Subaru Impreza WRX

11718202223224

Comments

  • woodytxwoodytx Member Posts: 19
    I've got a 91 Integra. No frame on the door. Not a lot of closing force, either, but I'm 215 lbs at 5'10" and a gym rat, so your mileage may vary.

    I have never had a leak in the Acura's door seal, and the only "problem" I have is that, at 135,000 miles, it occasionally "hangs" on the outer seal. I think it's a slight collapsing of the window crank stop, and could be adjusted very easily, once it starts to warm up and stop raining.

    I am seriously considering the WRX wagon. Anyone know anything about the wagon vs. coupe handling characteristics or tire sizes? The brochure hints that the coupe only gets the 17" tires.
  • silverjettasilverjetta Member Posts: 35
    If I'm not mistaken, the biggest advantage of using frameless doors is that pillars can be thicker and it is easier to design more rigid chasis. It is quite obvious that Subaru has been trying very hard to get the rigidity, even with the expense of weight gain.
  • dellwelldellwell Member Posts: 27
    Before I start, I would like to state that I am not bashing anyone's choice in cars. I am speaking about my situation and in order to improve on my situation, I hope to pick the brains of a few more knowledagble car folk then myself... My situation is that I am in the market for a new car and have narrowed it down to the WRX and 2001 AudiA4 1.8t. I have had the pleasure of driving the Audi and hey its an Audi so I really enjoyed myself. However, the posts I have read about the WRX have left me puzzled as to how best to describe this car. Some people say "wow" some say "not the car we expected." I have not had the chance to test drive on yet as in my area of Canada, none are at the dealers yet. Also the prospects of getting a test drive at my local dealers might not be the greatest. Anyway between the two, which one will offer the best day to day drive? Will I have to drive the WRX crazy all the time to get the best performance as I don't see myself wanting to do that on a Monday morning drive into work!!! But, I can't not think of the possiablities of owning a WRX could bring in driving satisfaction. I know, I need to drive both and compare but I was hoping some people who have had the luck of driving both could share their thoughts on the matter. Sorry for rambling on but trying to buy my first real car has become more difficult then expected. Thanks.
  • wishbone2001wishbone2001 Member Posts: 12
    The A4 and WRX are two distinctly different vehicles. The Audi A4 1.8 is a refined, fun to drive vehicle, while the WRX is much less refined powerhouse. The "look" is totally different, but be prepared to accept the hood scoop on the WRX. Instead of the Audi, have you tried a 2001.5 VW Passat 1.8, which is based upon the same platform as the Audi? These are now arriving in showrooms across Canada, and you may find it a much better buy for a similar vehicle.
  • uniballeruniballer Member Posts: 4
    YES, the A4 and the WRX are two distinctly different automobiles. However, it is a natural comparison on paper so it doesn't seem so insane to compare them on a road.

    I have been racking my brain on this EXACT same decision myself, and this is what I concluded.

    I am picking up my WRX tomorrow (barring disaster).

    I test drove both vehicles. The most important thing to me was sheer driving enjoyment. I define that by impeccable handling, powerful acceleration, crisp braking while feeling 100% in control.

    There are some real differences between the two cars. The A4 is simply gorgeous throughout (I drove the '01 A4 2.8 Quattro). I have never had a car that made me feel as comfortable driving in a suit and tie as that A4 did. In comparison, the Subaru's cockpit reminded my of my old '65 Jeep. Very spartan.

    I had the pleasure of driving the A4 on a rainy day, and it really impressed me as far as road holding under duress goes. I gave that thing the what for (salesman was not present thank god). However, I didn't feel as integral to the driving experience in the A4 as I did with the WRX.

    So, this is how I figured it out.

    The A4 wins in the 'Class' department hands down. If the only thing I was concerned about was getting from point A to point B whith class and a bit of fun, the A4 would be the clear winner. This extends to the daily traffic commute as well. If that was all that mattered to me, I would take the Audi.

