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Comments
Congrats on the car... regarding your questions:
a) Tire pressure's a bit high unless you're planning on autocrossing. The manual/doorjamb says 32F/29R for pressure but you could probably add 3psi to the spec without sacrificing much comfort.
b) Pretty much... but probably not cool with the local law enforcement
c) I recall reading something about the smell being some sort of coating applied at the factory which burns off shortly. Mine did the same for a week or two. Perhaps someone else could further clarify.
d) I didn't get it so I didn't look into it. I guess you need to decide whether it's worth it to you. I know that you can shop around for it.
Enjoy the car!
Phil
now, where can I get stock mud guards for front and rear...I checked online and the only store store where I found them says i have to cut the front mud guards to fit...anything easier?
Hope you enjoy it--finally, after 2 years on the road, mine is getting more and more second looks--I think people are finally starting to warm up to the styling.
-Dave
It really comes down to how many highway miles you do--hwy miles are the easiest on engine oil, so if you do at least a 50/50 mix of highway and city, I'd say you could go 7500 mi. easy, especially with the M1.
If you are doing mostly stop and go city driving, that's a lot harder on the oil and considered "severe" driving (see Maintenance booklet, top of page 45), so then I'd go with the 4K just to be on the safe side. Also, just having a turbo on your engine is considered "severe" service by many engineers-- that's another reason in my book to swap the oil out a little sooner.
Kublin Method
If you go to theory #5, the Kublin Method, you can just plug in the values for your Rex and get the mileage you need to change at.
For example, if you use Mobil 1, just plug in an 8 for the virgin TBN, 122 for the cu. in., 227 for the horsepower (or whatever upgraded hp you have), and 4.8 for the oil capacity.
If you do mostly hwy miles and have an average of 28 mpg, then this works out to changing the oil at 5779 miles.
If you are an around town lead-foot like me, getting 20 mpg with a Cobb juiced 260 hp, then it works out to a change every 3604 mi.
Note: These mileages would be a little higher using Mobil's current- day TBN of 11-12. (Ted Kublin works for Amsoil, so IMO, he is giving his product an unfair advantage here.) When you do that at 28mpg, it works out to changing it at 7946.
I liked the car a lot - it appeared to live up to all the praise it has received in the press. I was surprised, however, by the amount of turbo lag. I did what I am used to in my current car ('93 Civic SI), upshifting quickly from 1st to 2nd at fairly low revs. There was no power at all until the tach slowly worked its way up close to 3000 RPM. The engine was very sluggish below this. Once I got the revs up, the acceleration was very strong.
I adjusted my shifts so the revs were higher, but I was still surprised how little torque there was at low speeds. It felt like even less than in my Civic, which only has a 1.6 liter engine.
Does low-speed power improve as the car is broken in, or do you have to just rev the WRX in city traffic all the time?
If you use the gas pedal with a bit more urgency, you'll be into boost rather quickly (turbo lag is not huge in this car). Once you're on boost, keep it there if you're concerned about power.
If you mind your revs at launch you should have no problem getting into boost quickly. When I am puttering around town, I try to keep the revs around 2500 rpm, and in the correct gear (either 2nd or 3rd) and the car feels plenty strong. This also allows me to get into boost with just a quick jab of the throttle.
John
On my car, I had basically the entire exhaust upgraded on the same day, and the car was absolutely transformed. (In WRX parlance, I had the OEM "uppipe", "downpipe" and "catback" sections replaced.)
Another very popular mod is to have the stock ECU "reflashed" with more performance-oriented settings and parameters. This also delivers very impressive gains while retaining stock smoothness and reliability.
To get a better sense of the HP and torque improvements from these options, visit Cobb Tuning's website. They're widely regarded as one of the top Subaru tuners out there, and they have their own reflash product called AccessECU.
http://cobbtuning.com/wrx/accessecu.html
Be sure to check out the dyno graphs!
The break-in period with the WRX was a bit of a chore because when you shift at 4000 rpm (which is recommended) the tach drops back to 1500 RPM, and it's bog city. Now that I'm 700 miles past break-in, I can drive the car more naturally, which means shifting at higher revs. This helps out a lot. Now I don't even notice the lag because I've "programmed" myself to change my shifting habits I was holding over from the Si. You should see how it feels when you make that 1st to 2nd shift in the WRX at 6000 RPM. Butter.
Point is, the WRX and Si are a lot alike in some ways (power starts slow then pours on, driver's car, great value) but have different characters. When it's performance time, the WRX wants to be man-handled where the Si was a little more laid back. In some ways, the WRX is a little more involving, which I love. Even so, it's easy to drive the car in a relaxed manner when you choose to without having to work at it.
