Hi! im new to this forum, please help! ok so im 16 and i really love subarus.. specifically the 2006-2007 STi models. iv always wanted an STi since i was 12 and now that im older and going farther in life i just need to know certain things. i plan on buying a 2006 or 2007 WRX STi in the future..like when im 20+ years of age. ( please do not ask why i dont like the newer models of them because i just dont lol ) i want to know what kind of yearly salary or job do you think i ( or someone ) would need to be able to pay off an STi? specifically one thats used but still in good condition under 20-25k. give examples.. like a police officer? mechanic? engineer? etc.. or needs atleast 30-50k a year? i just dont know! i know that STi's are more costly to maintain than a WRX but still. please help.. give me details about everything. i do plan on getting mods

I would really want an STI, but for me, it would take 15 years for one to become cheap enough to buy. I could only dream of what it would  be like to drive one after having over 40 old subarus with the lowest miles being 110,000, newest being 1998, and most of them with 95 hp and the most recent with 135 and a lot fo them with over 200 and 250,000 miles.

 

Don't spoil yourself with a new one until you have driven a slow one fast. 

 

Get onto grandma's outback for $1500 cash and get some driving experience down, but a few soobs together (for cheap) and then when you are in your mid 20's and can afford a 15 yr old STI then you will greater appreciate it and still be able to have one for cheap. An'd don't expect to find a 2007 model in 2020 with 25,000 miles. Maybe 250,000 miles. Like the most of us on this forum. Building one is more rewarding than one out of the box.

 

Really if you want to afford a new car, make sure now that you don't rack up tickets ans insurace will get you, and don't end up in collections or credit will get you. The best thing going for you at 16 years old and desiring an STI is a clean slate to start off.

Let me tell you a story...

 

When I was your age, I wanted nothing more than a Dodge Stealth and like you I had plans to get one when I got out of school. The reality was that when I reached that aged my record had more than 1 smudge and the insurace companies were wanting to charge me more than my payments on the car would be. I'm not saying the car payments were low, heck no. Every dealership wanted top dollar for a Stealth and each one had been used and abused to the point that it wouldn't last much past the dealers sidewalk before it blew. You might ask how the dealership could ask such high prices for crap, because lots of idiots will pay it.

 

The question is, What did I do? I really wanted a Stealth, but I couldn't afford one. I bought used "sporty" cars I could afford that continually broke down and destroyed my wallet. What I should of done was buy an affordable new car. When all is said and done, I've never saved money by buying a used car. between car payments and mechanic bills, I've always ended up spending the same.

 

I'm not telling you what you should do.  I never listened when I was your age why should you. I'm just telling a story.

I bought an '05 STI in early '06. It was basically new with 3200 miles on it. At the time I was making about 35k a year and was 25 yrs old. I paid 27,900 for it. It was an awesome car, pretty much the nicest car I've ever owned. I was approved for my loan with no co-signer.

 

That being said by the time you get an STI, 20 or so like you posted an 06-07 should be pretty damn cheap in comparison. So you're basically looking at prices on a used car 4 years from now. You could probably afford one working at Taco Bell if you start saving now.

 

Edit: As for mods it was fast enough for me. I just threw a COBB suspension under it. Springs and sway bars. I Ended up selling it because I was too stupid with my driving habits but smart enough to know it.

Edited July 16, 201312 yr by notliving

yeah i like the idea of the car of my dreams being cheaper in the future ahaha..thanks @notliving, your right about a cars price lowering due to age and depreciation..your reply made me feel so relieved. but i see the moral of your story @Godsmulligan, i see what your trying to say..but i dont know.. maybe its worth it..

I just wanted to add this: I've driven an 06 STi a few times and it's at LEAST as fun as you think it is. Probably even moreso.

don't forget the insurance.

 

My 06 WRX Wagon is plenty quick for me. Unless you go to the track regularly, you are 'legally' limited on your speed - but there's not really a limit to how  flat you can turn corners!

 

You can do suspension, steering and brake upgrades to any car and make it more fun. Cosmetic mods will help personalize it.

Edited July 16, 201312 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

Computer science or programming.  These positions are in EXTREMELY high demand and they pay a crap load.  If you want money for toys, this is the line of work to get into...

I just wanted to add this: I've driven an 06 STi a few times and it's at LEAST as fun as you think it is. Probably even moreso.

My '05 was FUN FUN FUN!!!. But when you are doing 155mph down I205 and many other places its time to move on. If I didn't sell that car I would be dead and probably would have taken some people with me.

 

He has no idea how fun that car is until he drives one.

I love that you are asking about what career you should have in order to buy a specific car. When I was 17 in 1994, I wanted a new Civic EX. I ended up getting a 1994 Civic - in 1999.

 

Do what you love in a way that will pay your bills. Will that require some compromises? Absolutely. One of those compromises is that you will never be able to buy every (or sometimes even ANY) new car that you desire. That's the way life rolls...

You might consider joining the local SCCA or some other group that runs autocross events. Maybe start by picking up a Honda or a Miata, run autox occasionally. Use that car for school. All the while, keep an eye on anyone driving soobs. When you have money, you might find a fellow SCCA memebr you know runs a nice car and he wants to sell his and upgrade. By then, you'd have driving skills to match that STI.

 

stay safe and keep the shiny side up!

 

Edited July 17, 201312 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

haga thanks man, i dont want to just buy a car that i cant pay for. thanks guys for all the advice. and yeah, ill look in to that Texan! i didnt even know know about it@nhzero and @1 Lucky Texan a lot of people told me to do just that with a Honda but i think that by the time i buy my first car..the STi will already be depreciated enough for me to be able to afford it since it is a 06-07. and your right @notliving i have no idea how fun it is, all i can do mow is imagine.

Get a non turbo AWD legacy in manual or automatic(shudder) and learn to drive it smooth.Driving it smooth leads to fast driving.Learn to make the slow car smooth (and fast) then get a fast car.Otherwise your just a knob with a fast car who will probably be slower than somebody driving a slow car fast.

 

To put it in perspective about a year ago I was driving an 82 Datsun/Nissan 200SX(RWD economy car with 110 HP weighing 2250 LBS) on a nice curvy section of road when I came up to a new nissan 350Z driving pathetically slow.Sections to pass on that road were few and far in between so I waited patently for a chance to pass only to realize that the guy would speed up on the straights but I would effortlessly catch up to him in the corners.

 

He was only fast because he was driving a fast car,On the other hand in the corners I was faster with my 30 year old econobox because I knew how to drive.

good point Uberoo.

 

There were a couple of 'torque monsters' on that track int he pic I posted that day. A Corvette for instance.

 

That track is also used by owners of Vipers, GTRs, Lambos and other exotic supercars.

 

But, the guy that owns the HPDE school also happens to hold the track record - in a 138HP MIata.

 

If you just want a cheap drag racer, get a Mustang. But you can learn to actually DRIVE in lots of cars, just do some mods to help them corner flat and not overheat the brakes, get sticky tires, learn how to enter, apex, and exit the corners properly set-up for the next turn - SMOOTHLY.

Edited July 23, 201312 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

looks like Summit Point Raceway in WV is less than 2 hours away. They have some event coming up Aug. 17-18 I think. You could drive over and check it out. If you're lucky, someone might haul you around the track.

 

you might try to contact someone in your region about autoX events in SCCA; http://www.scca.com/site_search_results.cfm?q=maryland