the last 10 years and skid pads are all about tires.