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Comments
-juice
TWRX
-Frank P.
-Dennis
Any how, it seems as if he already found the fountain of youth - the WRX!
-juice
What is best price I can expect against invoice? I ended up at about invoice on the VDC; my Subie dealer has a bunch of WRX sports.
Second question: what are recommended options? I want 5-speed and good sound system (love the McIntosh). I don't need maximized performance, just best fun per buck.
Any other suggestions for convincing wife that 60 year old hubby needs to sell Supra and buy new WRX? Giving her equal funds for jewelry always works but would rather not go there.
Thanks,
Mike
-juice
If the sound system in your Supra is anything like the one I had in my MR2, Subaru doesn't have anything that will match it. Go with the base system and go aftermarket.
Jim
-juice
I am working on a long term financial perspective that will show how intelligent it will be to switch now thereby potentialy freeing more income for future vacations. This is actually looking promising as my rationalization tool.
Nobody has yet answered the $$ question. How close to invoice is anyone getting? I am in Dallas area.
Thanks,
Mike
-juice
Speaking of age, we used to have a Japanese Grandmaster during my Karate days, who was 94. He could singlehandedly kick all our butts, even if all of us were to tackle him together. He could catch the fastest of kicks/chops/punches almost as if it were nothing. You would be swept to the floor before you even realised it. He got better with age, I suppose, like old wine !!
Later...AH
Jim
Thanks all.
-mike
Ed
-juice
I keep my cars until they start costing me money or begin to rust. I expect to have this car ten years from now, if I can still shift gears. The car saw its first puddle the other day and has never seen a drop of rain. I lightly power wash the dust off the car before I gently wash it with a car shampoo and sheepskin mit. Then I blow the water off with my air gun hitting every nook and cranny. I'm nuts about the car, weak finish or not. My wife is jealous. I haven't figured out how I'm going to protect my WRX from our winter salt and sand once my 16 year old gets her license. She might want to use the third car we promised her.
From my experience in&around my father's auto shop, I know that new automotive paint is SOFT. Not too long after I started assisting in the body shop I REALLY screwed up a fender that had been painted 3 days prior, by simply leaning against it while removing masking paper from the windshield. Man did I catch hell.
However, I don't know how much time usually elapses between when the car leaves the factory and when it's first owner turns the key for the first time. It might be 2 weeks. It might be 2 months.
"Wife rationalization" is one of the VERY few fringe benefits to being single. I don't have to justify my expenses to ANYBODY.
DjB
But you may have a point about giving paint more time to cure before waxing. Then again, aren't new cars supposed to be delivered with a fresh coat of wax?
I hope that young lady will sign up on the Edmunds boards soon and see the further advise you have give.
From cold Syracuse!
Pete.
Yes, I believe the pre-delivery inspection is supposed to include a wash/wax. However, quite often the wash/wax is a very "fast & furious" affair, and might even involve a powered buffer for the polish. If the paint isn't fully cured yet, you can wind up with a finish full of swirl marks that show up plain-as-day when looking at the car from an angle.
I guess it all comes down to "is there a minimum time for a new car's paint to fully cure? Or is Subaru generaly paint quality below-par?"
DjB
I was at my local bicycle shop the other day and noticed another customer walk in. Then I looked out, saw he arrived in an identical white '01 LL Bean which was parked next to mine! That won't happen too often anywhere.
The "population" is really growing. BTW, there are two other members of the Boca Raton Bicycle Club who drive Subarus--a Forester and a blue WRX (which is owned by a 60 year old man who also has a Forester back north).
Don
-juice
Normally I do the coin-op self serve washes but I like the underbody sprayers in the auto washes.
Dennis
I drove the WRX again today and realistically don't think I want to pay $335 for the short throw shifter, $140 for the armrest extension, or $275 for the turbo gauge. It seems that they almost all come with the popular equipment group II. I have not yet tested the stereo setups. Am I missing some rationale; I will not be racing anybody, just enjoying the trips to the golf course. Who feels strongly about which options?
Now off to the autotrader with my Supra.
