Subaru Impreza WRX

mmcbride1

Well, you must have consigned yourself long ago to driving unpopular cars. Yes, a BMW 325i may cost you MSRP or close to it, but you'll more than recoup that money down the road when you sell it.

It's pretty standard that if you get a great deal on a new car (below invoice, etc.), you'll take a beating when you sell it.

roninjouten

Interesting, though odd take on the concept of dealerships. In the realm of the WRX I know in Irvine one dealership is selling them for $300 below MSRP. Still, that's far too much profit off my dollar. Yes, someone else is welcome to pay MSRP or ADM (what sort a person does this is beyond me).

As for popularity and MSRP, well the two don't always go hand and hand. High volume popular cars like Accords, Camrys, civics, Exploders all can be purchased for close to invoice. Yes, some dealers push for MSRP on vehicles and even stranger, some people pay it, but I can't rationalize paying 2k over the cost of the car when the dealer does nothing but house the car and in the instance of orders, simply delivers the car. There is no value to a dealership. Salesmen will argue otherwise, but in my experience a dealership is just the place where I pick up the car, never to return to unless I happen to purchase that make again and the dealer's current prices are reasonable.

I personally look forward to the day dealerships as we know them disappear. Where we visit a test drive center, get a feel for the car, then return home to order the vehicle for home delivery. Should it need warranty work (which it never should if it's well built), we take it to a manufacturer-run repair center.

mmcbride1

Accord, Camry, Civic, Explorer...those are some FUN cars you listed there! A car is obviously an appliance to you. Just to get you from point a to point b.

roninjouten

I wouldn't be looking at WRXs. I actually had zero interest in one, but I test drove an IS300 last night (thinking about leasing one for work) but found its performance tepid and rather muted - lacking a 5 speed can do that to most cars - so I left dismayed that I've still yet to find a car I respond to viscerally, while offering some semblance of utility (4 doors, good reliability). Driving home I passed a Scooby dealership and decided what the hell. Stopped in, took it for a spin and nearly fell in love. Sure it's ugly and the interior is cheap junk, but the engine and the quirky AWD felt great, alive and fun. The antithesis of the anemic IS300. Too bad the dealership is run by shysters...no budging on the price, a super high money factor of .00285 and the typical games those guys play:

"Just fill this out." Sure, here. "Once we run it, we'll give you the deal." Wait five minutes, ten minutes. "Great news, with 3k down you can get the car for 385 plus tax." What's the residual and money factor. "Um, lemme check." Wait five more minutes. "The money factor is an incredibly low 00285. Wow, your credit must be great." What's the residual? "I'll check." Five MORE minutes. "It's gonna be 56%!" Hmmm. Only MSRP? "This car sells fast, we can't let them go cheaper. So, 385 plus tax. Great deal." So it's really more like $410 a month. And 3k now. No thanks. "But this is a great deal."

Man, they're so obnoxious. Car's great, now if only i could get a good price.

bruticus

Ronin, a lot of things I've read indicate that the WRX is one of those cars for which leasing is going to be tough. Because of things like its non-luxury interior (it may not rattle, but it doesn't look $$), quirky looks, turbo powerband (etc) they're not the kind of cars that, sitting on a used-car (or Pre-Leased Vehicle :-) lot with 50K miles, a lot of people see and say "I GOTTA have that car!"

DjB

cditto1

OK, I know I'm gonna hear the rebuttals, so let me start by saying I bought my Black WRX 5speed in April (ordered in February, btw) and I love it immensely. OH, and I got the spoiler, which in my opinion adds to the looks. So...

What's the deal with everyone on this chat talking about pricing, how it test drives, etc. etc.? Is there anyone here that actually owns one besides myself? I would like to discuss issues such as my keys scratching the left side of the center console during hard cornering. Things like whether to purchase the center armrest or not. Things like whether a boost controller is a good investment and can bring good hp.

Where are these people to talk too?????

woofie596

Most of them seem to be over at www.i-club.com
Lotsa folks over there that are serious WRX hot-rodders. C'mon.. one guy's is running mid 13's in the 1/4 mile.
I have a WRX wagon, that I've hardy driven. My wife just took it to Minnesota for a week. Been having some problems with the ECU, but just love the thing. I'll be glad when she gets it home !! I wanna drive it !! Is definately broken-in, now.
BTW, I paid MSRP and am OK with that. My insurance company didn't even raise an eyebrow.. same rate as the Ford pickup it is replacing.
I agree with you.. way too much complaining and not enough bragging !!

locke2c

Don't lease a WRX. Every single Subaru model has always had poor resale relative to the competition (except for domestics, natch) and obviously the higher the residual the less you have to pay for the lease. If you think a low residual is cute because you might buy the car, BUY THE CAR UP FRONT!

