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Comments
I currently drive a '99 Miata which I could not be happier with. The WRX would make a VERY nice complement to it. I seem to notice that a lot of Subaru WRX fans also own Miata's.
In terms of performance, S4 is a close match.
I think owners will cross shop the top Prelude, Integra, and Celica most often, not the 1.8T.
-juice
Then you consider the 6 CD changer and sport seats cost you an extra grand on the A4. It would be tempting not to order the sports package, sunroof, and ESP for me as well. But then I could not afford it.
Even if I resisted, you'd need at least $400 in the budget to chip it. Even so that put the total cost over $29 grand. The WRX wagon is $23.5k and dealers near me do discount.
That's a big difference.
-juice
The WRX gives you that power stock , with a full warranty.
JG
00 Viper GTS
01 Acura CL-S (formerly a 99 RS)
In addition, the A4 does not necessarily carry more respect. In whose eyes will it have more respect? Perhaps those who care about driving a fancy or overpriced car - yes, Audi's are overpriced because of the "panache"-factor. But from a mechanical stand-point, the Subaru probably warrants more respect. Which has better reliability records? Not Audi. Which has a more durable build? Not the Audi.
Since we are lucky enough to be living the U.S. (well, most of us participating in this forum), I don't deny anyone the right to have preferences about what vehicle he/she drives. However, IMHO, I think our society puts way too much weight on "panache." Since I care more about the way a car drives, as opposed to the way I look to others in my car, I lean towards the WRX in this case.
(Sorry ... I know that sounded preachy.)
Do you like finding great-tasting red wines from Argentina at a fraction of the price of California reds? Better get the Subie.
Cheers,
-wdb
But the WRX - with the hood scoop, blistered fenders, spoiler, that front end... it has a bit of an edge to it, compared with the A4. The A4 is sort of boring.
Plus, it seems like everyone has A4s and Passats. They're thick as flies in my work parking lot. But we don't have many 2.5 RS's, and I don't think we'll see that many WRXs either.
Sorry, My brothers A6 2.7T and friends TT's are a hell of a lot nicer than any Scooby I have ever owned (97 2.5GT and a 99 RS)- both Subaru's were great, but I wouldn't personally compare them to an Audi- the WRX is the 2nd Subaru that I have a real fond respect for (the first being the SVX).
And yes I list my cars, not all of them..just the ones that are "fun" oriented, just to let people know what I have- I have received personal emails concerning them, I'm happy to answer questions......go to any forum, and people list their cars and mods- just the way it is.
Oh,what an impressive collection I have- a $30k Acura, and a sports car by Dodge....If you think thats crazy, visit Viperclub.org and look at some of those guys inventories.
Considering that you drive a $30K Acura and a $70K Viper, why are you even looking at cars that are $24K and less? Unless, of course, you've realized that there is more to a car than its pricetag. hmmmmm?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
To everyone else: You posting meisters, you. I was going to post a great response to Jeremy but you all beat me to it! I will add this though,
Jeremy: Buy yourself an Audi, you're seemingly not the type that can appreciate a WRX let along any other Subaru, despite you claiming that you've owned them before.
Stephen
The WRX is fast, but that's it. It is not very attractive and it has an AWFUL interior for a $25k car.
I also don't think the WRX is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I was impressed with it, and for $25,000 the performance is hard to beat. I'm not sure what $25,000 with 227hp and AWD you are comparing it to, but since the money is really for the engine, suspension, and drivetrain, the interior isn't going to be that great for $25,000.
It's funny that a few people think that $25,000 is too high for this car. Before the MSRP was released by Subaru many magazines and websites were guessing prices quite a bit higher than $25k.
In the end we all have our tastes and beauty is definitely in the eyes of the beholder. I just don't think panache is much of a consideration for most of the people who are looking at the WRX.
So if the WRX were a good-looking or luxurious car as well as having superior all around performance, we'd either be paying more or waiting in longer lines to buy it. That it looks like an (ugly) economy car is helping us to obtain excellent engineering for a lower price. What a great country. The Subaru's chassis is very stiff, just like a good German car. The suspension makes 120 mph feel like 60, the engine is state of the art - on par with the best, it has an excellent AWD system, everything is race-proven, and it's 4 doors and that's all that I'm looking for in a car. I want a car that works like a fine watch, but it need not look like one. In my view, aesthetics are more desireable than good engineering, therefore it commands a higher price.
I mean, of course we all like good-looking cars, but I want value, and I think I am getting more value by resisting my desire for a BMW, Porsche Boxter, or Corvette and settling for an uglier car. When I begin to think good looking (cars
In response to a couple of the responses above. I just purchased a 5sp red sedan WRX after over two years of test driving sports cars/sedans. I drove and seriously considered a multitude of sports cars including 3rd gen Rx7's, 300 zx TT, 3000 VR4's, Trans AM's, Cobras, Civic SI's, Integras, and yes even a vette (just a dream though). Okay, maybe not sports sedans just coupes. Anyway, I have read just about every post concerning each of these cars in Edmunds forums as well as a ton of printed material and other sites.
