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New to car buying - WRX

jbowman812jbowman812 Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Subaru
I'm currently in the market for a WRX, I just graduated college and would like to get a nice, fun car for the winters up here in Wisconsin and set my mind to the WRX.

My issue is going to be student loans when they come up so I really don't want to deal with insurance/payments on a 07/08 so I'm looking to buy used. My problem is I'm noticing the resale on the cars don't really drop until 3-4 years after they come out. I'm looking at a 04' limited WRX w/ 28k miles for $18.5k. On the other hand you can buy a brand new WRX TR for $23k off the lot. The features would be nice on the '04 though.

Sorry for the short novel, I'm more or less curious if it would be a wise decision to go with the '04 which keeps my insurance down and is fully loaded instead of going with off the lot w/ the warranty.

Any input would be great! Thanks :)

Jake
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    rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    If it's an '04 you're looking at it's not a "Limited," as the WRX Limited didn't come out until the '06 MY.

    The WRX TR (or any '06/'07 WRX) has a much more flexable and driver-friendly engine, as it's a 2.5L. The '04 has a 2.0, and there's much more turbo lag with that engine.

    Bob
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    jbowman812jbowman812 Member Posts: 5
    Appreciate it Bob,

    Is the 2.5 a lot faster car or just have a bit more torque? I apologize about the 'Limited' comment, I meant it has all premium options for that year and is flawless, still smells new.

    I'm just trying to determine if it's justified for 18.5k and for me to stay within budget or go over budget by a bit and buy new (100-200 dollars more for financing a month for buying new). I don't want to kick myself a year down the road for going one way or the other. Maybe some of you experienced car buyers could point me in the right direction. :)

    Jake
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    rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    No, it's not much if any faster. it's just much easier to live with. I have an '06 WRX Limited wagon, and the engine is great. Unlike the the 2.0 model, there is very little turbo lag, as the engine is tuned differently.

    I would recommend that you drive both a 2.0 WRX and a 2.5 WRX, and then decide. Maybe the turbo lag won't be much of an issue. Having said that I think most people who have driven both prefer the larger engine.

    Also, I know with earlier WRXs there have been some brake issues. Under certain conditions some drivers have reported losing their brakes for an instant. SoA has never been able to find the problem, but it has been reported by a number of owners. That's not an issue with '06/'07 models. This link may help.

    http://www.cars101.com/recalls.html

    Bob
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    jbowman812jbowman812 Member Posts: 5
    Thank you for the help sir,

    I'm torn between buying a '04 for 18.5k where I sacrifice added mileage or getting an '06 TR for 3.5k more with way less mileage but stripped features (aside from the engine + upgraded looks).

    I can't spend over 23k when it's said and done (after tax title and license) so I've got some thinking to do and looking for any guidance I can get. Thanks for that link.

    Jake
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    kayaker11kayaker11 Member Posts: 4
    Jake,
    If 23k is your limit you can definitely get an 07 WRX for that price. I have been shopping around and have finally made a decision to purchase an 07 sport wagon and i am only paying 19k. The car has 3 miles on it. Search around and be aware about buying a used WRX, people tend to beat on them. If you were to purchase new, you know where it has been.
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    jbowman812jbowman812 Member Posts: 5
    I can not find a '07 WRX in the Minneapolis area for under 23.6 for the life of me. The best I could find for a 'new car' was an '07 demo with 2k on it. I also found a 07 WRX TR for 21.8 w/ 4k miles on it.

    Buying a car with even 4k miles on it makes me a little ancy, thats the break in period and if someone didn't take care of it that could cost me a lot down the road. Also, the idea of spending 22k on a car w/ 'no features' is a hard pill to swallow for me.

    Guess I'm torn. Maybe I'll go back and start looking at some 04's for 18k? :)
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    kayaker11kayaker11 Member Posts: 4
    i live in the northeast, just graduated college and i just purchased my '07 WRX today. Shop around dude thats the best advice i can give you. I got my car for around $19000 and then i tacked on a 6yr/100000 mile warranty so my payments are in the mid $300's but it is a brand new WRX. The invoice on the WRX is around $23000 and subaru has a 3% hold back which is about $1000 or so. Play with the numbers and figure out how much the dealer actually pays for the car.
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    paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Just picked up an 05 legacy GT wagon 5MT for $18k with 30k miles. The deals are out there!

    -mike
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    jbowman812jbowman812 Member Posts: 5
    What is the hold back? How did you manage to get them down to 19k? I asked for 22.5k on an '07 and they looked at me like I was out of my mind. It was a WRX but not loaded. Did you get a TR?

    Jake
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    stompman76stompman76 Member Posts: 7
    That deal is unbelievable! I'm looking at a 2007 wrx wagon with an MSRP of $25,927. They said they could sell it for $23,500, which is $200 above invoice minus $1000 rebate. Even with a 3% holdback (which is less than $800), and selling at invoice, you're only down to $22,500.00. How did they agree to eat $3500.00?
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's a rare bird, mike, they only made wagons with manuals that one single year!
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