Leasing sucks, 95% of the time.

-Colin

jim2741

I don't like how the WRX has no sunroof and I like the white face gauges on the RS. The WRX needs 17' wheels, but not for 3+K. There is still a good amount of turbo lag even though Subaru claims there is none, all turbo engines have lag. That's why sometimes it is better to just have the beef to begin with. The AWD is probably the best option for this price range.

roninjouten

The residual they're giving for a 3 year is a respectable 56 or 55%. Can't recall. As for leasing sucking...I'd agree for those who want to keep their cars for 6-8 years leasing is a bad option. But I'm using it within the confines of a business, so the entire payment becomes a tax deduction. When purchasing a car one can only write off the depreciation for a business expense. Obviously, for a work situation, leasing can be a great way to save money on all fronts.

BTW, someone mentioned leases being tough with a WRX. The dealer didn't even blink for a lease on a WRX.

barresa62

Just a FYI, you don't have to buy the BBS option from SOA. There are plenty of 17"wheel and tire combos for have the price or less of the $3000 BBS deal(sans tires no less). People have even had these other tire/wheel combos financed w/the price of the WRX.

The turbo lag is not that bad on the WRX and if a sunroof would keep one from buying a car like the WRX then you aren't the right buyer anyhow. The WRX is about driving and enjoying its performance, not about how many creature comforts can be included in the pricepoint. I went from a 00'OB Ltd wagon w/all the bells and whistles and have not regretted the change one bit.

Cheers,
Stephen

bruticus

is unavailable because there is a main cross-roof structural member that runs right above the driver's head (you know, in case of serious accident). There's not enough roof space for a sunroof.

I've heard people talk of aftermarket shops that have cut the center out of this structural beam in order to install a sunroof. I shudder to think of what might happen if the vehicle rolls, or even gets hit hard in the driver's door. The car might accordion or something without that reinforcing beam.

DjB

oosmpoo

$24000 is too much forthe wrx? LOL, stop complaining, here in canada i had to pay $35000 for mine + 15% Tax. That comes out to 40+ for a standard model. Please stop complaining about msrp, 24000 isnt that much (at least compared to what other countries must pay.)

topspin627

Can you get the drilled pedals on the automatic? If not, are there after market pedals? I think that they're really cool and add to the car if only in spirit on the automatic.
Are there more deals to be had on the A/T than the M/T. Is the radio upgrade worth the money?
Are there plans for a coup and does anyone know of any changes for the next years model?

Thanks.

roninjouten

You're kidding me, right? Paying 35000 CAD for the car, which is equivalent by today's exchange to 23,032.38 . Um...so. With an MSRP of 24,300 in the US you're paying less for the car prior to taxes.

hypov

you're missing the point. It's very naive to make comparison by means of currency exchange.
You forget. A dollar earned and spent in Canada or anywhere else is equal to a dollar earned and spent in the USA. Do your math again...:-)

Another note: Haven't been back in Singapore, but I did recall a used BMW 7 series will cost ~S$250,000.00. Oh, go ahead, use the currency exchange. That will take you to a ballpark of say, US$100,000.00. Now, on the same notion, just thing how much a new WRX would cause there in US$.... I think US$24,000 isn't too hard to handle. Hey, supply:demand.

I stand corrected -$250,000.00 NEW!!!
http://www.tanglin-cars.com.sg/newcarprices.htm

hypov

a little more info for your endulgence.
http://www.aas.com.sg/carprice/newcar.htm

Exchange US$1.00 = ~S$1.80

WarpDrive

....when it comes to commodity items like cars, electronics. Hypov is right, the US dollar is so strong and cars like the WRX are priced at a measely $24K. A WRX in Ontario, Canada will run approx $35K + delivery/PDI ($1000) + 15% = $41K+(cars are sold MSRP which is 95% of the cases I've heard). Because Canadians make about the same number of actual dollars if not less (after taxes), the WRX in the US is far easier for a US resident to buy.

So all you US guys that complain about the high price of your WRX's, just remember how bad we have it, you're getting a deal compared to the most other countries. Just be glad you earn a US dollar instead of the Canadian PESO.

nschulman3

I just ordered my wrx, a red 5 speed that should be in by late July. The only option I got was the armrest extension. IMO, the other options are way overpriced and defeat the purpose of what this car is made for. My other car is an Audi TT coupe. I feel that a more agressive tire on the stock 16 nchers is fine, especially where I live in a city laced with potholes. I paid 22,900 at Van Bortel Subaru in NY. I usually look to lease, but the difference is so insignificant that it is impossible not to buy. I was quoted a lease price of 390 a month. I am buying it for 420 a month with 2000 down for 60 months. IMO this is a great car. Went to the dealer looking to lease another A4 1.8, but after a short test drive at my local Porsche-Audi-Subaru dealer changed my mind.