I had actually settled on a z28 SS until I called about insurance. I had wavered on the WRX for awhile and finally last week made up my mind and stopped by the dealership and put money down.
I have to echo one of the articles I read, the WRX is in a class of its own. I loved the straight line acceleration of the z28, but on a budget there was little choice. 27 highway mpg, very quick car, awesome handling, very advanced engine, reliability and inclement weather driving pushed the WRX over the edge. Not to mention the belief that the aftermarket is going to explode for this car. I currently drive a 90 Civic SI and plan on keeping it to install a 160hp B16, and look forward to the day I have enough discretionary income to purchase a Grand National, but I believe the WRX offers so many advantages for under 25K, I would be an idiot not to buy it.
Also, this has nothing to do with the wife making noises about time for a bambino. Has anyone tried getting a child seat into a z28?
Will an A4 get any looks from anyone? Nope, unless its bright yellow...
Meanwhile, the WRX is the new kid on the block, and people from all walks of life will be giving you the thumbs up!
A4 is awesome, you can't possibly get a better interior for this price range. But considering the 4wd and such, it cost at least 28k.. 4 grand higher than wrx. I haven't seen the wrx yet, but I don't think subaru paid too much attention to the interior if we are getting this type of performance this cheap (typical compact sedan interior?) But who cares, it is the performance we care about
Anyway, after watching people beat the hell out of the shifters--even with the shift knobs removed--I made a vow never to purchase an auto show car. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'd like my brand new car to be treated better than that!
Stephen in Seattle
First of all, I've got to say that purchasing this car from Van Bortel was the best car buying experience I've ever had. They were very honest and informative. As I've posted before, they sold me the sedan for $400 over invoice. I opted for the upgraded security package and warranty extension to 5 yrs/60,000 miles. I had asked for a short shifter, but was told they didn't have any at the dock, so I just passed on that. And I'm glad I did, because the throws are very short.
After all this time and expectation, I was ready for a let down. When I got there, the first thing I realized was that the car really is much better looking in person as oppossed to phoots as many have said. When they started on my paperwork, the salesman, Pat Gleason, suggested I go for a test drive. My car already had a "sold" sign on it, and had about 12 miles already. Pat directed me onto some windy roads, and off I went!
I didn't even take it above 3,000 RPMs and still I could feel enough punch to make the drive enjoyable. But then the handling! There were deeply curved roads with signs posting suggested speeds. The first suggested 30, I took it at 50, the second 20, I took it at 45. This car was perfectly composed, and despite expecting heavy understeer, I was totally rewarded with a perfect step into the curve, especially when I let up the throttle a bit as I turned in. The traction was unbelievable, like I was driving on tank treads. The steering wheel didn't communicate road feel as well as say my sister's Jetta, but instead, I swear road feel and handling can be felt through my seat! Go barreling through some potholes, during a turn and on wet pavement, and you can feel the solid rigidity of the body. In fact, I felt like a yolk inside an egg shell, perfectly balanced. And that seat! Like a old catcher's mitt! By the time I got back to the dealership, I had to look away because I couldn't stop grinning like a fool!
I drove 325 miles back on mostly local roads in order to ease the long trip on my new baby with varied speeds. It took all of my discipline to keep the revs no higher than 3000 RPMs. But I've got to tell you, this car handles so well, that even without its ridiculous acceleration and speed, it's throughly enjoyable at the speed limit! (In fact, I thought of silver_bullet and Kostamojen's prior posting of saving 5 grand and going with the RS, which supposedly has the same suspension.)
The only time I opened her up was when I had to merge with traffic on the Southern Tier Expressway as cars zipped by at 70 mph. It really is like everyone's been saying, you don't feel the car pull or push you. I'm accustomed to that marvelous pull of my old FWD Maxima, and felt the rush of the RWD push in my mother's Mercedes' E430, and this had neither. In fact it was similar to my father Jeep Grand Cherokee, which also drives like it's on tank treads, only much slower. Instead, I felt like the car "carried" me as opposed to pulled or pushed. It's very deceptive. I didn't feel like I was accelerating that quickly, yet, as I went from about 20 to 70 mph, those cars doing 75 in front of me just zoomed right in! I kept a very careful watch on the speedometer.
By the third hour of driving, there was a storm. First heavy rain, then sleet and snow. The Southern Tier Expressway is a 55 mph limit, two lane curvy road through low mountains that runs through the southern border of New York State. The storm caused most of the other cars to slow to the limit or slower. But here's where the WRX's character really comes out! Just as I was about to slow down myself, the car said, "No, no, no! Go, go, go, go, GO!" This car reminds me of my dog, a pitbull, for its squat muscular looks and determination.
I found myself taking curves at 80, in the wet, and at night. All my prior driving experience readied me at the clutch and brakes in case things got hairy, but it never did! Halfway through the turns, the WRX handled it with so much composure, that any apprehension just melted away. I never had so much fun driving in my life! And all this without even engaging the turbo!
