Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

nschulman3

What magazine was the article comparing high-performance tires in? Is EVO the name or just the initials because I'd like to read the article before purchasing my new tires? Thanks.

bluesubie

rexaroo - Yep, Stephen has about 280 horses in the form of a Vishnu Stage 0 (for now :-) ).

nschulman - EVO is a British car mag. Sometimes you can find it at Barnes & Noble or Borders.

-Dennis

stoner420

thanks for the info, stephen (wonder what my wife would say about cooking my headlights in the oven?... ;-)

WarpDrive

EVO magazine is a British magazine. Look for the July issue (might still be able to find it since UK magazines lag a bit here) It's a VERY detailed article with a battery of objective and subjective tests. Worth tracking down if you are stuck between the two tire choices. I always thought the Bridgestones might be better but the magazine refutes that notion. Either way, you won't go wrong

cptplt

dunno if it applies here but the 'same" tire sold across the pond is not always exactly the same as the ones sold on the other side.learned that when I brought a US spec Audi 4000 in the UK and brought it back stateside, the OEM Goodyear tires had a totally diffferent tread pattern from the US ones of the same type and it wasn't a case of a new model.

ponm

That was a great article in evo on the tires. I just went to borders and they were on the shelf. They really raved up the toyo's. MY next set of tires will be toyos, as I am running Kumhos now. I also have a set of steel grey attacks and I am really pleased with the looks of them.

paisan

Make sure you read articles about US sold tires which can and are usually different than the same models sold overseas.

-mike

bluesubie

A good way to find out would be to email the tire manufacturer and ask.

The current Sport Compact Car has an article on Ultra High and Maximum Performance tires. It's a buyer's guide though and not a comparison.

-Dennis

asthecrowflys

Took a wicked shot running over some debris in the road and unfortunately bent a new 17" rim in the process. Swapping out the rim today but Im wondering if I should have my local tire shop check the aligment as well. This is my first Subaru and Im wondering if there are any special considerations as far as the aligment goes which would better taken care of by the dealer. As a side note in the ongoing tire debate Im running Sumitomo HTRZ II's and they are outstanding. Not nearly as noisy or harsh as some had led me to believe. A great performer for the money!
-Steve

bluesubie

What rims do you have?

My alignments are done my a local tire shop. They give me a printout of the mfg.'s specs for alignments, which is the same thing in the owner's manual. I have no clue if 17's would be the same.

-Dennis

asthecrowflys

Ive got the Mille Miglia HT3's in light grey. Got the package from Tire Rack. They look great and are very strong considering the impact I took. Im surprised the rim didnt break. Its still a usable rim, I never lost air pressure. The bend is slight but I notice it and thats enough

palpullero

Hi everybody:

First of all, I hope that all of you who own a WRX are enjoying it to the fullest. I am negotiating a WRX wagon w/ Arm rest, Auto dim-compass mirror, and Security system, for a total of $22,600. I would really would like to pay a max of $22,500, since I already know what the dealers pay for the car (you know it is below $21,500...yes, really). What its your view on $22,600? Thank you.

kevin111

Assuming you are getting a Manual (of course you are! :-) )

According to Edmunds, the invoice on this car is: $22,408. The dealer is asking $200 above invoice.

Have you shopped around (contacted local dealers on the internet?)

You can contact another dealer and see if he will give you the lower price.

I ended up getting the rear differential protector also. I am not sure how useful this is, but will protect the rear differential for debris and rocks that might bang against it.

Regardless, have fun with your purchase (just make sure to break it in). I know I am!

cptplt

Just got a survey from them about my WRX. Have 3K so far and zero problems. Only defect I noticed on delivery was a few scratches on the hatch which the dealer did a pretty good job of buffing out.No extraneous sounds/rattles/CEL etc etc so far. I wonder if I will get another questionnaire later to follow up how the car is doing.
Will definitely put synthetic in the engine when I get first oil change. I think I will hold on the tranny/diff, some of the posts at iclub etc are worrying about grinding etc with certain synthetic brands. I'm more worried about the high engine temps than anything else. I'll stick with Mobil 1 as its readily available everywhere.6 qts at $22 at Costco.Dealer said I can bring my own supply in otherwise they charge $40 bucks over a regular oil change! Got 2 yr free service anyway. (SOA were giving coupons out at Chicago Autoshow - testdrive, buy a Sube, get 2 yrs free service), many were left over and my dealer took a bagful to give new customers)

locke2c

$22,600 vs. $22,500?