    But the WRX was something special to drive, maybe it is my 5'8" frame, but the WRX made me feel more in touch with the turns of the road, and even though the acceleration wasn't as well mannered as the A4, it made up for it in spades going through a tight turn at speed. Keep the revs high on the WRX, and you will be rewarded with a powerful driving experience.

    I felt in control and definitively in touch with the road while driving that WRX. The A4 was less connected in my opinion. Almost as though it acted as a muffler of sorts. Not only did it blissfully mute the mundane traffic experience, it also toned down the exciting rush of hard acceleration through a corner. It is an unfortunate side effect in my opinion, but very real regardless.

    All said and done, I had to decide if I wanted to be rowdy or refined for the next 2-3 years. I ended up picking rowdy.

    I think my Dad actually summed it up best when he said [regarding the A4], "If you didn't know that you could have had more power, you would be happy in this car".

    He is totally right. Maybe next go round I will want refinement, but this time, I am shooting for raw fun.

    (P.S. Graham Goode has a kick butt headlight replacement package that replaces the 'I AM A NEON ON STEROIDS' bug eyed lamps. The replacements kind of look a bit Aston Martiny if you ask me).
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    Kurt: First off, there is no coupe anymore,just sedan and wagon. Second, Subaru doesn't offer any 17"tires as an option currently. They do offer the 17"BBS wheels at about $3000 for a set of 4 (tires not incl). They will fit the wagon. As to availability on order form for the wagon, I don't know. It's a mute point for me because there is no way I'm going to spend that kind of $ just for wheels. There are plenty of aftermarket places such as TireRack, etc. You can get a great set of OZ Superleggera (sp?) wheels on Bridgestone RE0730 (not sure on this numerical description as I'm doing this from memory). These new Bridgestones are an all-season tire that did very well agains Pirelli's all-season per TireRack's comparison test. The total for wheel/tires is about $1650. The size of the tire is 215/45x17 ZR rated. Just an example of what's available out there.

    BTW, I have a silver 5sp WRX wagon on order that should be here anyday. Coming from the Integra, I think you'll really like this car (sedan or wagon). They both have that rare connectiveness to the road which makes you feel a integral part of the driving experience instead of just being along for the ride.

    Stephen
  • sajohnsonsajohnson Member Posts: 48
    Well I finally got to test drive both a 5 speed wagon and an automatic sedan this afternoon. Some general impressions:

    *Both the wagon and sedan have what I call a slight 'disconnected' feeling between the front and rear end that can be felt with abrupt (not abusive) steering input. The steering response is good but it's as if the rear end skips a beat before it follows. My reference is a '93 Nissan NX2000 with 176,000 miles. To be fair, the NX is lighter, lower, and a 2 door coupe. Also, perhaps most importantly, I'm running Dunlop SP8000 tires (as opposed to the B/S RE92's on the WRX's). This disconnected feeling, though minor, was more apparent in the wagon. Finally, I have noticed the same feeling in my NX2000 when running snow tires (Pirreli W190's on front, B/S Blizzaks on rear). Which leads to my second point...

    *The B/S RE92 tires may be the cause of the slightly 'loose' handling I felt and should be replaced. In fact, I'm suprised that with three versions of the Impreza, Subaru doesn't put more high-performance rubber on the WRX, and save the RE92's for the others.

    *The stereo upgrade is definitely not worth it. There was an abundance of bass, but it was boomy and 'muddy', not tight and musical. Many mfr's these days work with high-end audio companies like Bose, Infinity, and JBL. They do such a good job that there is no reason to go to the aftermarket. That is definitely NOT the case here. I'm glad I stuck with the stock stereo.

    *For my money, the 5 speed is the only way to go. The auto is a typical slush box-nothing special. When accelerating, there is a significant lag before it downshifts. Even when manually shifting thru the gears, it seems significantly slower than the 5 speed. The auto so blunts the character of the WRX that if a person had to have an auto, I would recommend saving some money and buying the Impreza RS or TS.
    I didn't think the 5 speed was as slick shifting as I've read. Not bad at all, just not what I expected from various reviews. Could be that these two WRX's are straight off the truck-that shifter could very well get better with age.

