Subaru Impreza WRX

shan888

My dealer told me the delivery time was 6-8 weeks, i got my car in april, just 6 weeks.in westcheaster ny.

seamdoggie

I ordered my WRX Pril 16th,they said it would take 4-6 weeks. It arrived on the lot Tuesday, I pick it up tomorrow. I'm gonna have some weekend. Once it is broken in I will have an intake installed +10-15hp. If anyone is in the NY area there is a guy that races a WRX at Riverhead. He takes turns sideways from what I hear, he dogs a little on the straight away, but makes up for it with his handeling. Anyway he should be racing the Sunday after Memorial day 11AM at Riverhead raceway

cabrito

How are people finding the WRX steering? I find a marked oversteer, which
can make freeway driving a bit demanding at times.

nn4x

This is for Mike Barr -

Mike - on Friday, I test drove one of those rare yellow WRX's at the local dealer...they also had a silver WRX available. I was told in both cases that they buyers couldn't get their loans approved.

kostamojen2

Your the first person whose complained about oversteer :P Most people WANT that in their cars, LOL!

But ya, the WRX is designed for initial understeer and afterward oversteer, but I dont know what your doing on the freeway that would even cause that to be aparent...

mikebarr

Hi nn4x,

Where in Florida was this? Just curious.

The yellow ones are supposedly more rare than diamonds! I'd think that would be snatched up quick.

Mike

nn4x

Hi Mike -

In Orlando. Only 450 of the yechy yellow ones were made, supposedly. Too bad it wasn't a funky color, like VW's Isotope green/yellow that they've just offered on the New Beetle.

Have a great evening,

Steve

mikesm6

I ordered a silver 5sp wagon in April and expect del in late June here in DFW. Also, I ordered SSR Comp 17X7.5" wheels with 225/47/17 PP S 02s from Tire Rack. Is anyone running this combo on a wagon? There is a WRX short shifter available from www.kartboy.com for $125. The i-club post said it was installed in 20 min and highly recommended by several folks who seemed to know what they were talking about. Finally, is the air box sound reducing baffle delete fairly straight foward? Mike

pat

on Edmunds.com is a summary of the Road Test of the 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. Follow the link in the Additional Resources box on the left sidebar of this page to check it out.

Written by Ed Hellwig, it is subtitled "A Sports Car in Sedan Clothing" - that's a subtle hint to how he really feels about this vehicle. ;-)

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

bruticus

Does he like the WRX? I couldn't tell from the article.

:-)

DjB

whitesurver

Has anyone asked the dealer if there is something that they can do to tweak the car so it does not suffer from Turbo lag? I seem to recall that I read somewhere that the mechanics can adjust the cars to reduce the turbo lag. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

bruticus

I know you can purchase an aftermarket controller chip that will alter the turbo lag. However, doing so will void your warranty.

DjB

kostamojen2

Mods dont void the warranty unless they can be proven they caused the problems that are trying to be fixed by the dealer. You can always just pull something like a Boost controller out before you go back to the dealer anyway :P

But yes, a simple intake mod and boost controller will and does reduce the lag. The dealers cant do anything about it though, its a part of the car (mostly a result of the CPU, 3-cats and other restrictive elements)

pattim3

I'll check on availabilty today and post what I find out.

Patti

woofie596

Dealer just called me at work to say that something cute, white and transporter weary has arrived. They say I can come get it after work !! They can pdi today. Now how am I supposed to get through the rest of the day !!?? I'm already clock-watching and it's only 8:40 in the a.m. !!
Wow.. brings back memories of other "high anticipation" days.. like 'last day of school' or something... oh, I'm pumped!!
A note on ongoing conversations.. I'm actually glad that the turbo spools up at higher rpm. I really need to get decent mileage when driving around town and going to the store and stuff. I'll save the turbo for weekend runs thru the mountains (SE Colorado).
I'll be back to brag about my 'baby' on Wed...

klkrause

Man, I'd be taking the rest of the day off "sick" if I were you!!

ateixeira

It sort of is the last day of school. He'll be out driving for days!

-juice

mmcbride1

There's no mountains in SE Colorado! It's flat as Texas down there.

woofie596

uh... I have a 14,000 foot mountain a few blocks away.. Pike's Peak
Actually, while I said SE Colorado (which is pretty flat) I guess I'm closer to just plain south Colorado.
Wish I could take day off.. really, but I am in critical profession... bummer...
ONLY 3.5 HOURS TO GO !!!

woofie596

I was just reading some stuff on The WRX's engine control computer and it said that the computer "learns". What the heck does that mean and how would it affect the break-in period ? Does that mean that if I drive really low RPM's for the first few hundred miles, that somehow the computer will set that as a 'style' or something ?? While I want to break it in properly, I certainly plan on a lot of redline running... I didn't buy it to just wuss around in.
I could do that in a Honda (heh heh)

..later.. am still hand-wringing.. have called dealer twice to tell them to keep folks from drooling on MY WRX !!

mmcbride1

Oh, OK. The Springs has plenty of mountains close by. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I was thinking Lamar.

