Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

manavi

Thinking about the WRX wagon as a future new vehicle since they are fixing the headlights. One question:

Do the rear windows go all the way down? If not, how far do they go?

twrx

No, being frameless like other Subarus they don't go all the way down. Maybe 2/3 of the way. Great if you have a dog in the back, can't go overboard at a stoplight!

twrx

locke2c

Isn't the shape of the rear door more of the reason why the rear window doesn't go down all the way?

-Colin

hunter001

Yes, it is the size/shape of the rear windows that determine whether the windows go all the way down or not. For example, in the Acura 3.2TL, they go all the way down, while in the 2002 Honda Accord, they did not, due to the shape of the rear doors.

Later...AH

paisan

Colin is right, frameless has nothing to do with it. Otherwise the fronts wouldn't go all the way down!

-mike

artgecko

One thing we noticed this weekend while I was in getting my passenger side mirror replaced (it broke internally, and was flapping in the breeze - not an uncommon problem according to my sales guy.)

It was early and no one was in, so I was shooting the bull with my sales guy. He said "take a look at this" and climbed into the back seat of a WRX sedan in the show room. "No headrests in back. And watch this!" He tilted his head back, like you would if you were looking up at the dome lamp or a little further, and his head was resting against the rear window! And this guy is shorter than me; maybe 5' 6" or so.

I'd never noticed this, nor heard it on the oft quoted list of differences between the sedan and wagon. Anybody else?

jmgregory5

ctwrx, the first gear issue could be related to hitting that magical point where both the engine revs and the speed of the transmission are a perfect match for a cluthless shift. I am not sure the exact mechanical reasons this happens, but I used to practice doing this on an old Dodge Colt I used to own. I got pretty good at it and could get from 2nd to 4th without using the clutch (and not grinding gears either). If you were negotiating pot holes, a jarring impact could have thrown you out of first. Just a thought.
John

jmgregory5

Yeah, honda covered the new transmission. Although I have read it and heard it on an auto related radio show (all about cars on wtdy.com - a great show on sat. mornings from 8-10 cst) about getting an extended warranty (70k) on the tranny, I have yet to get confirmation from honda.

John

ateixeira

I *have* had a dog hop out of a moving car - Hadji jumped out of my lap when a neighbor with a 200SX was driving us. I was completely shocked.

He's worn a harness ever since.

Usually, even if the rear window goes all the way down, it's a split window. Look at the CR-V, for instance, there's an extra pillar between the B- and C-pillars.

Forester has 3 adjustable head rests in back. :-)

-juice

saintviper

The WRX wagon has adjustable headrests in back too. (2 I think, maybe 3). I have considered removing them as they block quite a bit of the view out the back. They make backing out of parking spots a little awkward.

ateixeira

I removed mine because I have kids in car seats. They are stored in the cargo area if I need them, which is rare.

-juice

twrx

HEH, HEH, Back in 1978 a friend of mine bought a 4 door Cutlass. The rear windows did not go down at all. When I questioned him about it (since the reason was GM had gotten cheap about it) he told me it was the shape of the doors. I then asked him why my friend's Honda Civic wagon had rear windows that went all of the way down even though the wheelbase was so much shorter. When I wrote that the Subie windows don't go all the way down because they are framless I realize that's not quite correct. You could do it with frameless ones but you would have to have a fixed quarter window over the wheel well area. That would look pretty strange when you opened the back door. It does not look bad if they are framed and if you look at short wheel base cars that is how they get by with it. This same discussion was going on over at the SUV online Forester forum about 5 years ago when I got my first Forester and some people actually thought it was a child guard feature not having them go down all of the way. In fact as I remember the question was asked if you could over ride that and make them retract fully.

TWRX

ateixeira

Child guard, hee hee, I'm sure that was just a coincidence.

-juice

paisan

That was just a creative way of marketing it.
Engineer: "Hmm we've got this problem the windows won't go down cause the wheel well cuts into the door..."
Marketing guy: "No PROBLEM! We'll just tell them it's done on purpose as a 'safety' feature"

-mike

twrx

I swear the story is true Having said that I like the way the my windows work in the wrx better than the Forester I previously owned. Rather than swinging down at an angle they drop straight down. Also it seems as if they open more. Legacy/Outback owners, do the windows on your cars drop straight down?
twrx

hypov

The pre '00 Legacy/Outback didn't.

