Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

ateixeira

Ivar: is it dependent on the temperature? Humidity? Altitude? Gas type? I'm wondering if there are any variables that are having an influence on performance.

-juice

bluesubie

C'mon now Stephen. Isn't the stage 0 *only* 260 h.p.? ;-)

-Dennis

barresa62

after more dyno testing. The 265hp was a preliminary number that got released w/the Stage0 sales promo & was never revised. I think the actual crank HP was something like 277.8 or something close. There are several older posts in the technical section of i-club about this. It's a moot point because I will be going w/the Stage1 (turboback w/the downpipe & perf cat) after living w/the Stage0 a while. The crank HP is around 300 - 305HP. :-)

Stephen

kens

So, most of the gains from the Vishnu package is from the catless uppipe, right? How much more do the ECU and other items add?

Ken

ateixeira

Good God those are some seriously killer HP figures. If I'm ever in the area I want a ride-along!

-juice

cinosweive

Seamus: For the sports car that it is, the WRX often lags other cars in things like skid pad tests. In comparing the WRX w/ the Acura RSX-s, Consumer Reports noted that the Acura gripped much better on the track. But the same reviewers noted that off of the track the Acura's handling became "unsettled" and that the WRX did much better on real roads. That was one of the reasons they preferred the WRX over the Acura.

Also, it seems that every mag that reviews the WRX notes that while it may loose it's grip faster than some other cars, when it does loose grip the car remains predictable and controllable. That might have something to do w/ the all wheel drive, or just a balanced design. Don't know. But an awful lot of cars with great skid pad numbers end up in body shops. I guess I am just trying to say that specs are useful, but they only tell a part of the story.

ateixeira

The Scoobie has 2" more ground clearance with the factory setup. If it snows, that Acura will scrape bottom, that is if it can even get going.

-juice

ialexander

Juice: My driving is in the SF Bay Area - fairly constant temperature/humidity/altitude. I have been restricting myself to premium gas (91) from a single Shell gas station (assuming that the cheaper gas stations might have questionable gas).

I have even tried allowing the car to warm up completely vs driving it cold (no high revs while cold). I used to notice it ran better when fully warmed up - but not lately.

hondafriek

Slightly less than a thousand dollars US for bump of 50 horsepower, that is relatively cheap horsepower.

How will this affect warranty? do you know?

Cheers Pat.

cmatthew1

Just purchased a new WRX Wagon three weeks ago and wanted to see if anyone else had noticed a smell coming from either the engine or catalitic converter after use. The car now has approx 1200 miles and I just wanted to make sure this is normal.

ialexander

My WRX wagon smelled from the engine too. Sort of like a burning rubber smell (not tire burning... . The smell went away after a couple of months.

corkfish

Imagine the performance you could get out of the STI version. Since the STI has a stronger engine block and forged components, well over 300 hp with some of the Vishnu parts. Kiss the warranty goodbye though.

bluesunlion

Finally got to drive my friend's new RSX-S with the 6 speed. Tranny was really nice, but the steering and road feel were vague. In some ways, I felt my 98 Civic felt more responsive. On several test drives in a WRX, I just felt more "attached" to the road. Granted this is all totally IMO, of course. Only real benefits with the Acura: Killer Bose stereo, and Moonroof.

locke2c

Pat,

If Stephen happens to suffer some sort of catastrophic engine failure after installing this kit, I suspect he's going to be in a bit of a spot to get warranty coverage applied to it.

But on the other hand, I think we can reasonably expect small things to certainly be covered... say a front crankshaft oil seal leaking-- that never happens ;-). And obviously anything outside of the engine itself isn't affected.

-Colin

barresa62

Not to dispell the fact that I'm taking a bit of a gamble but I do have a mod friendly dealer and the parts of the Vishnu kit are not radical. Besides all turbos respond favorably to better breathing w/o adverse affects assuming that regular maintenance is still followed and such.

Stephen

ponm

I got the same smell from my wagon, but it went away after about two weeks. Probably just part of the break in process.

newmediasoup

Hey guys,

I haven't bought my WRX sport wagon yet but was just test driving some today and asked the dealer the same question about the smell. I thought that I had been revving it to high or slamming the breaks in the test drive too much.