    *The chasis seems very solid. I purposely took both WRX's over rough local roads with pot holes and speed bumps-no squeeks or rattles. Body flex was minimal, it had a feeling of solidity.

    *Both seemed very quiet. Of course this is subjective (I did not have a db meter) and relative to the vehicles I'm familiar with, but I can't imagine anyone being disappointed here.

    *The seats are comfortable and it was relatively easy to find a good driving position with tilt wheel and the seat height adjustment. I'm 6'2", 235lbs, and I've had a hard time finding anything other than a truck or full size sedan that I could fit into comfortably. The WRX is a pleasant surprise. After adjusting the driver's seats I got in the left rear and still had room for my legs-this with the driver's seat all the way back! The wagon has a little more head and leg room ( for anyone much taller than 6'2").

    *The turbo lag was mild, again relative to the two turbocharged vehicles I have owned. To someone who is not used to it, it may be more noticeable. I did not want to abuse these vehicles and so did not take them over 4,500rpm-but I imagine that if they are kept in the upper half of their operating range (turbo spooled up) there would be no lag to speak of. Also, the low end torque of these engines is very impressive, considering that they are after all only 2L 4cyl. With my wife in the wagon, I purposely kept it in fifth gear while climbing Catoctin Mnt. outside Frederick, MD. We're talking slow speed, low rpm (approx. 1,800) steep uphill slogging. It did VERY well-no bucking or knocking just a slow drop in rpm until I finally downshifted. Overall, Subaru has done a very good job with this engine-high power, high mileage, and tractable. I'm not sure what some people are complaining about. I do agree with the '93 SE-R owner who said his Sentra felt faster until the WRX's turbo kicked in (my NX has the same drivetrain).

    Overall, I'm glad I placed an advance order and I can't wait for my blue 5 speed sedan.
  • kostamojen2kostamojen2 Member Posts: 284
    Someone said that Subaru doesnt make a near-lux car/sedan?

    Um, are you forgetting the GT Limited??? I mean, my parents have one, and you should see the looks it gets from the Beemer crowd! (seriously! Its hilarious!) And after sitting in everything from Audi's to BMW's to lexus, and back down to everything else below that in the sub $30k range, the got the GT cause it drove surprizingly simular to the 3-series yet had AWD, and the leather just feels different for some reason which put it aside... (The leather in the GT isnt soft, and doesnt seem to get as hot or cold in different weather) Its definatly a near-lux car guys!

    I finally actually "drove" a WRX today. I LOVE the steering and handling in this car! Its just so much more in tune with everything around you its amazing. Although, i didnt care much for the Automatic tranny, cause it bogged down for a second when I was accelerating at a low speed to get onto the freeway... Very simular to the Legacy's bogging down at low speeds with the Auto tranny. (Either its cause of the lack of brake in, the AWD power distribution, or the tranny, or all of the above :P) Everything else was perfect! Im soo looking forward to when I can get an RS! (I cant afford the WRX :P)

    Oh, and I thought I'd mention, the new A4 is out :) I think I want to go test drive one of the 6-cyl Autos with the CVT engine to see how it is! :D
    Mmcbride, want to come? ;)
  • mikemajestymikemajesty Member Posts: 99
    all this evo stuff, i can say that it will most likely not come stateside. we are getting this rpm 7000 thing. looks ugly as hell, but goes like a bat out of hell. the evo has a very harsh ride and would not make a very good daily driver.
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    Yes :-( The sedan. From the rear. There is a Kia, I don't know the model but it is the same size as the Impreza, and from the rear it is the spittin' image of the Impreza. I kept mistaking them when I was in San Antonio recently (where there seem to be a LOT of Kias).

