Removing STI Tail Fin...

[pbreed]

I just bought a new 06 STI.

I don't like the attention that tail fin attracts.

I've made an apointment with the Body shop to have it removed.

At reasonable speeds (less than 80 mph)

does the fin have any noticable effect?

Anyone else done this?


Paul

 

[Steve Jones]

I just bought a new 06 STI.

I don't like the attention that tail fin attracts.

I've made an apointment with the Body shop to have it removed.

At reasonable speeds (less than 80 mph)

does the fin have any noticable effect?

Anyone else done this?


Paul

I doubt the fin does much at all. Sounds like a lot of people who don't
like the fin do a trunk swap with a standard WRX.

Steve

 

[Fuzzy Logic]

I doubt the fin does much at all. Sounds like a lot of people who don't
like the fin do a trunk swap with a standard WRX.

Steve

I suspect it shouldn't be hard to find someone willing to swap and you might
even make a few bucks on the deal!

 

[pbreed]

I suspect it shouldn't be hard to find someone willing to swap and you might
even make a few bucks on the deal!

The Dealer has agreed to do the swap at no charge....
I'm just wondering if it has any effect on the car...

 

[Mortimer Schnurd]

The Dealer has agreed to do the swap at no charge....
I'm just wondering if it has any effect on the car...

NONE, ZILCH, NADA
All for looks, kinda the Ricerboy image.

 

[Sam Soltan]

Don't forget to add the rear shelf tail light!

I suspect it shouldn't be hard to find someone willing to swap and you
might
even make a few bucks on the deal!

 

[MK IV]

I just bought a new 06 STI.

I don't like the attention that tail fin attracts.

I've made an apointment with the Body shop to have it removed.

At reasonable speeds (less than 80 mph)

does the fin have any noticable effect?

It's there for a reason. One has to wonder why anyone would buy a STI,
only to start switching it back to a standard WRX. Why the hell not just
buy a standard WRX in the first place?

Anyone else done this?

Plenty it would seem. If anyone wants to switch, I'm willing to trade my
WRX for your STI any time. And I'll keep the fin.

 

[Paul]

It's there for a reason. One has to wonder why anyone would buy a STI,
only to start switching it back to a standard WRX. Why the hell not just
buy a standard WRX in the first place?

I had an STI, I traded it in at 75K miles for a new STI.

I want the added power, better suspension, stronger tranny etc...

What I don't want is to get out of the car and hear someone saying

"God Damm ricers...."
(actually happened first time I took the STI out to breakfast.)

I want a sleeper, not a show car.

Paul (I'm the OP on a different mail account home vs work)

 

[David Betts]

I just bought a new 06 STI.

I don't like the attention that tail fin attracts.

I've made an apointment with the Body shop to have it removed.

At reasonable speeds (less than 80 mph)

does the fin have any noticable effect?

I have no idea what is fitted to US models, but in Europe the STI does
not have a 'fin', it has a wing. This aeodynamic device provides
additional rear downforce contributing to improved stability. It is
obviously at its most effective at higher speeds, but will make a
noticeable contribution to directional stability at speeds in excess
of 60 mph - particularly in cross-wind conditions when passing
high-sided vehicles. On the other hand, the car won't be
uncontrollable without out it.....like a 911, for instance.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Mark Carroll]

Mmmm, they still have it on for the professional racing, so you can be
sure it has some worthwhile effect, otherwise it'd just be extra
weight (and maybe drag too?). My guess was that, especially as the car
is AWD, at high speed it pushes down the back a bit to help the rear
wheels keep traction. Still, I'd be very interested to learn more
about how much effect the wing has.

(snip)

What I don't want is to get out of the car and hear someone saying

"God Damm ricers...."
(actually happened first time I took the STI out to breakfast.)

(snip)

Wow. I've never overheard anything like that. Every fortnight or so
I hear "nice car!", either overheard or directly spoken to me. Maybe
I'm just lucky. (Okay, once it was "you have a sweet ride", but the
sentiment remains the same.)

Mind you, the dealer I bought it from told me that the previous owner
loved the car but sold it because he could no longer take the teasing.

The friendly reaction I've had from people has been something of a
relief, to be honest. I had been looking at things like the VW Passat
W8 4motion, nothing anywhere as conspicuous as the STi. Like you, I
had been looking for a sleeper; I bought the STi because the
performance-per-buck was just so outstanding out of non-2WD cars, and
it only took me a few weeks to get used to standing out like a sore
thumb. Mind you, police at speed traps seem to take more of an
interest in me than the cars around me.