He told me that they put a special sealant on the engine for shipping across the ocean to protect it. The smell should go away after a few weeks. (Break in Period)

-Happy Driving.
Joel

cinosweive

Thanks for the tip on Vinlyex. I tried it this weekend - seems to work OK - not too shiny either. Unlike Armorall, it supposedly cleans too, so you don't have to clean the dash first (although, how could you tell the difference on a black dash).

subaruwrox

Does anyone know what the idle should be running at while at rest? My WRX idles at about 500RPM. I'm asking because it seems that I have less pickup starting from a standstill than I had on my 140hp '92 Honda Accord. If I rev it a bunch just before letting up on the clutch, I can get some boost, but it just seems like the whole process of shifting through gears 1-3 is rough, like I'm learning to drive a clutch all over again (after 14 years and 4 manual trans cars).

Or, do I just need to go back to driver's ed?

WarpDrive

There are TWO lines between 0 and 1000 RPM, the first one is almost right beside the 0 mark (representing 500 RPM) and the second one is mid way between 0-1000 and should represent 750 RPM. My idle speed is a hair above the mid (second) mark.

I know what you mean about the clutch, I'm definitely less smooth with this car than my other manual cars.

nixomose

If you think the shift on the wrx ain't great, go drive a VW VR6, most pain in the [non-permissible content removed] car to drive I've com across yet (for the ultimate pleasure, I recommend the audi tt) But by comparison, I LOVE the wrx. (still in break in period, so I haven't beaten on it yet.) While test driving a wrx I did a bunch of really hard and fast shifts, and considering I knew nothing about its shift points and had no feel for the car, it did rather well.

Anyway, I've had 3 black cars and 2 red, and here's what I've found. Any car will get dirty 10 minutes after washing and waxing. You're better off with a dirty car with door dings and scratches. Here's why: It may not look as pretty as possible, but at least you'll still own it. I used to own a 1992 brand spankin' new VW gti. Loved it to pieces, washed and waxed every weekend. It just so happens this is the car that the homeys in Da Bronx who can't afford beamers drive. So when they need parts, they go shopping in my neighborhood. I'm tempted to drill holes in each body panel of my cars so it won't happen again. But I dont' think the wrx falls into this category much.
And anyway, if you're driving 'correctly' all anybody should ever see is a black blur. :-)

hunter001

I don't think holes in body panels or dirt on the body, would deter crooks scouting around for parts, would it ?? Unless they are specifically looking for body panels !

Later...AH

vkwheels

I had a Prelude people liked to steal for the seats. I thought about slashing them myself with an exacto knife to make them undesirable. But that was...undesirable. No more Hondas for me.

nixomose

Yeah, the trick is to not get a car that people want.
When you're talking about cars in NYC, it's external body parts, people are always hitting you (or stealing *your* parts)
I hear GM has this problem becaue they use the same computer in ALL their cars, so if you need one you can steal from ANY GM car. Nobody is safe.

narenji

So maybe we won't have to deal with as much vandalism.

On another note, I just got Rota Subzeros 17x7.5 gunmetal with 225-45-17 Kumho 712s. The Gunmetal actually looks a little brownish, but otherwise it's fine. I actually wanted the steel gray but they didn't have that in stock, and I really wanted Subzeros. Rota also makes Tarmacs, but they're heavier by a couple of pounds. Subzeros weigh around 17lbs. The car looks good. I can't wait to go for a drive in the mountains with this combo. I'd post a pic, but I don't have a dig cam...

Pics of subzeros:

http://www.seriousauto.com/subaru_wrx/wheels/sub-zero/index.htm

paisan

Kids in the hood like shiny things to play with, so rims and such are a good way to get your car stolen. The crappier more common it looks the better you are from people stealing for joy rides/flash factor. Camry, Accord are high risk group cause of the demand for used parts.

-mike

chaynes1

I have 8,500 miles on my WRX wagon (black, BTW). The "smell" disappeared around 4,000 miles. Nothing but oil changes so far.. My problem is lack of windshield tint. I've noticed that the side windows have a reasonable tint, but the windshield is nearly clear and admits a lot of heat while heading sunward on hot days (I live in the deep South). Has anybody tried an aftermarket windshield tint...the kind that grades into little dots on the lower edge of the tint (like, gulp, General Motors cars)? As to rough shifting of the 5-speed, one car mag said that the Subaru drivetrain was "tight" and did not appreciate poor clutch/shifting techniques (as would, say, a VW). Mine shifts smoothly when I apply a very small amount of throttle while shifting. The whole idea is to equalize the spinning front with the spinning rear. Practice on an old MG and you'll appreciate the WRX smoothness.

artgecko

You guys knew this was coming as soon as you read Charles' note...sorry for the "overexposure" ;-)