    The front end is an entirely different story. Personally, I don't think the Impreza looks like *any* other car from the front. Whether you like it or dislike it, it is unique; from the front, there is no mistaking that you are looking at a Subie.

    Regards,
    -wdb
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Dellwell,

    I haven't driven a WRX but I do own a A4 1.8T. I can say that I like the car a lot due to its class, interior and exterior design, attention to detail, "prestige" and refinement. However, as a driver who loves to really push it once in a while, I feel the A4 is more of a tourer. If you do flog it, it ends up being a bit flustered. The engine doesn't seem to give much more when you rev it, the steering is very dull and too light feeling, and the chassis is way too soft if you don't choose the sports suspension option (a must-have if you ask me). The A4's gearshift is a bit rubbery also. And the Quattro system is still set up to understeer at the limit.

    From what I've heard the WRX seems to be better in all the areas that the A4 falls short of in a sports sedan: great steering, a revvable engine, good gearshift, good chassis tuning with neutral balance. Oversteer is easy to provoke if needed. All stuff that makes it a more sporting experience. I think the disappointment comes from people who expected supercar like performance. If you think of it as a small and heavy, but very quick, car that has economy car roots, I don't think you will come away disappointed. Like all small engined turbo cars, it demands a bit more from the driver. I have driven laggy turbo cars and it does require a slight change in attitude and driving style but it's easy to get used to the slight delay before the boost comes on. You probably won't be able to always extract the performance you want out of it in day to day driving. All in all, I feel it adds to the fun factor.

    Personally my reliability experience with the Audi has been average, it has been in the shop more than any Japanese car I've owned previously and the cost of maintenance does seem rather high.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    or... (if you wish to be crude) "she's really great in bed"... as in describing a prospective blind date to your best friend.

    Ah, the comments regarding the the Impreza's styling never seem to cease. As successful as the WRX is, can you imagine how much "more" successful it could have been, if it was a real looker?

    Also, if the new Impreza had debuted without an ultra-performance model like the WRX, how successful do think it would be? Can you you say D O G?

    Bob
  • oyoungoyoung Member Posts: 10
    Well, I'm about half way through the break-in period and having a blast! Keeping it under 4k rpms isn't actually as tough as i thought it would be. While I'm not screaming through turns and such, it is being very well-behaved.

    With regards to Dellwell and Uniballer, I went through the exact same dilemma. I was trying to decide between the WRX wagon or an A4 Avant 1.8T. Rear seat room wasn't a huge concern since I have two small kids (3-1/2 and 2), but I am impressed with the amount of room in back. I even went out to dinner with the folks the other day and my mom rode in back between the two car seats! While it was snug, she said it was okay. Better her than i! :)

    Bottom line decision for me was the fun factor. Audis make great cars. Comfy, decent performance, fit and finish, status, etc... The WRX has goofy headlights, cloth interior, no heated seats or sunroof, but is a blast to drive. I will do an occasional TSD road rally and I just felt the WRX is better equipped to handle that. Now if Audi does in fact bring the S6 Avant to the States...

    Anyway, I had looked at it as either way, I was going to be getting a fun car to drive. The fact that I would have had to wait about two months for the Audi (was going for a hibiscus red pearl 5-spd with cold weather and sport pkg) as opposed to 4 days to wait for my WRX (got a red wagon, supposedly only 3 on the East Cost), certainly helped.

    Good luck to those who are trying to decide whether to get it or not. And for those of you waiting for delivery, it's worth the wait!

    Now to come up with a good vanity plate...
    LILRDWGN too silly?
    T-WRX too obscure?
    227 HP too obvious?
    ZOOMZOOM too Mazda?

    Later,all!
    Oliver
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    How about BANZAI ?
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,769
    First of all, what is an M3/4? I know what an M3 is, but I don't know what a 3/4 is or even an M4.

