Subaru Impreza WRX

barresa62

Colin: Yes, sure did see Garrick's car...sweeet!!
I also like the light weight of the superlegs, about 15.8 lbs, I believe.

Ryan: No...I know that tall drivers can get comfortable in the WRX...but, as you said the wagon more than the sedan. I believe the wagon has the edge in front headroom and, definitely rear headroom. I was repeating what I had read over at i-club for the poster commenting about tall people having trouble getting comfortable.

Stephen

kostamojen2

Control arms maybe?

frontierman

The boost spiking seems to be working itself out, mile by mile.
However, having just heard the really disturbing metallic rattle in the 3-4,000rpm
range with the engine braking, I am kinda sure it's a rattle of a shield or something.
Tinny metal on metal. (I've heard a similiar sound, under same conditions from my
Pathfinder, and it was diagnosed/fixed as a rattling heat shield).
It took 35,000 miles for the Pathy heat shield to rattle, so I'm a little disappointed
with Subaru at this point.
Is it at all possible to find and fix?

qbrozen

Did somebody here mention a dealer in central Jersey who is selling the WRX for $600 over invoice consistently.

Hell, at this point, I settle for $1K over. I just went to Pine Belt and they tried telling me $2K OVER STICKER!! But, of course, because I was a repeat customer (got my wife's Forester there), that I could get the "special deal" of MSRP. AVOID PINE BELT IN LAKEWOOD, NJ!!

Anyway, ANY suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks,
rob

trent4

Just took delivery of a black WRX Wagon w/ auto. Paid $1k below sticker (or about $1k over invoice) which is about $400 or $500 over what the best of the deep discounters are offering (e.g., Van B. in Rochester) but at a local LI dealer that didn't require me to drive 5 hours each way. They were pretty decent, and I think they have a sedan available to if anyone is interested. Ask for George @ Hassett Subaru in Wantagh LI (suggest mention the deal he wrote me on the black wagon...I'm sure he'd do the sedan at the same margin).

Anyway, I'm a devout stick shift driver, but with 2 sport car sticks in the household, having at least one auto vehicle around is a begrudging compromise that I felt I had to make. Still, I had my reservations about the WRX. While the unprepped car wasn't slow on my test-drive (yes, they did let me test-drive w/o any flack or melodrama), it certainly was no road-burner. What a difference some dealer tuning prep makes. The car really moves. Don't believe some of the hype that you read about WRX auto performance. From a rolling 5mph start, the WRX 5 speed would be hard pressed to keep up even in the hands of a highly proficient driver (from a standing start, if you did a 5000 rpm launch with the stick, you'd probably gain a car length at the outset over the auo, but you'd lose ground by the 1/2 shift). The auto holds gear as long as you want it to (it's easy to modulate gear change with the throttle), has firm quick shifts, a lower final drive ratio (4.111 vs. 3.9 on the stick) and excellent gear spacing. I've driven and owned so many sports cars in my life that I can unequivocally say that the auto would have no problem bettering 15 sec for the quarter mile even w/o power braking the transmission. Once it's broken in, 14.7 seems quite plausible. More important than the #s, despite it being an auto it's still a fun car.

Other myths -- (1) the wagon needs a thicker sway bar. The suspension rides pleasantly firm, but has a good deal of travel which was presumably designed into it for second-rate roads (that rally image). A thicker sway bar wouldn't make a difference with this much suspension travel. The car isn't going to handle like a Miata. The only way to come close is either dropping the suspension 1 1/2 inches or keeping the ride height but with competition firm springs and shock rates. If the car is for street use, think long and hard about the wisdom of either move. You could do far worse than this stock suspension. A major suspension change like that requires a good deal of fine tuning (wait a few months for the tuners to spend their $$ experimenting of springs and shock rates, sway bar, tire and drop kit combos). More often than not what you'll get on the first or second shot is extremely darty and buckboard harsh over any road irregularity.

Myth (2) -- the tires are way too soft and must immediately go. The softer tires provide additional dampening for a firm suspension over rough roads. Switch to significantly firmer tires, and there goes your extra dampening, along with the "pleasant" in pleasantly firm. If you're going to drop the suspension and switch to something like Koni or Bilstein shocks with Eiback springs, you're thowing your money away without switching to firmer 45 series tires (plus one upgrade). If you're enough happy with a ride that's pleasantly firm, keep the Bridgestones until they wear out and replace with a set of high-performance all season Pirelli P7000 Supersports (or something better perhaps by that time).

wregex

Frontierman - I don't know what that sound is. But I don't think there's anything to worry about. Seems like very many people get that noise, so I'd have to say it's normal!