Mike
Most of this was on the car - I bought it off the lot, and I paid invoice for the extras, not retail. I bought some of these things after I got the car - for dealer cost - that was part of the deal. You should be able to get that easily. The car also had the "cargo bin" (NOT tray) which I don't recommend - I traded that back to them and got the crossbar kit, cargo tray and cargo net for an additional $150, which was a good deal I think.
I'm not too familiar with the stereo upgrades, but I think the consensus is you can probably do better with aftermarket stuff. The stock stereo is OK, not great.
Bottom line, my "must haves" (and things you can only get from Subaru) are: armrest extension, bumper cover, cargo tray, cargo net. Alarm system - Subaru (why not) if you can get a good deal, aftermarket otherwise. You'll probably never miss the other stuff.
Hope this helps, and good luck - you're going to love your WRX!
The turbo boost gauge is about $190 if you buy it yourself, shoft shift kit can be had for about $100 (after market) or $200 if you like the subaru unit.
So I guess my point is, if you are good with tinking, you can get the options you want later on and put them on yourself (or ask your dealer to install it) and get a "base" car if you can find one and leave the options gouging out of the equation.
Thanks in advance
www.stonguard.com has product details and "locate dealer," because this stuff requires some skill to apply, and an installation will cost more than pocket change but should be permanent and indestructible.
My feeling on stereo kit is that a better upgrade can be had through a good aftermarket shop than a factory deal. There are two reasons for this:
1: auto makers source their kit via huge bulk orders, and are always looking for the best ratio of price-to-stereo name. Even if the stereo says Bose or Monsoon or HarmonKardon, it was most probably 1 of 150,000 units from the stereo maker's lowest price point.
2: quite often the weakest part of a stereo kit is the amplifier, not the speakers. Speakers are only as good as the power feeding them; if they get a strong clear signal, they will make strong clear sound (right up until the speakers blow). If they are getting dirty power, or the amplifier's power-output rating is significantly below the speakers' power-handling, they'll make warbly sound right up until the AMPLIFIER melts down (from being overworked). A cheap-o amp will begin to deliver flawed power to the speakers much more quickly than a good one. Auto makers tout the name-branding on their head units and speakers, and often use bargain-basement amps (parts-bin stuff). So even a high-$$ factory upgrade might have a crap amp.
The other great thing about aftermarket shops is that you can get to listen to the equipment before you buy (as long as they're a stand-up shop). Quite often they've done work on that make/model car before, especially with cars the WRX and other vehicles that people are likely to tinker with. They might be able to put you in contact with a prior client who can bring his car in for you to listen to. One of my friends (whom I haven't seen in years, sadly) ran his own shop for years, and one secret to his success was pleasing his customers, who would then be willing to bring their vehicles in to show them off to new potential clients.
DjB
-mike
On the other hand, cheap components (speakers / amp) will never sound really good in any environment. My plan is to take a couple of my audiophile quality cd's to the dealer and really test the base system and the factory upgrades and judge from there. My guess is that I will stay with the base system.
The other Mike
Yes, it's easy to get a better stereo, but it's not worth it IMHO. Like the other mike said, take a couple of CD's to the dealer and decide for yourself. Don't forget the the subwoofer has adjustments.
-Dennis
TWRX
I agree strongly that the stock head, at least, is great. There are very few heads available incorporating CD and cassette, which is really nice to have. It looks right, has nice large buttons that are well positioned, logical, well lit, easy to use. What's not to like?
But NO manufacturer building a car to a lower price point than full-on luxury is going to throw in high end speakers. I got my wife 4 high end Polk Audio speakers for her Prelude for Xmas and they set me back $180, on sale - so good speakers ain't cheap.
-juice
You're definitely right about the turbo at altitude - I can fly over Parley's summit at any speed I choose in my WRX. My normally aspirated Acura used to cough and splutter over the top at 50 MPH max.
Can I quietly and just between you and me, without stirring up another big hoo-ha, suggest that the 5 speed is the way to go with a turbocharged engine? You can keep the engine on, or off, the boost, as required, more easily with the stick.
Very slowly and quietly leaving the room, so as to be hardly noticed at all...