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Comments
It is going to be tough keeping it under the 4k limit for the first 1k of miles, dang!!
The only annoying thing is that the subwoofer sounds as if something is loose and it rattles, very very annoying, and I am not even playing anything loud, contacted dealer, said no prob, they would fix it.
I have put about 90miles on it so far, and think that the car is going to be great for me, feels solid, handles very well, and the fit is just perfect for me. I am almost sorry I am going on vacation tomorrow (without car!!)
1-860-693-7729 In Connecticut.
Even when (if) the $30K WRX STi gets here it will not have leather.
You're right to call the manufacturer to offer letter but it seems you're a minority from the tone of 9 out of 10 posts here which seem to be perfectly content with what the WRX offers for its performance bargain price.
Face it, a WRX is not in your future. End of story. It's obvious a whole LOT of us don't see it your way. The WRX is here because we enthusiasts screamed and yelled. But not a lot of these enthusiasts are calling for leather. A lot of us would rather they offer factory installed STi upgrades than any "leather" option. If they made leather standard AND raised the list price, then I'll be writing some nasty letters to Subaru!!!
1st my 1965 Gran sport has that vinal stuff and after 36 years is still in pretty good shape, and with no A/C < but 401cubes > in 115f Tx heat its a little toasty, however the cloth vehicle's soak my bum just as bad and after a few years look stained and soiled.
My friend has a triple blk 325 convertable with leatherette, it looks tight and nice still, but the leather in my "3" seems cooler to me.
Personally I have Italian leather in my home, since leather is hides, like your skin it will warm or cool according to the temps. I find it more comfortable and easier to care for.
I don't care to pay 1k to have someone cut a hole in my lid, for a sunroof, but if leather was my only complaint with the vehicle, id have it put in, ive seen several better than dealer install's in several cars , just check out the shops work before hand,
Happy Shopping
Oh well, I guess if I buy the WRX I'll have to budget it. ;-)
LETS SEE: SPORT SEAT - FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SIT AND STAY PUT.
LEATHER - SLIPPERY AND NOT FOR THE SPORT ENTHUSIAST.
SPORT SEAT - CLOTH (ex: momo seats), ADHESIVE TO CLOTHING AND NOT FOR THE ISOLATIONIST HIGH-COMFORT LUXURY MINDED.
The market for the WRX is clear, budget high-performance, not expensive sport luxury. Sport luxury cars can afford high cost seats that don't require cloth, and can keep you in your seat while being luxurious for the sport enthusiast. FORGET THE LEATHER, OR GO PUT IT IN YOURSELF, SUBARU KNOWS THE MARKET IT IS TARGETING. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING?!?!?!
Hell, I could name 100 cars i'd rather have than the current POS im stuck with.... If I had money.
Sadly, im stuck taking 6 days a week of classes and spending all my time at school, and wont be making money til the summer :P (and probably not enough to buy a car either)
Ronin: My family has the Legacy GT Limited with the Leather. Its one of the best leathers we sat in when test driving and looking at cars, cause for some reason its not as "cushy" as other leathers, and even though its dark gray, doesnt get too exessivly cold or warm.
BUT
Taking hard corners in that car, i slide around like a Wet Seal on a 100 foot cube of ice...
Meanwhile, the WRX/RS are some of the best, most comfortable, cloth seats, or any seat for that matter that I have sat in. I took a trip with my cousin in his new RS up on some twisties, and I didnt even need the "Oh sheep!" handle to keep myself planted taking 15mph corners at 30mph
Not to mention that I was able to doze off on the trip back home (which I NEVER do!)
But, for $25k, cloth is hard for some people to contemplate, and I understand that...
However, $25k is the AVERAGE price for a vehicle these days, and you can get one of 3 things: A Luxury car with no performance (VW), a Car with some Luxury and some Peformance (Accord/Camry), or a Performance car with no luxury (WRX)...
Take your pick.
5) Most importantly, what is the skidpad rating on the WRX? Or, better yet, has a slalom test report been published?
Final comment: The leather seats in the wife's GT cause nothing but grief-LEATHER DOES NOT BELONG IN A SPORTS CAR-UNLESS YOU LIKE SWEATING AND NEVER GO AROUND CORNERS! LEATHER PANTIES=ZESTY! LEATHER CAR SEATS=NOT ZESTY!
Thanks again-
A soon-to-be owner of the most value-laden performance sedan in the world...
