Subaru Impreza WRX

mountainmom

So if I wanted to buy a 01 RS Sedan, I could get it below invoice right now, right?

ateixeira

Probably right at invoice. The new one isn't any more expensive, though, if you wanted to wait.

Reasons for no sunroof on the 2002? Cost, mostly. Weight, you could say, but then why did the 2001 have it? Finally, there is a brace from B-pillar to B-pillar, but the Forester also has this on every model expect the Premium.

Clearly, it could be done. The most likely reason is cost.

-juice

silver_sky

wregex: I guess they order one or two wrx tehmselves so that they can show the prospective customers what wrx will look like and for test drive purposes..I heard from my dealer, due to high demand not all dealers get spare wrx for this purpose..he said he'd get one but not sure if it's on the first or second shipment..

also, my dealer said, most of wrx will have manual transmission...no offense but I think that's a no brainer...I wonder who order wrx with an automatic trans???

dtech114: u're absolutely correct..when I placed my order two weeks ago, the sale person said (after I placed my order) that they will only accept order for 2nd shipment until the end of feb (which is today)...after that customers can hope there;s still wrx left for first year allocation...:)

ateixeira

I'm sure dealers are ordering as many WRXs as they can get. Even if they weren't in high demand, they attract the attention of customers that may end up buying an Outback Sport.

Not to mention I'm sure most sales will not be pre-ordered, so they just want to have some in stock. Pre-orders are pretty bold in that the buyer, at this point, hasn't even gone for a test drive! Talk about faith!

-juice

dtech114

How long did it take to get your confirmation after you ordered your car? You are talking about an actual printout from Subaru corporate right, not the Sold Order Form that had the options listed on it and was submitted with the order? Just trying to find out when I should expect to get my confirmation from the dealer so that I know for sure my order is being processed. Thanks.

Dtech

barresa62

Daniel: I got an e-mail from my salesguy w/confirmation # about a week after I ordered the car. I'm in the first allocation (barely squeaked into it). I ordered my WRX sportwagon on 2/3. Hope this helps.

Stephen

outbackguru

Subaru sends the dealer a confirmation within a week of the order being placed that it was received and has options listed so the dealer can verify color and equipment. The cars usually invoice about the time they are shipped which is about ten days before they get to the dealership. The invoice of course will have the final price andV IN #. As for stock units the dealer can't just order what he wants. Subaru tells the dealer what is available and you can make color or options requests but ultimetly your district rep. decides what you get for stock. Subaru decides way ahead of time what they are going to build (model and color). Sold orders are filled out of this and then the dealers get what is left for stock units. The only thing that is not decided until the orders are placed or stock units get allocated is options.

wregex

Thanks OutbackGuru... what do you sell subes for a living or something? Ha ha Man, I wish you were my sales contact.

Dtech - that must answer your questions too.

So, if the first allocation is slated to be at dealerships on the 13th, and provided this date could be padded just a little, that means the dealer probably has invoices w/ final price and VIN by... this week?

danzo

I am seriously considering placing an order for a station wagon. One thing has me a little worried. The track of the station wagon is almost 1 inch less, front and rear than the sedan. Every write up I have seen on a road test of the wax has been on the sedan. One report even commented on the fact that no station wagon was available to test. I wonder if the difference in size could have a significant effect on the cars handling. Another question I have is, what is the security system upgrade? Does the car come with an alarm system and can the upgrade be installed by the dealer?

Thanks
Dan

barresa62

Dan:
I was wondering what the handling diff might be as well but I figured it wouldn't outweigh the advantage the wagon has in versatility. Also, the sportwagon is a much better handler than my 00' OB.

The std keyless entry is exactly that. The WRX does not come w/a std alarm system. The security upgrade gives you the alarm. I have the same thing on my OB.

BTW, I have a silver 5spd WRX wagon on order, should be here around the 15th of March.