I can't think of another vehicle under $40,000 I would replace my WRX with. It's the perfect size, handles like a dream, has tons of power, is well designed and has lots of character. And it's an all-season sports car. Living in Canada and driving an Si, I'm sure you've had your share of white-knuckled winter moments (I know I had mine in NJ). The WRX wagon should be a delight in winter, especailly shod with snows.
So don't worry! We're all here because we love our WRX's. Turbo lag is an issue, but not a big one. It's a great car, and anyone who loves real-world performance value should get one. But you know that because you chose to voice your concern in this forum, which is filled with WRX-lovers.
Keep us posted on your decision!
-jim
TWRX
(50 year old WRX owner and loving it.)
Has it always been there for y'all?
-Dave
Thanks to all for the input. Your experience and comments are definitely appreciated.
I intend to go for another test drive at a different dealership and check out a few other cars. I am thinking of testing a Honda Element. I know it's totally different from a WRX, with none of the performance, but the space, practicality and fun factor make it a candidate.
But the Subie looks like the one. I've never owned a high-performance vehicle, and I think it would be very cool to own something really fast and sporting that also happens to be a 4WD wagon. Sounds like an ideal combination of fun and function.
The safety factor is important to me. Jim, you are right - I have definitely had my share of hairy scenes on winter roads in my SI. Generally, it has been a good winter car, especially as I live in Vancouver, the only part of Canada that has mild winters. One night about three years ago I drove to Alberta in late December and got a fright I'll never forget. I hit a patch of slushy ice on a stretch of two-lane highway north of Kamloops, lost traction, and spun around several times as I crossed the oncoming lane. I ended up in a snowbank and was none the worse for wear - luckily for me, as truck traffic was heavy that night. I happened to have lost control when there was a gap in the line of semis and cars streaming toward me. A couple of hours later, I rounded a corner to find a bull moose on the road dead ahead. He tripped on the icy pavement as he tried to get out of my way. I didn't dare apply the brakes too hard, because of the extremely icy conditions. I managed to avoid him by carefully steering around him into the oncoming lane, the rear end fishtailing as I passed. The rush of adrenaline kept me wide awake through the rest of the drive.
As reliable as the Honda has been, I'd like have a more sure-footed vehicle next time I drive in similar conditions. The WRX would appear to fill the bill.
I'll probably be a buyer in the fall. If any Canadians out there can tell me about their experiences with Sube dealers, I'd appreciate it.
I think the Element works primarily as a FWD car until there is wheel slip, then transfers power to the rear...I have no experience with that system in snow/ice but I think having 50/50 distribution would be better.
Having said that...I noticed that my steering wheel was slightly tilted to the left. The car tracked straight and tire wear is even so I didn't think much of it. Yesterday I noticed the steering wheel had straightened...Today it's off again....I found the cause and it's a little scary. A hard turn left will leave the wheel off center to the left. A hard right will straighten it. Something is loose! Dealer can't see me till next week. I have driven it like this since new (5xxx miles now) so I'll wait till next week but I have lost a little confidence is Subaru's quality control.
I got my wagon with 1 qt low trans fluid, Over 40 psi in the tires, the shift boot loose (I have the short shift installed at port) and a lot of the tubing in the engine compartment not snapped in their holders. No design flaws just poor quality work.
Don
Just keep in mind that the WRX isn't the winter-weather savior that some seem to believe it is. AWD will help you to power out of trouble, provided you are skilled enough to know how to do it. Lift the throttle, and AWD has no effect.
So, for sudden lane changes, hard braking, or any other off-throttle emergency maneuvers, well the WRX reacts much like any other car (OK better than most, but more similar than different). After all, every car out there has front-wheel steering and all-wheel braking!
(Around here anyway, it's the mistakenly overconfident SUV drivers that are the first in the ditch when the weather turns nasty...)
-juice
I recall Kens had enlighten us 'bout a quirk in the steering. Wished I can find it again; even had a site with detail explanation.
-Dave
All-seasons suck all year round.
-Colin
I run a set of Dunlop Wintersport M2 tires on my wagon. It is indeed a nice setup, but the combination is still not capable of defying the laws of physics, and the benefits of AWD do not apply in crucial braking and swerving events. That's all I was pointing out.
After I had read in forums like this one about how unbelievable the WRX is when paired with good snow tires, quite frankly I was a little disappointed this past winter (my first with the car).