5635

I just got back from my first road race ever! And damn, the wrx did great. In a field of 5 cars i managed to pull off a 2nd.If your thinking 2nd is ok but 1st would have been better, check the line up i was up agianst:

A total of 5 cars,
-my wrx
-Ford Mustang GT
-BMW Z3
-Porsche 911
-Honda S2000

Man i will admit the 911 completely blew me away, but i couldnt be happier with the wrx performance. Anyone thinking of getting this car, forget about the price, its worth it.

5635

did i mention i won $250? Not bad for my first time.

sajohnson

(Please see my earlier post, #1898)

If you dusted every one of those cars except the Porche, even "MSRP" for a WRX is reasonable. Some cars are overpriced, some are underpriced from the Mfr. The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are good examples of the latter (they're selling for LESS than their cost to build the market for hybrids). If a dealer (in this case Subaru) gets lucky and is able to buy a vehicle from the Mfr. for much less than it's worth then good for them. The free market sets the price. Nobody enjoys seeing a dealer make a bundle for filling out some paperwork but then again, if the WRX wasn't a good deal (relative to what's available) people wouldn't buy it.

Again I must ask, if you have something to sell, do you sell to the highest bidder or for a "fair" profit?

rsholland

Way to go! Is your WRX running the stock 16" tires?

What was the finishing order of the other cars?

Bob

5635

1. Porsche
2. WRX
3. BMW

And im not sure, but i think the Mustang came 4th and the S2000 5th... but it could have been the other way around. And evering thing on my car is exactly the same as the day it came out of the dealership, this car doesnt need any upgrades.

5635

Is it a limited production vehicle? A didnt think so, but one of my friends swore it was. Anybody know?

5635

the WRX is my first car, approximatly how many miles can i get on it before the performance starts to suffer? Or will it main its speed as long as take care of it?

robblaze

any car stereo experts out there:

the wrx sedan (and wagon I assume) have extremely shallow resets on the four doors, either limiting to a shallow mount speaker unless you offset the window track probably 1/2 inch. I could live with a quarter inch offset, but at 1/2 I would worry about distorting the window angle to sharply. To complicate matters, the rear seatbelts limit placement of 10's or 6x9's without modification. The factory speakers are garbage (despite external amplification). Furthermore, a 10 inch boxed sub in the truck doesn't sound nearly as tight as I would have thought. My other car was a hatchback and that is part of the reason.
Question: anybody out there overcome the obstacles, good ideas appreciated. Rob

robblaze

Nice.
Question- what size tires are you runnin (?205/50-16 or 215/40-17. What do you think about four toyo performance tyres on that beast?

kezzie24

They are only importing 10,000 into the states this year.

barresa62

aprox: 8000 sedans and 2000 wagons

Stephen

hypov

how 'bout
400 blazing yellow sedans
7600 (others) sedans
2000 wagons
apart from blazing yellow, wagons are pretty much more limited.

hunter001

I checked the WRX brochure, checked the Subaru website but nowhere have they published the front/back weight distribution of the Subaru WRX Sedan/Wagon.

Can somebody point me to a published article/website where they mention the weight distribution of the WRX front/back ?

Thanks in advance,

AH

pilot16

Any SoCal WRX owners out there with suggestions on where to buy a WRX? So far, Frank's in Irvine seems good and they let you test drive the cars. A dealer in Monrovia wants28K for the basic WRX so buyer beware. Sounds like other parts of the country are getting some good deals.

francophile

I thought I read somewhere that the number of WRXs was going to be raised to 12,000 for the current model year, due to demand. Am I nuts?

Cheers,
-wdb

bluesubie

No, you're not nuts. ;-)
It was raised to 12,000. I'll look around for the details, unless someone else posts it.
Dennis

jteters

According to the March 2001 Automobile Magazine article "Dream Blast" comparing the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 to the WRX--the weight distribution is 60/40% (Front/Rear).

jim2741

I was recently at the dealership for service and noticed that there were several WRX sedans and wagons on the lot. I read that all WRX's were sold out for the first model year. It sure seemed that if I was willing to shell out the cash that I could have traded my RS and drove away with a WRX. I do like the WRX, but I'm not sure I can justify trading my RS. Before the RS I had an Outback Sport. I traded that because it was too underpowered with the 2.2. I was a little unhappy with the Outback Sport, but I'm very happy with the RS. Have people seen WRX's available for immediate delivery? Let me know. Thanks

soon2bsubee

There are WRXs available on dealer lots..they are not sold out for this year.

