bdhill

I am seriously considering trading my 2011 sti in on a new or used mr x. I didn't get one initially because of the trunk and no fold down seats, but I love the transmission.

I have read the threads about transmission issues...are those unusual? What is the typical maintenance on the sst transmission? Clutch life?

Do all of the Mr touring models have heated seats?
I am tempted by the touring just because of the police attention my sti gets with the wing...

Is there a factory reflash for the MR X? I have read that tuning increases fuel economy and performance.

Thanks

ugakirk

iTrader: (14)

1. SST issues are not very common. It is a very well built tranny. There have been a couple but they are quite rare..
2. The maintenance can be expensive.. I've read that u need to change the tranny fluid and tranny filter every so often, and I think the fluid is around $120 and the filter is like $130
3. The good thing is if you keep up with the maintenance, then the clutches should last a VERY long time.
4. As far as I know, all touring models come with heated seats.

And while the trunk is small it is a better car than the STi IMO..

And if you need to take something like a bike, snowboard, etc. with you, than you can get a roof rack..

RoMeIX

I haven't seen or heard about many SST issues at all. The maintenance on the SST tranny is clearly outlined in the owners manual. As mentioned above, maintenance can be fairly expensive (but compared to maintenance on a vehicle of similar performance is actually a bargain), but when followed regularly, the transmission should last a long time. Every touring model I have seen had had heated seats, so I would assume that they all have heated seats.

In my opinion, you would not regret trading in an STi for a 2011 MR. Especially from a performance standpoint, the MR is just better all around.

njevoxpb

We have both cars. Mine is the 2011 Sti and my wife's is a 2010 EVO X MR. My wife can't (doesn't want to) drive stick which is why we initially went with the MR. Both cars are on Cobb Stg 1, so I don't have the crappy factory tune in the STi. The EVO X will feel much better and generally outhandle the STi, while the STi is the more comfortable car overall. The SST is awesome! If I wanted to go to the track, it's the MR I'm bringing. You can let the SST shift itself in Super Sport mode, and you will be amazed at how precise/intuitive the shift program is from the factory. It will shift itself into 1st gear for slow corners and ALWAYS keep you in the right part of the powerband. We love the MR. I love my STi, but for different reasons (my 5yr old daughter has more room to play and bring her stuff on long trips).

If you look around here long enough, you'll find that in capable hands the SST can be tuned to handle power, but not too much torque until you upgrade clutch packs and tune it correctly. SSP has done more research on the SST than anyone I know of in the U.S., so it's worth dropping them an email for questions...I met Jeremy from SSP at a Time Attack and he said he has 40,000 daily driven/raced mile on that SST tranny pushing enough power for his car to be the faster track car compared the SSP GT-R time attack car. I'd say that's a proven record of abuse you will never unleash on your own car...meaning, it's as stout a transmission as they come.

As far as maintenance, change the SST fluid/filter around 25-30K miles per the manual...you gotta change the differential fluids more often like 15K miles.

srcevo8

iTrader: (10)

I'm kinda in the same boat now but with a stage 2 '11 WRX hatch. I absolutely love the car but my wife has been having car issues and her not being able (or willing) to drive a stick has made it tough to get her car to the shop/carpool/etc.. So I'm now starting to look at the MR.

I know I'm going to miss the lighter weight of the car and especially the cargo space, but I know the MR will still be a blast and I'll enjoy it.