Did you hear about the hikers that got stuck on Mt. Evans two nights ago? That was one of my best friends, his wife, his dad and his dog...luckily they're all OK.

ateixeira

No worries. You can reset the ECU at 1000 miles. Just pull the negative battery terminal, with the engine cool. Leave it off for 30 minutes, then reconnect. Start up and let it idle for a few minutes, then drive off.

When they say it "learns" your driving habits, it only takes a tank of gas or two to do so.

Or, reteach it from scratch after the break-in. :-)

-juice

himiler

Is there REALLY any reason to perform the reset? I can see doing it after installing a cold-air intake or boost regulator, but why after the break-in period?

Woofie--congrats on the new ride!

ateixeira

If your driving style changes dramatically and suddenly at 1k miles, I would do it. If you gradually begin to drive faster, I would not bother.

-juice

himiler

Gotcha. Thanks!

malelee21

I am looking for an air intake system for WRX. I had K&N air intake system for around $200 and it added 7 more HP (on my older Honda Civic EX). Approximately, how much more HP would it add to my WRX? I also have MOMO shifter that looks nice on my new WRX. It only cost $51 and with the addition of short-ratio shifter, it would look very nice!
Another question. I've heard that TURBO kicks in around 3300 rpm. That means below 3300 rpm, TURBO is not being used?
One other thing about WRX is its gas comsumption.... I spent $25 to fill up the tank which is $10 more than my 95 Honda Civic EX that got me 27 MPG.
IMPORTANT QUESTION!!!!!! I drove my WRX to go to AC and Philly. That means I drove aroune 65MPH for about 1 1/2 hour constantly (under 1000 miles before break-in). Is that bad? On the manual, it says not to drive at high speed for long time. Is 1 1/2 hour long time? I hope not.

Thanks!!!! please answer my questions above?

malelee21

Is use of Synthetic Oil a must for turbo charged engine? Also, is it true that Octane 92 is the minimum octane grade required on WRX? Let me know.

kostamojen2

Yes, all turbos require Synthetic Oil I believe. And just like every other high performance car, it requires the higher octane (Heck, its hard to find ANY engine these days thats not american that requires anything less)

What kind of air intake system? Cold air? Cause a drop in K+N filter does about 5hp or so, and increases the engine responce rate slightly. Only costs $40 though :P

malelee21

I am looking for the air intake kit not just the filter replacement. I can't find any place that sells WRX air intake kit. I once had it for Civic for around $200 (+7 HP gain). Any idea where I can get it?

Sporin

I wouldn't say that ... "all turbos require Synthetic Oil..." It certainly helps, but I've never seen it "required."

I run Mobil 1 Synthetic in my Passat becaue I want longer drain intervals and better resistance to "coking." Also, in winter time, the synthetic flows much better.

ateixeira

The stock intake does not look very restrictive. Plus it's sourcing the air from a cool place. Check it out closely - I don't think there is as much room for improvement as with some other vehicles. It actually looks like and functions like some Jackson Racing aftermarket intakes (for the Miata, as an example).

IMO there is more room for improvement in the exhaust. Subaru's own optional exhaust is said to add 3-5hp. Imagine bigger diameter pipes.

I have the STi/SPT shifter in my Forester, and recommend it. It's shorter than the Forester's stock shifter, but the same length (height) as yours.

If you want something shorter, consider a Kartboy or Cobb. Also consider getting urethane bushings if you really want that snick-snick feel, but they're a lot of work to put on.

You may want to hop on iClub and read up on what kind of chips folks are using for the turbo. I'm sure there are a few folks making 280hp by now.

-juice

qbrozen

Definitely NOT required for ALL turbos. As a matter of fact, if you go over to the RX-7 board, you will find out that sythetic oil actually damages that particular car!! Why? Because it is designed to use oil. It has to keep its seals damp with oil and sythetic doesn't allow for that.

Personally, I would go with what the manufacturer suggests. No reason to do anything different.