Steve
homepage.mac.com/subaruwrx
homepage.mac.com/mga1500

cinosweive

I noticed you have rubber floor mats in your WRX. Are those the Subaru mats? Do they slide around much or do they stay put?

narenji

I didn't buy my rims for bling-bling; The Subzeros are lightweight and strong (as testified by people on I-club and a racing team that uses them), but I have locks on them. I don't live in the hood and I don't usually travel to shady places with the WRX (I'd take my fiancee's Protege). The combo isn't super expensive or as attractive as some OZ Superleggeras or SSR Comps, so hopefully they don't get stolen. I tried to look for 17in wheels that look similar to our factory 16in design, and the only ones are the UK spec 17in wheels, and those are expensive. This combo cost me about $1000 out the door, and I feel this is a good investment in improving the handling of the car.

The upgrade will help handling, but at the same time, it gives the car a different look. I could have upgraded tires, but the wheel bug bit me pretty hard...

artgecko

Yes, the rubber floormats are the Subaru brand. They fit OK, but not snuggly around the footwell. I heard the WeatherTech mats, which I usually buy for all of my vehicles, need to be trimmed to fit. I've never had to do this before. The car already had them, but I would have probably got them anyway. With the slush, snow, salt, and crap we get here in the winter, I'd want something that can contain it all.

My only complaint is what you hit upon. The floormat slides forward on a regular basis. I pull it back maybe one or two times a week at least. I can tell it needs pulled back when it starts to drag on the clutch pedal. I tried pushing it down on the tab for the carpeted mat, but it won't stay there. I haven't really looked to see what else I can do to keep it back.

Steve

cinosweive

Hmmm. Thanks for the info. I think I may have to buy them anyway. I have problems w/ the carpeted mat sliding as well, but I have to reposition it maybe only once a week. Maybe I can nail them to the floor.

ltcolumbo

I have seen several posts on this noise....some of us have it, some don't (or don't know what it sounds like or don't hear it). Why does this thread seem to drop without an answer? The same thing happens on i-club. I'm waiting for a call from a dealer to let me know when a factory rep will be there so I can take my car there for acknowledgment of the noise.

digidawg

Hello folks,

I've been reading your threads ardently as I ponder the idea of purchasing the Rex. So far, we've taken several test drives and we're really serious about the Rex wagon. Up until recently, we had been considering the new VW GTI because of the leather interior, heated seats, winter package (MN residents)etc. but we are unsure of VW's build quality after seeing so many horror stories on the web.

Our Subaru contact said that this specific upgrade (leather, heated seats is very do able and they'd be happy to oblige) I didn't see the numbers yet, but do any of you have a clue as to what this is worth in additional charges? Do you trust dealer installs of this sort?
Anybody else done this mod?

Thanks for your help.

Soon to be a Scoobie devotee.....

DigiDawg

cinosweive

Leather kind of defeats the concept of the WRX as a true drivers car. Grippy cloth holds you in place and reduces the sweat factor. Between the cloth and the high bolsters, I never feel even a tendency to slide during even the hardest cornering. Nevertheless, leather is nice.

My biggest concern about having 3rd party seat modifications would be the side air bags. I would hope that whoever modifies the seats can do so in a way that doesn't hamper the air bags.

cinosweive

Has anybody installed the vinyl bumper protector under the tailgate? It looks like, to avoid flexing of the protector, it has to be located fairly precisely on the bumper, but w/ the self-stick adhesive I don't think you can make any adjustments once it touches the bumper. Does anybody know how to do this correctly?

prayerfor

Aftermarket leather seat covers are available and fairly common -- there's a set for a WRX on eBay now. As mentioned earlier the biggest thing to make sure of is compatibility with the side airbags, but if the install is being done by a Subaru dealer I would imagine they've got that under control.

In Canada, WRXs come standard with heated seats (the blanks next to the e-brake are where the heat buttons go on the Canadian cars). I'm wondering whether in the US the same seats w/ heating elements are used, and all that's needed is wiring and the switchgear, or if Canada gets different seats altogether (the material seems to be the same but I've no clue if the seats themselves are different units). If it's the former, it would seem very easy for your dealer to get ahold of the wiring and switchplates and install them per Canadian specs. If all new seats are required then it would naturally become more difficult and expensive.

Let us know what you find out... if it's cheap and easy to add the heated seats I bet many would do it.

lilbluewgn02

Unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may be), mine came installed...Maybe you can post the question on the i-club

stupendousman

Installed mine last week. It was REALLY easy. Your right though, once the tape comes off, your done...it won't move.

