Hey, thanks for the compliments I need to show the Poorboy's EX in some better light, when it's not raining here...
Stage 4+ is VERY fast I actually drove a STi a few days ago, and my stage 4+ WRX is significantly faster. Not to say that the STi isn't an awesome car... it is, but it didn't really scare me like the stage 4+ does with its acceleration. As long as the revs are above 3-3.5K, you can drop the hammer and make some awesome power in any gear.
BTW, I've had absolutely NO transmission issues. I think most transmission issues are operator dependent. Since I'm gentle with my tranny, I don't expect to see any issues, ever.
The WRX is a great car, and would make a very fun and FAST weekend car. Make sure you invest in a good detector