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Subaru Impreza WRX

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Comments

  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    "Is there an aftermarket way to eliminate the 130mph limiter? If so what is it and where do I get it?"

    Yes, get the 5spd WRX instead of the automatic. :-) No limiter on the manual version.

    Stephen
  • novcenthusiastnovcenthusiast Member Posts: 80
    so Puegot won the manufacturer's title?
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    Yes, get the 5spd WRX instead of the automatic. :-) No limiter on the manual version.


    So you want him to get killed or what ? ;-(

    Later...AH
  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    I think that the 5 speed has the limiter too. I have a 5 speed and have not tried it but all of the magazine tests I have seen so far have been of the 5 speed and they have gone only to 130 mph. Same is true for VDC wagon--130 mph top speed.
    TWRX
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    I wouldn't want to be a passenger in the back of an A4 compared to a WRX. Its tight back there in that A4 even compared to a WRX! The new one is not much better either!

    Compared to a WRX, if you look at the respective EPA specifications for rear head-, shoulder- & leg room, the A4's differences are downright minuscule: none of them vary by more than a half inch, and if you add them up, they sum to a difference of only 0.3" in total.

    Perhaps there's something about the presentation of the one's interior over the other that made it psychologically FEEL smaller...such as a darker interior color?

    -hh
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    I've had my wagon up to 131mph on the open, rural freeway w/no traffic around. The car had plenty of power still, no sign of a limiter. There are literally a dozen folks that have had their manual WRXs over 130mph on the track or such. In the grand scheme of things, it's moot point. Either speeds are more than enough. I just want to set the record straight about the speed limiter.

    Stephen
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    There is a limiter on the manual tranny. Don't forget at 130 your speedo isn't very accurite, so there could be variations in when it cuts out. Your speed limiter will be limited to the speed rating of the stock tires. That is how they decide where to put the limiter. On most SUVs it's at 112 which is what the stock tires are rated at, etc. etc. It's mostly for insurance purposes, but since 1993 this is the case. pre-93 there weren't limiters.

    -mike
  • beanboybeanboy Member Posts: 442
    Tires on the WRX are rated to 149 mph paisan, do some research.

    -B
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    on the automatics due to something about the tranny not able to handle the additional stress at higher speeds or some such thing, basically to preserve the tranny. The 5spds don't have this limitation. The tires on all WRXs are rated at 149mph as Beanboy pointed out.

    Stephen
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    The speedometer is a gauge like a tachometer. All speedometers have an acceptable error rate upto about 10%. So going by the highest possible error rate, when you were at 131mph (as indicated by your speedometer reading), you might in reality have been at 117.9mph. Just a heads-up. Also, when the tachometer indicates say xyz rpm, it does not mean it is exactly at xyz rpm.

    Also, about the Auto tranny "not being able to handle stress at higher speeds or some such thing", is it something you are conjuring out of thin air (as I suspect you are) or are you basing it on some factual material from reliable sources ? If it is based on facts, then could you point us to your source ? Thanks in advance.

    Also, as a quick point of fact, nowhere in the Subaru specs have they stated that the Auto-tranny in particular is restricted to 130mph while the manual-tranny has no restriction. This rumor too, I suppose is a bit of hot air from interested parties !!

    Later...AH
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Whatever the tires are limited to is what the limiter is set to for legal reasons. That my friends is a fact. Now if the WRX (I don't own one) has VR rated tires that limit would be 149mph, if they are HR it's 130, etc. etc. It doesn't have anything to do with the tranny.

    This limiter is post '92 IIRC.

    -mike
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    The owner's manual specifically states about various maximum allowable speeds in various gears in the Auto vs Manual WRXs as follows (these obviously are dependent on gear ratios):

    Auto WRX
    1st Gear: 40mph
    2nd Gear: 73mph
    3rd Gear: No maximum speed restriction.
    4th Gear: No restriction

    Manual WRX
    1st Gear: 35mph
    2nd Gear: 61mph
    3rd Gear: 87mph
    4th/5th: No restriction

    This is the only restriction that is published by Subaru in their manual.

