Subaru Impreza WRX

c_hunter

If it is the clutch springs, you can reduce the noise by inflating the front tires 4psi more than the rears (or do the opposite to diagnose the noise).

Craig

wrxfan007

Don't take it in!!! I made the same mistake! That's a money maker for Subaru dealers. All it is, is a transport 'security' feature. Disconnect it and it will be back to normal. I guess they use it during transport mode, to discourage theft. If a thief trys to drive it that way it makes them think the car is broke!

sensei1

got a chance to ride shotgun in one. Went to a party and a friend of a friend had one parked outside. As soon as I walked in the house I asked who's car that was. Got to talking cars and told him about my bug eyed '02 WRX. He offered to let me drive but I didn't want the "want" to become a "need" so I just rode shotgun.

It was a WRC blue setup with silver wheels. Had about 6.5k on it. Granted the trip was short, but I wasn't that impressed with it. Maybe because I wasn't used to being a passenger. The growl sounded good. The tach in the center and the shift light were nice features. But like previous posts, the seats didn't feel as comfortable as my bug eye '02. Felt really stiff too, could be because it was still brand new. Tolerable though.

I still can't justify parting with mine just to step up. I'm still having fun. The honeymoon hasn't worn out yet.

hypov

Nah, that's not the purpose for the green plugs. They're only plugged in for diagnosis use and nothing more... although MRT make use of this plug in their ECU reset suggestion.

-Dave

dcm61

Rode shotgun in the one on page 7 of the '04 STi brochure. A Subaru employee bought it and he gave me a ride to / from a restaurant while at the Philly Auto show this past February.

It was a tad more powerful than my H4 A/T Outback wagon.

DaveM

c_hunter

I made the mistake of test driving one a couple of months ago -- I was waiting to have my Outback inspected, and there was a shiny new STi in the service bay area, just got prepped. I was happy just to walk around and look at it, then the service manager tossed me the keys. Man was that a lot of fun!! Slightly less civilized than my 03 WRX, but who cares! Right then and there, I made a pledge to buy an STi if I ever win the lottery or have a financial windfall. That was the most fun I have had in a car in years, and keep in mind I already own a WRX!

Craig

sensei1

That's why I didn't want to drive it. The want part might become a need.

I definitely wouldn't mind having one either. Just a dream right now....having both. C'mon lotto....

saintviper

I got a test ride last year in an STI on the track at Road America. There was no doubt that the STI was faster and handled better than my WRX wagon.

When I got done with the ride though, I wasn't left with the impression: OMG, this is the most awesome car I have ever been in, I need to have one.

It was more: Yea, it's better, but I think my car is good enough for now.

I had actually been strongly considering upgrading, but after that was cured of my burning need.

volkov

I haven't had my drive yet, but only a short wait for the trip promised by my neighbour. Still, as part of our discussions around buying the car and my love of the WRX the question of where do you drive it comes up. I've said it before, I have a real hard time letting the WRX stretch its legs without going too fast. I'm sure I'd be even more frustrated with that extra power under my right foot. My outlet is driving gravel or logging roads ( AND that is usually a planned project, not regular driving) because it creates the thrill at lower speeds. Don't think you'll find many STi pilots doing the same. Seem to be a reasonable number of other WRX drivers trying it though. I wonder what % of Sti owners actually run them on the track. Probably not much different than SUV drivers who go off-road.
I was thinking back to my car worshipping days as a teenager in the late seventies/early eighties. The WRX alone is REALLY FAST. It would out-accelerate the Mustangs, Firebird/Camaros and even Corvettes of the time at 0-60. Add the low centre of gravity and AWD, and I wonder how handling would compare. For a laugh, the Lambo Countach didn't break the 6 second barrier until the eighties. Can't speak to the top end of those cars (except the Lambo which was legendary) but at the speeds I am willing to drive, it becomes irrelevant.