robblaze

any car stereo experts out there:

the wrx sedan (and wagon I assume) have extremely shallow resets on the four doors, either limiting to a shallow mount speaker unless you offset the window track probably 1/2 inch. I could live with a quarter inch offset, but at 1/2 I would worry about distorting the window angle to sharply. To complicate matters, the rear seatbelts limit placement of 10's or 6x9's without modification. The factory speakers are garbage (despite external amplification). Furthermore, a 10 inch boxed sub in the truck doesn't sound nearly as tight as I would have thought. My other car was a hatchback and that is part of the reason.
Question: anybody out there overcome the obstacles, good ideas appreciated. Rob

mdimarti

I was able to walk on to a lot, take a test drive, and walk off the lot with a new WRX wagon (at $1,000 under MSRP).

Take a look at dealer inventories through the Subaru website for your area. In chicago there seems to be quite a few sitting around. I was surprised at this fact. One thing I did notice was that most of the ones in dealer inventories are autos.

rsholland

<<One thing I did notice was that most of the ones in dealer inventories are autos.>>

That's because few people want a WRX automatic.

Bob

mmcbride1

Leasing may not work for you, but it most certainly does not "suck 95% of the time".

I'll never say it's right for everyone, but for some people, myself included, leasing works very well. BTW, I'm only paying 6% interest on my A4 I just leased. That's cheaper than the rate I'd be paying if I bought it.

But you are right about one thing. The leases I was quoted on the WRX were ridiculous. It would have cost me more to lease a $25k (MSRP) WRX than it did a $30k (MSRP) A4.

cayera

The past few days I have quibbled with three Subaru dealerships in the Houston area - they are all holding steadfast to MSRP for the sedan 5M. Do not misunderstand me, as I do feel that the car is worth MSRP. In fact, I plan on ordering one tomorrow. My question concerns the dealer installed gauge package.

The dealership that I've decided to do business with wants to charge me $1295 for the package ( $638 + $657 installation fee ). $657 seems a bit much to me. Does anyone have insight to my question? Thanks, Art

barresa62

Around $650 is the cost I've seen listed for the pack. Seems to be that they are bending you over the exam table w/the labor charge though :-)

I personally think the gauge pack is a bit cheap looking especially for the asking price. There are several aftermarket packs that look better. I suggest you forego the dealership route and look over at the i-club site for pics of the "other" gauge packs. Good luck.

Stephen
WRX wagon @ MSRP

cayera

Thanks for the info Stephen.

jk111

I saw a blazing yellow wrx sitting in the dealer showroom the other day, it didn't look all that good to be a "limited production" model. Personally, I prefer blue or sliver.
Still looking for a wrx, I need a find a dealer that won't rip me off .. lol

kostamojen2

Thats a freakin insane install charge!!!

Just screw them and order the pack it from www.subaruparts.com for cheap and install it yourself or find someone over at www.i-club.com in the houston area thats having an install fest to help you install it when you get it...

robblaze: The WRX wasnt designed with speakers in mind :P sorry...

bruticus

How bad is the stereo setup in the WRX? I'm not an audiophile, but I do like to play "For Whom the Bell Tolls" fairly loud and don't want the stereo to be producing distortion etc.

Do you have an idea if doing an aftermarket upgrade will be more/less expensive than opting for the factory upgrade? If aftermarket is both cheaper and better then I'll go that route (and the savings on the car itself will enable me to buy one that much sooner!!)

Thanks

DjB

robblaze

DjB:
Stereo upgrade is not a problem. Crystal 610's are a shallow mount speaker with great acoustics that are perfect for the wrx. You will need a subwoofer and external amps. The stereo upgrade is allright - but I have a lot of equipment easily installed that costs me well less than the 3 bones they charge for an underpowered amp/sub. However, this will cost you far less than to purchase your separates, subwoofer and external amp + install at well over double the price. You could opt for the upgrade and always throw in a four channel amp to clean up your factory upgraded speakers later on if needed.
I wouldnt even be bringin' this up if I didnt have to sit on the turbos for the majority of the first 900 miles. Once 1,000 miles is clocked in', the stereo is faded out, and the toyo 215/50/17's are on.

p0926

Colin may have exaggerated the percentage somewhat but he is correct that leasing is a poor financial decision for lots of folks. However, I'm sure that this topic has already been talked to death in another forum so I won't reopen it here.

-Frank P.