    Later...AH
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Car and Driver got 142 mph in their last comparo, and 140 in their standalone review.
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    some posts back in the i-club and some article I read in (I think) Car & Driver. There is definitely a limiter on the automatic. There have been quite a few people and magazine testers that have gotten the 5spd to well beyond 130mph, effectively negating the speedometer error as being a factor.

    In all due respect AH, once again, don't put all your faith in the owner's manual. It's as well known (as a lot of owner's manuals are) for what it doesn't say as it is for what it does. I suggest you break away from the SOA womb and due some independent research. You may be surprised. :-)

    Anyhow, it doesn't make the automatic any less of a car, it showcases some more differences between the 5spd WRX and the automatic version.
    Here's a link to some posts about the top speed, auto vs 5spd:

    http://i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=71807&highlight=top+speed+limiter

    Stephen
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    The 5spd has a rev limiter, not a speed limiter. Between the rev limiter and the mediocre aerodynamics the 5spd sedan tops out at about 143 and the wagon at about 140mph. Since the tires are speed rated for 149mph, there is no need for a speed limiter on the 5spds.

    Maybe SOA is just being safely conservative with the automatic versions, who knows. Maybe Patti is willing to shed some light on this.

    Stephen
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Just so you know, a Rev Limiter on an MT = a Speed limiter since @ a fixed RPM in a particular gear it has a fixed speed. :)

    -mike
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    I had asked in my previous post for "reliable sources". I had even emphasized the "reliable sources" so that you don't post some link in i-club, which I was expecting.

    So essentially, what you have posted is a link about opinions from a group of people.

    Do you have any reliable information about top speed limiters ? Even the link you posted, does not have any information about the claim you made (in your previous post)about the auto-tranny "not being able to handle the stress or something like that", which was what interested me the most in your previous post. The speed limiter does not interest me, since I have absolutely no inclination to go anywhere above 100mph or so, at the most; and that too in quick bursts while rapidly overhauling and passing someone on the highway (where the kamikaze nature of the Auto-WRX on the highway, does come handy!). Anything above that is too much for US roads. When in Munich, Germany a few months back, I was in a car (Porsche 911 Turbo) that went well above 150mph on the Autobahn there, but those roads and conditions permit those speeds.

    Interestingly, the Auto-equipped Acura 3.2TL (my other car) can go upto about 155mph and is drag limited to that speed. That is a published figure by Acura and not some opinions at a forum !! Incidentally, all BMWs are also governed in their speeds, well before their true terminal velocity; and I would suppose, that has absolutely nothing to do with stress-handling !!!

    I personally am a man of logic and reason, and so unless there is reliable information to the contrary, I would assume that, stress-handling theory = mouthful of hot air. :-)

    Take care.

    Later...AH
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    www.subaru.ca, Subaru's Canadian site at least lists a 130mph speed limiter on the AT (no reason given, just listed) and a rev limiter (no max. rev. number given) on the MT. It's just a website and it is out of date (says Legacy comes with AM/FM/Cassette standard when it is AM/FM/CD now) so it could be wrong or it could be different in Canada (like some models get heated seats standard up here), but it's a pretty decent source.
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    No speed limiter on manual? C&D, the manual, and Subaru specs all say the 5 speed has no speed limiter.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    There is a limiter on the 5-speed, but it's above the limits of the car so it's not really a limiter. I still maintain that there is a limiter on all cars set to the speed rating of the tires that came from the factory or a lower limit than the tires. I'm gonna try to do some research and find a web page that explains it though. :)

    -mike
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Of course the 5 speed has a limiter. Every car has a rev limiter to dial back the revs when you hit red line. C&D reached the limits of the car at 140mph before it hit the rev limiter at redline. Even if there was no rev limiter, the WRX is not really capable of going faster than that (it's drag limited). But we're talking about speed limiters that kick in even though the car is capable of going faster. At 130 mph, the WRX still has juice to go faster, but for one reason or another, they restricted the speed for the automatic model. The manual WRX has no such restriction. If you could run it on a steep downhill, you could probably go a bit faster than 140mph.