On another note: I'm very depressed. I believe I may have to pass on my ordered WRX when it comes next month. My current job situation doesn't look promising and I can't justify getting buried in a huge car payment when my career is so uncertain. Ugh! Now what? I may have to look for a used soob. I don't think there's anything fast enough for my taste in the used category, though.

woofie596

Hi again,
When I ordered the WRX, the dealer didn't have one to drive, so I had to wait for mine to arrive. Whew !! They said to keep it under 3,000 RPM for a thousand miles. Uh.... not easy. OK, so I went up to maybe 5,000 once or twice, but only momentarily. I don't know about anyone else's, but this thing jumps revs from about 3,000 like flushing a toilet. The power comes on so hard and fast that it hits 5,000 before you have time to back-down. And I didn't have my foot anywhere near floored. I keep reading that the RPM climb is very smooth.. I don't think so... mine has an obvious on/off switch jump in power at 3,000. Probably just the management system getting it's act together. Like I care... it's awesome!!
My biggest problem so far (hey, I only drove 35 miles last evening) is VERY early apexes... like several YARDS early. That will take getting used to.. if I try to dive into the apex like my other car wants, I am WAY to early. (like going well off the pavement too early). So I have to keep telling myself: "..wait, wait..NOW" and I'll be fine. I love this car. Learning how to drive all over again. I very readily understand, now, what the folks are saying about- 'nothing came keep up with it on a windy road'.. I am a believer !! Gee, I suddenly want to HUNT for Porsche's to embarass.

Now, in closing, the irony here, is that this is my wifes car !! Yup ! SHE will be out driving around all day while I slave it at work. (I drive a pick-up truck). She's cool, though, used to drive a Datsun 2000 Roadster. So, pardon me while I go back to thinking of ways to bribe her into letting me drive it this weekend.

woofie596

Wash dishes, mow lawns, get a newspaper route.
Do ANYTHING to keep your WRX !!!
Now that mine (hers) is here, we are extremely glad about it. Think of it as one of the best investments we've ever made.
But, yeah.. I feel your pain. I, too, will no longer have a job in two weeks. Have a few nibbles and I hope things work out.

Best of luck... pray a lot and keep a good attitude.

francophile

Datsun 2000, eh? Japan's answer to the MGB. Yes indeed, you got yourself a good woman there!

Enjoy your new REX and please keep us updated.

Cheers,
-wdb

Anakin

I was driving through Renton (part of Seattle) today and I notice that the Soobie dealership had 3 WRX's out front.

Get 'em while they're hot.

revdrluv

Everytime I come to this board I get so jealous. WRX envy

topspin627

I am interested in the wrx but would like some feedback from those who may fit my driving profile. I'm in my mid 40's and looking for something fun to drive that has an edge. I drive quite a bit as part of my job and in a lot of stop and go traffic. To one and all, how does this car do in highway driving on long hauls (2-4 hours) and in real world traffic? Is it somewhat quiet and comfortable while cruising? I think that the stick would grow tiresome for me so I would probably opt for the auto. Does that defeat the identity of the car? I see this car as a much less expensive and stripped down M3 with all wheel drive. What's the consensus on that?
I recently saw an initial quality survey where Subaru placed below average. Yet I know that the reputation for reliability is very good. This did not make sense to me. Any reason?

I won't race or speed but loved the feel of the car and the edge. I'm also going to check out the new Jag X which I know is much more money and will be more luxury oriented. Any other suggested cars would be appreciated. I'm bored with the luxo cruisers and want to try a sporty car that I can live with day to day as well. I thank you all in advance for your comments and I've enjoyed reading all of your posts on the wrx.

malelee21

I really enjoy WRX. It really feels SOLID AND RIGID compares to other Japanese vehicles (no rattles what so ever!!). Its suspension is not too stiff and on a highway, it is very manageble & comfortable. It runs very smooth especially above 3000 rpm and it's very quiet. I hope you purchase WRX instead of luxury German cars. I once considered getting BMW 300 series but opted to get WRX instead for excitement and reliability + all wheel drive. I test drove both auto. and manual and my opinion with auto. was pretty good.
Hurry up to Subaru dealer!

chem123

topspin, while I don't know exactly if you are getting the edge from the performance or styling of the car, I think you should still test drive several other cars. The SE-R Spec V, RSX Type S, and the new SI will be dramatic improvements over their replacements. All of which are "edgey" in both styling and performance. Obviously, you should test drive as many cars as possible. The only problem you might run into is if you want to compare the WRX to the previously mentioned cars which will be availible towards the end of the year, you may not have a WRX to compare with. But, then again, I guess you could always wait for the next shipment. But if you love it, you love it. For me, it's going to be a 2000 Type R : ).

kostamojen2

Have you checked one out yet at the dealer yet? Go stop by while your lookin at the Jag-X!

Anyway, go check out consumers reports, they rate ALL subaru models extremely well. I saw a JD Power reliability list, and Subaru's are ranked above everything minus Honda, Toyota, and a couple other brands, so that survey is not normal to say the least.

And no, the Auto DOES NOT comprimize the car. It may be slower, yes, but it still drives like a Rex and handles like a Rex

malelee21

1. when does the turbo kick in? I've heard at 2700 rpm.