See this post at i-club:

http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/Forum30/HTML/000009.html

sajohnson

What do you mean by dealer tuning prep? What can be done by the dealer to optimize performance on a new WRX?

klkrause

Any word on when the STi will be coming to the U.S.?

trent4

Most dealers won't do anything special to optomize performance beyond spec, but at a minimum every dealer should be having their service department go over the car before delivery to make sure all is at least to spec and that the computer is not coding. It's not something inherently unique to the WRX, but unfortunately with a small turbo, minor glitches can have a noticeable performance impact. Even something as subtle as a disparity in fuel pressure can effect your feel at the gas pedal. Some cars ship to the dealer in better shape than others, so expect more variation from vehicle to vehicle if you're test driving some WRXs where the plastic is just being yanked off the car. Your best bet is to try a couple before making up your mind.

lark6

qbrozen: I'm pretty sure that's Flemington Subaru in Flemington, NJ. My cousin bluesubie (he is, really!) swears by their parts/service but it's a bit of a haul for me.

trent4: Sounds like a seal of approval to me. I'm really getting WRX envy and you've got the car with the specs I'd want - black wagon w/auto. I think I'd have the dealer keep the RE92s, put winter rubber on the 16" wheels and get a nice set of 17" OZ P1s with summer rubber. I really like my Forester and I've had it only since January 2000 but sometimes I wish I'd tried to wring another year out of its predecessor. I guess I'll have time to see how the Forester's and WRX's long-term reliability works out. Maybe by then the WRX furor will have died down a bit and I'll also know whether I can stay with a small wagon or have to start thinking Legacy GT.

Congrats on the purchase - enjoy the ride and keep us posted.

Ed

rsholland

the May issue of C&D, it looks like late '02 or early '03 for the STi, here in the States. They're hoping to bring it in around $30K, according to C&D.

The 6-speed tranny in the STi (according to the New Zealand Subaru site) is built in-house, and Subaru is swamped with back orders. NZ is getting only 15 STis for the whole year (of which 3 are dedicated race vehicles), starting this June. So until Subaru can start producing decent quantities of 6-speeds, it will be a while...

Bob

bedabi

I hit the 1,000 mile break-in barrier yesterday with my WRX silver sedan, 5 sp. Just wanted to report that I haven't had a single problem. No Check Engine light, or anything. I've used nothing but 93-94 octane gas, and have made no modifications.

By the way, I just checked my tire pressure today for the first time since getting it from the dealership. They were way past recommended pressure! The dealer inflated them to the max psi level printed on the sidewall (44psi) instead of the recommended psi (32 front, 29 rear). I haven't taken the car out again, but I wonder if this isn't the reason the tires slipped a bit on hard turns.

beanboy

is the reason why they didn't slip, the more pressure the merrier within reason. Most auto-x folks pump their street tires up to 40-50 psi when they hit the course. Why? Prevents the sidewall from rolling over onto the pavement, ruining the grip and heating them up, as well as stressing the belts in the sidewall.

haven't had the displeasure of driving a car with RE92s, but from what I heard they aren't all that impressive, even on an AWD car.

Curious as to what your real-world results hold with reduced pressure.

bedabi

Drove about 50 miles today on corrected pressure. The first thing noticeable was the increase in ride comfort and reduced road noise on bumps and potholes. On fast corners, it didn't feel as quick, but it did feel more grounded. On twisty roads, again, the road feel wasn't as on your toes, but flat and sure footed. I haven't decided which I liked more.

Since I won't be anywhere near an autocross course with my new car (will be happy to drive one with yours!) I won't be following suit with your advice on tire pressure.

jhazen

Why is it that I keep reading about 94-octane fuel when all I can find in the greater Seattle area is 91 and below? Gotta feed my pit bull the good stuff... How well does that "octane boost" additive work? Or is anybody from the Seattle area reading that can recommend a place to get the good stuff?

--jeff
2002 WRX
5MT, WR Blue

klkrause

At least in my area, the only gas stations I've seen with higher than 91 octance is Sunoco .. I think they have 92 or 93. Amoco may have higher octane than 91, also, but I can't remember. You don't need to put anything higher than what Subaru recommends, though.

francophile

Bedabi, your dealer may or may not have pumped the tires up to 44psi, but it is a fact that cars are shipped with the maximum amount of air in the tires, to minimize the amount they flat-spot whilst strapped down to the deck of the ship or the trailer of the truck. My guess would be that your dealer, like mine, didn't even look at the tire pressures. (Makes one wonder what they *do* look at when they prep a car.)

Try running the RE 92's at around 36 PSI. That's what I use on my Legacy GT and it is a nice compromise between wet/dry handling and comfort.