    Why all the debate? First, the manual WRX has published evidence that it can reach its drag limited maximum speed which is around 140mph. And the automatic version clearly has a 130 mph speed limiter in all published specs put out by Subaru. Pretty clear cut for me. And lastly, why does this matter so much? I'll probably never have to hit that speed limit anyway.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Aren't really taken into account for in a limiter. I'm not sure why the debate came about.

    -mike
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Mike- Good point about rev limiter = speed limiter. I wonder if the fact that the auto-WRX only has four gears means that 4th encounters the rev limiter at 130mph while the 5th gear of the MT doesn't until 140+?

    AH- lighten up! Sheesh... you and Stephen are squabbling like a couple of Mustang and Camero owners (And I'm almost positive that you've posted info from the I-Club before). The WRX in either configuration offers excellent AWD performance and is an outstanding value. Which one you buy should depend mainly on your individual preferences and driving situation.

    -Frank P.
  • 1subydown1togo1subydown1togo Member Posts: 348
    Unless you are on the track, you should NOT be going that fast anyway on public streets and highways.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I don't think that the WRX would handle very well in an emergency situation at 130+ regardless of how fast it can go. I'd rather be in an SVX at those speeds personally (I've actually been in a '92 @ 145+)

    -mike
  • 1subydown1togo1subydown1togo Member Posts: 348
    After all, we don't want to lose anybody on these boards.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'd want a much longer wheelbase than the Impreza's at any speeds well above 100mph. Short wheelbase, quick steering, you so much as sneeze at 130mph and you're history.

    The SVX is indeed more of a grand tourer and would likely be more comfortable at sustained high speeds.

    -juice
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    (And I'm almost positive that you've posted info from the I-Club before).

    I did post info (about VTD-AWD) from I-club before....basically, info that...ahem...."yours truly" had posted in the i-club based on readings from technical articles. :-) I did not want to re-type my post from the I-club, so I just cut and pasted it. :-))

    Later...AH
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    I got my January Car and Driver yesterday and the WRX won the 10 best award. Not that it was a huge surprise, given the way all the car mags rave about it, but it was nice to see anyway. It mentioned both the wagon and the sedan in the article. Since it hadn't been mentioned here, I thought I'd post it. The other cars were the Acura RSX, Audi A4, BMW 3 and 5 series, Chevy Corvette, Ford Focus, Honda S2000 and Accord, and Porsche Boxter.

    -Jason
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    S-W-E-E-T!

    I don't think they've ever awarded a Subaru.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I predicted some time ago that the WRX would win some annual award from a major auto publication. That's super news! :))

    Bob
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    I imagine that the WRX has to be in the running for Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year award. Given that MT just awarded (Domestic) Car of the Year to the Ford Thunderbird, I'd question the merits of that honor. Still, since Subarus don't usually garner major annual awards, why look a gift horse in the mouth?

    Ed
  • wrxguywrxguy Member Posts: 51
    Thats neat,
    I feel a temporary sense of being an elite owning a WRX. Just kidding, but I sure do enjoy driving it!
  • philwang66philwang66 Member Posts: 61
    I think someone had mentioned it earlier... MotorTrend no longer award a separate ICOY, just a single COY. So don't hold your breath waiting for the the WRX to win ICOY.

    enjoy,
    Phil
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Anybody see Letterman last night? His Top-10 topic was suggestions on how Bin Ladin could improve his public image, and he couldn't come up even one suggestion!

    Bob
  • elec3elec3 Member Posts: 160
    That a Subaru is winning major awards! That doesn't happen everyday. For a long while my gotta-have-it car was the Porsche Boxster S but lately I've been thinking the WRX may be just as much fun, a fair bit more practical, and a lot cheaper. I've got another 3-4 years before my insurance takes a big drop, my current vehicle is paid for, and I finish school and have substantial income - hopefully by then the WRX will be even more powerful (a bit closer to the non-US specs) and I'll be ready to buy one :)
  • philwang66philwang66 Member Posts: 61
    I think someone had mentioned it earlier... MotorTrend no longer award a separate ICOY, just a single COY. So don't hold your breath waiting for the the WRX to win ICOY.

    enjoy,
    Phil
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Haaaaaa

    I absolutely love how they can give COY to a car that hasn't even hit the street yet, or who has barely hit the street and they haven't even gotten their hands on a real production one. Amazing.