When I finally got back I called on a few friends who were home. It felt like that Volkswagon commercial ("Yo, Coop!). A few quick turns in the rain around the block and they were HOOKED! This car seems imperturbable. They thought I might have been a bit obsessed before, but they're unholy converts now. I even had to cajole one friend out of my driver's seat, because he just sat there after driving it with that now-well-known stupid grin on his face.
Oh, as for the interior's design, materials and finish.... yeah right whatever. By the time I was halfway through that second curve in the initial test drive, that whole dash could've been torn out, replaced with paper mache and the original Sony Walkman duct-taped to it with those old school foam headphones, and I still would've paid full price for it! But that's me. I've always admired the Spartan aesthetic.
Just 660 more miles to go!
Now, please excuse me while I further prostelytize the WRX to other non-believers.
P.S. Only one person gave the gave a double look. So far, I've not seen another WRX in NYC. I guess it just doesn't catch one's eye. And that's a good thing. Hopefully, it won't get stolen for a while. :-}
In February I saw the WRX, comparable by price to the Forester, and pre-ordered. Today I test drove. Considering where I'm coming from (land yachts), wow. Previously I thought when people said a car was "responsive" that meant when you didn't buckle your seat belt it beeped at you.
I picked the yellow to be different, but I'm seeing more of this kind of yellow lately. That's ok. I'm not going to go racing around, but the price is right, I need the AWD, and the power is better than I could have imagined. I have the feeling this car will turn me into an "enthusiast".
I'm looking at a 36 month, 15k/year lease at about $350/month.
Here's a link to a WRX enthusiast who has synapses of Evo and Imprexa Turbo comparisons British auto mags:
http://www.iwoc.co.uk/p1g.html
The Evo is more comparable to the WRX-STi, which is not yet available in the UK. If we get the Evo, as is predicted, I would also assume it will be "softened" a bit for the American market. If it's perceived as being too "hard-core," the market will be extremely small, and not worth it for Mitzu to bring it over.
Bob
Had a chance to drive a second WRX today, this time a sedan. I stopped by Tischer Subaru in Silver Spring, and they had a bunch of WRXs there, including a Blaze Yellow sedan. I LIKE that color! There were a LOT of people there today looking at WRXs, and taking them out for test drives. The one I drove was silver, but I saw a blue one go out too. There was one guy there who had just bought a red one, and he brought several other folks to check out the other WRXs on the lot.
Along with the WRXs, there were a number of other Imprezas, including a OBS in silver that looked really good in that color.
I was also able to pick up an updated WRX brochure, and an Impreza brochure.
Bob
Bob
If I find out he was lying to me, then I'm going to get $500 back from him woohoo!
What was I doing instead of test driving Subies, you ask? I have been "at work", unfortunately something all too easy to do when all one has to do is negotiate a flight of stairs and flip a couple of power switches. Maybe I should write a book on the pitfalls of telecommuting. If it sells well I could buy a 5-speed and an automatic ;-)
Cheers,
-wdb
Bob
This dealer also sells Porsches and Audis. The salesman said the price of the tire/wheel combo is right in there with what Porsche charges for some of their wheel/tire combos He doesn't expect to sell many, if any. Too rich for me.
Bob
If I find out he was lying to me, then I'm going to get $500 back from him woohoo!
As you know, this car is meant for a stick shift. To be honest, I have no interest in testing an automatic WRX. Although, you may be right about an automatic WRX as being the buy of the decade. It just doesn't float my boat.
Bob
If I find out he was lying to me, then I'm going to get $500 back from him woohoo!
Fast. Awesome. Excellent control. Above average sound system. Comfortable. Wife also loves it.
Did I mention that this thing is really fast?
More to come....
If I find out he was lying to me, then I'm going to get $500 back from him woohoo!
The first test drive, earlier this week, was in and around Frederick Maryland. Mostly stop-'n-go, with some mountain driving. Maybe a total of 6-8 miles?? There was no highway mileage at all.
It was a ball. This car is meant for mountain roads. The ride is firm. This is especially apparent if the roads are bad. Not harsh, but definitely firm. The car held the road like it was glued to it. You can change directions on a dime.
Today's road test, again about 5-7 miles, gave me a bit more feedback as to how it is as a highway car.
I was pleasantly surprised. Some earlier overseas reports indicated that it might need a 6-speed, because of high revs on the highway. The car I drove today didn't feel that way at all. I didn't get to spend as much time on the highway as I would have liked, but my early impressions indicate that it is not a "high revver" on the highway, so cruising should be okay. I didn't get it up to 70 mph for any real length of time, but it seemed fine, from a rpm/comfort standpoint, as far as I could tell. I defintely would like to spend more time with one on the interstate (sounds like I need another test drive. ) Perhaps some of you out there who have already taken delivery of their WRXs could comment more on that aspect.
Bob
BTW, this dealer was marking all the cars up $2K over MSRP. Creeps. They had about 10 cars, including two yellow sedans and two wagons, and they claimed all but one or two were sold units.