Stephen

bedabi

I initially ordered a silver wagon, but backed out and revised my order for a silver sedan. I first thought a wagon that size would be perfect to throw my dog into. And when the wagon order was in, I immediately took note of all the other wagons in my neighborhood, quite a few of which were Subies. And I saw the couples with the little kids and dog, saw how the wagon could accomodate the child seat.... Then I started to picture myself in every wagon that drove by... and I just couldn't do it! I'm not ready to grow up yet!

barresa11

Soo-young: I took a different tact on the wagon vs sedan dilemma. I kept thinking of how much more of a Q-ship the wagon would be than the sedan. You said yourself...kids, couples, etc. and then I blow by the Bimmer and he/she is left wondering "What the H.ll was that'!! Tee Hee...can't wait!!!

Just a thought,
Stephen

ateixeira

Wagons have a bad image here because many of our parents drove them.

But look at the WRX - it's more of a 5 door hatchback, if you ask me.

Look at an Olds Custom Cruiser and then a WRX. Do you even look similar to you? Naaaah...

-juice

ramon

is da bomb! It looks better than the sedan IMHO. Has cleaner lines. And that sleeper facade it carries would be priceless when u blow the doors out of that type R driver who was trying to impress a girl by beating on a wagon. hahahaha... make mine a WR blue wagon please!

bedabi

that sold me. The WRX is certainly no looker, but that little hint of quiet aggression from the wheel wells sold me on the sedan. Kind of conjures the image of the little unassuming guy who's able to kick major A**, like Jet Li or Felix Trinidad.

By the way, here's a site by British Subie Turbo fanatics comparing the new WRX with their beloved Turbos, as they were called in the U.K. before the present model:

http://www.iwoc.freeserve.co.uk/my2001.html

Be sure to check out the link to his "IWOC reviews section". It's a pretty interesting read.

ottos

WRX's big headlights don't look as good as they sound.

Sporin

I'm looking into getting one myself... I almost can't believe it. !! :-)

I want a blue sedan... I like those big fender gulges too. Plus I already have a wagon

ateixeira

If the bulges on the sedan make it look like Jet Li, I guess the wagon is like Lara Croft.

Who would think a girl could whoop you like that?

;-)

-juice

dkaps

So, exactly what kind of sounds do the big headlights make? If they sound better than they look it must be pretty sweet. I can't wait to listen to them. Maybe for the 2003 model the engineers will figure out how to pipe the sound through the stereo system. Do the fog lights make sounds too?

tisbe2

Anyone looking into the performance suspension upgrade?

You think there would be a noticeable difference for everyday driving?

bedabi

Lara "WRX" Croft taking on all German sport wagons, two guns a blazin'! I like that!

driver36

Does anyone knows where I can get a after-market sunroof done? juice: you did post that saying only cost around a $1000. Do you have the info regarding after-market sunroof? Or anyone pls!!

thx in advance!

orangelebaron

You changed your order from a wagon to a sedan?
I found out that Subaru will not put folding rear seats in their sedans anymore. So if you need to
put anything long or bulky in your car, you better switch back to the wagon.

They said it's due to future rear crash testing.
They want to look good. This makes no sense to me
at all. Volvos and Saabs have folding rear seats.

Anyway... confirm this with your dealer.

bedabi

Yup, everything I've seen indicates that the sedan will not have fold down seats and only a pass through hole. I was aware of this when I switched, and that's fine by me. My present car, although a little bigger has only a pass through, and it's been fine. Besides, I've also read that the WRX sedan has a lot more room in the trunk than it appears.

bedabi

I also wanted to mention (and gripe) that all the amateur reviews in the British link I posted earlier (#567) simply raved about the Euro-(Aussie-Japan-)spec WRX brakes. We're going to get inferior ones Stateside. I can only assume it's part of a cost saving measure to make the WRX more competitive in the U.S. (After all, look at the other Subaru boards regarding the new 6 cyl. Outback and you'll see plenty of posts where people refuse to pay $30,000 for a Subaru, though they'll pay plenty more for a less powerful wagon with a quartered circle or five linked circles on the hood.) In Britain, the sedan costs about $30,320 US; in Japan about $22,365; in Australia about $23,065. In each of these countries, the WRX has larger, four caliper brakes in the front, and two caliper ones in the rear. We get smaller two caliper ones in front and single ones in back. I can only assume that the much higher price in Britain is due to the import costs, and that our prices here with the larger brakes would approach that $30,000 limit. But it does make me wonder, in a car as powerful as this one, if Subaru isn't jeopardizing the balance of this car just to undercut other competitors. If I wanted a car that was unbalanced in terms of its power to its brakes and handling, I need look no farther than a Pony car!

barresa11

Rest assured even w/o the 4-pot brakes, the WRX is a very balanced car. Nonetheless, your point is well taken.