    According to Edmunds, a '97 M3 is going for a little over $27K. That's almost $3K more than the WRX. But, if you want to spend $3K more for a car that is over 4 years old, then be my guest. And, I'd be willing to bet $3K won't be all that you'd have to part with. If you buy a 4-year old vehicle with, say, 50,000 miles, do you think it will be maintenance free for the next couple of years? I know when I trade in a car, you can bet that it at least needs brakes and a tune-up in the next 6 months. (And I know I'm not the only one considering that we've had my wife's Forester for about 6 mos. and had to do the brakes last week and now its due for a tune-up).

    I'm not putting it down, I like M3s, but I don't think I'd compare these 2 particular vehicles. In any case, good luck with your purchase.

    '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

  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    is the abbreviation to designate the sedan model instead of the coupe (i.e. M3/4-door).

    Confused me at first, too, when I was looking at M3. I heard BMW didn't even want to make a 4-door version, but it was required by the US market--as was the automatic tranny. On an M car!
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,769
    got it.

    So then shouldn't it be M3 3/4 to denote the M3 in either 3 or 4-door configuration? Otherwise, I could be referring to the M-coupe (although then the 4 wouldn't make sense).

    Eh, whatever.

    thanks

    '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

  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    LOL. I think this is the deal:

    M3 is assumed to be the coupe because it came first

    M3/4 means sedan, as above

    MZ3 (although I've also seen Z3M) is the coupe/roadster

    X5 is the SAV, so the performance/Motorsport version would be MX5, right? Bzzzt--that's a Miata! They had to come up with some goofy name for the performance version.
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    uniballer summed up my exact thoughts regarding the A4 and WRX. It all depends on what you want in a car.

    kostamojen - the 'new' A4 won't be here in showrooms until the fall. I'll already have my new car by then, but thanks for the offer.

    To all - would you rather we took the A4 vs. WRX discussion elsewhere, or do you want it here? I'd happily make a new topic to get the Audi talk out of here.
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    Mike: It might be a good idea to create a separate topic. It seems this is a "hot" subject judging by the posts here and over at i-club. Not that your posts aren't welcomed here...:-)

    Stephen
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    It's there. It's called Subaru WRX vs. Audi A4
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    Thanks Mike.

    Stephen
  • areveearevee Member Posts: 2
    Just purchased a new WRX wagon yesterday. I did a lot of shopping around (Bay Area has 3 dealerships w/in 50 mile radius) and the work paid off. Got a fair trade on my Passat Wagon and below MSRP for the WRX wagon. A few observations on the new car are: compared to the Passat, interior materials seem very low rent. True, the comparison is apples to oranges, but I had kind of gotten used to that luxury. The engine is nothing special at the below 4.5k breakin range. Had a 2.5 RS for 2 years and it seemed to have more low end torque, although the higher RPM's were a little weak. Low RPM torque came in handy for the frequent up hill switch backs I encountered on my daily commute over the Santa Cruz county back roads. So far, the car does seem to handle very nicely, as did my RS. I changed the tires added a larger rear sway bar on the RS and it transformed the handling from great to phenominal. At minimum, the Bridgestones will need to be changed on the WRX, which was no surprise.
  • awd1991awd1991 Member Posts: 1
    Postings are so fast and furious re: WRX that comments/observations from day or two are lost.

    I mentioned last Saturday that a highly- tractable Mitsubishi rally car was released in such limited qty to USA - 2000 vehicles - that no one remembers it today. The car was/is the Galant VR-4. 200 BHP. 2-liter four. Turbo with intercooler. AWD. Leather. Sunroof. Even four wheel steering, whatever that meant. Two years of production: 1991 and 1992. My price in November 1990: $22,000.

    Recent postings have said Mitsubishi won't answer WRX introduction in USA. I'm saying they must. I've owned an Audi Quattro and it's not a driver's car. May be revealing too much by saying that I started driving and spent 8 years with a BMW 2002. But, my 10 years with Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 have been the best ever.