Nicholas

ateixeira

To really let her breathe you'd have to get on a track. And they say don't bring anything to the track that you can't afford to lose...

-juice

[Deleted User]

The dealer in my town has a bunch of '05 WRXs in stock. The main cosmetic changes seem minimal:

-new "Crystal Gray" color (sort of a light tan-silver)
-no more Momo steering wheel (just has the subaru logo)
-new standard wheels (more of a smoked gunmetal color, less silvery)
-STI has a stereo standard now

There are probably more, but these are what I could tell from a quick glance.

ateixeira

The center console is also new. It basically got the design from the Forester. I think the door panels/arm rest are new also.

-juice

bluesubie

It's still a momo (I believe they all are). The logo is now in the steering wheel on the bottom of the middle spoke.

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza2005photos.html

Dennis

[Deleted User]

CarDeals says it's a $500 factory to dealer incentive and Edmund's says $750. Does anyone know the correct amount (I'm in Wisconsin)?

Thanks.

dsattler

I be;lieve it's both: $750 rebate to consumer (widely promoted) and $500 factory to dealer cash (which dealer can keep or pass along, not widely promoted).

paisan

Momo has made the subie steering wheels since ~1990. Only recently have the actually labelled them as such.

-mike

subtone

Just sat in the new WRX, yea new Momo Steering wheel with the subie logo (I like the old ones better) and two big cup holders by the parking brake, they got rid of the one over the CD player ... YAH

trevian2

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4979103/

I think I want to be a police officer in Italy when I grow up.

bruticus

[Posted by Dennis]The best that I got with my WRX wagon was 25 mpg's.
twrx got 30 mpg's a few times with his Rex.[/Dennis]

I've hit 30 several times on long trips. I make an effort to track my mpg at each fillup and record that info in my Quicken software, and this morning I calc'd my average mpg year-to-date at 25.68.

DjB

barriostkd

I'm pretty much decided to upgrade my rims to Rota Torques 17x8, but now I'm trying to decide which tires to get. I would appreciate any input on the pros and cons of each from those who have experience w/ these tires. Here are my choices:

225/45 17
Pirelli PZero Nero M&S
WR speed rating
$123 each at TireRack.com

Falken Ziex ZE-512
ZR speed rating
$99 each at Discount Tire Direct

c_hunter

225 is going to look mighty stretched on a 8" wide rim. Most people go 7 or 7.5" for that tire size. I have 225 on a 7" rim and it's just about perfect -- the sidewalls are dead vertical.

I don't know anything about those two tires, but how did you narrow it down?

Be sure to consider noise. Some pseudo-performance tires are really loud on the highway.

Craig

barriostkd

Craig, what tire size would you suggest for a 17x8? The other tire size I considered was 235/40 17, but I didn't find the Pirelli PZero in that size.

I narrowed down my search by choosing from ultra/high performance all-seasons. I'm in SF now, but after living in the East Coast for 9 years (recently transferred from NJ) I still have the mindset that I need all-seasons. I figured I don't really race or go to the track, but still wanted good handling tires that I can occassionally take to Tahoe during the ski season. So basing it on price and overall performance I narrowed it down to these two.

Thanks.

JB

PS
I finally sold my 1995 OBS in NJ last Friday. I was so heart broken to part w/ that car after 10-years and 183,358 miles. At least I had my '04 WRX in SF to come home to in order to ease the pain.

c_hunter

Look for a chart of tire sizes (perhaps on the manufacturer's website) and they will tell you what size rims work for various tire widths. They'll know better than me! Beware of going to one extreme or another.

Craig

hypov

PZero Nero M+S 225/45-17 on 17x8 wheels is within the recommended width... just beware of curbs, the wheel(s) will get it first before the tire(s).

-Dave

c_hunter

Dave summed it up perfectly!

Craig

paisan

Oh well.

Anyways I'd go with a 235 series and Dunlop SP5000s. Better dry grip than the Pirellis and my overall favorite tire.

