Subaru Impreza WRX

intrigue3 · March 2001

First of all, I apologize for the lack of R&T, C&D, or Autoweek vernacular, but I think I can comment on some of your questions in layman's terms. First of all, my direct comparison is to my 92 MR2 Turbo, which I just let go of yesterday. Unlike the Toyota, I can not start off in 2nd gear with the WRX if I'm going less than 7-10 MPH. I can, but it's a struggle. Even veering into a slow turn, I find that I oftentimes need to be in 1st.

Secondly, again compared to the MR2, this things gets its RPM's up very quickly. The MR2 is a very noisy car (midengine), and at 2800 RPM, you're dying to upshift because of the hum. In the WRX, which is comparatively very quiet, you can barely here the engine. I get up into the 3500 range without realizing it. The only reason I figured that out was because at those RPM's, the car is really taking off, and I find myself having to ease off. I had the MR2 for 10 years, so I have a lot to learn about this car.

As for cruising at higher speeds, I was on the interstate, pushing 80, but again, clueless. I thought I was at 50. I did not notice the RPM's, but I would guess they were at about 3200. The ride is nice enough on a well paved highway that Mr. Policeman will catch us one day because we're doubling the speed limit unknowingly.

rsholland · March 2001

Scott, funny you should mention size. I have short legs (29" inseam) even though I'm about 5'10", and I had to move the seat fairly close, so that I could push the clutch to the floor. I didn't have any problems, but I can imagine some "short" people possibly having some problems here. There is no telescopic steering column, which would be helpful.

When I had the drivers seat adjusted for me, I then sat in the back seat and found plenty of legroom (for me). The rear seat is actually quite comfortable, especially if you pull down the rear center armrest (sedan only, unfortunately).

Bob

rsholland · March 2001

the rear center armrest: It is a natural place for Subaru to have put rear cup holders.

Bob

barresa11 · March 2001

And the rear seat in the wagon is even better in regards to legroom and headroom. On my test drive of a 5spd wagon we had two strapping men in the back seat and equals in the front. I was pleasantly surprised since I was one of them in the rear seat. The only limitation is trying to fit a 3rd person in the middle. The salesguy joked and said only if they were Karen Carpenter (poor Karen...). :-)

Stephen

bouldewrx · March 2001

Interesting comment about the clutch. I'm 6'4", all legs, and love the fit of the wrx (I was scheduled to get mine in april/may, but someone else cancelled their identical order so I picked one up Friday, woohoo!). BUT, my wife is 5'4", not all legs, and after her first drive she commented on how close she had to be to get full clutch disengagement. I thought she was crazy, so I'm sure she'll be glad to hear a supporting commment.

(BTW, it's a beautiful silver wagon, 5 speed, with 300 miles on it so far, almost all of them mountain twisties. I can't _wait_ until the engine is fully broken in! Great car.)

lgtltd · March 2001

We have two local Subaru dealers. One said if they had a WRX they would have let me test drive. The other dealer had two WRX, one was sold and the other wasn't being offered for test drives unless you put money down that day. I did get to sit in it though. The front seats were very comfortable/supportive and provided a very natural driving position. Most of the materials appeared to be of quality except the center console/armrest, hard plastic and wobbled (on both cars). Who cares, right, this is a drivers car and that's what is important. The other dealer is supposed to call me when one comes in, can't wait.

jeffr1j · March 2001

Well, I've got a deposit down on a silver 5-speed wagon and it's in stock at the dealer (Planet Subaru) in Norwell, MA. I've driven it and feel 1) the looks are boring but that will make it more of a stealth car vis-a-vis both potential thieves and law enforcement. 2) the quality of the inside furnishings is (except for the seats) mediocre at best - cheap cloth, cardboard-feeling headliner, etc. 3) I wish they'd left out the 6 CD changer and put in boost and oil pressure guages instead; and I wish the tach were centered instead of the speedometer. 4) The car is very comfortable, about as quiet as I expected, quicker than my 1990 Talon AWD turbo and with MUCH more room both for people and stuff. In short, so far I'm pleased. My dealer has been pleasant and responsive to questions. I'm paying MSRP, the trade in is fair but not exciting, I got a small deal on an extended service policy, and they're giving me $500 back for not taking the factory wheels and tires.