I'm going to call the dealer who was most helpful during my initial scouting trips and see what he says, and if he says "NOW NOW NOW" I'll call a couple other dealers and see what they say.
Thanks
DjB
#1362 of 1365 LEATHER - by mitsugst Apr 18, 2001 (10:55 pm)
LEATHER - SLIPPERY AND NOT FOR THE SPORT ENTHUSIAST.
------------------------------------------------------------
Oh please! I guess all those Ferrraris and M-car drivers have no idea?
You guys are being awfully harsh to this guy all because he wants a different seat fabric then you. That's a pretty poor reason to be rude adn dismissive to a fellow car lover if you ask me. I thought the Scooby community was a little friendlier then that... guess not.
RE: sliding around in seats? that has to do with the seat design not the material, i have the sports seat in my "3" with the side bolsters and i assure u there is no sliding at any speed, if your driving a vehicle with a bench seat i could see that happening,
happy Motoring,
With the stock tires, it's a measely 0.82g's in the standard 300 ft skidpad.
Oh, and I get about 20 mpg in mostly city driving in NYC, using 94 octane gas (Sunoco Ultra), but unless I'm on the freeways, I rarely go above 3,ooo rpms.
As for the leather... look, it's not an option. What else needs to be discussed?
-Frank P.
You say 'The WRX can hit 143 MPH and in a car that powerful, it's almost always limited by the redline (so at 143, you're hitting the redline in fifth gear)."
Don't let the cops get a hold of your name & address...because at 143 MPH, you will see a lot of blue uniforms around your WRX !!
Here is my question: why would you want to go 143
MPH at all? And where? I don't think that you are
anywhere near the German Autobahn, right.
SPEED is overrated.....not to mention dangerous.
And you'll be at the gas pumps quite often, so
better get friendly with your local gas station
attendant.
One note about leather: It's GREAT! I think that sliding in & out of leather seats is quite enjoyable....
Piceno
BTW, sorry to the rest if my aversion to cloth bugs you so much. But performance cars do have leather: Ferrari, Porsche, Lambos, M coupes, etc. My view is the WRX is a performance car, and should therefore offer at least the extra $1000 option. No big deal. You guys wouldn't have to get it. I'm not forcing it on the WRX across the line. Just as an option. Give me a little more of that Porsche or M5 in sheep's clothing.
Quark99:
1) what do you need chains for? Am I missing something? Its AWD and you live in CA.
2) your driving regiment sounds very much like mine. I don't have my WRX yet, but I'm guessing we'll be looking at around 24 mpg once the engine gets broken in.
3) the turbo will last you as long as anything else on the car as long as you take care of it and follow all the rules (i.e. warm-up, cool-down, break-in, etc.).
4) I've read reports of a 130 mph electronic limiter, but I've also read earlier reviews that reported a 140+ top speed. And, according to some folks, they've claimed to go above 130 as well. Maybe some folks here who have one can chime in (as long as your past your break-in :-)).
5) R&T claims a .84g, but most will tell you that it can do much better once you slap on some better rubber (which just stands to reason).
'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
here is the link to this thread...very interesting
http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/Forum28/HTML/001952.html
Had a 64 and 65 'larks as my 1st cars. Cloned a gran sport out of my 65.
Legal Link --> http://www.wieck.com/public/*PV_021992.jpg
BUT - I simply don't understand why there is so much animosity expressed at someone lamenting the fact that the WRX doesn't even offer leather as an option. Do you guys feel that somehow your cloth equipped WRX would be less desireable if Suburu were to offer leather as an option? I'm simply at a loss as to why you guys are trying to tear ronin a new one.
I can only imagine how sensitive you guys might be if someone where to express how truely ugly they felt the WRX was......
Well said.
The previous 2.5RS offered leather as an option and no one boycotted it .
I would not have ordered leather if it was an option, just my preference, and it does not impact my opinion of others if they do want it. It is not an option, so why argue?
As for the question about chains on the 17's? The tires on those wheels are performance tires, and should not be used in snow or nasty conditions, especially those that would require chains.
Another thing, I have no intention of testing out the top end on my WRX after break in, but I figure 130 is plenty fast as it is. There is also a fluctuation in the 0-60 times as well as top end. I used to have a 94 GS-R a few years back, when that first came out, the 0-60 times ranged from low 6's to mid 7's and same with top end, all over the place. I bought the car for the overall package and appeal it had, so a half second or MPH here or there is fine with me.