Stephen

silver_bullet

Sure, larger rotors and four piston calipers (not four calipers as you posted) look sexy - but omitting them from the U.S. car makes engineering sense when you look at our speed limits. How often can you legally drive a car in this country at triple-digit speeds? I thought so. In Europe, people will often drive flat out, and need all the braking they can get. If the set-up on "our" version stops the car properly from normal (less than 80MPH) speeds, what's the problem? In addition to adding cost, don't forget bigger brakes add unsprung weight and negatively affect handling - unless you want to get really crazy and go for billet aluminum calipers and two-piece floating rotors with aluminum centers like you'll find on top-of-the-line superbikes. If you think your driving style merits bigger brakes, just add money and go to the aftermarket. Designing a car is a balancing act, and it appears FHI engineers did a pretty good job of balancing content and cost.

silver_sky

we have heavier wrx to comply with US and Canada regulations, even with the four piston calipers..the europe and japanese wrx still lighter than the us one..

britpack

Does anyone know if the wrx can be chipped (Re-programmed EPROM)to increase boost? if so, how much HP can be had before mechanical mods need to be made?

bedabi

I just hate the feeling that we get assed out of a better car here in the States, as we often do by foreign car companies. As for the change in handling due to the larger, heavier brakes... well just about every detailed review of the car comes from Aussie or British reviewers who rave about their Euro-spec handling. So I'd rule that out as a reason for not having them in the U.S.-spec WRX.

I noted that you'd previously wished for better brakes yourself (post #181 "I'd gladly forego the fancy stereo, remote keyless entry, and probably the power windows and locks if I could have the brake setup fitted to the European WRX"). It looks like you've reconsidered. Since you seem to be pretty knowledgable about this stuff, I'll take your reassurances in good faith.

silver_bullet

I would trade the toys for better brakes, but I think for my driving, the stock U.S. set-up will be fine. My point with the earlier post was to express an opinion about "balance" and priorities. For the $24K target price, I'd certainly select performance parts (bigger brakes, aluminum lower control arms, etc.) over "luxury" items like fancy stereos and power accessories. Just my personal preferences. More performance parts would be neat, but then the price goes up, and I understand SOA's desire to keep the WRX "affordable". Thanks to cost constraints and U.S. lawyers, even the new U.S. spec E46 BMW M3 has a braking system detuned from the Euro-spec car, so you find compromises almost everywhere.

ateixeira

John: I'd try the stock suspension first. You may find it's already a bit stiff. If not, and especially if you autocross, you can get STi suspension components and new tires (RE92s are not good). There are lots and lots of options for you.

Myron: look in your local yellow pages under Automobiles - Accessories. They should list local shops that do that type of thing. I went with an ASC certified shop, which installed an ASC roof and offered a lifetime guarantee.

I sat in a WRX sedan at the Philly Auto Show, and yes there is only a pass-through. It's big, though, and there is a nice arm rest that comes down too. The wagon has no arm rest but folds flat to reveal a bigger-than-you-would-expect cargo area. The only catch is the stylish hatch is angled, so don't expect to fit tall boxes.

You can buy the 4-pot brake kit from SPT (Subaru Performance Tuning) today. It's even available for the current RS. Don't let that stop you. I imagine most autocrossers will get that upgrade, while most street drivers will not.

For the picky buyer that wants everything, I'd wait for the inevitable STi version. I'm sure that'll have the brakes, suspension, more power, everything your heart desires. For a *lot* more money, though.