Which brings me to my question. I thought I wanted Pirelli P7000 Supersport tires 215X45X17 on a set of as yet unchosen wheels. I called Tire Rack and they suggested Bridgestone RE950 tires instead. These are a new product, not yet rated on Tire Rack's page, and not even listen on Bridgestone's page! They sell for about the same as the Pirellis. Does anyone know anything about them? I want all season tires as I don't want to keep changing wheels and/or tires winter and fall and, frankly, we don't have snow on the roads for that many days here and I don't want to spend 4-5 months driving on winter tires. Any one have any thoughts on wheels? I'm looking to spend about $1200 for the wheel/tire set (ie: $700 or so after my trade in).

hersbird · March 2001

I'm not sure but those Pirelli P7000's are not really all season tire are they. Especially in 17" 215 form I bet they'd be a handfull on any amount of snow. just remember AWD doesn't help you stop, here's one place the crappy stock tires would put $1200 worth of aftermarket to shame. Also remember many of these tires which really only border on being 'all season' have little tread depth, they are fine when new but after 20,000 miles they get to be a handfull in the rain. Nothing can touch them on good, dry pavement but if you really need an 'all season' tire maybe that's why Tire Rack is suggesting something different.

Oh wait a minute_ I just check out the P7000 Super Sport, I didn't realize the difference between the regular P7000 and the Super Sport. It looks like form the testing and the testimonials that the Pirelli's are fine in the rain and snow. I'd say a good choice after all. They also have a write up on the home page for those Bridgestones, so check it out too.

dougt4 · March 2001

I drove in the new wrx today, and my saab is toast. The sube drives like the saab should, corners great, is stiff, forgiving, and....fast. Brakes work well but a little mushy, just like you read about.
I drove the auto, and would consider getting one(blasphemy, I know). I drove it in hyannis, ma and got it going on route 6. The only thing I would do is replace the speakers in the stereo. This car is worth every penny. Anybody pay me 16500 for a saab 93, 1999?

klkrause · March 2001

Funny, I actually test drove a WRX wagon on Thursday at Ann Arbor Subaru. The salesperson told me that that vehicle was available ... the only one unsold except the one they're going to keep for a demo. Since I'm probably not going to buy for a few months I didn't discuss price. I bought my last Subaru from them (a '97 2.5GT) and wasn't dissatisfied with that purchase. I guess it all depends on the salesperson.

P.S. I made my appointment for the test drive over the phone and told him that I wasn't sure if I wanted it or not, but definitely had to take it out for a test drive before deciding. Good Luck!

sajohnson · March 2001

Personally, I prefer to use 'summer' tires spring thru fall, and install true snow tires when we get snow and ice. If you are willing to comprimise with "all season" tires, one place to check is www.consumerreports.org-they rate the Dunlop D60A2 high, among others.

Be aware that the BEST "all season" tires are worse than the lowest rated winter tires in snow and ice. I agree with #839-you might be able to get going alright with all season tires but stopping is a different matter. Snow tires are definately worth the money.

kostamojen2 · March 2001

Am I the only one who managed to be in a WRX while its drifting yet?

Im hopefully going to test drive an Auto WRX tommorow with ME driving this time! (I cant drive stick yet :P) And later this week, ill try and test drive an RS too so I can see if they drive the same handling wise...

And as for the interior... Compair it to the Last impreza if you want to do a REAL compairison! And no, the WRX interior WILL NOT fall apart anytime soon despite what you think of the quality of the interior materials :P

purduealum91 · March 2001

Hi Gang:

Well, the inevitable happened this evening. I bid farewell to my 2000 CRV and said hello to a new, white, 5spd 2.5 RS. Sincere thanx go out to all of you that recommended Leatha at Subaru of Schaumburg. Here's a link to some pics:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=402297&a=12123107

General impressions: 1) After the CRV, I will have to get used to riding lower, 2) Engine is silent compared to CRV's, 3)Seats are great, 4) Fairly smooth ride (seemed rougher than the CRV's). Any questions, please ask!

akw5 · March 2001

Has any one paid below msrp for a WRX in San Francisco Bay Area? How reliable is Subaru compared to a Honda or Toyota? Are maintenance cost higher for a car with a turbo and awd.