Am I missing something or is it completely insane to sweat $100 on a $22,000 purchase???

-Colin

barresa62

That was my thought too. :-) Of course, having bought my WRX wagon from the 1st allocation to WA State back in March 01', I paid full retail w/the same options as Palpullero so it all sounds good to me, LOL.

Stephen

ateixeira

Look at the big picture, is the dealer treating you well? Do they have a nice service bay? Are they mod-friendly?

If you can answer Yes to all those questions, buy from that dealer even if it's the one that costs you $100 more.

-juice

barresa62

rexaroo

Our silver 5-spd. wagon is one year old this week and for those of you thinking about buying a WRX wagon or if you just purchased one, thought I'd share a few comments on ownership so far.

First, my outright affection for this car has only grown as the miles have piled on. It is flat-out more enjoyable to drive than any vehicle I've ever owned, and that includes an all-time classic '72 Porsche 911S, a Beemer, an MR2 turbo, and even a Ferrari Targa (red, Magnum P.I.-style) which I had to myself for one whole day. The Rex just brings more grins per mile in the way it digs in and pulls you through the curves or catapults you effortlessly out onto the highway. Never thought I'd hear myself foregoing a beautiful Ferrari in favor of something that looks a little like it got dropped off an alien spaceship, but the Rex is beautiful on the inside and in the way it drives (although have come to also enjoy it's full-of-character and funky looks.)

OK, now to the problem areas. One time the check-engine light came on and I traced this to a tank of off-brand gas put in instead of the usual Amoco or Phillip 66 premium. Not trying to tell anyone what brand of gas to buy, but with the Rex, it pays not to cut any corners--buy a national brand with a reliable reputation where you live. IMHO, those two brands will never cause you any problems as far as CELs or misfires. Try to buy from newer filling stations if possible, as their tanks are cleaner and less chance of crud contaminating the gas.
On another occasion, some road-grit got caught in the spring-beds after a rainstorm, causing a kind of creaking suspension noise over low-speed bumps. If this happens to you, get it down to the dealer and have them clean out the beds thoroughly and insist they lubricate the coils and beds with wheel-bearing grease. If they just spray with silicone or WD-40, the sound will probably come back in a short time.
My only driving complaint is that on a hot day with the A/C going, the car tends to bog a little coming off the line at red lights. You have to give it a little extra juice (rev up to 2000-2500 rpm or so) to get a smooth take-off. (Also, the brakes could be a tad stronger and as soon as these rotors and pads wear down, a Brembo upgrade is in the works for mine.)

Finally, when you think about it, the Rex wagon is really quite unique in the automotive world--there's nothing else our there that gives you a Porsche-esque driving experience combined with wagon practicality, AWD, and a world rally championship heritage, all for $24k.
It's been an absolute joy to drive, and never for one moment have I ever regretted buying one. It's not exactly a car to drive to a black-tie event (although I wouldn't hesitate to drive mine--who knows, may start a chic new trend ;-), but it will definitely provide you with many reliable miles of blissful driving (providing you don't abuse it and show just a little TLC

kevin111

In terms of regret (buyers-remorse), if I ever start to think this, all I need to do is take the WRX out for a spin. I ended up getting the sedan. Just preffered the body style.

rexaroo

the sedan is great for racing and a little stiffer body shell--I've always admired it too. Hope you get a lot of pleasurable (and safe) miles of Rexing from yours.

hunter001

"Sounds like a good price to me, Assuming you are getting a Manual (of course you are! :-) )"

You do realise that the Manual is cheaper than the Automatic by around $1000, right ? So if he gets an Automatic at 22600, he is getting a GREAT deal. If he gets the Manual for the same price, then it is a so-so deal. ;-)

Later...AH

kevin111

But it is still just $200 above invoice, not bad in my books!

rexaroo, that is probably where I do ponder about my purchase. I love my car, and am thrilled I bought it, but the black station wagon looks really nice!

thinkinaboutit

I'm looking seriously at a manual wrx wagon, probably with few or no options... maybe upgraded sound... but a basic manual model... it will beat my 1987 honda civic hatch with 1.3 liter engine nicely, I'd say.

