M3 or 535 or subi wrx sti

[naveenb]

Originally Posted by jm1234

The M3 works fine to cart my family around. I'm home with my kids (6 and 9) all day and I've hauled them almost 15,000 miles in the car with no complaints (including a 2,000 mile road trip).

Turbochargers generate a lot of heat (or at least they did in all turbocharged cars I had) and that heat tends to make nearby plastic components dry and brittle with age. Also, turbochargers spin very fast with tight tolerances and again in a high heat environment so they can be an expensive item more prone to failure. I can't say how far the engineering and design has come but they present unique challenges that can effect engine longevity. Also, turbocharged engines are more complex and thus you have more failure points. I've had two turbocharged cars and I replaced the turbocharger in the first car and had troubles with the turbocharger system in the second (several mechanics couldn't diagnose the problem and then wanted to replace the turbochargers because they couldn't figure the system out).

From a performance perspective a 535 will never be close to the other two cars. From a luxury perspective the WRX will never be close to the other two cars. From a price perspective the M3 will never be close to the other two cars. There isn't a huge size difference between a 3 and 5 series. I believe the M3 will prove to be the most reliable but only time will tell. As far as modifying goes, I'd think the M3 is the least modifiable of the three (it has the fewest clearly defined flaws).

You should prioritize your criteria and then people can help you.

light modifications, daily driver, many miles, and comfort.

[Subw00er]

Dont buy a STI, I owned one and its a pos

[1º]

evo ix mr or STI

theyre not POSs

[Mikewarlover]

funny why people think sti is a pos ....
As far as i am concerned handling is brilliant, power is outstanding with not much mods, reliability is awesome compared to bmw(sumthing is always rong in da bmw small but annoying), sti also cost almost half as much as a m3 but will perform even better with 5k worth of mod.... the new one even got a decent interior with all the alcantara .... only thing i have against it is that it looks ugly from the back but front is aggressive and nice.

Well its so good in fact i traded my M for it....

[Subw00er]

Google "#4 piston STI" or "STI ringland"

[scheherazade]

Stock, I would not worry about an sti or evo ever breaking down. They're built like tanks.

I've heard things like "stage 2 is the sweet spot if you want power but don't want high maintenance" (in regards to subaru tuning).

Originally Posted by Subw00er

Google "#4 piston STI" or "STI ringland"

TBH I know nothing about the EVO X or the 2008 STI's...
Evo 6-9 are well vetted
STI 04(.5)-07 are well vetted

TBH if I was going to buy an sti I would get one used anyways.
Find someone who has tuned it a 'reasonable' amount, and buy it used with tune.

You can start having fun right away, and it won't cost you a ton.
And if you don't like it, sell it for almost no loss.

-scheherazade

[Subw00er]

Originally Posted by scheherazade

Stock, I would not worry about an sti or evo ever breaking down. They're built like tanks.

...and thats what I thought.. until I owned one. Look past the marketing, the cars are made like crap.

[oneintheory]

Originally Posted by Driver72

What would make you think that?

You've got to run 93 with any high-boost tune.

Why not a 335 sedan? They're plenty roomy, plenty sporty, and have the same (very moddable) Engine as the 535. Plus they weigh less, so you'll have (in all likelihood due to the sportier suspension and throttle response) a faster and better handling car.

[naveenb]

i went car shopping today. i gotta say the m3 coupe does nothing for me, but i saw a black on black S5---OMG! sexy car. it makes me wonder what the new S4 holds for us. the sti and the evo have been crossed off of my list.

[Nawaaz]

I recently sold my 2006 Evo IX MR so that I could get into a new e90 M3. I miss my Evo very much, but I just felt I needed a more refined car without losing the performance.

[SoreHead]

Originally Posted by Subw00er

...and thats what I thought.. until I owned one. Look past the marketing, the cars are made like crap.

I believe that's called the bad luck of getting a lemon.
I had 4 years of trouble free, modified Impreza back in Ireland and I met the guy that bought it and he's still enjoying trouble free motoring.

One thing to take into account is weather where you live. If you get rain or snow (like Ireland) then there is no substitute for a well sorted 4wd rally replica like the Impreza or Evo. Nothing will touch them in the wet. Nothing!
I also found the ride acceptable. It is a performance car so you won't have a lovely comfy ride but it's far from horrible.

If you can afford a new M3 but would prefer more room go buy a nice 2 year old M5 and have the space and the performance.