Thanks,

rsholland · March 2001

I wonder if any other folks out there that are vertically challenged feel that, in order to get comfortable with the clutch throw, the seat adjustment puts them uncomfortablely close to the steering wheel? And... more importantly, having the driver's seat close to the steering wheel, is there a potential problem with the airbag, should it go off in an accident.?

I know you can certainly adjust the back rest angle to compensate for this to a certain extent, but still... I also know some car manufacturers are now offering adjustable pedals for shorter folks. Maybe Subaru should consider this??

Bob

rsholland · March 2001

OK, OK,... I know, here the vehicle has been on sale less than a week, and already I'm complaining. Well, not really... The WRX, as it currently stands is a monumental achievement for Subaru, and for American enthusisists. However, as good as it is, it could be just a "bit" better. Here are some suggestions for MY 2003 to make an already great product even greater:

 Make the 17"x7" rims from the home market WRX standard. I think Subaru made a huge blunder by making the BBS such an expensive option. I just saw one at a dealer yesterday, and it was a $4200.00 option. Who's going to buy this option? The 17" wheels on the Japanese-spec WRX look just like our 16" rims, only they're 17" and .5" wider. This 17" rim is standard on every other WRX sold world-wide, except here in North America.

I have also heard complaints, both here on Edmunds and on the dealer's lots, that they wished for a bit more visual distinction from the RS model. This would do the trick.

 Offer the 6-speed manual from the STi as an option. The 5-speed works great, but the 6-speed would just add that much more to the entertainment factor. Price it the same as the automatic option, at $1000. Also, there are going to be many 6-speeds cropping up shortly in other brands that may be cross-shopped with the WRX. The new Acura RS (Integra replacement) for one.

 Offer the All-Weather-Package (heated mirrors, heated seats, windshield deicer) as an option across the entire Impreza lineup.

 Offer the ambient temperature gauge, either as an option, or standard across the entire Impreza lineup. Currently it is standard on the OBS, and not available on any other model.

 Offer adjustable pedals (see my above post) on manual models.

 Offer a fold-down center armrest on the wagon, so that all Imprezas would now have a rear center fold-down armrest, and include cupholders in this armrest.

 Offer a moon roof as an option.

 I'd like to see map pockets added to the backs of the front seats.

Note: Much of what I've suggested, is mentioned as an "option," therefore trying to keep the base price as low as possible. I'm really just trying to offer more "choices" to be available to customers.

Bob

bigdant · March 2001

Can anyone point me to the Subaru recommendations for break-in of the WRX? Maybe a happy new owner with a user's manual? I've looked around and couldn't find one...wasn't sure if they varied from other Subaru models.

I am one of those folks going out-of-state to pick up a no-dicker car in May, and it's a great opportunity for a road trip, but I expect I'll be driving pretty slow (side roads and stuff) from Rochester to my sister's place in Michigan. Just hope I'm OK to take advantage of Montana by the time I get there!

I thought about acquiring from a local Seattle dealer once the "Miata effect" subsided, and I read about Joe at Carter, but I had such a sleazy experience with the sales folks at Carter VW recently that I've crossed Carter in general off my list. I may have been lucky. If they had been straight with me I might be driving a Jetta today and never test driven a WRX!

rsholland · March 2001

I had heard to keep it under 4000 rpm for the first 1000 miles.

Bob

francophile · March 2001

Congratulations! That's a g*r*e*a*t looking car. I was really surprised because I thought the flared fenders were unique to the WRX. But there they are on your car. The folks who have been saying that the RS is the best deal for the money may very well be right!

Please give us driving impressions as you get them. Thanks!

Cheers,
-wdb

bigdant · March 2001

Hello!

Can anyone who has taken delivery (and has the relevant options) comment on:

1) Speaker upgrades: can you tell what brand/model these are?? Are you happy?

2) Subwoofer: I saw the picture, but couldn't tell: Is this powered or unpowered? Where is it installed? Are you happy???

3) Alarm option: Can you tell who the manufacturer is or the model? Trying to determine if there is a way to hook up a pager interface.