And for the looks of the WRX? I read an article that said it was not ugly, but homely. I personally like the looks of my car, and I bought it for me and if you don't like the looks, not a problem, I shall just wave as I pass you!!
Happy Motoring!!
So, whichever way you feel about the "leather" is fine. Both sides get equal time.
Welcome and have fun. NOTE TO NEW FOLKS: You will find some great people here who know an awful lot about our cars. Enjoy.
Thanks,
Patti
BTW - I'll just wave back! Just cause it may be "homely" and not have leather, doesn't mean it's not a great car.
"I'm sorry but I see zero value in cloth. This "gripping" thing is hilariously funny."
"BTW, yeah I got other complaints about the WRX interior, but the leather is the chief one. The tacky center console plastic, the horribly designed seats, the dash layout. I could go on and on, but if it had leather I could put up with the rest of the car's poor interior attributes."
"Regardless, when it's all said and done, cloth to me is low rent, ugly, hot and stain susceptible"
I think the response has just been defending the appeal and/or advantages of cloth.
Personally, I don't care about the leather convo. I was just taken aback by the Neon comparison. But that's another story.
I guess I don't see animosity on boards like this. I consider it all friendly discussions. They may get a little heated sometimes, but hey, who cares. Its all fun.
'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
Bob
I would have to agree that I would like to see leather as an option, as well. I have perforated leather now (in my 2.5GT), and although it is very cold in the winter (I live in Michigan) I do still prefer it over cloth.
When/if I buy a WRX, it will be mostly used as a daily commuter ... the "grip" advantages of cloth wouldn't make much of a difference for me over leather. Of course, with the large bolsters in the WRX seats, I can't see the slipperly leather being too big an issue.
I spoke to a Subaru dealer who said they have an aftermarket trim shop that could put leather in a new WRX for around $1,000 and even add heated seats for a couple hundred more. Personally, I don't think aftermarket trim is cheesy. Many of these places actually do a better job than some factories since they're not flying by on as assembly line (most seats are also built/trimmed on a an assembly line of sorts) and can take the time to make sure the trim fits well onto the foam.
I don't agree with those who think it would be wrong of Subaru to offer leather as an option on the WRX ... many potential customers would be willing to spend the money for leather.
P.S. I do like the look of the leather in the Focus RS (SVT in the States?).
The leather on the Focus looks a bit like the stuff I have in my stock 10th Anniversary Miata
link to my Miata pictures
The Miata has leather on the sides and a suede- like material as the blue seating surface. It has the properties of cloth in grippiness and feels nice and supple like leather. (See, I'm not really against leather, but there's no point in complaining about something that doesn't exist in the WRX)
Stephen
(not gone over 90...yet)
There is an * where the top speed is listed, with a footnote to that effect.
Bob
Wow. That is the SVT? When I saw RS, I pretty much ignored it. That does look nice.
In the WRX, where do the side airbags come out of in an accident? The stamp on the side of the seat would indicate that is where it is located. If so, I don't think aftermarket leather could be an option unless you want to make those virtually ineffective. But, then again, it seems REALLY strange that airbags would actually come out of your seat. Anybody know?
I agree with you klkrause. I think the "slip" effect would be greatly reduced in that wonderful seat.
'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
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/subaruchat.html
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
As to the R & T article...how many times are car mags incorrect??? I certainly value the real world experiences of owners (seems logical). Of course it's really hypothetical to me as I don't plan on having my vehicle up to those speeds anytime in the future. :-)
Stephen
If you want leather, I recommend perforated, and seat heaters. If a car you love doesn't have it, like the WRX, just go aftermarket. For under $1000 you can have all of the above.
Aftermarket suppliers offer quality stuff. They're basically the same suppliers to OE manufacturers.
-juice
In other words, just because you see an indicated 130 doesn't mean you are REALLY doing 130. YMMV.
Stephen
We put the bags in the seat because it is safer. If the side bags come out of the side pillar, it's ability to help can be effected by the location of your seat. In other words, if the seat is moved back far, the bag might not help.
The safest point is in the seat so you don't have to worry about the comfort of the seat position.
Thanks!
Patti
I would also like to know if anyone knows if there are any dealers in the metro Detroit area that offer test drives or sell below MSRP. I tried Livonia where they don't order vehicles or quote prices. They just sell whatever they get at whatever price is already on them and don't even have one to look at. I also tried Hodges in Ferndale where I can order one at MSRP, but there are none to test drive. I live in Trenton.
Thank you.