The way that the protector is shaped, it is sort of molded to fit at an exact point on the bumper. I just placed the proctector on the bumper with the tape still on and noticed where it fit best (how far it was from the liftgate, etc.), then I took the tape off and placed it on the bumper. No problem. The one thing that you might want to be sure to notice is that there is a little "arrow" on the protector that you can line up with the rear lock to be sure that you have it centered.

Good luck.

Ken

barresa62

the wiring or the seating elements for heaters. I've researched this as I was hoping to have in my WRX. If the wiring was already there it would be pretty easy to unzip the seat material and put in the heating elements. The fact that the wiring isn't even there makes it difficult but not impossible.

Stephen

prayerfor

Thanks for the info on the seat heaters Stephen.

If Subaru is looking for ways to jazz up the WRX for 2003 this would be one fairly inexpensive (I assume?) place to start. Seems it would be a logical choice given Subaru's popularity in places with real winters like the midwest and northeast. Adding a factory sunroof like some other markets get would be another feature I'd sure like to see.

The problem seems to be that on the one hand they want to keep the car's price down, and on the other they want to build every one the same way such that all options are port- or dealer-installed. Can't do that with either the roof or the seats.

ctwrx1

Just thought I'd add my two cents worth about the personality of the 5 speed shifter/clutch in my sport wagon with 3400 miles. In the beginning I thought the shifter was a bit stiff and notchy. Getting into reverse smoothly the first time was next to impossible. The shifter is loosening up but I have to be very deliberate to get a quick shift into reverse. The gate seems very narrow.
I love the way the car shifts and quickly adjusted to the clutch. I can't remember the last time I experienced a bad shift. Getting off to the perfect start in first gear requires a bit of slippage and throttle and keeping the rpm's up slightly between gears does the trick. I've found the shifts get even better under hard acceleration.

gotwrx

in first took me a bit of getting used to after driving a 5sp civic for 17yrs. Still tend to change with the revs too low after a month or so. Just go to develop new "more agressive" habits.

First time I had to do a hill start I stalled it 4 times (I was tired after a long drive but...) Thought there was something wrong with the car but it turns out first gear is just a bit higher ratio than I'm used to. Helps get you 0-60 in 5.8 but I'm expecting to have get a new clutch much sooner since you have to rev the engine and slip the clutch to control the speed for parking etc if there's any slope.

tim

gotwrx

Played around with that Thule Evolution 1600 box I bought a couple of weeks back. Here's an update for all those that have been loosing sleep wondering :-)

With the factory cross bars placed as far forward as possible and the box slid forward as far as it will go, the tailgate will still not open past horizontal. The wing touches the box. Basically the box is too long by about 5 inches. After- market cross rails would help this some but not quite enough to fix it I think.

Tried to take the wing off. Thought it might be ok for the occasional trip but this is not intended to be a regularly removable item. The two bolts come out easily enough but there are some hidden clips that require more force than I was prepared to apply without instruction. So I won't be doing that!

Decided to keep the box anyway. Besides looking cooler, it just seems more useful than the Yakima Space Cadet or the Thule Excursion. The kids can get under the hatch so it'll be an excuse to make them unload the car. I'll just have to make a hatch "preventer" to stop the box from scratching the wing.

The "open on both sides" feature was definitely a plus when fitting it on the roof. Gotta get some shrink wrap on the quick release U's though. Dropping them on the roof really makes me cringe and its almost unavoidable.

First big trip with it in about a month.

Tim

tomsr

I don't have a WRX but I use to have a Subaru OB.
It did not seem to suffer from torque steer probably because it was low powered.I now have a
02 CRV and it torque steers on wet pavment when
taking off hard.Since the Impreza WRX was one of my choices I could have had I wonder what it feels like taking off on wet pavement.I like grip
all the time.My OB was a stick shift and it felt
like the clutch was slipping when accelerating
was that just the viscous coupling I felt?

hypov

Tom-
I don't believe the Outbacks (2.5l) are underpowered. On the contrary, it's pretty torque-y and well balanced that it does not suffer from torque steer.

cheers

-Dave

cinosweive

The WRX does not suffer from torque steer. Torque steer results from a non-centered transaxle coming off of a transverse mounted engine and the resultant requirement that the drive shafts to the 2 front wheels differ in length. Subaru's don't have transverse engines or non-centered differentials, so there is no potential for torque steer.

