3.3L Stinger GT vs. 2015 WRX (non-STi)

[AnalogMan]

Greetings everyone, my first post as a (hopefully) soon to be Stinger owner. I've been daily driving a 2019 WRX Limited, which truly is a great car and terrific fun to drive. My only complaint about the WRX is non-trivial - the ride is stiff, harsh, and jittery (befitting it's role as a rallye/sports sedan).

I'm probably older than the average WRX driver - 63 - so a little more comfortable ride, especially on long trips, would go a long way. Reading the thoughts and experiences of others here has been very helpful.

Thank you!

 

[jthrelf]

Greetings everyone, my first post as a (hopefully) soon to be Stinger owner. I've been daily driving a 2019 WRX Limited, which truly is a great car and terrific fun to drive. My only complaint about the WRX is non-trivial - the ride is stiff, harsh, and jittery (befitting it's role as a rallye/sports sedan).

I'm probably older than the average WRX driver - 63 - so a little more comfortable ride, especially on long trips, would go a long way. Reading the thoughts and experiences of others here has been very helpful.

Thank you!

If those are your goals - the Stinger is a fantastic option. Good luck!

 

[G-54237]

If those are your goals - the Stinger is a fantastic option. Good luck!

Thanks!

I’m still a hard-core, old-school (to go along with being just old…) gear head. I’ve owned well over 100 cars in 48 years of driving. Most have been some form of ‘sports’ car and with a manual transmission.

I looked at the Stinger 3 years ago when I needed a daily driver, but was stuck on wanting a manual transmission. AWD in New England is a plus. The WRX fit the bill perfectly, and is great fun to drive as well as a bargain for the money.

In the new pandemic world, we’re not flying or taking trains or buses. Any travels are solely by car. The WRX is a great sports sedan, but not such a great long-distance ‘touring’ car. It would’ve been perfectly fine when I was younger, but at 63, creeping arthritis is calling for something a bit less stiff riding.

I don’t care about the ‘badge’ and the snob appeal of a BMW, Mercedes, etc. I care about how a car is built and performs, not what other people think about what I drive (which is why at 63 I have a WRX and BRZ). I’ve also accepted that at this point, having one car with an automatic wouldn’t be a bad thing (so my wife could also drive it). I’ll miss the WRX, but am keeping the BRZ, and also have a 2015 Mustang GT with a stick to satisfy my clutch cravings.

I look forward to learning from everyone’s experiences with their Stingers. It seems like a hell of a car.

Thanks again!

 

[AnalogMan]

If those are your goals - the Stinger is a fantastic option. Good luck!

Thanks! It's a big step for me to get a car with an automatic transmission. I've always been a hard-core and old-school gear head, have owned over 100 cars in my life, most of which were some type of 'sports' or performance car with a manual transmission. The WRX is one of the great cars of the world, a blast to drive, and a terrific value for the money. My aging body and creeping arthritis is getting to the point where more than 2 or 3 hours in the car, and the harsh ride is a little much.

I'm hoping the Stinger will have a similar soul as the WRX in being fun to drive, but with a bit more practicality and comfort for long trips (having an automatic that my wife can also drive is also a plus). I also have a Subaru BRZ and a 2015 Mustang GT with manual transmissions as pure 'fun' cars for when I crave shifting for myself and don't need a comfortable cruiser, and am hoping the Stinger will be a good compliment.

I look forward to learning from everyone's Stinger experiences, knowledge, and ideas.

 

[jthrelf]

Thanks! It's a big step for me to get a car with an automatic transmission. I've always been a hard-core and old-school gear head, have owned over 100 cars in my life, most of which were some type of 'sports' or performance car with a manual transmission. The WRX is one of the great cars of the world, a blast to drive, and a terrific value for the money. My aging body and creeping arthritis is getting to the point where more than 2 or 3 hours in the car, and the harsh ride is a little much.

I'm hoping the Stinger will have a similar soul as the WRX in being fun to drive, but with a bit more practicality and comfort for long trips (having an automatic that my wife can also drive is also a plus). I also have a Subaru BRZ and a 2015 Mustang GT with manual transmissions as pure 'fun' cars for when I crave shifting for myself and don't need a comfortable cruiser, and am hoping the Stinger will be a good compliment.

I look forward to learning from everyone's Stinger experiences, knowledge, and ideas.

Good stuff! I only have one car which is my Stinger now so I do miss a manual. It's kinda nice but nothing like rowing gears on a cool night, windows down.

I'm craving a 987 Boxster S to fill my 6 speed needs

 

[AnalogMan]

Good stuff! I only have one car which is my Stinger now so I do miss a manual. It's kinda nice but nothing like rowing gears on a cool night, windows down.

I'm craving a 987 Boxster S to fill my 6 speed needs

I came of 'automotive age' in a time (the 1960's) when 'real' sports/performance cars had manual transmissions. So, that (admittedly obsolete) notion is still hardwired into my psyche. I realize modern computer-controlled automatic transmissions and DCT's are 'faster' and 'more efficient' than a stick, but I don't care.

I don't care if an automatic might be a tenth of a second faster around the Nurburgring. I drive on the street, not a race track. For me, there's just nothing that beats the feeling of being in control and rowing my own gears. The Stinger I picked up yesterday is the first automatic transmission car I've bought for myself (excluding my wife's cars) in my life.

A Boxster is great fun to drive. I've owned a few Porsche's in my time, the last one being a 2006 Boxster S. But, I've become very disappointed with the dramatic decline in construction quality and reliability of not only Porsches but most German cars over the past 20 years. They're really not the same as they used to be 'back in the day' when they established their reputations. After the Boxster experience, I won't buy another German car.