-Dave

artgecko

"The WRX wagon has adjustable headrests in back too. (2 I think, maybe 3). I have considered removing them as they block quite a bit of the view out the back. They make backing out of parking spots a little awkward. "

I know the wagon has adjustable rear headrests. What I was saying, is that the sedan doesn't have *any* headrests in back, and that even a short person's head can easily contact the rear window. A big advantage forthe wagon, I would think.

Steve

wrxoris300

I'm seriously considering the WRX wagon, for its combination of performance and apparent practicality, but I am bothered by the fact that I will probably not be able to carry a ski box on the roof. It seems that the wagon spoiler will bang into any ski box after the back hatch is lifted even a tiny amount. If the spoiler weren't there, I think I'd be able to lift the hatch at least half way and get stuff out of the back of the car. In Canada, the spoiler is included with the car - no choice.

Am I missing something? Is there any ski box out there that will fit on the WRX wagon.

Because of this, I'm thinking the sedan might work better, because I could put Thule or Yakima racks and a box on the roof and still open the trunk. Or use the pass through.

Btw, I have kids so I need to use the back seat, so putting the seats down and putting the skis in the back isn't a useful option for me.

bkaiser1

I've seen plenty of WRX wagons here in my area with rooftop cargo boxes...not the huge boxes, but "Rocketbox" sized. I saw someone loading the back of a WRX at Costco and the hatch was touching the box, but there was plenty of room to stand under it. If you go with a medium sized box and push the roof rails as far forward as you can, you should be okay. Happy motoring!

ateixeira

Keith: I'll have to check my wife's Legacy. To be honest the rear windows are usually closed to keep the wind off the kids back there.

-juice

wrxoris300

Thanks for the info, bkaiser1. Do the wagons you see have the spoiler on? And do you think a 6'3" ski would fit in the boxes you saw on their roofs?

thanks

erics6

I've got a Yakima Spacebooster http://www.yakima.com/products/dynamic/8007090_6.html for my Outback. I don't have the spoiler and it's pretty tight. I had to drill new holes so it wouldn't bang into the hatch. When I looked at the WRX wagon I didn't see how the box would fit without banging into the spoiler. Even without the spoiler I think it would make contact. The Spacecadet cargo box should fit the WRX, but isn't long enough for skis. Too bad they don't offer a highrise tower for vehicles without external raingutters. You might consider a ski rack instead.

kevin111

I have the Sedan. It has integrated Headrests in the back seats. It is a bump that sticks up from the back seat. I have sat back there and have been fine.

corkfish

The spoiler is probably removeable

bkaiser1

I can't recall seeing a WRX wagon without a spoiler, but it's entirely possible that the wagons with the boxes did not have one back there...so I'm not positive whether they did or didn't. Either way, there's going to be SOME contact -- it's just a matter of the hatch opening up enough to be usable. The spoiler hits my Rocketbox when it's on my Outback, and it's a much bigger car than the WRX.

Sorry I can't be of more help with specifics. I'd definately consider putting a ski rack on instead of a box since clearance sounds like it's going to be an issue...6 foot skis are likely going to need a really big box!

B

bluesubie

Here's a pic on the i-club:

http://forums.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=121746&referrerid=767

Do a search there and you can find tons of threads about boxes, racks, etc.

-Dennis

ateixeira

If you do, do you end up with holes that need to be plugged?

-juice

sea2ski

There's actually no need to removed the spoiler, get a shorter box, or to have any contact between the hatch and ski box. The key is to get the yakima "hybrid" rack system that uses Q towers in the front (like the sedan) and attaches the roof rails in back using either the doublecross or lowrider towers. The Q-towers in front are mounted ahead of the roof rails, allowing the box to be shifted forward.