For good or ill, my plan is to pull out the factory double-DIN head unit to make way for a single DIN unit and my single-DIN MP3 player (Empeg, now called Rio Car), so I'm trying to strategize on stereo options (speakers, subwoofer) ahead of time to minimize additional replacement later.

Thks...BDT

purduealum91 · March 2001

1,000 miles can not come soon enough! I am having a hard time shifting below 4000 rpm. This puppy wants to go. Shifting is very crisp, no problems there. In fact, the only comment I have is on the ride. Mind you, I am just coming off a CRV whose ride was smooth compared to the RS's. I have gotten inquisitive looks from a gas station owner (the owner came out of the store to look at the car). The brakes are a little mushy. Hope they stop me when I need to

. Only 60 miles on car so far. By the way, thanx for all your comments.
Tom

sajohnson · March 2001

Looks like those of us getting a WRX may want to consider replacing the B/S RE92's.

For more info:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/bridgestone/bs_re92.jsp

Now-what would be a good replacement? I currently run Dunlop SP8000's and switch to snow tires (Michelin Arctic Alpin's) when we get winter storms.

Any tire experts out there care to comment?

wil02 · March 2001

Try Albany!

silver_bullet · March 2001

Lots of great tires available and everyone will have a favorite, but I can recommend the Bridgestone RE730 and the Pirelli P7000. Check out the Tire Rack's comments on the RE730. Decent price, too.

silver_bullet · March 2001

Tom - neat car! More and more, I'm thinking this is the way my pocketbook is steering me. What do you think of the seats? Are they the same as the ones in the WRX, except for the cloth?

bwilsonjwilson · March 2001

Sorry if this is a duplicate question . . . I checked out WRX's at our local auto show, and over the weekend I looked at a couple at two different dealerships. Oddly, one had an interior treatment I had not seen, on either an actual WRX or on the web page (or in magazines). All the WRX's I had seen in person, or in magazines, had a matte silver finish, painted plastic on the dash and around the instrument cluster. However, one exceptionally nice WRX (red sedan) at one of the local dealerships had sort of a silver grid effect under polished plastic. I must say, I found it to be FAR more appealing and upscale looking. Could this be a newer production, or an older one? Anyone else seen the difference? If this is not the way the masses will be built, I'm tempted to jump on this one, eventhough I really wanted to wait a couple of months.

purduealum91 · March 2001

The seats are ultra supportive (I'm 6'-2") and I believe them to be the same as the WRX. Just the cloth color is different.

beanboy · March 2001

On a similar topic of the RS/WRX, where will technical information regarding the differences between the impreza be had when it becomes available?

Interested in exactly what differences the WRX sports over the RS and TS beyond what has been released so far. Don't really think they went far enough with the WRX in terms of added features versus the rest of the Impreza line. A TS wagon sporting the same steering ratio as the WRX? Front brakes the same size on the TS and RS? Suspension the same for the RS and WRX? Any clutch differences between the models?

I know Subaru is small, and sharing so much helps keep the price down especially on the WRX, but c'mon. Even my Neon sports a different steering ratio, suspension and transmission versus other less sporting Neon models.

-beanboy

silver_bullet · March 2001

What you saw is the optional "carbon look" interior trim pieces, discussed about two or three days ago - scroll up a bit and you'll see the discussion and pictures.

bedabi · March 2001

IF the RS really has the suspension set up as the WRX (so it says on Subaru's homepage), I'd personally encourage you to get the RS. This kept going through my mind as I drove back from the dealership with the revs kept low. I enjoyed the well enough then, without the turbo boost, and chances are the RS engine's smoother. Of course, I have absolutely no regrests about my WRX now, but if the RS fits your bill, it looks like a very good deal.

bluesubie · March 2001

My first ride in a Rex was in NYC Friday evening traffic. Off-boost it's perfect putting around in a 2.0L car. Then we hit a side street and I felt the turbo kick in. Whoa!

You control the turbo, not let it control you. :-)

Dennis

bedabi · March 2001

The brakes on my WRX do feel mushy. But I'll deal.

ateixeira · March 2001

That's typical, it's the dual stage booster. Press lightly and it only slows you down a little. Press hard and they both kick in and provide a quick stop. You get used to it.