    I'm sure the T-bird will fall apart just like the rest of the FORDs, unless it's an SVT which is proof Ford can build a good reliable vehicle, they just don't do it on a regular basis.

    -mike
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Phil: I stand corrected.

    paisan: I agree 100%. There were problems with the new T-bird's cooling system prior to introduction, and now I see that almost 300,000 Foci are being recalled. I'm past picking on Ford to the point where I just feel sorry for them now. The US auto industry really has to turn itself around but soon.

    Ed
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    on a downward spiral, but there are signs that GM is bouncing back. They've got a LONG way to go, but I think they may have turned the corner. Their trucks and SUVs are well received, and Bob Lutz can do nothing but good for future product.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Lutz will do a good job, though I think he can only stop the market share skid, not reverse it. Competition is way too fierce now.

    Ed: remember that T-bird we saw on that flat bed tow truck? A sign of things to come? ;-)

    -juice
  • philwang66philwang66 Member Posts: 61
    Have to agree with everyone on MT's selection of the T-bird as COY, pretty weak. Snazzy looks yes, but basically a reskinned Lincoln LS/Jag S-type.

    Back on topic - I AM glad that Subaru is getting recognition for finally bringing the WRX to the States.

    Phil
  • ramiller1ramiller1 Member Posts: 124
    Just wanted to mention, the WRX is also featured in the current Consumer Reports in a comparison test with the Acura RSX and not only won the comparison but got an excellent rating overall and the highest rating in the "sporty car" catagory.

    High praise indeed from a publication famous for brutal honesty and not pulling any punches!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, the LS is a well liked car, at least by owners, and the T-bird is the only way you can get a folding top with that platform, so it's not redundant in any way.

    The ads are funny. Did you see the one where the other guy races off, and he gives the cute girl at the start line a ride? Very clever.

    The CR review is surprising because these folks are practical and usually could care less about horsepower.

    -juice
  • philwang66philwang66 Member Posts: 61
    Have to agree with everyone on MT's selection of the T-bird as COY, pretty weak. Snazzy looks yes, but basically a reskinned Lincoln LS/Jag S-type.

    Back on topic - I AM glad that Subaru is getting recognition for finally bringing the WRX to the States.

    Phil
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The LS though suffers from poor quality build like the other american cars. Remember the bottom end problems and the cheapo trim from the Ford Contour they slapped on?

    -mike
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    juice: Yeah, now that you mention it I do remember the flat-bedded T-bird.

    Ed
  • hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    In fact, in their ratings of Sporty cars, only the WRX came into the "Excellent" category. The next car, the Acura RSX, was rated a "Very Good" with other cars like the Toyota Celica coming below them. In their article, they were totally gung-ho over the WRX, except for a slight snub on the fuel mileage.

    Very good praise indeed, especially since it came from the prim and proper Consumer Reports !!

    Later...AH
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    Didn't Motor Trend pick the PT Cruiser as last year's COY? So, can we expect the Chev SSR next year, or maybe the Buick Bengal? Apparently retro styling and domestic manufacture (or advertising dollars) are the biggest criteria for Motor Trend. At least the PT was original, practical, and a big step up in quality for Chrysler.
    Paisan, I did see a new T-bird for sale about 2 weeks ago at a tiny Ford dealer in the middle of Po-dunk, Utah - the dealer didn't even have an indoor showroom. Yellow with a yellow hardtop - it looked lonely sitting there on the corner.

    -Jason
  • dill6dill6 Member Posts: 120
    The PT Cruiser is one of the VERY few domestics I feel at all friendly towards, and my wife actually wants one. MT having named it COY last year (I didn't know that) IMO is a lucky accident, though. That award is widely regarded as being "for sale", and the mag is generally bogus as I recall - I'll admit to not having seen it in a while though.
    In fact I don't read the automotive press much at all any more, though when I did I had a subscription to R&T and thought at the time it was head and shoulders above the rest. Wonder if that's still true, and what did they have to say about the WRX?
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