    Galant VR-4 gives up nothing in snow/ice of Wisconsin. I change to Blizzaks in November, else run Z-rated Comp TA's. Alloy wheels may be pitted, killed a deer or two with the car, stereo is failing, but that's it. Car is still a blast to drive.

    Years back, my VR-4 was competitive with Porsche 911's driven by gentleman owners at Blackhawk Farms and Road America. Tire valve caps on my Audi had melted when driven at same tracks (!).

    My Subaru dealer has no WRX's in stock, so I have no choice but to wait for worthy successor from Mitsubishi.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Convince me that the 91-92 Gallant VR4 was something other than an ugly 1st gen Eclipse/Talon/Laser AWD.

    -Colin
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    That's exactly what they were. I talked my mom into test driving one back in '91 or so. They were great fun to drive (a lot like the old eclipse and talons), but it's the exact same powerplant.
  • kostamojen2kostamojen2 Member Posts: 284
    The fall? Really? I guess the stupid dealership screwed up the Add in the paper (It says "New 2002 Audi A4!")

    People remember the VR-4, ive seen lots of posts and stuff about it even on the I-club...

    And the WRX will be competitive with 911's as well :D
  • strikerastrikera Member Posts: 2
    For all you lucky people who already have an WRX, could you tell me how the visibility is? I'm curious on the blind spots, parking, etc.
    Thanks
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I've only sat in one, but the visibility is excellent of course. You sit very upright and the upper portion of the car is tall. It is basically the complete opposite of a new Celica, if you've been in one of those.

    It really isn't any different from the 93-01 Impreza with respect to visibility IMO.

    -Colin
  • oyoungoyoung Member Posts: 10
    As a former Galant VR-4 owner (1991, #1370), I concur that it was a blast to drive. Unfortunately, it did not seat an 8 yr old and a 100 lb Akita comfortably, so something had to go. Ended up trading it in for a Diamante wagon, then getting rid of the dog a year later. But, I digress.

    I will say that my new WRX does bring back fond memories. Shifter is much nicer. My VR-4 always felt like shifting a truck. Never could tell if the 4-wheel steering worked, but the thing loved to cruise at 110!

    In terms of visibility, I have noticed that it is taking some getting used to when backing up. Then again, I was driving a VW Golf, which had great rearward visibility. I agree with Colin that the seating makes forward visibility very nice. Being able to adjust the seat height is a nice touch, as well.

    Oliver
  • areveearevee Member Posts: 2
    I've been driving the Wagon for a few days now, and have noticed that the rear visibility is not that great. Backing up isn't such a big deal, but changing lanes is a little disconcerting as I like to look over my shoulder as well as in the mirror and the driver's seat gets in the way. Also, although the head room is good, it's easy for me to hit my head on the cieling mounted grab handle when looking back over my shoulder. Maybe I will remove the driver's grab handle because I will not have occasion to use it.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    The new wagon's rear quarter windows—the area you look through—is considerably less than that of the outgoing model.

    I had the opportunity the other day to compare a new '02 Outback Sport and a '01 Outback Sport, that were next to one another, and while the total glass area is similar—what you are able to look through is much less with the new model.

    So, if you're looking over your right shoulder, through that rear quarter window, you can't see as much if you were doing the same on last year's model.

    Bob
  • jbreez1jbreez1 Member Posts: 46
    Oyoung and other WRX owners,Began shopping for a "near luxury class model a few weeks ago. After looking at the 3 series BMW, A-4, Infinity IS30, Acura TL , I was pretty much sold that the Acura gave the best bang for the buck. However, I knew I was going to be sacrificing some driving fun. This morning I get on a chat and see numerous posts about the WRX. of course, I hop to edmunds and find out that this is a very unusual looking car that has some pop.

    I call my local Subaru dealer and they have one in stock, on the showroom floor. It has a MSRP of a little over $25, 000.00. next to that they have an add on ticket with the letters"AMV" for actual market value. It has a price over $30,000.00! They also said I couldn't test drive the vehicle "until we sat down and did some numbers" because they were putting too many miles on this vehicle. Asked for a brochure, didn't have any! I walked out! Bob dance in Sanford, FL for anyone that wants to know. Hope some Subaru people read this and give these boyz a call.
    Nice way to do business!

