Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

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Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Problem with selling a used ones is that new ones are discounted a lot - I've seen one dip below $20k, not a demo, new 2004.

    Fabio: the GT and XT have 5 speed autos with SportShift controls, indeed better matched to turbo engines to get the revs up quickly. They also have a Sport mode that holds a gear in a turn and even blips the throttle for shifts I believe.

    How 'bout a GT with an aftermarket suspension? Maybe even just a fatter sway bar and some real performance tires?

    -juice
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    I'm trying to get the car that satisfies my all-around preferences and needs best. So far with Subaru the OXT does it. As I said, I like the new 5-speed multimode transmission. However, I like to fantasize. Can't drive the LGT or OXT like a sports car. Have to go to the WRX for this and the AT just doesn't cut it IMO. Also trying to save money. If this wasn't the case I'd get an S4 Avant. Compromise, compromise, compromise.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    And the minute you buy the OXT, Subaru will announce that the 2006 WRX will get a 7 speed automatic and the Legacy STi will arrive. ;-)

    -juice
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    Yeah that would be funny. However if this happened I'd be very inclined to buy them immediately if I liked them.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Correction, the WRX has VTD which has a different torque split 45/55 IIRC v. 80/20 found in the non VTD transes.

    Colin is right the stall speed is a PITA. Although amazingly I can get a better launch from my 2.2NA v. WRX.

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No surprise, 10% more displacement and a higher compression ratio, while the WRX is way off boost.

    -juice
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    Nixomose, I would imagine that the price of WRXs is pretty dependent on geography. I live in New England, bought a 5MT '02 wagon with 23k and one year of factory full warranty. It was through a dealer and I also got a year's worth of oil changes and "tires for life" -- i.e., when the tires wear out they are replaced. In my case these are A/S tires since I'm not going to compete in AutoX, or anything else, except for a rare playtime.

    As far as pricing goes, I found the help and market knowledge of the posters here to be very good (as well as very willing to help out a newbie). My car was listed at $18295. I left to go "look around" and the dealer dropped to $17400 on the way out. Based on advice here, I went back with an offer of $16k but had to go up a bit from there (which I was okay with as I wanted the warranty). I'm in New England. Assuming your car is in good shape, as a private sale I'd think you should offer it in the high 16ks and be ready to come down to $14-$15k.

    If others here have a different opinion, I'd take their advice as I'm still new to the WRX.

    JW
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    I'll keep the comparo on the WRX brief, then if people disagree or ask questions, I'll be glad to ramble on, oh, forever.

    The WRX is, in many ways, the opposite of our Porsches, designman. Both your Boxster and my 911. For those who don't know, or recall, I took my "new" (see above post) to the AutoX this weekend, along with my '93 911 RS America. (This is a lighter -- 2700+ lbs in the configuration I drive -- car than the std. Carrera for the early 90s, though it has the same hp (250 stock, but I have mine chipped, etc. to approx. 298) and the same torque (approx 250 lb/ft.). It has a suspension which is pretty stiff (my set up again is non-stock) and lightweight summer street tires (Toyo T1/S).

    Comfort: Here the Sube has it all over the Porsche, and did from its 'birth.' The Sube has space to burn (or, better, fill), seats that are easy to get in/out of, a quiet engine and running gear, air-conditioning that actually works and can be adjusted effectively, and would be comfotable on a trip of whatever length ... I don't even need my usual lumbar support on the seats.
              None of this is true with the Porsche. It holds two (slender) folk with the race shells I have in it. The back "seat" is laughable and, in fact, is unusable because I have a roll cage and a harness bar. I drove the car for 350 miles (my house to Watkins Glen) earlier this summer and nearly need a Jaws-of-Life to get out of the car and PT to get limbered back up. And the A/C is pretty much a joke ... it works okay from, say, 70-80 degrees.

    Power Delivery: Night and Day, with both night and day being good, but very different, things. Since you know WRXs pretty well on this board, let me tell you about the Porsche -- it has torque from down around 1200 rpm. At 4000, it dares you, even in 4th gear, to reach forward to the dash if you have it floored. I can spin the wheels at 85 mph. The power delivery is eager, demanding, and even (smooth) once it gets into its power band (approx. 2500 -- 6500 rpm). Shift point is at 6250. Of course the WRX also throws you back in the seat, especially in 1st and 2nd, but as you know the car needs to be shifted so it enters the new gear at something more than 3500 rpm, and the delivery of power is very surgy, abrupt ... it's going to take me a while longer to get used to the turbo and the need for higher rpm (my learning curve, and nothing wrong with the car). In an autoX setting, the turbo 2.0 is right at home but feels like it's running out of oomph at the top end of 2nd gear. I'll have to play with that.

