Original Owner, All Stock: 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Subaru must have done a terrible job designing their rally car for the street, because it seems that every Impreza WRX STI offered for sale has a list of bolt-on aftermarket parts that reads like a SEMA phone directory. However, you probably don’t want a highly monsterfied Subaru (for various reasons), and today we’ve got an all original, all stock, original owner STI for sale. Find this 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI offered for $19,500 in Mountain View, CA via NASIOC forums.
I might be biased because I have a similar car in my driveway, but the 2004 (and 05) Subaru STI offers an excellent tradeoff between speed, utility, and future value. For whatever reason, the little sedans stopped depreciating a few years back and are holding steady in value — my personal theory is that each week another STI gets modified into oblivion or slammed into a telephone pole. With only 7,210 examples leaving showrooms in 2004, it means that each time one gets a flat black paint job, the remaining stock ones get marginally more desirable.
Under the hood is a 2.5 liter boxer 4-cylinder all-alloy engine that is turbocharged and intercooled (yes, the rhino horn hood scoop is functional, it directs air into the top mount intercooler) to produce 300 horsepower and 300 ft-lbs of torque.
The 2004 STI is monstrously fast, and it goes like nuts without the aid of electronic doodads and gizmos. Power heads to a 6-speed manual gearbox that is connected to the front via a SureTrac limited slip, and the back wheels via a mechanical limited slip. There is no traction control, and the only electronic help you get is the DCCD (driver controlled center differential) that can be set to lock out the center diff (don’t do this if you want to park the car, but it might be helpful in low grip situations) or open it for more sideways action. Personally, I have a hard enough time figuring out what gear I should be in, or which way to turn the steering wheel, so I generally leave the DCCD controller on auto and let the sensors figure it out.
See another original STI? tips@dailyturismo.com
Wow, $20K for a 12 year-old Subaru? I don't know this market, so someone please tell me if this is realistic. Thanks.
B — okay, first I have to admit that I am biased because I have one of those in my driveway (similar miles/condition) — however, this is not an unrealistic starting price for an 04 STI that hasn't been salvaged and modified into a rolling advertisement for Dirty Steve's Flat-Brim Hat-o-rama & Vape Shop Inc is going to start at $15k. More for ones with lower miles prices will vary with location.
Is this a deal? Maybe not…but a quick search of Los Angeles craigslist and you'll see one that is stock and the seller wants $26k (it does have really low miles). Expand your search a bit and you can find stock STIs, but they are the exception.
-Vince
Thanks Vince. Clearly these are highly valued by their owners (and wanna-be owners). And in my books, having actual experience with a particular model does not constitute "bias" but rather "knowledge".
Man that is mega money for this car! I had an '04 for about a year before it was too expensive for me to maintain and enjoy to the fullest. I agree the '04 is simply raw and wonderful but also feel that the '05 as the best of the bunch. The transmission is one hell of an intoxicating creation to enjoy, I miss that a lot, but the fuel economy was so dismal, not that it bothered me but it was dismal and never changing no matter my driving methods.
A 2005 with 70,000 miles just sold via BringaTrailer auction for $21,000 so the price seems in the ballpark.
I was bidding on that car until the very end. I do want one again. Should have never sold it….=(
On my monitor, the paint does not appear to match. I have those seats in my Forester XT. They are only OK in terms of comfort or support. I also have those rims (1 year only) Very pricey at the dealer.
The market varies widely on these. In the few states that have these as the official car, such as Vermont (all of New England) and the Western Mountain states, these can be had cheap because they have been mercilessly flogged until the point even the spot welds are getting loose and the engine is installed with Dzus fasteners to hasten the inevitable blown headgasket repairs.
But go to a state where they are often seen as pristine Fast n' Furious studs and the prices are similar to this ad. NYC metro has insane pricing on all Subarus, not just WRX.
Drive 4 hrs north, buy a cheapo and hose the cow shit and salt off before you drive back and save 75%
Anyone else notice scoobys hold their value?
I was helping a Nephew find a wrx and the prices are so high. The must be great cars.
They hold their prices because of the amount of $$$ you have to dump…I mean put into them. Amazing cars in snow and inclement weather.
For anybody who wants to buy a subaru a word of advice, the A/C systems in all cars suck (They use the same parts in every model for the past decade). Like really, really really, bad. Do not buy if you live in a desert…it's barely tolerable in a mild climate in my opinion.
I'm the (now ex-) of the car. Thanks for the article! The car is now sold, quite possibly because of it.
tdv — glad to hear it, tell you friends about us! -Vince DT E-i-C.