If you just can't, then there are aftermarket boosters available. That plus plenty of pads and different brake fluids.

-juice

mmcbride1 · March 2001

First, it's panache, not pinache. Second, since the 2.5RS is visually identical to the WRX (right down to the rims), you'll not likely get many stares in the WRX, either (once the hype of it being a brand new car wears off).

In Denver, I can get a loaded A4 1.8T for about $27k or a WRX for $25k (sticker), so at least here, the difference is only about $2k, not $4k. And for $25k, I most certainly do expect a nice interior.

ateixeira · March 2001

But you've admitted that you're not willing to shop around much. Numerous friends (at this point) have acquired WRXs and not one paid $25k.

-juice

silver_bullet · March 2001

Yes, I'm seriously considering a silver 2.5RS five-speed sedan with the added foglamps. The salesman said the same thing about the brakes - he mentioned the dual stage booster and longer travel as being typical of Subaru braking systems. Only trouble is, there are no 2.5RS cars in my area, and the dealer didn't have a clue as to when they'd see them. No problem, I'm in no rush.

mmcbride1 · March 2001

I've called all the dealers in my area. They are all at MSRP. No, I'm not willing to drive 100 miles or more for a car. I would drive around the city, but they're all at MSRP. And if you're familiar with Colorado at all, there's not much within 100 (or even 300) miles of Denver.

bonaman · March 2001

Last December my wife parked her Ford Ranger on a back road outside a friend's home. The local town snowplow ended that truck's short life. By then neither she nor I wanted another pick-up. We live in Western New York and this winter has been terrible. We both were tired of skidding around. Shortly before the truck was demolished, I turned onto the expressway and thought, gosh this is a dumb vehicle for this part of the world. Neither of us was unhappy that we had to find another car. Since we had inherited her Dad's Cadillac, this time it was my turn to choose the vehicle.

I looked through the magazines and decided that an all-wheel drive would be best. The car that had the market on AWD was the Subaru, although some recommended a VW Passat. The only problem is that Subarus are very under-powered. Some said try the new 6, but the price Subaru put on that engine is criminal. I began to learn of the WRX and the more I read, the more I liked it.

I found this Town Hall page and began to hang around this site, learning a great deal about a great auto. Last week, my wife said, let's go and take a look for your dream car. I downloaded the information from Van Bortel in Rochester before going to visit a dealer closer to home. I had called ahead and found that he had a WRX on the lot unsold.

When my wife and I arrived, he gave me the keys and told me to take it for a spin. I couldn't believe it. I have never had a car dealer let me go out alone, and I was well aware of your cautions about reving it up too much. My wife loved the car and I was thrilled. She said let's get this one. I said, no way there's been a bunch of idiots driving this ahead of us and I don't know what they have done with the engine.

We went back to the showroom and after the typical sparing about the car, the salesman asked me if I were interested. I told him I was, but I didn't have time to BS about price. I handed him the Van Bortel prices and asked him if he could beat them. He literally gulped, and remarked about the dealers on the West and East Coasts who mark up the MSRP and still sell Subarus. "She has ruined our market." He admitted. I told him that I believed that his dealership could sell a car for what they could, but I am only going to pay the least I have to pay. He said wait a minute while he checked with his manager. An eternity later, he said that they would order me a new car at the Van Bortel price. I said thanks, but no thanks. My business was going to be with Van Bortel.

When I got home, I got on line and placed a purchase order with Van Bortel in Rochester. The next day I got a call confirming my order. The sales person told me that they already had 61 orders ahead of mine, but my WRX would be available in late June. I told her that was OK. She went over the other options I had chosen, but never tried to sell me more. She said that she was going to enclose some brochures about extra warranty, etc., but I was free to take them or not. This is the way all new autos should be sold.

She said I would have to sign the purchase order and return it to her. I said something about a down payment, and she said none was necessary. The dealer just had to prove to Subaru that another person had ordered a WRX from them.

OK, so now I am anxious. It will get harder and harder to wait as the days go by. But at least I should have it in time for summer.

Thanks for your insights, they were the insurance I needed to proceed on the Internet. I'll keep reading your messages and add some more of my own.