Cheers,
-wdb

markjenn

The previous poster is correct - shipped cars generally have the tires inflated to the absolute highest pressure possible to minimize flat-spotting while in transit. And the mfg knows the dealers often don't check them, so better to err on the side of over- rather than under-inflation.

It is astounding how sloppy dealers are when prepping cars for delivery. There have been serveral reports of cars delivered with blinking check engine lights indicating that they didn't even do a cursory look over. The car I ordered (but didn't buy) had plastic sheets, discarded boxes (I think from the installation of the alarm at the port), and other trash in the car when I came by to test drive it and presumably take delivery. Another car I bought a few years back had some minor body damage.

When you drive a car home, you really need to do your own PDI - look the car over carefully and take notes. Check all the fluid levels, pressures, etc.

- Mark

bedabi

Yes Jeff! My WRX totally reminds me of my pitbull! From the driver's seat, the low broad hood and scoop remind me of my pit's broad, flat forehead, and so does the car's squat stance. Even the engine's characteristics remind me of my pit: When calm and on low revs she's a mellow, but observant lapdog; then when excited, on high revs...... she once tore up an entire tree sapling from the ground. She's not the fastest, most graceful or even smartest dog, but she's the most fun. Ahhhhh, I'm getting all soft eyed and sentimental.......

ateixeira

Mark nailed it - do your own PDI, and carefully.

-juice

domahoneyii

I've had my WRX for 3 weeks and it is a blast. The CEL has come on twice and stayed on for ~30 hours. This past Friday, I brought it to the dealer (Tri-City Subaru, Somersworth, NH)as they had some mechanics over from Japan in-house. I'm waiting for a call about the results.

beanboy

Your compromise is what I run on my tires. Max pressure is 44 psi, I have 36 most of the year, 32 during the pothole season and 45 front 40 rear while autocrossing.

-Beanboy

vanex

After about 2 months of considering, reading and test driving I bought a WRX 5 speed on Saturday. I traded in my SVX and hope I will be happy. The other final considerations were an Audio A4 and a Volvo S60. The A4 is a guttless wonder and while far better appointed than the scubie it just ain't worth the money. The Volvo was much nicer than the A4, and had the power, but alas it is front wheel drive and also about 15,000 more money. Besides all that, I got about 40% more for the SVX trade at the Subaru dealer than anyone else was offering.

The test drive on Saturday clinched the deal. I had ordered the car subject to a drive about 2 weeks ago. It is fast and fun, and rides great, and with nobody from the dealership along for the ride, we didn't worry about the 4,000 RPM rule - after all it was a demo car not the one I was getting. I still think the car is a little weird looking, and as I am about 20 years older than the target market hope I don't feel uncomfortable in it - but it is all about the performance. I hope to get my car in about 3 weeks.

barresa62

Richard: I don't think you'll be experiencing this, just a lot of driving fun! I've had my silver 5spd WRX wagon for a week now and enjoying the h_ ll out of it even though I am still babying it during the 1000 mile break-in period (only 600 miles more to go).

Stephen

kostamojen2

Considering all of the negative vibes about Pitbulls lately (Ive been hearing about 2 or 3 bites a week on the news!) I wouldnt call it a Pitbull :P

I think of the WRX more of as the "A-10 Warthog" of the Automotive industry (for those of you who dont know, the A-10 is a Jet) Super durable, super manueverable, polarizing looks, and it will kick your [non-permissible content removed] in a nano-second!

bedabi

The A-10 is the pitbull of planes.

Negative press? Don't believe the hype. To borrow a phrase from another car brand: "Own one and you'll know!"

locke2c

You'll know that year upon year of breeding small, muscular and utterly vicious dogs has worked. I'll pass on the pitbull, thanks.

Stephen: only 400miles on your WRX? You're going to have to try harder!

-Colin

bluesubie

Sorry, haven't checked here in a while. Too many Subaru forums.
Yes, as lark6 mentioned it's Flemington. They don't have that deal any longer but are still selling under MSRP. The contact is Alex Leist at
Flemington Subaru, 908-782-2025, Leista@riisc.com
They don't have any WRX's in stock right now because the first allotment sold out. They'll probably give you the best deal in NJ though. Tell him bluesubie (Dennis) sent you.

trent4 - Thanks for that review. I'm considering an auto in my next Sube purchase in another year or so. Especially if they have the sport-shift "pretend" manual.

mi_25rs

Does anyone know if a previous model Impreza aftermarket stabalizer bar or a WRX bar will fit on the 2002 2.5RS? I want to upgrade to an 18mm or 20mm bar.