    Suspension: On comfort, again, the Sube is great. But in hard cornering it isn't so happy. (I won't be making any of the obvious changes which I know many owners have done, since this will be more my car for the street in cold weather.) It rolls a lot, for one thing, and I suspect (having driven a friend's WRX sedan a while back) that the wagon has a different sway bar, and maybe a different spring rate (both softer) than the sedan. Is this true? Meanwhile, any Porsche, modified or not, is going to corner pretty flat and, with some adjustments to tire pressure, can be coaxed to oversteer, or at least be neutral. (The awd Porsche needs an awful lot of encouragement, but that is not a car I've driven on track.) The spring rate of my (modified) Porsche is much less forgiving, and this is a real benefit for its track behavior.

    Driving style: Interestingly enough, the front engine awd wagon and the rear engine, rwd coupe, both like to be thrown about pretty aggressively. (This is why the WRXs suspension would like to be firmed up, I think.) On both cars I found myself going quite deep into the corners, tossing the car into its turn in, but the WRX really didn't like the idea of oversteer ... but I'll bet I can talk it into it with some more practice. Both cars like trail-braking. The Sube pulls from the corners nearly as well as the Porsche when I would time my exit correctly. and I really enjoyed the effect the awd has on grabbing traction on corner exits.

    None of this is meant to imply that one car is superior to the other, but I thought it would be interesting to compare to dramatically different German/Japanese performance cars. Anyway, that's one person's $.02!

    JW
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    I think the spring rate is the same between the sedan and the wagon.

    The '02-mid '03 sedans got 20" sway bars, while the late 03s and on received 17" sway bars. The wagon has always had 17" sway bars.
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    Oh, it was JW. Great job, you are an excellent writer!
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    LOL! (and thanks. much appreciated.)

    Kevin, do you mean 20 & 17 mm?

    JW
  • nixomosenixomose Member Posts: 95
    I just checked nadaguides.com and they say the wrx is worth $18-$19k. I don't buy it, and I don't think anybody else would (I could always hold out for that sucker that's born every day).

    The BMW is a 1997 r850r. I test rode a k1200 and oh my god, that's not a bike, it's a herm... it's like riding the terminator. Too much bike for me this early in my life. I'll upgrade in 6 years or so, the 850 is just a lot of fun to ride.

    Thanks for the tip on the awd bmw. All bmw's are overpriced, I know the 325 is underpowered, but I've got the ballsy wrx and it's nice, but it's not fun. German cars, for whatever reason I can't explain are just plain fun. Japanese just doesn't seem to do it for me. The awd is only $1500 or so more than the rwd, so except for the power loss, might just be worth it if I'm spending that much money. But I'll take a look at the 325i, thanks.

    I live in New York 30 miles north of NYC, in the richest part of the country, westchester (I am not, however rich) I just spend all my money on cars.
    The wrx is in perfect shape except for door dings, I never hit anything or allowed anything to hit me. Never raced it, I just floor it a lot.

    I've had 3 cars in the past, and there just isn't enough time in the day to drive 3 cars, so one of 'ems got to go, and the gti is probably worthless at this point.

    Thanks for the input, all
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Come out and do some auto-xs or track days in the NY/NJ area with us....

    http://TeamIAC.com

    -mike
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    Oh well.
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    "All bmw's are overpriced, I know the 325 is underpowered, but I've got the ballsy wrx and it's nice, but it's not fun. German cars, for whatever reason I can't explain are just plain fun"

    - Interesting. That is the first time I have ever heard that the WRX was not fun to drive! Heck, that was the main reason I bought the car in the first place!! Well, each person has their own opinion. So it sounds like you are making the right choice.

    BTW, even though the 325i seems underpowered on paper, the car has plenty of pep and is fun to drive. Good luck with your purchase!
  • saintvipersaintviper Member Posts: 177
    Compared to my wife's A4, the WRX lacks a bit in the steering feel department. While the WRX no doubt handles much better, the A4's (and BMW's as well) steering feels much more precise. I think this allows you to drive the car aggressively with a bit more confidence. Some would say this makes the car more fun to drive.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    $30 steering rack bushings fix that, along with tires and rims....