I'm using this system with a thule evolution 1200 (90" long or so), but you could easily use any of the evolution boxes (the mounting points are more adjustable than the yakima boxes). The box sticks out a little over the front windshield, but not enough to impair view. The hatch can be opened fully with no contact.
-Dave

boardoholic

i'm hoping to finally get my '03 wagon in the next few days, but i need a little help fr: y'all. i live in san jose, ca, and a past posting on this site said that our local dealer doesn't have the greatest service dept. since i'm more comfy having my rex serviced by the same folks i buy from, where should i go?

another past poster as well as an '02 wagon owner i had a chance to chat with both recommend santa cruz as the place to go. at last check they currently did not have "the one" i'm looking for. redwood city, however, has 2 in stock, but i don't have any info on their svc. dept.

please, help me, since i don't know if i could hold out any longer. all my research has made me envious of all you veteran owners out there.

thanks in advance!

hypov

you need not service your car from where you bought it from. Buy it from the dealer that will offer you the best price. Service it from the dealer service that has the best service available.

-Dave

wrxoris300

Thanks for the info. That sounds like the best solution I've heard so far. Recently I've been wondering if the frameless window of the Impreza can take a rack well. I will drop by my local rack shop and ask for their advice for the setup you have recommended.

thanks

janbaldy

I bought my Rex from Santa Cruz (and I live in Reno). I haven't needed service yet, but Santa Cruz has an outstanding reputation among I-Clubbers. I would give them a try. I can say that the sales experience was great. No hassles, no last minute changes.

Good luck!
Paul

surfn008

I am looking to purchase a WRX Wagon, and have questions about the options.

Muffler: $895 is it worth it (are there better aftermarket options)?

Suspension: $1,500 is it worth it (are there better aftermarket options)?

Wheel Package: $3,035 is it worth it (are there better aftermarket options)?

These are the only options that I am questioning; however does anyone know what the asterisks means next to muffler and suspension options?

Thanks I really appreciate it.

boardoholic

i guess it's just my personal preference to buy fr a dealer w/ a great svc dept. it's just the combination that my pop thinks i'd be better off doing that & maybe i'm 'paranoid' that the svc folk will be less accommodating to me & my baby rex. in any event, if anyone out there has feedback re: carlsen subaru of redwood city, i'd still appreciate it since it slightly more convenient to go to for me fr san jose!

karl1973

Yes, there are better options you can get aftermarket. The factory BBS wheels are especially, ridiculously, overpriced. You can get comparable wheels (weight-wise, and strength-wise). For the kind of money they charged, you can probably get forged Volks/Rays wheels.
Go visit www.i-club.com and look around. Some people can be a little "juvenile", but there is good information on there nonetheless.

dsattler

...has much better prices on wheels, and many choices, tires, too. www.tirerack.com. They'll even mount the tires, balance them and drop ship them to an installer, if you wish. I've never tried them, but many folks rave about them.

WarpDrive

Those options are actually overpriced by about double.

You can do very much better in the aftermarket but it will take some research as to what people are buying.

For example, the wheels. You can get very good quality wheels and tires for $2000.00 and you'll then get to keep your existing ones also. You can get a whole cat-back exhaust system for the price of just the muffler that they are charging.

I didn't look at the web page, but the asterisks could signify that they are dealer installed options, and are not covered under warranty because they are racing parts by Subaru Technica International, an in-house tuner and accessory maker.

sea2ski

wrxoris300: Good luck with the rack - the contact area for the front towers on the door frame is pretty small - but I haven't had any problems and used a similar setup on a legacy since '95 with no problems.

boardoholic: I bought my wagon from Carlsen subaru. The salespeople all seemed pretty straight-forward and I've been satisfied with the service departement, but have only used them for oil changes so far. Have heard good things about them from other people though, and I know they sell a lot of WRXs, so they should know what they're doing.

surfn008: I agree with the others - the factory options are WAY overpriced.

stupendousman

Boardoholic: I went to Carlsen Subaru, and I got "bad vibes" from the sales guy I talked to. I guess I just felt like I was going to get abused trying to buy from there. But, they have to be WAY better than Steven's Creek. I haven't heard a good thing about them, and I stopped by there twice and came away very annoyed by their sales force.