-mike

hypov

Unfortunately they don't offer 235/40-17s like they don't for 215/45-17s otherwise I would have opt for them.

BTW can anyone confirm if the Firehawk SZ50 EP tires are discontinued, not the RFTs. Tirerack is having a close-out sale on them and Firestone's website don't list them anymore.

-Dave

bluesubie

According to Luke, the replacement is probably being held up due to a big fire at a plant in Japan.

-Dennis

ateixeira

I have these on my Miata. Superficially they are nicely styled and directional, plus the sidewalls protect the rims. They look very cool.

On the road, grip is great. Previous tires were horrible so the tail got loose way too easily, now to be honest I haven't really swung the tail wide yet. Haven't had it on a track or anything, so I have not pushed it hard.

They do track straight, very straight. I get a little bit of tramlining, but that's not as bad now that they're a little worn in.

Great value, though. Try vulcantire.com (thanks mike) because their price was a lot lower than Discount Tire Direct's, even (just $28 per tire in 185/60R14).

Caveat: they're not supposed to last. I've only had them for a few K miles, but longevity was not high on my priority list, they're so cheap I'll just get a new set anyway.

-juice

barriostkd

Juice, thanks for your input on the Falkens. Do you know how they handle in snow relative to other all-season tires? For the most part I'll be using it in dry and occasionally wet weather, but I'd also like to be able to use them on skiing trips w/o worrying about getting stuck in snow.

Mike, sold the '95 OBS last week to the same person that bought my house in NJ. I actually e-mailed you two weeks ago asking if you were still interested in the car, but I never heard back from you.

JB

paisan

Weird, I got the mail and replied to it with some questions Oh well.

-mike

kevin111

The Pzero Neros M+S are very highly rated by Tirerack. Supposedly excellent dry grip with a wear rating of 400 (impressive for a performance tire). Tread is a little shallow, making them not as ideal for snow conditions.

The Continental Contact Extremes were also highly rated and also have a wear rating of 400. I think they are less than the PZero Neros. Supposedly pretty good in snow too.

Both will have significantly better grip than the RE92s that come with WRX.

barriostkd

Thanks for the input Kevin! Any of you folks out there have personal experience w/ the Continental Contact Extremes? What are the pros and cons for these tires? At least these tires are in stock at Tire Rack, while the Pirelli PZeros have an est. delivery date of 7/16/04.

JB

paisan

I have 2 customers that spun on them with their WRXs. I would suggest against them personally.

-mike

sensei1

I've got the 225x45R17s ContiExtremes w/ 15k on them now. Quite happy with them so far. Haven't driven them in the snow but great in the rain. No noise problem either. Then again I haven't tried breaking any records with them.

Mike, your customers, what were the conditions when they spun out? Just curious.
Fredy

paisan

They were supposedly on dry roads and lost control. Said the tires didn't grip as they expected them to. Could be bad drivers, who knows. I didn't particularly like the tread pattern and rubber feel of them when I picked up the 5 or 6 sets I have sold.

-mike

kevin111

Appreciate the personal experience.

Are we allowed to post links? The Tirerack site is a good place for info on Tires.

I have the Micheline Pilot Sport AS, and have been very happy with them. Rougher ride than the the Bridgestones (due to the much stiffer sidewalls), but have excelent traction in both dry and wet conditions. Feel almost invincible with them (205-55-16s).

ateixeira

JB: haven't tried them in the snow, to be honest. The Miata is like a moving target for giant SUVs to kill in the snow, so I park it. In the rain they've been great, though.

That's funny, your car remained in its garage!

-juice

kevin111

Just read on Edmunds that the 2005 gets a 140 watt stereo vs. the 80 watt stereo that the 2002-2004 came with.

Also gets climate control and a new center stack. To justify this, price goes up. Still under $25K base, but invoice is now about $23K instead of $22.5K for the 2004s.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/subaru/impreza/100399100/standard- .html?tid=edmunds.n.specs.leftsidenav..7.Subaru*

c_hunter

Yep, this is the new interior, shared with the Saab 9-2X.