All the best--

sploow · March 2001

Hey, I am also from western new york. Which dealer was willing to match the Van Bortel's price? I am willing to go with Van Bortel's price without the hassle of going out to Rochester. Thanks for your help.

oyoung · March 2001

Sorry for the delay in writing, but I've been having so much fun!

Picked up a red 5-spd wagon on Sat. Must admit that, while I have been trying to be nice to the car, it is just too darn difficult! Now that I've read i'm supposed to be under 4k rpms for the first 1k miles, i will try, but no guarantees!

Rather than repeat what everyone else has said, suffice it to say that performance wise it is a blast! For someone who asked, I did test drive an automatic and found it boring. Serves its purpose, but just not as much fun.

I will say that backing up is taking some getting used to. I had great visibility in my Golf, but find there's a lot of head rest and C-pillars to deal with. Plus, it's a bit wider. Then again, if that's the extent of my complaints, so be it!

Had to pay sticker but got a fair trade-in for my VW. More importantnly, I was able to get my car within one week! For those in the area interested, I went to Colonial Subaru in Danbury, CT. Chris DiBicarri was my salesman. These guys have no clue what they have on their hands. Meaning, they are all very nice, but they've been selling Outbacks to yuppie moms and grand parents in this area. Give them a few months, though....

They had a loaded yellow sedan in the showroom. Perfect for Easter season!

Well, I'm off for lunch. No idea where I'm going, but I really don't think it matters!

Only 700 more miles to go! Can't promise to keep it under 4k rpms, but I will try! Must admit that i did break 100 on Saturday (105 to be exact). Very stable. A bit of wind noise, but I just turned the radio louder! Then again, at 100 whaddaya expect?

Later, all!
Oliver

ateixeira · March 2001

bonaman: did you look at the LL Bean? The VDC is high-priced, but the main attraction is the stability control system, which the VW 4Motion does not offer.

The LL Bean is closer to the 4Motion and actually costs less with the same equipment.

-juice

lcd1 · March 2001

From the spec, the interior noise level at various speeds seems high. Does anyone know of a effective way to reduce the noise? A quieter car makes less tiring long-distance trips.

LCD

ateixeira · March 2001

#1 would be the tires. Some all-season treads can be noisy. Check the tirerack surveys for a quiet tire.

Then insulation. You could add undercoating yourself - it comes in a spray can. In the wheel wells might help, but it adds weight and may not look great.

You can also get insulation for the doors and fire wall from a stereo shop like Crutchfield.

IMHO, the WRX is very quiet, tame even. If you think it's loud, you're probably buying the wrong car.

I think C&D had it making a 70 decibel racket on the highway, but that's better than the Infiniti I30t (71dB) or the tuner Mustang they tested (96dB or so IIRC). The best one they tested all year was the Lexus LX470 at 67dB, not much better than the WRX.

-juice

-juice

vadp · March 2001

Actually 67 dB is much better than 70.
Even 1 dB makes quite a difference on that scale.

ateixeira · March 2001

OK, but that was from their 10Best issue, so the Lexus was the only vehicle that registered that low. 70dB is pretty typical, even for a family sedan. It's really not bad.

Heck, for that kind of money, you could hire a personal assistant to sit in the back seat and hold your ears closed!

-juice

locke2c · March 2001

Uh, wrong about the decibels there vadp. 1 dB difference is hardly discernable to the human ear. It takes 10 dB for the human ear to perceive it as "twice" as loud.

So 67dB versus 70dB is not a very big deal and in all probability tires have a large impact on it.

-Colin

ateixeira · March 2001

I thought every 3dB was double the noise...

Audiophiles?

-juice

soon2bsubee · March 2001

WHAT DID YOU SAY ?????????

locke2c · March 2001

You're 'talking' to one, juice. To increase output by 3dB requires twice the power. Increasing the apparent noise by 2x (to the average human ear) requires an increase of 10dB.

-Colin
ps subscriptions are now working again, woohoo!

ateixeira · March 2001

Ah, gotcha.

The bottom line is the WRX is very quiet. It idles quietly. A lot of current i Clubbers say it's too tame!

-juice

Subaru Impreza WRX

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