WRX STI, FQ300, M3 - Running costs?

oHUTCHYo · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:23

I currently have an 04 Civic Type R, but fancy getting shot for something else. I was thinking around £15K for either a WRX STI, Evo FQ300 or a BMW M3.

Petrol costs aside, Ive heard that service costs for the Evo can be as much as £2500!? Is that really so - and does it also apply to the Scoob and BMW too? :eek:

Housey · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:28

M3 will not reach £2500 servicing costs in 3 years let alone 1 year if you do around 12k per year. Bit's going wrong and tyres are where the expense comes from on an M3.

rypt · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:29

STi costs are not that bad. It does eat brakes and tyres, but less so than the Evo and it has semi-normal service periods unlike the Evo.

Lum · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:31

Evo has (or at least used to have) a 4500 mile service interval. The Scooby has a more reasonable one, either 7.5K or 10K, I forget which. A lot of people say that the oil in any turbocharged car should be changed at 3000 miles though. Not sure I agree with them (maybe if it's used purely as a fun car for thrashing about) but it's easy enough to do yourself if you're worried (on a Scooby at least, not sure on the other two)

As for the M3, no idea as that car is in a completely different league. I'm sure Fox will be along shortly though.

Why not ring your local Subaru/Mitsi/BMW dealers and ask them for the service schedules?

oHUTCHYo · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:47

I must say Im very tempted with an M3, comfortable yet powerful. Then again, I do also like the "look at me" attitude of the Scooby/Evo. I wouldnt have normally considered an M3 until I realised they can be now had for £15K, the sort of money for a "hawk eye" 2006 WRX STI.

As much as I love the Evos, Im leaning towards the STI or M3 now...any more opinions on why I should pick on over t'other?

Gaygle · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:49

I seem to recall that from Evo 8's onwards, the service intervals were 20,000km (12,000 mile), the same as the Impreza.

And i would disagree that an M3 is in a totally different league to an Evo. Evo's eat clutches (£1000), tyres(£450), brakes (£1500 all round) at the same, if not quicker rate than an M3. However, M3's may have the edge when it comes down to unexpected problems.

Lum · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:49

Do you prefer 4WD or RWD?

oHUTCHYo · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:50

Thats the thing - Ive never tried either. Ive always driven FWD. Both put the power down better than FWD though, I know that

EDIT: In terms of brutal acceleration, which comes up trumps? Im all for 0-60 neck-breaking action. Turbo lag on the STI, but no turbo brute force on the M3, smoother power delivery?

Housey · 21 Mar 2009 at 15:55

The M3 is quicker than both once speed rises over 100mph but in real terms across country I would expect an Evo to be quicker than an M3. If 0-60 is important buy an Evo.

rypt · 21 Mar 2009 at 17:55

Housey said:
The M3 is quicker than both once speed rises over 100mph but in real terms across country I would expect an Evo to be quicker than an M3. If 0-60 is important buy an Evo.

And the STi will be quicker on the backroads compared to the Evo simply because the Evo has harder (more track oriented - where the Evo is better) suspension. The STi will also be more comfortable for long journeys on UK roads.

Housey · 21 Mar 2009 at 18:29

rypt said:
And the STi will be quicker on the backroads compared to the Evo simply because the Evo has harder (more track oriented - where the Evo is better) suspension. The STi will also be more comfortable for long journeys on UK roads.

Have you ever driven these 3 cars?

melchy · 21 Mar 2009 at 18:32

The WRX STi Hawkeye is top of my list to replace my 182 in due course. I'd love an M3, but I think the running costs are just to high in comparison. I watch this thread with great interest

rypt · 21 Mar 2009 at 18:32

Housey said:
Have you ever driven these 3 cars?

Driven the old STi (bug eye), never wanted to even sit in a BMW - to me most BMWs are like fat barges now-a-days, gone are the E30 days

Gaijin · 21 Mar 2009 at 18:59

Gaygle said:
Evo's eat clutches (£1000), tyres(£450), brakes (£1500 all round) at the same, if not quicker rate than an M3. However, M3's may have the edge when it comes down to unexpected problems.

I don't know where you've got those ridiculous figures from.

An OEM clutch is £220. You can get an Exedy stage 2 paddle clutch for £300. If your garage charges you £700-800 to fit it then you are a mug and going to the wrong place.

Tyres you aren't far off from, but 900 quid for brakes? You can get pads and disc's all round for £350 quid and fit them yourself.

I'm not being funny, but get your facts straight before posting this scaremongering tripe.