 

[GT Elite]

I came of 'automotive age' in a time (the 1960's) when 'real' sports/performance cars had manual transmissions. So, that (admittedly obsolete) notion is still hardwired into my psyche. I realize modern computer-controlled automatic transmissions and DCT's are 'faster' and 'more efficient' than a stick, but I don't care.

I don't care if an automatic might be a tenth of a second faster around the Nurburgring. I drive on the street, not a race track. For me, there's just nothing that beats the feeling of being in control and rowing my own gears. The Stinger I picked up yesterday is the first automatic transmission car I've bought for myself (excluding my wife's cars) in my life.

A Boxster is great fun to drive. I've owned a few Porsche's in my time, the last one being a 2006 Boxster S. But, I've become very disappointed with the dramatic decline in construction quality and reliability of not only Porsches but most German cars over the past 20 years. They're really not the same as they used to be 'back in the day' when they established their reputations. After the Boxster experience, I won't buy another German car.

Wow….you and I are very similar in our automotive history. I too came of automotive age in the 60’s and I have always had manual transmission 2-door sports cars, except for my last car prior to the Stinger. That was a Subaru WRX STi…my first 4-door car. The ride and having to shift all the time finally got to me…hence the upgrade to a Stinger GT Elite.

However, when I feel the need to shift gears I can go out and have fun in my 7-speed manual transmission C7 Z51 Corvette Stingray.

The best of both worlds!

 

[jthrelf]

Wow….you and I are very similar in our automotive history. I too came of automotive age in the 60’s and I have always had manual transmission 2-door sports cars, except for my last car prior to the Stinger. That was a Subaru WRX STi…my first 4-door car. The ride and having to shift all the time finally got to me…hence the upgrade to a Stinger GT Elite.

However, when I feel the need to shift gears I can go out and have fun in my 7-speed manual transmission C7 Z51 Corvette Stingray.

The best of both worlds!

Stinger and C7? That's a damn fine combo!

 

[monusa]

Great minds think alike

Mr. @WRXtoStingerGT and others........could you please tell your fellow WRX brethren to "back off" when I am trying to enjoy my commute from work. Chillin, listening to my tunes and I had to "embarrass" yet another WRX today which makes two in two days............I get the "WE GOTTA TRY HIM!" mindset that a lot of WRX drivers seem to have but they need to have their sh1t together when they roll up on my d@mn bumper......especially on I-75LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL

The bad thing is, I like the WRX but can't let it think it can take my "lunch money....."

 

[AdamNZ]

Yeah, it's a true thing. We should add some vape juice to our exhaust pipes for their benefit.

 

[stingerstevo]

Mr. @WRXtoStingerGT and others........could you please tell your fellow WRX brethren to "back off" when I am trying to enjoy my commute from work. Chillin, listening to my tunes and I had to "embarrass" yet another WRX today which makes two in two days............I get the "WE GOTTA TRY HIM!" mindset that a lot of WRX drivers seem to have but they need to have their sh1t together when they roll up on my d@mn bumper......especially on I-75LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL

The bad thing is, I like the WRX but can't let it think it can take my "lunch money....."

don't you have the 2.0 supra?

 

[RM7]

WRX was my first "performance" car and it was fun.

One thing about transmissions though, I believe there are a lot of factors that go into determining what is the proper transmission for a certain car. For the WRX/STI, it was manual all the way. They put a miserable 4EAT in some of the earlier ones and the horrible CVT in the late model ones. These cars are made for manual transmissions, especially with the old-school turbo setup and other factors. These should never have been offered with any kind of automatic transmission.

On cars like the newer and higher end 911 variants, the PDK is a modern marvel and really suites the car. If one can say it takes away from the experience while carving up a curvy road at 80% performance or a track at near 100, I'd respectfully differ.

That's why I got the 1LE, it was only offered in manual, at least for the first 4 or so years and when I got it, but I'm also not opposed to an automatic trans. The ZF in my BMW was great. Just got back from some spirited driving in the Stinger and it's also good. The modern ones are very predictive and good at downshifting under Gs and braking and doing what you want them to do for the situation. It's definitely fun rowing gears at times...but we have a few highways that funnel into our city and on the summer weekends can take hours to go 50 miles with endless RVs and traffic backed up. That's when auto and adaptive cruise control pay off big time and if you can have your cake and eat it too (with some performance in your car), well that's all the better.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Mr. @WRXtoStingerGT and others........could you please tell your fellow WRX brethren to "back off" when I am trying to enjoy my commute from work. Chillin, listening to my tunes and I had to "embarrass" yet another WRX today which makes two in two days............I get the "WE GOTTA TRY HIM!" mindset that a lot of WRX drivers seem to have but they need to have their sh1t together when they roll up on my d@mn bumper......especially on I-75LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL

The bad thing is, I like the WRX but can't let it think it can take my "lunch money....."

lmfao

To be fair I have a buddy with a 420+ wheel horsepower 2012 STI and it would blow the doors off my Stinger off the line and in a quarter mile... forget any road course or track

 

[monusa]

don't you have the 2.0 supra?

Not any more....................................hehe

 

[monusa]

lmfao

Figured you'd get a kick out of that.....

 

[stingerstevo]

Not any more....................................hehe

View attachment 61206

congrats!

 

[monusa]

Not any more....................................hehe

A HUGE DUHHHHH on my part......long day at work....LOL

Responded thinking it said "2.0 Stinger" instead of "Supra".....Sorry...