Also, running winter tires that are narrower than your OE tires will also help. I have a set of "minus-one" 195/60-Q15 Blizzaks for my '00 2.5RS and that car does snow tigah-style.
I've always been very careful driving in winter. Where I come from (northern Alberta) winter conditions can last 5 months. Since moving to the west coast I have become used to sharing the road with people who don't have a clue how to drive in ice and snow.
I couldn't agree more with you about overconfident SUV drivers.
My Civic Si was great in the snow for the first few years I drove it. Then I noticed I wasn't getting the same wet-weather and winter traction as before. New tires didn't seem to make a difference. Maybe the normal wear on drivetrain parts allowed more slip in the diff (no limited-slip on this model).
So I decided long ago that my next vehicle would have a limited-slip diff or some other form of traction control. The WRX has this, plus AWD, plus a great engine and brakes, plus first-rate crash test results, plus side-impact bags. Nothing will save you if you are going too fast on ice, but every one of these features helps when the weather gets wet and cold.
Interesting observation about the deteriorating winter performance of your Si. I'm in Wisconsin, and before the WRX I drove an Integra GS-R. That car was also really great in the winter through its first two sets of tires (OEM Michelin XGT V4s). At around 85K I put on a set of Dunlop D60A2 (or something like that) tires, and they really sucked in all conditions, but especially in the snow. Fortunately they wore out about twice as fast as the Michelins
BTW I really love my WRX, don't get me wrong.
The dealer is so often the unknown quantity in the equation. You can research cars until you're blue in the face, but a great car bought from a bad dealer can cause endless annoyance.
The ability to get dealer quotes over the net, as you can do on Edmunds.com, doesn't seem to have come to Canada yet. I'd like to be able to use this service to have the dealers bid for my business. That's the way it should be.
I had such a bad experience buying my Civic 10 years ago that I have ended up hanging on to the car longer to avoid the hassle of replacing it.
As for the Element, I have read the same thing about the 4WD system. Subaru's sounds better. The thing about the Element that attracted me is the amount of headroom and rear space. I'm 6'2, and after driving a Civic I want more room. Looks like a great camping and road trip vehicle too.
But I want performance, so the WRX is still at the top of my list. I'm also curious about the new Forester XT, which I have heard will be in the showrooms soon. Higher roof, more cargo and legroom, plus a 2.5 turbo. Not as powerful as the WRX, but same engine block as the STI - so mods should be simple. Could be the ticket.
Be careful with the Element. I replaced my Civic Si with an '02 Forester because I got a great deal on it. It was a great car, but it made me feel like an old man (I'm 31). I know the Element is waaaay cooler than a Forester, but it's still a small SUV. And small SUV's, no matter how hip, are NOT driver's cars.
I fixed it by trading in the perfectly-good Forester on my '04 WRX wagon. It wasn't the best financial move, but you only live once, right?
So to my way of thinking, the perfect replacement car for a '93 Civic Si is a 2004 WRX Wagon! YMMV.
The Element has its merits, just make sure you'll get some real lifestyle benefits in trade for the Element's lack of driving excitement.
Have fun shopping!
jim
Searcherboy:
Not as powerful as the WRX
Not true. While the WRX has higher rated peak HP, the area "under the curve" for the XT's power band is probably greater than the WRX. Keep in mind that the XT makes higher peak torque than the WRX engine. Also, as many are suspecting, the XT engine output is actually greater than the advertised 210HP. If you look at the 0-60 time of 5.3 (C&D, August 2003) and factor in the weight and gearing, the peak HP has to be greater than 210HP. We're suspecting that SOA rated it lower for 1)insurance purposes and 2)to not conflict with the WRX positioning.
Ken
TWRX
http://www.car-videos.com/performance/view.asp?ID1=277&ID2=3
The XT is quicker all the way up to 120mph. In the middle, it actually widens the gap, then the WRX catches up. But the XT is ahead for a full mile (long enough to win any straight line competition). Only at 1.5 miles, near the top speed, does the WRX pass the XT.
In theory. You'd run out of road by then.
Note the lap times at the bottom. The WRX is, of course, quicker, because of the better handling/tires. But keep in mind Impreza parts bolt right on to Forester, so you could lower a Forester, put on the same suspension, and still carry wider tires, with only a tiny weight penalty.
-juice
Remember what that site was?
-Dave
Given that, I'm a bit puzzled as to why, when talking about the WRX's wintertime capabilities, everyone (both here and elsewhere) seems to focus on the WRX's ability to take off from a standstill, even in the deep stuff. That's an important consideration, but down the list behind braking and turning, for me anyway.