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    How much installed?

    Is the job difficult, mike?

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    definitely recommend the steering rack bushings. this problem was finally addressed in the 2005 WRX STi but who knows when/if other Subarus will get it.

    for all old ones the whiteline steering bushings are a REALLY great upgrade.

    ~c
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I haven't done the install yet but I hear it's somewhat of a PITA. Not impossible though. I think we charge $150 installed.

    -mike
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    it's not that hard at all, actually. easier than a front swaybar on a turbocharged scooby... IMO.

    ~c
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    Tires and rims helped a great deal. Also wonder if the difference between the 02-03 sedan's 20mm sway bar and the wagon's 17mm sway bar have something to do with it too.
  • bkaiser1bkaiser1 Member Posts: 464
    I've had a set of Noltec steering rack bushings sitting here in my office for over a year now...I bought them for my 04 WRX to solve the crooked steering wheel and STILL haven't gotten around to doing them! The instructions make it seem like it's not something I will enjoy doing. One of these weekend's I'll gather the courage to tackle this one!

    Brian
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Colin - not hard for two guys with the right tools and experience, you mean.

    Try working alone with limited tools and 2 kids rushing you to finish. ;-)

    -juice
  • saintvipersaintviper Member Posts: 177
    I have performance wheels and tires on my WRX, but the Audi still feels better. Changing the bushings would probably help, but replacing the steering wheel which is way too big would be a bit harder.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wheel takes about 1hr to change pretty easy actually. "Performance tires?" which ones, just curious.

    -mike
  • saintvipersaintviper Member Posts: 177
    Firestone Firehawk SZ50 EP 215's on 17 inch Rota SDR's. Grip is excellent and steering feel is much improved. Like I said, the handling is much better than the A4, but the steering feel still isn't as good.

    While the steering wheel is quickly changed, I imagine an airbag equiped wheel would not be inexpensive. Haven't priced them though.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    never liked airbags :)

    -mike
  • searcher1searcher1 Member Posts: 6
    I'm looking for information from Canadian WRX Wagon owners regarding what they paid for their cars and what their experiences were with Cdn dealers. I'm in Vancouver BC, and would like to start pricing WRXs.

    Edmunds does not compile dealer cost information or TMV prices for Canada. In fact, there seems to be little if any useful pricing information for north of the border available anywhere on the net. Frustrating.

    I'd like to visit local dealers with some idea of invoice cost - otherwise I'm flying blind. Any relevant information is welcome.

    Also posted a message in the thread about WRX buying experiences.

    Thanks,
    S.
  • zenzen Member Posts: 1
    I picked up my new silver 05 WRX two days ago and now am running into a strange "howling" like noise when I go above 45 mph. I don't recall the noise on the test drive.

    I have the cross-bars on top (dealer installed option) and wondered if that might be what I was picking up.

    Anyone have a similar experience?
  • gotwrxgotwrx Member Posts: 52
    probably the turbo. When I first had my 02 and was driving it around with my 9 yr old daughter she told me to slow down because she thought she heard a police siren after us. It was the turbo whining :)
  • saintvipersaintviper Member Posts: 177
    I don't find that the turbo in my car is especially noticable, even under heavy load. It's more likely the roof bars. I put a set of Yakima bars on my car and they were extremely loud starting at around 50mph. Sounded like I was driving through a hurricane.

    I believe the factory crossbars can be removed fairly easily, so take them off and you'll know if they're the cause. The roof rails (not crossbars) alone do not cause that noise.

    My solution was to put a fairing on the rack. That took care of the noise. I'm not sure if you can do that with the factory crossbars.
  • philwang66philwang66 Member Posts: 61
    My factory (wing profile) crossbars definitely produces noticeable wind noise at around 50-60mph. Take them off with the supplied torx scredriver and see if it makes a difference.
  • threesinthreesin Member Posts: 50
    I know that the auto trans was not designed to be used like a mt without a clutch, starting with the "1" position and shifting through the positions to the "D" position. However, I've never liked the reved engine/shift action that happens when rapidly depressing the gas pedal to get a shift down for passing, a corner, or whatever. It seems to me that the shift down is much smoother and easier on the engine and trans alike by manually shifting down to the "3" position. Since I'm relatively new to the auto trans world, I'd appreciate any comments that could enlighten me on the best way to use them to get the best performance and at the same time, prolong the life of engine and trans alike.