But the one option I can't decide about is the short throw shifter... haven't tried it yet.

This is basically a day to day commuter car... that I can play in occaisionally.

Why get the short throw? Even if its fun, is it maybe less "practical" for day to day use?

What do you think? Why did you get it, or decide not to get it?

I think I'm sticking with the 16" wheels because
1) this car will sometimes see snow
2) I think 16" will be so much of an improvement over current civic that no need to spend for 17"
3) it ultimately an expensive commuter and around town car, and i think I'll value a slightly softer ride over the anticipated 5 to 7 year ownership period.

Comments on that appreciated too.

Finally, I took care of this '87 honda civic through 15 years and a mere 85 K, from new until now. Is this WRX gonna die on me in 5 to 7 because of the high compression engine and turbo charger? Or given that I don't drive cars that hard, could I be looking at 10 years of happy?

I realize its all speculation, but what do you think?

thanks.

kevin111

thinkinaboutit - Good luck with your future purchase! You sound like me - mainly use the car for commuting, and probably highway driving, and hope to have the car for a long time. The reliability factor of the high compression turbo has been talked at nauseum on this board. The general consensus was if you get an oil change every 3-5K miles and keep up with maintenance, the engine should last you a long time. The 2.0L turbo has been a staple for Subaru for quite a long time, just not here in the states. The WRX has been sold in other countries for quite a while now. Because of this, the feeling is the engine can last well past 100,000 miles.

In terms of the short throw shifter, I am buying a sporty car, so I wanted the options that enhance this. Especially since I plan to have the car for a while. This is why I bought the short throw shifter. It does make shifting through the gears quick and easy. It is just a matter of preference, but I am happy with it.

barresa62

You will have to try a WRX w/this option. The short throw shifter requires a bit more shifting effort than the stock setup so commuting might be a factor to consider. I stuck w/the stock setup and it's more than fine w/my power enhancements. This is not to say that one day in the future I might change the shifter...never say never and all that, LOL. :-)

Stephen

nschulman3

I am in a similar situation. I went back and forth with the 16" vs 17" wheels and tires and at first decided to stay with the 16s. I actually got rid of the re-92s as they were terrible and replaced them with dunlop 5000 asymetrical all-seasons in the same size. This is a great tire for someone who doesn't want to swap in the winter, offering excellent dry and wet weather performance and decent snow traction in areas with mild winters. However, last week, I ordered a set of rota attacks with bridgestone pole position tires (225/45/17) adn am awaiting delivery. I have a storage bin, so i can swap them in the winter for the dunlops. It is inconvenient, but the wrx is the type of car that you push and i wanted a good summer tire for the car. As far as the short-shifter, i got it 1 month afr=ter buying the car and i think I'd do it again. If you drive in a lot of traffic and stop and go driving, it may be a bit of a nuisance since the car requires more effort than the stock shifter. However, if you find yourself wanting to shift quickly, you may want to consider it.

thinkinaboutit

thanks for all of the above comments....

So I take it that the difference between the short shift and the regular one is basically just that... a shorter shift lever... and thus more effort per shift, but less hand movement.

hmmmmmm....sometimes I shift the old civic by grabbing the shift lever near the floor.... but I don't think I'd want to do that in most traffic... gotta find a balance here between sport and convenience....

Well I will try it before I buy, but sounds like the extra effort of the short shifter may not be for me.

As for the 16" wheels, I'm hoping that the dealer supplied 16" wheels/tires in Portland OR area are good all around tires for dry/wet, and ocaisional light snow..... Do dealers offer choices on the tires or is it pretty much that you take whatever they've got?

kevin111

When I first purchased my WRX, the short-throw was a little tough to shift. About 2500 miles later, it is very smooth and easy to shift. It just needs to be broken in.

thinkinaboutit

I'll keep the break in issue in mind... thanks.

kevin111

The shift lever is the same length between the long and short throw shifters. As a matter of fact, with the same knob, you will not notice the difference between the two by just looking at it.