-juice

dtech114

It should be relatively easy to use an electronic boost controller to alter the stock boost in the WRX like on most turbo cars. I have also seen a WRX/22B TRECS computer upgrade for sale at www.spomotorsports.com for $1800. Boost controler is much cheaper though. Since it has the same valvetrain as the STi version, and from what I've read, you really shouldn't have to touch the stock internals unless you are contemplating going for a more extreme level of power than over 300+. Anything there and below should not place very much extra wear and tear on the engine given its robust construction and components. The 2001 WRC car makes 300hp with a mandatory 34mm restrictor plate on it, so it's nice to know there is definitely room for relatively SAFE tweaking when/if we so desire.

Dtech

driver36

Thanks for the reply juice! The WRX wagon does angled for the looks. Anyhow, I just think the wagon looks better than the sedan only ref. to my taste. I am sure majority would pick out the sedan.

ottos

Dtech, do you know for certain that internals will not have to be replaced with increased power? Also, can boost be increased safely before the engine begins to knock? Subaru probably tuned the engine's computer to run close to borderline knock already (definitely so if it has a knock sensor). Anyone want to perform some experiments, hehe?

I'll try to open up the intake and exhaust first, because these upgrades definitely won't require replacing any internal parts. Maybe I'll begin by adding another airbox in parallel with the other.

outbackguru

I've been doing aftermarket sunroofs on Foresters for years. No one has complained. Your local dealer should have an aftermarket company that they use for sunroofs on anything they sell and then they can just add it in to your deal. For those of you who want sunroofs immediately you may have to wait a few months. It usually takes a month or two before the leather and sunroof guys are ready to do a brand new model.

outbackguru

My dealerships WRX's that were ordered on the first allocation invoiced TODAY! My pipeline report shows them due in the week of the 12th. So those of you who have them coming don't have long to wait. Check with your local dealer as where you are in relation to the port will affect delivery. We are in Texas.

wtedgecliff

Hi Guys + Gals,

This is a question for the mechanically knowledgeable. (One of whom I'm not)

If the STi comes out stateside, will it be possible to retrofit it's manual six for the five in a WRX?? Is this something worth doing? Cost/benefit?

I do a lot of weekday highway driving, and I'm wondering if an extra gear at the high end will help the engine loaf more efficiently/comfortably.

Any information on what such a change would do for a "spirited" driving style would also be appreciated. (My weekend job. )

Thanks everyone for the great WRX messageboard!

rsholland

My guess is that it would be very expensive. Somehow you would have to special order it from Japan. I don't know even if you could do that through normal Subaru channels. I guess if you have enough money and patience, anything is possible.

As desirable as the 6-speed would be, I don't see how you could justify the cost/benefit ratio.

Bob

dtech114

Ottos,

I can not say with ABSOLUTE certainty without first hand experience(yet), but from doing some research on the net and in print, power upgrades do SEEM to be relatively safe for the range I mentioned. Just to give you an idea, I have seen mention of Subaru Impeza turbo and high end upgrades with the possibility of yielding anywhere from 300-600hp. Obviously that level of power would require some extensive modifications, but it also means there are plenty of possibilities to make more power, even on the more conservative side.

The stock computer should be good for altering the timing and preventing detonation through the stock knock sensors, but we should also be able to alter the air/fuel mixture by other means if necessary. To my knowledge, the US WRX should use the same computer as the Japanese and Euro version which means it would contain timing maps for a wide range of knock prevention since it has the maps for the higher octane fuels there as well as ours. So, theoretically it would also be able to compensate for the higher boost level produced in those areas as well, if not even a bit more. This would likely require a "reset" of the ECU (by disconnecting the battery for a while), for it to properly compensate for any power upgrade changes. But ultimately a computer upgrade would be necessary for more extreme power levels.

Here are some good Subaru performance sites that I've found:

www.spomotorsports.com
www.rallispec.com

Dtech

dtech114

If you received the invoices already, how many dealer stock WRXs (non-preorders) is your dealership receiving in the first allocation in two weeks, and how are they equipped/what color? Just curious.