I ended up buying from Ron Price in South San Fran and I had a very good experience. But there is HUGE praise out there for Santa Cruz, so I would say it's worth the extra hike to go out there.

surfn008: Agree with you as well. I wouldn't go factory options. I'd buy aftermarket. Anyway, if you can (and their aren't warrenty issues) it might be a good idea to do some of the install on your own. I did, and it was a great way to "get to know" my subie and save some money.

twodogdraw

I'm considering buying a WRX wagon for many of the reasons listed in the gobs of responses I've already read. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble focusing and have a crushing headache after scrolling back about 500 posts, and I haven't found an answer to my question...
My question: Does anyone have an idea how the wrx does in snow. I live in Colorado at close to 8000 feet, and pretty much have to deal with snow for at least 4 months. I realize that it won't do 2 feet like my tacoma, I just want reassurance that it will make it through a fresh 9 inch or so dump.... any thoughts?

allhorizon

Assuming winter tires, 9" of powder should be fine, but not 9" of that slushy stuff you get in April. The WRX simply does not have the clearance for that. If you need to be able to go with that car every day, perhaps you can wait for the Forester Turbo, put on slighty larger tires, raise the car via springs by 1-2" (cheap), and you should sit (I mean go) pretty.

- D

paisan

My aunt drives through slushy stuff with her SVX, I don't see the WRX having a problem even in 9" of slush if it's got snows.

-mike

djasonw

I used to have a '96 A4 Quattro (did fine in snow) with probably an inch lower ground clearance than my '02 Wagon (recently traded ). With snows you should have NO problem even in 9". I
recently read an article in one of the major car mags (can't remember which) and the editors compared numerous cars and they liked the Subaru the best in the snow. Its light weight, nimble handling and AWD system was the best setup in their testing. Unfortunately I never got to feel how Subaru's latest AWD technology (in the Auto WRX) would handle the snow but I imagine it would be fantastic.

bluesubie

I had a 97 Outback Sport for 5 years, and it was great in the snow. I'm in Central NJ and we get a wide variety of conditions. The deepest storm I took it out in was 18". No problems at all with clearance, tires were the then OEM BF Goodrich all-seasons.

-Dennis

twodogdraw

Thanks for the input.
Most of what we get is good powder rather than the slush of the east coast, and even a foot of snow is usually removed by the plows pretty quickly... so, it sounds like the snow shouldn't stop me from getting one... I'm running out of excuses.

twrx

In 1998 my wife made it through a snowfall that eventually ended up as 14" total accumulation. Her car at the time was an Impreza 2.5 RS which had 1/2" less ground clearance than my WRX does, or 2" less than the Forester had that I owned at that time.
TWRX

barresa62

Last winter I took my WRX wagon w/Dunlop Wintersport tires on stock rims up to the Cascades in WA State & Whistler/Blackcomb in B.C. Canada several times. The car did fantastic. Granted it's not going to have the clearance of an SUV but I would seriously have to have an emergency to be regularly driving in a foot of snow or such. In other words, not an issue for me. Hope this helps. :-)

Stephen

kevin111

Saying something to the effect that it was unstoppable in snow in its long term test. I believe they tested it in Michigan.

WarpDrive

If the "snow" issue is stopping you, you just ran out of excuses as of yesterday. The WRX loves snow. Anybody that doesn't drive the WRX in the snow with good snow tires hasn't REALLY driven the WRX. This is the only time I feel sorry for those Texans and Californians

xcskier

... in the snow. I took delivery of my wagon last January, and had it out the remainder of the winter in the northern Utah mountains. We never got a HUGE dump, but it was out in some 5-6 inch snowfalls. Many days, the roads were in very poor condition (ice and slush) even without deep snow.

In my case I use Nokian NRW snow tires (which I guess are officially rated as some sort of all-season plus).

The car on these tires simply gobbles up winter roads. I couldn't believe the security and grip. When the roads were terrible, I slowed down just because it seemed "the right thing to do." I believe I could probably increase speed without much problem.

When it was brand new, I did run for about two weeks on the OE Bridgestones, while waiting for the Nokians to be delivered. The improvement resulting from the tire switch was very distinct. I would not recommend the Bridgestones for regular, heavy-duty winter driving in the mountains.

I bought this car specifically for its ability to handle mountain interstates and twisties in the winter, and I haven't been let down yet.

Twodogdraw, just go for it. I bet you'll be very pleased if you do.

Good luck, and enjoy your early snow. We're still waiting for our first big dump here.

-Ted