    TIA.........Terry
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    I've seen several posts on various forums where auto drivers keep their WRX in "3" most of the time, unless they're on the highway.

    I believe it keeps the revs higher before the upshift occurs. Kind of like a faux sport mode. :-)

    -Dennis
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    by his profile it seems that Terry has an '01 OBS.

    those didn't have much a sport program to them, so yeah I bet manually downshifting is your best approach.

    ~c
  • threesinthreesin Member Posts: 50
    Sorry, I forgot to update my profile: the '01 OBS was 2 cars and 2 weeks ago. I now have an'05 WRX wagon:-)

    Terry
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Speaking of outback sport owners, what ever happened to Ramon? He was a funny guy.

    Alwin, I think his name was. Do you have his contact info Colin? Invite him back...

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I haven't heard from him in a looooong time. we used to talk on nabisco back in the day, too.

    ~c
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    didn't he get married? it seemed like after he got married he 'broke-up' with the forums ;-)

    -Brian
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I think he was a student at a university in/near Toronto so he probably graduated and lost contact.

    ** dig, dig **

    heh, I see that he still posts every once in a great while on nabisco. looks like he now owns a Forester S, not sure what year though.

    I've sent him a pm to say hi and invited him back to the Subaru Crew. :)

    ~Colin
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Thanks.

    I remember he was shopping for that Forester last time I heard from him, so it's been 4 years!

    -juice
  • oneduckstwooneduckstwo Member Posts: 34
    I posted this last night in the wrong forum but still got a reply to try to patch the tire but I'm wondering if anyone here has any thoughts:

    My friday took a turn for the worse with the discovery of a flat rear tire after work. Apparently a screw has found a home right in the middle of the left rear tire. I'm not sure how long these tires have been on (Firestone Firehawk SZ50) but they were slightly worn when I bought the 02 WRX wagon 10000 miles ago. Anyway, now my question is...do I try to get 2 tires or 4? It seems as though people think 2 is a bad idea. And also, any recommendations? I'm in Los Angeles and it rarely even rains! I'll probably have to do it at a Just Tires or something as I don't think I can wait to order from Tire Rack. Thanks for any ideas in advance.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    I would go with 4 new tires. Not that going with 2 is bad, it isn't and it's doable, but mainly that (IIRC) the Firestone Firehawk SZ50 has been discontinued. So, looking farther down the road when it is time to replace the other 2 you still would have to do 4.

    -Dave
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I doubt he'll be able to source them. It is a fantastic tire, but if you can't find a pair to replace them you should buy four brand new tires.

    ~Colin
  • oneduckstwooneduckstwo Member Posts: 34
    Thanks for the comments on the tires. I guess I was lucky and it was able to be patched for a total of $13. I have decided however, that I will be ordering 4 tires somewhat soon. I am considering the YokohamaAVS ES100. My new question is regarding these "cold air intake" systems. Are they worth it? Any warranty issues? It seems pretty straightforward and I would go with a more established brand such as K+N or something. Thanks again.
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    That's good that you were able to patch the tire.

    Unless you really want to buy new tires, I wouldn't worry about running a patched tire. That's assuming you are not autocrossing or running on a track. The patch should be fine for normal everyday driving.

    DaveM
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    ES100.

    Great tire for the money IMHO. If I bought summer tires these would be them.

    -mike
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    My new question is regarding these "cold air intake" systems. Are they worth it? Any warranty issues? It seems pretty straightforward and I would go with a more established brand such as K+N or something.

    Forget the CAI and save your money. It serves no purpose for turbo-charged engines - whatever cold air could be extracted would only be heated up after going through the turbo.

    -Dave
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    the ES100 is highly inferior to the SZ50 EP, fyi. I have owned both. rain traction, dry traction, handling, road noise, tire wear. rain traction the most but in all the SZ50 EP is superior.

    definitely do not install a cone air filter. not only is there no gain from 'cold' air, but it also will cause your Mass Air Flow sensor to read improperly and performance will DECREASE.

    bad idea.

    ~c
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