What makes the short-throw different is there is a shorter distance to move the lever into each gear than the regular shifter. As a result, there is less movement to go through each gear for rapid shifting.

thinkinaboutit

kevin, I hear you.... but if you shift a long lever by holding it near the floor you would get a similar effect.... at the top, you move four inches to engage.... at the bottom, you move about an inch to engage....

Obviously, as you say, the short shifter stick is the same length... but you can sort of replicate the reduced distance of hand movement by the method that I describe above... no?

Emphasis on "sort of" because obviously its not the same thing....

I see that what I said above "a shorter shift lever" is wrong... that wasn't what I meant... I meant a "shorter throw" shift lever.

kevin111

You are correct about shifting lower on a regular long-throw shifter.

I was thrown off by the "a shorter shift lever" comment and just making sure you understood what short-throw meant. A couple of people I know have confused the term short-throw to mean short shifter lever.

rsholland

a WRX with the titanium gear shift knob—but it *didn't* have the short-throw shift. I didn't like it. The titanium gear shift knob is hard and uncomfortable.

I don't know if you can get the short shifter with the softer (and much more comfortable!) ergonomically-correct stock leather gear shift knob, but if you can, that's the way to go, IMO.

Bob

rexaroo

This Momo Race Airleather ($75) feels perfect in the hand and matches the Momo steering wheel and dash beautifully as these photos show:

I have the standard shifter on mine, but the extra heft of this knob would give great leverage for the short shifter, IMO.

(This knob uses set screws, so if you decide to install it, you will need to make sure they are evenly and carefully tightened on each side so the knob is secure. Also, take a 1" piece of fuel line, split it lengthwise, and secure with a couple of twist-ties around the shift lever at the top of the boot and pull the boot over it so it stays up. Not as difficult as it sounds--you can do the whole installation in about 15-20 minutes.)

twrx

Hi, Ive got the short throw. Got a 10 mile commute and lots of stplights (Evansville IN AKA "Stoplight City" to the truckers). No problem. (Disclaimer: I have been driving stick shift for 33 years). We get some winter snow here so I stuck with the stock wheels and tires. Have fun with it!

TWRX

kevin111

When I had the dealer install a short-throw shifter on the new car, they placed the old "softer" knob on it. So far, I can not complain, it is very comfortable.

rsholland

That's good to know. Every one short-throw WRX I've seen, had the titanium shift knob.

Bob

thinkinaboutit

rexaroo..... well listening to the above, and playing around with the shifter on my civic this morning, I'm thinking that maybe the short throw is for me.... it really does take a "long time" to move from second to third with that civic "long throw" shifter...... in the civic acceleration is so slow it doesn't matter, but if you are really moving, seems a shame to waste more time in neutral than you have to....

...but I didn't like the look of the wrx "titanium" knob (not really knob shaped at all), so the picture you show is encouraging.... I wonder if the dealer can set that up for a reasonable cost or whether it is better to do myself.... short throw with a "knob" design would be great.

Sounds like they did that for you kevin.

rexaroo

thinkinaboutit--someone at a dealer told me that with the titanium knob, the idea is to "slap-shift" it by using the palm of your hand to whack it through the gears--supposedly the way pro rally drivers do it in a race. So it's not really designed with the convenience of everyday driving in mind, and probably why not a big hit with those that have tried it. Plus, it'll scorch your hand on a really hot day.

