White Wheels?

I've been contemplating on whether or not I should purchase white wheels. The problem I have are the brake caliper color. From factory, they're a highlighter yellow color. Yes, I could paint them a different color I suppose. But, I'd rather not. I originally wanted gold rims. But, I feel that the gold and yellow would clash. It wouldn't look right. I've also been contemplating on black rims and go "murdered out". But the problem with that is, if you get the wrong style of black wheels, you lose the contours and the shape of the wheel because the car is the same color. Yeah, it's my car and I should just do what I want. But the car at the moment looks sub par. And I'm looking for opinions. White wheels on my version STI would probably look like clown shoes. :roll:
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
I don't approve the color of the 6 pot calipers either. I wish they kept black or gold because it looks so much better and gives you a better contrast against any colored rim.

You have to look online at what others have done in order to pull off the look. Check one of the more recent threads where I posted a bunch of pictures of 18" rims fitting over the calipers to get some ideas.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Gunmetal gray is just the right color for wheels on a murdered out ride. In my opinion at least...

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 
I was thinking the same thing. I just wanted other opinions. I don't intend to rice out my STI. But, some people have weird taste in mods.
 
Stock wheels on the 2020 STI are 19"'s. They made the brake calipers larger too. 6 pot front, 4 pot rear. A little overkill for a 265 hp crank car, but I'm not complaining either. Fitment Industries has a chart that'll help me chose the right wheel and tire. My problem is that I'm indecisive. I took two years to find an exhaust system that didn't sound like a fart can. My AWE Track Edition exhaust came off of my 2015 WRX. I simply removed the stock exhaust and put on the AWE TE exhaust.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
I think the new STi's are rated like 305 or 310 crank horsepower. You have a 2020 model, so you're a bit special. The 2019+ STi all received the engine and transmission from the 2018 Type RA-R. I created new threads last summer on both the engine and transmission changes over the years.

A bone stock 2018 STI Type RA on the dyno made:

Horsepower/Torque:

-295 HP to the wheels @ 5,600 RPM
-306 lb/ft TQ to the wheels @ 3,700 RPM

A bone stock regular 2018 STI on the dyno made:

Horsepower/Torque:

-266 HP to the wheels @ 6,000 RPM
-263 lb/ft TQ to the wheels @ 4,700 RPM

Math checks out that a regular STI in stock form makes 87.2% of the factory rated horsepower to the wheels and 90.6% of the factory rated torque to the wheels. With these percentages, I figured out that the STI Type RA in stock form makes roughly:

Estimated Horsepower/Torque:
-349.7 HP @ 6,000 RPM
-335.8 lb/ft TQ @ 4,000 RPM

Therefore, the STI Type RA engine is underrated from the factory by roughly 40 HP and 45 lb/ft TQ.

2019:

The 2019 engine has literally been imported from the 2018 STI Type RA! All 2019 STI's will come with that engine! This is extremely crucial!!! Never has the base STI model been so revamped before with these much needed improvements. 2019 STI owners receive a vast majority of the upgrades, of the $13,000 premium price of the 2018 STI Type RA, at the base price of just $37,000!

Here is the thread with the 18" rims over the 6 pot calipers:
https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/th...s-and-Their-Disadvantages?p=148470#post148470
 
Well, I knew that the EJ's in the 2019 and 2020 models were improved. But I thought they just installed better pistons. I didn't know that it was a whole RA engine. I basically took the 310hp Subaru claimed and multiplied it by .15%, since MT's use up HP. That's where I got 265 HP at the crank. So, if the car really makes 350whp, then it makes 298 HP at the crank right? No? When it was all said and done with taxes and packages, my car was worth $48K
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Well, I knew that the EJ's in the 2019 and 2020 models were improved. But I thought they just installed better pistons. I didn't know that it was a whole RA engine. I basically took the 310hp Subaru claimed and multiplied it by .15%, since MT's use up HP. That's where I got 265 HP at the crank. So, if the car really makes 350whp, then it makes 298 HP at the crank right? No? When it was all said and done with taxes and packages, my car was worth $48K

It appears you have crank and wheel reversed. Crank horsepower is the engine alone when it is out of the vehicle, such as when it gets tested by the manufacturer. We always get told the crank horsepower by manufacturers. However, there are engines that are underrated from the factory. Think the 03-04 Terminators, the R32 GTR, and now the 2018 STi Type RA/2019+ STi.

Wheel horsepower is the power from the wheels of the vehicle on a dyno. After drivetrain loss, this is the amount your butt feels in the seat. :lol:
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
It's all good. Everyone is continually learning! :tup:
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
Stock wheels on the 2020 STI are 19"'s. They made the brake calipers larger too. 6 pot front, 4 pot rear. A little overkill for a 265 hp crank car, but I'm not complaining either. Fitment Industries has a chart that'll help me chose the right wheel and tire. My problem is that I'm indecisive. I took two years to find an exhaust system that didn't sound like a fart can. My AWE Track Edition exhaust came off of my 2015 WRX. I simply removed the stock exhaust and put on the AWE TE exhaust.


Yeah 6 pot may be overkill, but even with the "low" stock (see above dicussion) you can cook your brakes. I turned my gold Brembos into "Brownbos" at the track on street tires. And IIRC number of pistons doesn't really help heat, its really just even braking application across the pad for....hmm...longer life? More consistent brake feel?

ANYWAYS, back to your original question. I almost bought black wheels for my black car and I'm SO GLAD that I didn't. Some people like it, but I now think it looks too overdone. The gunmetal was great.

I also love white rims, and had them on my old MINI. They're just a pain to keep clean. If you go white you're going to need some combination of regular cleaning, low dust pads, and wheel-blindness. You might also try to stick to a simpler spoke pattern with fewer nooks-n-crannies.
 
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