Dtech

outbackguru

My dealership is getting two WRX sedans for stock. Options on them (both of them) are:
auto dimming mirror
security upgrade
air filtration system
wheel locks
speaker upgrade package
armrest extention
this bring the msrp to 25532 with Dest. and Delv.
The performance upgrades (shifter, gauge pack, etc.) are dealer installed options and I am not going to put any of those items on the cars until they are sold if the buyer wants them. Also, I sense the inventory will be tightening up. There are eleven dealers in my district and for March allocation which we had Friday (April delivery) we received only one WRX for stock and half the dealers in the district did not receive any! As I have said before, Subaru fills orders first and then allocates what is left to the dealers. This tells me that sold orders around the country are selling briskly.

outbackguru

I forgot to tell you the colors. One blue and one white. I am getting a yellow one a sold order and I will tell everyone how it looks in person once it gets here. My guess (and its only a guess) is that you can forget about the yellow, I think they are gone. I will try to confirm this with Subaru this week.

hersbird

the local dealer here says they are getting a yellow for dealer stock in addition to the one my brother perordered. I think the unsold one is a manual.

ateixeira

I agree with Bob on the 6 speed. It would be possible, but not practical.

People have bought automatic Miatas and put in 5 speeds. Without exception, though, they agree they should have just got a 5 speed to begin with.

Wait for the STi version, or live with the 5 speed. FWIW, the engine idled very quietly at the Philly Show.

-juice

dtech114

Thanks for the info guru. Seems like yours are pretty well loaded, although might be an issue with the extended armrest if they are five speed. Also noticed the lack of rear spoiler. That one could go either way, but personally I prefer it with. My dealer says that they are receiving only ONE WRX for their first allocation which I would have been able to take if I wanted. It is a black 5-speed with air filtration and security upgrade. No thanks! Black is nice but in South Florida....no way! Also needed to have the factory installed spoiler for me to consider it.

I just got off the phone with the sales manager at the dealer and he told me that he has the confirmation for my order. I JUST made the April allocation.....WOOOHOOO!!! Ah...err....sorry...got a little carried away there, but can you blame me?..:)

Anyway, I should have it in 5-6 weeks so I'm REALLY excited!

I ordered mine as a WR Blue Sedan with the air filtration, security upgrade, and spoiler. I wasn't aware of the speaker/subwoofer upgrade when I ordered it or I may have considered it as well, but no big loss there. I can always add those or aftermarkets, but either way, the stock system should sound nice. It's actually lighter without and performance is my primary concern so....hehehe.

Dtech

driver36

Currently I am driving an A4 1.8TQ, and trying to get a wagon for my wife. First, she wants the Avant, since she likes the A4 so much. But the Audi dealer won't discount much from MSRP. I was able to sway her to WRX wagon.

Now I really do need some help here! Can someone tells me where I can get a WRX wagon $1000 below MSRP in the bay area?
thx!

bedabi

Just got off the phone with the salesman at the dealership. He confirmed that mine was one of the 19 WRX's allocated to his dealership. I should be able to pick it up by the end of March. Apparently, the cars get shipped to Boston first then is driven out to the dealership, in this case near Rochester, NY. The present storm might hold things up a bit though. I ordered a silver sedan, manual, with a short shifter and security upgrade. By the way, this dealer has now listed it's WRX prices on it's website (below MSRP). Here's the link if you're interested.

http://www.vanbortelsubaru.com/tempfile.html

ottos

To get a red car!

Seriously, I hope that this car will live up to all the praise it has received. I'm a little worried because all the praise that impressed me was for the foreign version of the WRX. Has anyone done proper tests on an American-spec car? I'm really waiting for a Road and Track test, because I trust their opinion the most.

For instance, I hope the American version doesn't get differently-tuned suspension. The Euro-spec version has the ability to oversteer even w/o lifting the throttle, which is a good thing. But I vaguely heard that the American version tends to understeer.

You guys with the first shipment will have to fill me in.

dtech114

You guys are REALLY lucky up there to be able to get a below MSRP deal. I shopped around down here in South Florida, and the best I could do was MSRP. Besides, any savings I would get IF I could get a slightly better deal out of town somewhere, probably wouldn't be worth the hassle. Oh well.....still a good price for the car at MSRP though, especially considering it was estimated to be higher than it is.

Dtech