    Really thought the car was neat, sat in front and back to check leg room. Will probably look at buying one, but not from above dealer. What kind of prices have you been paying and where at?

    Thanx a bunch

    jbreez1
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    That's a very similar list to those I looked at a little over a year ago. I now own a Subaru Legacy GT sedan; it comes in a wagon too. You owe it to yourself to add the Legacy GT to your list of cars to look at, next time you're in a Subie dealership.

    Cheers,
    -wdb
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    jbreez - There are several dealers on the east coast selling below MSRP.
    IIRC, there's one in NC selling at $150 over invoice. Not much info on that one. A dealer upstate NY is selling at $400 over invoice. Here in NJ, Flemington Subaru has an internet special of $600 over invoice.
    It's sad to see so many crooks out there.

    Dennis
  • mikemajestymikemajesty Member Posts: 99
    does anyone no of any dealerships selling under msrp anywhere in california
  • soon2bsubeesoon2bsubee Member Posts: 137
    Try Mastro Subaru in Tampa:

    http://www.mastro.subaru.com/ or ask for Pete Mastro..

    also take a look on the I-Club: http://www.i-club.com/

     or this private site with lots of info and pics: http://www.new-impreza.com/ and click on "Where To Buy"
  • tmc1688tmc1688 Member Posts: 28
    Rumor has it that Mitsubshi is keeping a careful eye on sales of the WRX in North America. If it all goes well on the WRX sales, the EVO VII is sure to come. Has anyone considered the EVO VII rather than the WRX? Hows the performance compared?

    TC
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    The EVO should only be compared to the WRX STI. If WRX sells well, the Subaru will import the STI. If you consider the EVO, you might as well consider the STI since Subaru would unlikely keep the Sti away from us if the WRX is successful.

    Only then there is a valid comparison. I'd be surprised if either the STI or EVO 7 would make it to US for much less than $30K. (I know the mags say $26K) The WRX STi is comparable to performance but the EVO 7 should be able to beat it.
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    is on now! (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!
    http://www.edmunds.com/chat/subaruchat.html


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
  • bankitnbankitn Member Posts: 1
    Just wanted to add my two cents by saying, anyone who thinks the 2002 Impreza WRX is not a classic design should have an eye examination. The lines on this beauty are refined and tasteful. After all is said and done, no car compares to this "imprezive" feat of engineering and design.
  • bison26bison26 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have info on the NC dealer that bluesubie heard is selling WRX's for $150 over invoice?
  • woodytxwoodytx Member Posts: 19
    I have heard from two different dealers that any dealer caught selling a WRX at above MSRP (a la Miata) will not receive any more WRX's. I don't know what the chances are of being caught, but all the dealerships I've visited (Austin, TX) don't have any in stock.
  • ottosottos Member Posts: 80
    I have an order for $400 over invoice plus $77 "doc fee" at Van Bortel Subaru in Rochester, NY. They have a website. The price before taxes is $22979, 5-sp sedan no options. I'll have to pay taxes when I get it back to Michigan, damn!

    The one in North Caroline selling for $150 over invoice is Cross Creek Subaru in Fayetteville. There is a "doc fee" of $245, so final price (and dealer profit) is about the same as Van Bortel.

    My local Michigan dealer is selling it for MSRP, so I'm going to bargain it down or buy from Van Bortel.
  • hamerslyhamersly Member Posts: 1
    Well, I was interested till I found out there's not coupe model. They should have made the Impreza coupe and the H6 engine- that way, it'd atleast have some low end torque too.