I haven't noticed the clutch slipping in the WRX that you experienced w/ your OB, but I am not a very aggressive driver. I haven't had any problem w/wheel slippage on wet pavement either, but as I said, I'm not a very aggressive driver.

stoner420

Hi people. Can anyone compare for me the performance/handling of the wagon vs the sedan, 5spd (I just test-drove the sedan today)? I am thinking of getting the wagon due to improved utility of extra storage space (baby on board), and only 80 lbs more weight. Plus it will be even more fun blowing past unsuspecting ct snobs in their beamers in a funky looking little station wagon...

I started recently thinking about replacing my 2000 accord coupe; the performance is very good (148hp) but just not as powerful/tight as I really want after a couple years .. though it has been totally reliable and performed mostly flawlessly (aside from some rust spots on the door and hood due to somewhat disappointing paint quality which seems to chip really easily), so I need to find something clearly better and just as reliable.. got to be worth the extra $10k or so it will cost to upgrade over a perfectly good car.. my wife's friend let me drive his vw jetta vr6 a few months ago, which has had me thinking about the desire to upgrade.. looked into jetta a bit, but i have questions about overall reliability based on a lot of what i've read (and then I saw yet another beetle with the yellow flower in it, on the way home...). another thought was acura rsx, it's got great reviews and I'm especially in favor of the idea of 6 speeds (accord is 5spd), but it's just too small and need to move to a 4dr.

Then I started seeing some mention of wrx on the jetta boards, and when I figured out it was subaru, I just shrugged it off at first, no previous history with subaru to speak of, I just thought they were dopey looking ;-).. then I got a little curious and saw what an ugly car, and was turned off at first, but then I started reading more stuff and people are comparing it to porsche 911 and faster than bmw 3series..

I test drove the sedan today, and it was pretty wild... had an approximate idea of what to expect, so I was aiming for that 3000 mark.. jeez that's nuts.. it starts out smooth enough, but then *whammo* that's no honda accord (in a good way). the clutch is much smoother than my accord, I had no problem getting started in 1st, the shifter is a bit more difficult (the gates are much closer, I had to concentrate to get into 3rd, but I think I would get used to it).. had some problems getting into 2nd smoothly, totally not used to that kind of power going from 1st to 2nd!!

I get the impression that subaru quality is pretty much top notch too, the car certainly felt pretty solid, everything seemed to be put together well (the press seems to think it's near indestructible), the interior is nothing special but seems adequate, I can overlook its lackings given the performance of that thing. The engine sounds a little funky compared to the accord at first, but who am I to complain with that raw performance?

(I even don't think it looks so ugly anymore...)

thanks.

stoner420

Hi, also as I have no prior experience with subaru in any way, can anyone give some advice as to how subaru dealers typically operate (assuming there is a "typical" style.. I am in southwestern CT in case that helps).. are they willing to deal, or is it almost msrp only? I typically try to pay no more than 1.5-2% over invoice, is that sort of attitude going to fly trying to buy a wrx? edmunds TRV seems to indicate typical prices around 3-5% over invoice?

thanks!

gotwrx

Haven't driven the sedan but the wagon is great and a lot of fun to drive.

According the the reviews I've read it gives up about 0.1 second 0-60 and is not quite as nimble.

This is probably due to weighing a bit more, being a bit taller, having a slightly narrower track, a thinner rear sway bar and no fixed rear seat bulkhead. I don't think its anything your going to miss unless your really test it.

On the other hand, the wagon has more head room, front and back and a bit more leg room in the back and has much more flexible stuff carrying abilities which makes it a way more practical vehicle.

And it $500 cheaper.

The only criticism I have of the wagon is that the rear view is a bit obscured, particularly in the left rear quarter. This makes merging into traffic etc. a bit more of a head bob than I would prefer. Larger side mirrors and smaller front head restraints would help.

Either car is great but the sedan is perhaps a bit petite for a family car. Of the two I'd definitely recommend the wagon if you're podding. Those things (babies) require a lot of stuff. I've had two so I know. The wagon is not huge but it is possible to do a weekend trip with family of four (mine are pre-teen). I recommend a cargo box for anything more extended.

On price, people commonly report $500 over invoice but it depends on the area you live in. I paid more but I bought the first silver one I saw off the lot since I needed a new car in a hurry.

Other good links are.

www.subaru.com. You can find dealers in your area and see what they have in stock.

www.i-club.com. They have regional discussion board devoted to Imprezas and a good search engine to find stuff. Lots of "dudes" though.

Report back when you decide. It's always interesting to hear.

Tim