I like the threaded leather OEM knob (still have mine) and IMO, it does a good job whether you use the regular or short-throw shifter. I really got the Momo race airleather because it looks fantastic in the Rex--really brightens up that one area of the cockpit--and feels great when you shift because it fits so nicely in the hand. However, the Momo is held on by set-screws, so if you go that route, might want to wait until the short-throw shifter is fully broken in and easier to shift, because set-screws are not quite as solid in holding the knob on as a threaded set-up would be, and there is a possibility it might loosen a little with a really stiff shifter. Using the correct set of set-screws that come with the knob and tightening them carefully around the lever is the key to having a successful installation with the Momo. Anyway, best of luck with it, whichever way you decide.

philwang66

Rexaroo,

FYI, there's a guy on i-club that sells a Momo knob adapter. It's basically a plasticky sleeve that's threaded to fit the factory shifter. The Momo set screws bite into the sleeve, and you screw the whole thing onto the factory shifter. I've got one on order in addition to the Momo Race Airleather as I feel the stock knob is a bit too small.

8u6hfd

use some Loctite on the threads to prevent vibration loosening.

nixomose

I have only my vw gti vr6 to compare to lately... If any car needs a short shift kit from stock, it ain't the WRX, it's the gti.
From what little I've driven with them, there's something fun about a short shift (I guess that's why they do it)

I just put dunlop sp8000's on my gti (only got 30K out of the stock eagle rsa's and can now appreciate what crap they are.

Similarly with the wrx, I await the end of these tires, the re92's because they're definetly sloppier than the dunlops. I can't just replace brand new tires, I'm too cheap (and I just spent 20K on a wrx :-)

But when you get the opportunity, spring for nice tires, it's definetly worth it, you get very noticable handling benefit.

locke2c

VWs need more than a short shift lever, they need a new linkage. They're very sloppy.

Actually Subarus were like that too before the '99 2.5RS. Still not as long of a throw as VW, but the same butter-churning action. ;-)

-Colin

mgreene1

My 6-speed S4 was also very clunky with a heavy clutch. It was downright truckish compared to the WRX and it demanded an aftermarket short shifter which my Audi dealer happily installed. The WRX, with its well broken-in STi shifter, is on par with the factory Integra GSR shifter, which was pretty decent. The STi shifter was installed after purchase so I'm also using the factory leather shift knob. I tried a fancy titanium shift knob on the S4 but hated the damn thing. It looked good but was too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. The STi shifter gives the WRX a more 'refined' feel and that's what I was after. Slap shifting or speed shifting is a good way to screw up your synchros and that's a high price to pay for an extra tenth of a second. It's a much better idea to gain a good feel for how the clutch and shifter interact. Just work on your technique and you can easily do spirited shifts without causing any damage.

http://www.shortshifter.com/techniques2.htm

rexaroo

philwanq66 and 8u6hfd--thanks to you guys for the tips. That adapter is a great idea--I'm wondering if it also has a lip to hold the boot up (no provision for that in the Momo kit, so you have to improvise with the fuel line hose and twist-ties or something similar).

Philwanq66, would you have the guy's email who sells the adapter, by any chance? Ran a search on i-club just now, but couldn't find him. Haven't had any problems with mine so far, but the adapter sounds like good insurance to me. There's a good thread on installing the knob if you go to General Community and type "Momo shift knob adapter" in the search box.

bluesubie

mgreene, you took the words right outta my mouth. That definitely sounds like something that came from a salesperson, rather than a tech or service advisor.

Great pics on that website.
Here are some good Subaru specific shifting techniques. http://www.spdusa.com/shifting.htm
It was written before the WRX arrived, but applies to most Scooby's.

-Dennis

8u6hfd

The A4 platform cars (Golf, GTI, Jetta, New Beetle, TT) have a pretty nice shifter. My WRX buddies prefer that over theirs (mostly because of the soft OEM rubber bushings Subaru uses to appease the average consumer). One of my Honda friends (traded in his Civic Si for a S2000) keeps on telling me, I already have a short shift....(dieselgeek linkage eventually) A urethane shifter bushing (it is available in the aftermarket) will correct much of the sloppiness.

The STI shifter, the difference is night and day, it's shorter, with more feel, and more effort.

hunter001

"The A4 platform cars (Golf, GTI, Jetta, New Beetle, TT)........."

None of the above are "A4 Platform" cars. However, they are based on the VW Golf platform.

The only VW closest to the previous generation A4, is the Passat.

Later...AH

paisan

The Passat is just a stretched A4. And they are all based on the same chassis/platform. Like the forester is based on the impreza platform.

-mike