    Why does Subaru only put good motors in Sedans and Wagons...ugh ?
  • klxklx Member Posts: 5
    I'm at a little over 1k miles now. Time to thrash. I've had a few roll-on encounters on the interstate that I bet have left a few drivers wondering how that "ugly" little dirty white wagon goes like it does. Handling? Awesome. Just toss into corner , give it a tad of reverse lock and drift on through. Really. Next best thing to riding my dirt bike. BTW, any one know of a hitch supplier for the new Imprezza?
    Looks like fuel mileage will be 22-23mpg on my mostly interstate commute. I tried some 89 octane last fill -up. No audible pinging. Seat-of-pants dyno can't tell difference from Premium.
    Cheap Interior? Depends how you define cheap. Quality or aesthetics. They seem to be of high quality, but admittingly lacking aesthetically. I had a Subaru wagon in the mid 80's with 120k on it. Interior pieces were in great shape. A look at a more contemporary Subie that is several years old will usually reveal an interior that has held up well. Can't say the same for a ten year old WV or Audi
    And finally, a little detail from the owners manual. The wagons are set up with 5' less negative camber at both ends than the sedans.
  • kostamojen2kostamojen2 Member Posts: 284
    Mike: Santa Cruz Subaru is selling WRX's for like $750 over invoice... $1250 under MSRP.

    jbreez1: Just try other dealers, some of them are being VERY stingy and its going to take awhile for them to wake up... But, then again, there have always been bad dealers and good dealers, you just have to find the right one :)
    Dont give up so soon.
  • kostamojen2kostamojen2 Member Posts: 284
    Coupes are overrated. There an American Stereotype of what a performance car should be, while the rest of the World could care less if the WRX has 2 doors.
    And as for the H6, its too heavy, too big and only matted to the Automatic transmition, so its not a good choice at all for a small car like the Impreza.
    Maybe you should be glad to hear Subaru is planning a new car, probably a sequel to the SVX coupe...
  • crychekcrychek Member Posts: 5
    Yes indeed, M3/4 refers to the M3 sedan ('97-98 only). Sorry 'bout that! Been on the M3 message board too long I suppose.

    I just bought one today actually. A '97, from a private owner. It has 20k on it, not 50k, and she's clean as a whistle. The BMW dealer said it was one of the best they'd seen. Decent deal too. Low option car so no sunroof, which is what I wanted. Less weight for encounters with you WRX guys ;-)

    And yea, what someone implied above was correct, the majority of the sedan M3s are automatics :-(. An utter travesty in my view. M3 coupes weren't offered with automatic but I'm with Kostamojen. Plus, the M3 coupe gives u these punky "darth vader" seats and all this boy racer spoiler stuff.

    What's worse, a disturbing # of the M3s I saw were junk and/or had higher mileage. The guys who had really good 5-speed sedans were asking idiotic prices for them. I had to look a lot longer for my deal.

    Oh well, I totally digress. This a WRX board. My only connection is I was on the "wait list" for a WRX, and recently got a call saying cars were available at MSRP. I picked the M3 instead. And I'm sure I'll be very happy...until my first repair bill ;-)
  • pietrdvpietrdv Member Posts: 2
    Back in Feb, I went hunting for a dealer here in the San Jose area... Steven's Creek Subaru said proudly they weren't taking pre-orders so they could auction them off (one guy piped up that their current price was $10k over list)! I tried to contact Livermore subaru through the Subaru website but never heard back from them. Not having too good a feeling about many dealers in the bay area, I contacted Irvine Subaru which was posting around the web and is selling the 5 speeds at MSRP and some auto's below. They're getting in over 90 WRX's and you can talk to the manager herself. I ordered a silver 5sp (wagon, sorry ;) for the april shipment for $100 refundable deposit. That was a good tip for Santa Cruz, though; I think I'll give them a call.
    Irvine Subaru has a decent web presence, they responded to my e-mail by calling later that day:
    www.irvinesubaru.com
    So, irvine is a ways from here, but if I come back up 101 I'll be halfway through my break in by the time I get home. ;)
This discussion has been closed.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.