2. That means below 2700 rpm, turbo is not being used?

sajohnson

I've had my blue 5MT sedan for about one month now. From your post I would say you would be very happy with it although if you have the cash the new Jag does look good also. I got my WRX for $23,000 plus tax+tags and that was about all I could afford.

The WRX can have several personalities depending on tire choice, tire pressure, manual vs. automatic trans, sedan or wagon. I run RE730's with the pressure set at 37/34 psi. My commute is almost 100 miles r/t five days/week. Mostly interstate but also approx. 15 miles of surface streets each way. The last 10 miles on the way in is thru the heart of some of the worst traffic in the country (second to maybe LA)--Montgomery County, MD. Even though I have the manual trans it's not a problem--I NEVER have wished I spent the extra $1,000 on the auto.

I must respectfully disagree with kostamojen--I drove both the auto and manual WRX's and there is a HUGE difference. Of course I've never bought a vehicle with an auto, but in this particular case if you plan to EVER explore the performance potential of the WRX you should buy the manual. The auto is slow to downshift and sucks power (like all autos). If you want acceleration from a standstill with the manual you simply rev it up into the boost zone--with the auto that isn't an option, even with power braking. Of course the usual reasons NOT to buy an automatic still apply:

*Worse mileage
*More difficult to use engine braking
*Auto's still can't anticipate a downshift
*Can't "push start" an auto
*Costs $1,000 more
*Manuals are generally more reliable
*Manuals can take more torque (if you upgrade)
*Manual gives you an extra gear
*Did I mention the manual is FASTER?!

Of course there are situations where a manual makes sense:

*Vehicle is used for delivery
*Vehicle is driven primarily in the city
*Vehicle is a family/cargo hauler

Buying an automatic WRX is like going to a concert and wearing ear plugs. You're depriving yourself of the complete experience.

bedabi

Malelee21: Someone mapped out a graph of the turbo's boost in several gears on this website. You can see that there's at least some boost even at very low revs, and that the boost doesn't quite hit maximum in first gear. Here's the link.

http://wrxworld.com/

ateixeira

I think you meant to say "auto makes sense" instead of manual.

I can think of two other situations: towing, and off-roading. You don't have to slip the clutch.

-juice

woofie596

I'm over 50 and have driven (owned) everything from Austin Mini's to Caddy STS to an M5 and even a Hemi-Road Runner (yeah, I was younger, once). While I can't relate to the Jag X, (oh baby) I am so happy with my (wifes) WRX I can almost burst. Sure, go test drive them all but save the WRX for last.
Auto will be fine, I think, since you profess that you aren't interested in a little innocent backroad racing. Also, the turbo boost (thus gas mileage) is non-existent down at 'traffic' speed driving. I like that about the car.. it can be driven VERY sedately if you wish. Just shift about 2800 or so.
One thing, though... it is NOT, nor is it attempting to be - a luxury car. Plenty of plastic in this puppy. It is, however, solid and quiet. The seats are top quality.
It sure fits 'our' needs... grocery getter and commuter AND weekend wild-child. I can't wait to take the back-way from Raton to Taos on Saturday.

woofie596

What I like about my WRX is that there is no positive boost much below 2800 rpm. This allows the car to be driven sedately and economically. To me this is the best of both worlds.. a totally calm, normal street drive AND a terrific beast when spooled up. I've had modified cars (read: souped up) before and they just couldn't be driven around town at all. Usually because the cam grind kept the engine choppy and harsh below 4000 rpm or thereabouts. I've had a few that idled at 1600 or higher.
Yup, I'll brag on my WRX 'til I'm banned from this board !

ateixeira

Prolly. Winner will depend on the tires and the driver's skill. The RE92s are the weakest link on the Rex.

-juice

barresa62

@ about 3000 rpms not below that. You really hit a sweet boost at 3600 rpm in 3rd gear. It puts a smile on even the most jaded driver! Laying off the turbo will net you decent gas mileage but play w/the boost and you will see your mileage go south pretty fast (pardon the pun). I currently have 2400 miles on my WRX wagon and loving it!

As far as auto vs manual, get the manual unless you absolutely must have the auto. The auto takes a lot of the fun away from this baby! My advice to anyone dead-set on getting the auto is NOT to drive the manual. That way you will never know what you've missed. It will keep the disappointment in check. :-)

BTW, once bitten by AWD you never want to go back to RWD or FWD. My WRX has taken a big ole bite outta me! :-)

Stephen

woofie596

I have heard several folks say- "play with the boost..."
So how much does that cost and what is involved ? I really haven't thought too much about 'more' power, yet... don't even have it broke in yet !!
I suppose I should look at some of the other Subaru Crew boards a bit closer, huh ...