Now none of this is meant to suggest that I believe my WRX does poorly on snow in the turning and braking areas. As I mentioned earlier, it's really quite good, but somewhat short of what I had come to expect is all. (The Wintersport tires I chose surely play a part in this, too.)
Having said all that, I would certainly agree that it would be nearly impossible to get stuck with this car!
I think an essential component in your buying decision is whether you will be driving from stoplight to stoplight in an urban environment or from one curve to the next in a rural one. The Forester XT turbo is a monster from a standing start and keeps on building a head of steam well into the next subdivision. On the other hand, its looser in the twisties due to higher CG. The WRX, esp with the MT, is just plain BUILT to run, and , as several have posted, its the most fun , and security, on a two lane road I ever drove! If you've already got momentum working for you, that car just explodes from 45 to 85, and doesnt bother to slow down when you get to the curve.
The Forester XT is gonna burn more gas due to that power from zero...think Space Shuttle and Solid Rocket boosters. The Forester also gives you usable space behind the rear seat for the newf and the lab. For a 30 minute rural commuter , I cant think of a more enjoyable and practical ride than a WRX wagon.
Okay! I confess! Its all a lie!!!!
I wandered into the discussion boards and all the web posts on the '05 Legacy GT wagon with the 2.5L turbo and spec B package. I have notarized documents, with copies to my attorney, instructing my wife to chain me up in the basement until that car arrives, most likely next summer, so me and my checkbook dont go to my local subie dealer and come home with a Forester XT . Its gonna be more $$$, but what a car!( I'll go take my medication, now.)
Mark
BTW, saw my first '04 on the road today, and what should it be but an STi in black with silver wheels. Looked more understated than I expected, even with the big wing (maybe it was the color). Very nice!
You can go to nasioc.com and do a search in the Member's Gallery for mudflaps.
That thread has pics of everything from $20 Pep Boys to the $200(?) Prodrive's. They're not available in the U.S. yet and you have to get them from a guy who's name should be in that thread.
If you're handy with a knife, you can buy the TS mudflaps and cut them to fit (not easy).
-Dennis
Does the whole rack shift? That doesn't sound too good.
Searcherboy, The Element has loads of headroom but the wrx does too. With the seat adjusted all the way down I have 4" more headroom in the wrx than I do in my wife's 02 Maxima with the seat also adjusted all the way down.(Maxima has sunroof)
The Forester sounds nice...I hope Cobb doesn't come up with a $400 reflash for it that sends it to 300hp...My Trooper to WRX was a hard sell to the wife. I was waiting for the B4 to come to bring up the Maxima to B4 change. How am I going to fit a Forester into this?
-juice
http://www.ravensblade-impreza.com/modifications/drivetrain/steer- ing/steering.html
andmoon -- The rack moves just a tiny bit, enough to throw the steering wheel off center by about 15 degrees.
Mark -- While the Forester has a higher CG, it has a wider track than the WRX. I believe Paul Hansen from Apexjapan mentioned that some enthusiasts in Japan buy the Forester over the WRX because they can fit wider tires on it. Tie that in with a Forester STi suspension and you've got one heck of a performer!
Ken
What type of tires did you run on last winter?
jim
I think it comes down to what you want from your car. I would choose a WRX over an XT any day, because I prefer a sportscar to a mini-SUV, no matter how fast.
The Forester I had just wasn't for me. Even if it had more power than a WRX it just wouldn't feel right. It would fell pretty good for sure, but it's just not for me.
Just my 2 cents.
-jim
-mike
It looks kinda like an SUV, but isn't. Not nearly.
WRX owners should take a 5spd XT for a drive, it'll be an eye-opening experience. You wouldn't be having that low-rpm AC bog discussion a few messages ago, for one.
-Colin
(Forester isn't my style either, waiting for that engine or a hotted-up H6 in the next Legacy)
-Dennis
Nice thing about the XT is the track and the room for rims and tires. With 17" rims you still have a 55 series tire, and enough side wall that the ride isn't punishing. You could even fit an 18" rim, go crazy.
I have 225mm tires and I'm sure you could go 235mm with the right offset and aspect ratio for any given rim size.
The bottom line for me? It would be easier to make a Forester handle like a WRX, than it would be to give a WRX the low end torque of the XT. The latter just ain't happenin'.
-juice
Right now the WRX wagon sells for less, but keep in mind eventually there will be deeper discounts and/or incentives, so price will be a wash.
-juice
Still can't decide between red, white, or blue.