Craig

ateixeira

Basically a Forester interior.

But it's funny, some folks are listing these as advantages that the Saab 9-2x has over the WRX. 2005 vs. 2004, maybe, but not the new WRX.

-juice

qbrozen

i bought a set for my S70 T5 and have been very happy with them. Got them just before this past winter and they performed great in the snow and the rain.

granted, this is, of course, FWD, but its a powerful FWD at that. Not sure how folks are spinning out on dry pavement, no matter what tires they are running. I would need some serious speed and a hard yank on the e-brake to perform that kind of maneuver. Your customers wouldn't be stunt drivers, would they?

pat

Hi Kevin - most questions about what cannot be posted here are answered in a relatively new feature, our Rules of the Road (linked at the top of the page). Essentially you can post links to any site except other automotive message boards and links that would somehow be a solicitation for personal gain.

As for a link to the Tire Rack, there is one on the left sidebar - it benefits the Town Hall to access it from that link instead of directly.

We also have a discussion over on our Aftermarket & Accessories board featuring Connor, a Tire Rack rep, answering members questions. Here is a link for anyone who'd like to check it out: Ask Connor at the Tire Rack

Hope this helps!

kevin111

barriostkd

Thanks for all the helpful input guys! I've made some calls to Tire Rack, Big-O Tires, America's Tire and Subydude.com on the best tire size for these rims. All of them suggested that the best size would be 235/40/17. Unfortunately, the two choices I've narrowed it down to (Pirelli PZero Nero or Falken Ziex ZE-512) are not avialable in this size.

The other all-season tire I found in this size is the Kumho ASX. There was no ratings for this tire in Tire Rack, so I was wondering if you guys have any feedback or experience w/ this tire. I've personally never had Kumho's before.

Thanks!

James B.

sensei1

JB, do they have to be 17X8's? If you go down to 17X7.5, you'll find quite a few more choices. That's my setup.

hypov

JB already have the rims.

-Dave

barriostkd

Actually, I don't have the rims yet, but I'm pretty set on getting them. I was choosing between the Rota Torques (17x8) or the Rota Tarmacs (17x7.5).

Yeah, I realized that I'll have a lot more choices as far as tires are concerned if I go w/ the 17x7.5. In terms of performance in handling will there be a difference between 7.5" vs. 8" wide rims?

JB

c_hunter

I would go with 7.5 or 7, and then get a tire that will fit the wheels properly. With any size tire/wheel combo, if the tire is too wide you will lose a lot of turn-in precision and the sidewalls will roll quite a bit before the car takes a set in corners. If the tire is too narrow, you get the rubber band look and the wheels will be easy to damage (since the wheel rim protrudes past the tire) but there is minimal sidewal roll and the car bites right into turns.

I have 7" wide 17" wheels with 225-45/17 Bridgestone RE-750 summer tires. The handling is spectacular, turn-in is crisp, and the wheel rim is well protected. In fact, the sidewalls are perfectly vertical which is supposed to be the ideal fit.

By the way, don't forget that mass matters. If the 7.5" or 7" wheels are substantially lighter than 8", there's another reason to go with the smaller size.

Here's a couple pics of my wheel/tire combo so you can see the fit:

http://members.cox.net/craig.hunter/IMG_0939-01.jpg
http://members.cox.net/craig.hunter/IMG_0941-01.jpg
http://members.cox.net/craig.hunter/IMG_0943-01.jpg

Note that the RE-750 tires have a rim protector molding around the edge of the tire (you can see it in the pics).

Craig

hypov

Here's a pic of a 17 x 7.5 with 225/45-17


Note that some wheels won't benefit from the rim protector. The PZero Nero M+S doesn't offer that feature, if it does it sure doesn't look it.

-Dave