-- Mark

 

[Edward Hayes]

The last issue of the Subaru performance mag. featured an STI with a
very neat solution to the kiddy wing. I prefer to drive an unobtrusive
vehicle and use the power only when needed and for an occasional fun
drive. I would not buy a wing equipped vehicle like the STI-maybe a
WRX but, that would be the limit. I did read that the wing provide
downforce of about 100 Lbs at a speed of ? 100 mph so it is there for
a reason. I would hope future Subys find a better way than making it
look like a kiddy slot car. JMHO ed

 

[Paul]

It's a done deal.
The wing/fin is gone.
The STI decals are gone,the car looks 100% better.
It's a stealth STI ;-)

We have a long road trip planned for this weekend.
We might even finish the 1000mi break in !

 

[Zuben el Genubi]

NONE, ZILCH, NADA
All for looks, kinda the Ricerboy image.

Yeah, those World Rally Championship guys are such ricers! <g>

Seriously, there is an oft-quoted claim that the wing produces little or
no downforce. I have read that the main function is cancel out rear-end
lift.

I suppose the wing is of limited utility for those who only like to
cruise the main drag and pose. Try taking a spirited drive on some
dusty dirty roads, then check out the dust patterns on the wing. It's
obviously doing *something* aerodynamic.

....Ron

 

[JD]

NONE, ZILCH, NADA
All for looks, kinda the Ricerboy image.

I live in an area where there is a lot of wind. The car is more stable with
the wing and it does cancel out the lift forces on the rear end at anything
above 80 KPH (50MPH)

 

[JD]

Mmmm, they still have it on for the professional racing, so you can be
sure it has some worthwhile effect, otherwise it'd just be extra
weight (and maybe drag too?). My guess was that, especially as the car
is AWD, at high speed it pushes down the back a bit to help the rear
wheels keep traction. Still, I'd be very interested to learn more
about how much effect the wing has.

According to Subaru, it produces 10 KG of downforce at 100 KPH (22lbs at 60
MPH) and about 45 KG at 200 KPH. But its primary job is to balance lift
forces rather than create downforce. It does, however, stabilize the car in
crosswinds; something we have a lot of in my area.

 

[k. ote]

I just bought a new 06 STI.

I don't like the attention that tail fin attracts.

I've made an apointment with the Body shop to have it removed.

At reasonable speeds (less than 80 mph)

does the fin have any noticable effect?

Anyone else done this?

Lots of people have either removed it entirely (by doing a trunk lid swap
with a normal Impreza) or toned it down by replacing it with a normal WRX
fin.

I've heard claims (I believe from Subaru actually) that insist that the fin
creates turbulence even at the lower speeds and thus decreases lift as a
result on the tail end, which apparently improves traction very
slightly--this, even when it's not acting as a bona-fide wing.

It's up to you, though: I personally would hate to screw around so
dramatically with the tested aerodynamics of a car that goes 165mph+.

 

[k. ote]

(e-mail address removed) <(e-mail address removed)> scribbled:

It's there for a reason. One has to wonder why anyone would buy a STI,
only to start switching it back to a standard WRX. Why the hell not just
buy a standard WRX in the first place?

Agreed: it's cheaper to buy a standard WRX and fit it with aftermarket parts
to get the STi-like performance than it is to buy the STi--so why buy the
STi at all?

 

[k. ote]

Wow. I've never overheard anything like that. Every fortnight or so
I hear "nice car!", either overheard or directly spoken to me. Maybe
I'm just lucky. (Okay, once it was "you have a sweet ride", but the
sentiment remains the same.)

The worst I've heard is someone asking me, "What cartoon did you drive that
thing out of?"

The worse I've seen is three University kids in a ratty old Honda beater
behind me pointing at it and laughing. I was amused.

thumb. Mind you, police at speed traps seem to take more of an
interest in me than the cars around me.

The last time I was stopped, the cop commented on the "intake" and the "fin"
and said that with those "modifications" that he was considering nailing me
for street racing. He shut up pretty quick when I told him they were stock.
That part of the ticket, at least, was very satisfying.

&^!@ cops.

 

[Cam Penner]

Agreed: it's cheaper to buy a standard WRX and fit it with aftermarket parts
to get the STi-like performance than it is to buy the STi--so why buy the
STi at all?

How much is that center diff in the STi worth?

 

[k. ote]

How much is that center diff in the STi worth?

It's a toy: unless you're a godlike driver, it won't improve your driving
ability any to be able to turn off the automatic mechanism. It just helps
you break the rear free when zipping around corners, or gives you a locked
50:50 control of your stability in snow.

The STi also has a limited-slip front differential as well, which the WRX
doesn't have. This is something that dials up understeer in a big way when
booting around corners--over and above what the WRX has.

Aside from these pieces, you can jack up the power of a WRX engine with a
stage 3 Cobb's for.. what is it these days? $8k? And that's for APS designs
tested for safety and reliability straight from Australia. Suping up the
STi isn't nearly so easy.