Housey · 21 Mar 2009 at 19:00

rypt said:
Driven the old STi (bug eye), never wanted to even sit in a BMW - to me most BMWs are like fat barges now-a-days, gone are the E30 days

Tell me something, how can YOU have any idea how tight the E30 M3 drove compared to say an E36, E46 or E90/92 M3? How can YOU give a truly objective opinion on the 3 cars in the OP's post as an ownership experience having not driven all 3 to form your OWN conclusions, not least as you admit to having only driven one of them, no doubt for a brief time being it was not your car?

ALL cars can be described as fat barges today but we are not comparing them with past cars we are comparing them to their current competition and on that basis BMW’s are hardly fat barges. The E46 M3 and E90/92 M3 stand comparison with anything else they came/come up against in their day. Compared to an E30 they are fat barges but compared to the competition today (RS4 and C63) they are still sharp tools and both will go quicker than an E30 M3. They are still fantastic GT cars and sharper than cars weighing quite a bit less.

The STi and Evo will be quicker on a bumpy cross country road and in wet conditions due to their traction advantages but on long distances and typical journies the M3 will be quicker and much more relaxing. How you can suggest the Evo has 'more track biased' suspension is beyond me, the standard Evo is far from being suited to track duties and far from being anything but fantastic across country. Bumpy yes but sure footed too.

rypt · 21 Mar 2009 at 19:04

Housey, when did I ever compare anything to the M3?

I gave my opinion about the STi and then the STi vs Evo (having been in an Evo 4 - OK, this is not the newest Evo but still).

Housey · 21 Mar 2009 at 19:07

rypt said:
Housey, when did I ever compare anything to the M3?

I gave my opinion about the STi and then the STi vs Evo (having been in an Evo 4 - OK, this is not the newest Evo but still).

You made 2 points, I took issue with both.

STi vs Evo, sorry the Evo would be every bit as quick.

BMW's being barges. Sorry, in context they simply ain't.

...and I was a little harsh on you so appologies for that, it's been a tough week

rypt · 21 Mar 2009 at 19:33

Well in the context of a luxury car no they are not barges and are nice, but in the context of a sports car they are.

The Evo is quicker around GOOD roads, but any sort of backroad with potholes and bumps and the STi should do a bit better due to the softer suspension.

Gaygle · 21 Mar 2009 at 19:40

Gaijin said:
I'm not being funny, but get your facts straight before posting this scaremongering tripe.

Actually i lifted the figures from LancerRegister - the biggest forum for Evo owners. On this site they have a calculator (i calculated between 30-40k miles). I agree i thought it was very expensive but i assumed it would be correct. BTW, the prices i posted were including fitting costs at an approved Ralliart dealer - who said anything about fitting things yourself? :confused:

Lancerregister.com said:
Fuel Cost - £2,519.70 -Assumes 18mpg on average. 18mpg+ is obtainable on a cruise and much less will be achieved when driving hard.
Servicing - £584 - Services required - 31,500 36,000
Insurance - £2,000 - Insurance figure is very indicative. Please contact an insurer for an accurate quote.
Tyres - £400 - Tyres can last anywhere between 5,000 miles and 20,000 miles depending on tyre brand and driving.
Brakes - £1,540 - Brakes can last over 20,000 miles with careful driving.
Clutch
Clutch - £1,016 - Clutches can last between a few thousand miles and over 30,000 miles depending on launches and how hard the car is driven.

TOTAL - £8,059.70

Gaijin · 21 Mar 2009 at 20:10

Gaygle said:
Actually i lifted the figures from LancerRegister - the biggest forum for Evo owners. On this site they have a calculator (i calculated between 30-40k miles). I agree i thought it was very expensive but i assumed it would be correct. BTW, the prices i posted were including fitting costs at an approved Ralliart dealer - who said anything about fitting things yourself?

Oh, 30-40k - didn't realise that. In any case it's still way too expensive, and you'd have to drive it very hard to need that level of attention.

The LR calculator is also a very rough guide and hasn't been updated AFAIK since it was put on the site. It's also going to sit

Of the people I know round here who drive evo's, except the relatively newer models, very few of them take them to the local Ralliart dealer for servicing (despite Brighton Mitsu being regarded by many as probably the best official dealership in the country). This is mainly due to them fettling with them and the view that a dealer is the best person to look after a non standard car.

Below is the typical servicing price list found on a prominent tuners website, starting at 4,500 miles and going up in 4,500 increments.

Price £103.30 £147.20 £103.30 £256.25 £186.34 £147.20 £103.30 £256.25 £103.30 £417.74

By the way no one mentioned fitting things by yourself, but pads and discs are such a relatively easy jobs, that even a spanner like me can do them.

Sorry if I bit your head off, just get fed up with some other people who actively discourage ownership of more exotic cars because they costs ZOMG £'s to run.

Your average Joe doesn't buy an evo before doing his homework, and if he does he's a mug.