-Eric
2002 Blue Ridge Pearl Impreza 2.5RS

ateixeira

I think your RS already has a 21mm rear sway bar, same as the WRX. Doesn't it?

-juice

locke2c

Eric,

I don't know what size your stock bar is-- crawl under there and measure it yourself-- but I do know that the rear sway bars between 93-01 Imprezas (and 02+ wagons) are *not* compatible with a MY02 sedan.

If you don't have a 20mm rear bar then you could order one since they're original equipment on the WRX. You can get the part number and a great price from Ryan Cavalier @ Irvine Subaru-- his email is scoobyparts@hotmail.com .

Have fun.

barresa62

Colin: You're right, only 400 miles...pitiful, but I think I'll try a roadtrip this weekend to Olympia to visit friends & family (about 180 miles roundtrip). :-)

Stephen

mi_25rs

I did measure the rear bar on mine and it is a 13mm.

I will look into ordering a 20mm WRX bar.

-Eric

ateixeira

Hey - they're family, you MUST go! :-)

-juice

bedabi

Now we have armchair dog breeders as well as racers on this board! Well, everyone's entitled to their own. If you see a silver WRX with a drooling pit popping out the rear window, honk and say, "Hi, Bi!"

barresa62

LOL...BTW, I like your analogy of a WRX pitbull!

Stephen

vanex

skip the Pitbull what about the cars?

bedabi

Maybe it's been mentioned before, and if so I'll second that after the break in period, the engine is much, much smoooooother! I'm at 1,250 miles now. The raucous jolt of power previously felt at 3500 RPM has evened out and power comes in a more linear fashion, although the pull is still there if not greater. Moreover, the engine is bit quieter. Those of you just test driving the car might want to take this into consideration.

By the by, I let a friend drive around in my WRX for a bit this evening. He has an '87 Mustang SVO modified up the wazoo. At 3000 RPMs he let the clutch drop and got the tires to spin for a split second to my horror! Poor pup! Oops, there's that dog thing again! Sorry Vanex.

kostamojen2

13mm? You sure you measured correctly? The 2002 RS has the same suspension, including sway bars, as the WRX. Go check at your dealer.

locke2c

Kosta, how in the world can he mistake 20mm for only 13? The bar is its rated diameter everywhere except the very ends where the lateral links attach.

I've heard people say-- a.k.a hearsay or RUMOR-- that the 2002 RS has the same suspension including swaybars as the WRX. I don't consider it proof yet, since SOA hasn't affirmed it...

-Colin

mi_25rs

I measured the bar with the digital calipers I got when I was in engineering school. I am sure it is a 13mm bar.

-Eric

ateixeira

You don't even need tools, it's easy to eyeball it.

13mm seems like a coat hanger next to even an 18mm bar.

-juice

eprklims

Does anybody know if I will be able to fit a 225/50/16 tire (diameter is 24.8 which is the same as stock, but width is 9.1 which is 0.8 inches bigger) on the stock rims without rubbing against the inner fenders etc? My dealer is trying to find out but i'm not sure he will be able to - i have to order this today or tomorrow if i want to pick up my WRX on the weekend! thanks for any and all help

kens

There's a whole bunch of topics regarding the WRX in the VWVortex forums.

I came across an interesting graph that one of the members supplied in this topic:

They were trying to see what combination of VW engines, chassis and drivetrains could compete with the WRX!

Ken

locke2c

eprklims-- they will fit without difficulty if you have a sedan. Perhaps not with a wagon... wagons have about the same fender clearance as the older Imprezas.

I run 225/50-16 on my 99RS, and the tires rubbed the rear fender lip a bit before I relieved them.

-Colin

mmcbride1

Oh, yeah...it's off the top right end of the graph...

eprklims

yes, i'm getting the sedan... sorry, should have clarified that

thanks for your help on this - it has been a long wait but this weekend i'll be booting around (under 4000 of course) in my silver wrx - with some good toyo rubber

ateixeira

So is the S4's weight, though.

That graph is interesting, but you have to account for weight and gearing to get the full picture.

-juice

mmcbride1

Oh, I know that. It just seems that whoever made the graph did all they could to slant it towards the Subie. Not to take anything away from the Subie - it's a terrific performance value at only $25k. It just bothers me when people manipulate things like that, that's all. That graph doesn't show the whole story.

ateixeira

Well, Ken said that was a VW forum. I think they benchmarked the WRX and then compared other competitors to it.

The S4 does not fall anywhere near the others in terms of price. Performance? Definitely!

VW will strike back, though. That 1.8T makes 225hp in the TT, why not bring a little more power to the Golf or Jetta with 4Motion to take on the WRX?

-juice