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Subaru Impreza WRX
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BG
Plus my 2000 Outback had brake scoring too!
So:
1) Are these really "problems", or are some people doing something "wrong" to cause them?
2) Does Subaru have an inconsistent quality supplier for their oxygen sensors and brake rotors?!
3) Is waiting (Corkfish) for a 2003 WRX going to make any difference?
Paint: definitely some companies have better paint than others. Ferraris go thru 26 sprays or dips. But the comparisons people have made are very unscientific (yep, I'm an engineer). Chips on the front end of the car have as much to do with the shape/angle of the front end as with paint quality. My boxy '86 Volvo didn't *have* any vertical painted surfaces that had to take the direct impact of flying debris, so no dings! But sheesh, the airflow (or something?! dunno.) caused debris to "float" over the grill & hood and smack the windshield all the time! 6 years & 150kmiles later, 6 cracks and scores of pits. The pitting was so annoying that I replaced the windshield! Plus, lots of debris could be found smashed into the radiator fins...
Anyhow, I don't really care about little cosmetic defects. I have my $4 thingie of touchup paint and that'll do it for me.
Think about it - you are getting hit by something, probably gravel or something, and that has to be coming from somewhere. The paint doesn't just spontaneously chip by itself. And for something to hit you that high up on your car (especially windshield), you had to be close. Otherwise gravity would have taken it out of your way.
I'm guilty of this, too, but I guess I've been lucky. My wife has cracked her windshield twice already.
BG: yes, because of the boxer layout. In a in-line or vee configuration, the oil has to travel upward to lube most moving parts. In the boxer, it's already there.
-juice
Mark
What gas are you using? You probably have a bad O2 sensor or something. Clearly it has nothing to do with your driving.
-juice
a. CEL: Several owners have experienced the CEL coming on. This however is not unique to the WRX as both Forester and Outback owners have also experienced this. The major cause is faulty oxygen sensors (which are a common part throughout the Subaru line). In this case, the CEL is not indicative of a mechanical problem but a potential emissions problem. In addition, many other makes are also plagued by CELs. From my understanding, the root of the problem is that the automakers are having a difficult time meeting the stricter US emission standards. FYI: industry-wide, the number one cause of the CEL is the failure to sufficiently tighten the gas cap after a fill-up.
b. "Bad" Paint: Several owners have also complained about the quality of the WRX's paint. Again, this not only applies to the entire Subaru line but is also a very subjective complaint.
c. Brake Scoring: A couple of owners have commented about brake scoring. This too does not seem to be WRX specific and may or may not be a problem.
Also, driving habits may also have contributed to each of the above "problems".
So it appears to me that the WRX really doesn't have a single unique first production year problem. Especially compared to the Ford Escape's numerous recalls (including the steering wheel falling off), the launch of the WRX has been flawless!
Also, the anecdotal evidence that people provide regarding their positive experiences with other vehicles is next to useless. As an example, Corkfish's Nissan experience. To counter that, I had a Nissan that got a cracked cylinder head within the first 36K miles. But I didn't blame Nissan, since at the time, I was much younger and prone to the 0-100 starts that AH alluded to.
In summary, from everything I've seen, the WRX's launch has been extremely successful and is an exceptional value for the money. And if you want a better paint job, plunk down another $10k and buy a less capable Audi or BMW.
-Frank P.
Debating ordering the locks..its $18.50 or so plus shipping at Subaru parts, so money clearly isn't the issue, just convenience.
Eric
I've actually seen new car at a dealer which had their wheels stolen (Dodge Intrepid). The car was jacked up, wheels taken off, and the car was left on blocks. Ouch, can't be good for the car.
They downside is that they make more work if you have to change your wheels (like those who use racing wheels for autocross) often. The only thing you have to be careful is not to overtighten them which can happen inadvertantly if the service guy is ignorant. If they are overtightened, the locks may be damaged because you have to get excessive force to loosen them.
The one thing you have to your advantage is that the WRX rims are not really a "hot" item. Most people want to replace those rims with larger 17 inch ones and they won't really fit other brands of cars. However, some TS wagon owners or older gen Impreza may look at the WRX rims with envy.
BMW has the record, I think, with 14 recalls for the X5 already.
Get wheel locks from Trak Auto or Pep Boys. The $20+ you'll spend is on the high side, and Subaru's wheel locks are bulky and look ugly IMO.
-juice
BTW, you guys can inspect my garage anytime you want--guarantee you won't find anything but a couple of (well-pampered) Scoobs parked out there!
CELs are not mechanical problems at all. They are mainly due to problems with emissions sensors, unlike what a lot of people believe. It could also be due to over-sensitive emissions sensors, even though there would be no problems with the emissions at all. But it is always a good idea to get the sensors replaced, since the car is under warranty. That is what the warranty is for !!
As pointed out earlier, the first thing I would look for is the tightness of the gas cap. Make sure that you hear at least 3-4 clicks when tightening the gascap. If the CEL comes on immediately after filling in the gas, it is almost certainly due to the gas cap not being tightened enough. The solution is to tighten it till you hear 3-4 clicks and then go through about 3 driving cycles (start the car, drive around a bit, then switch it off and repeat this about 3 times....the CEL magically disappears).
Later...AH
Wheel locks are a must. It's true, as I've said also, that Subarus aren't prone to theft, but I've seen way too many new cars jacked up on cinderblocks with their wheels stolen to ignore. I have the ones from subaruparts.com on my own wheels.
-mike
-mike
PS: Out of the 25 cars on my block there are 6-8 stolen every year. which is probably a higher per-capita than your block.:)
PPS: wheel locks aren't going to stop theives in NYC. Most will steal the whole car rather than just the wheels, this is why we have insurance.
-juice
-mike
Anyways, far as theft -- I am far more worried about thieves in Brooklyn making off with my whole car then I am about them jacking the car up on cinder blocks and stealing the tires..almost seem like they deserve them
Also, my car spends most nights in a driveway.
Eric
The SP5000s are great tires. What I'd do is buy the SP5000s and sell your RE92s to someone on the I-club who wants/needs em. I'm sure you could fetch at least $150 for em in new condition.
-mike
P.S. Hell, out of 25 cars on my block there aren't even 6-8 cars worth stealing! Right now I'm more concerned about the gunshots I hear periodically around the corner. A bullet hole in a quarter panel would really suck.
Subaru uses a unique offset, so it'll probably only fit another Subie.
-juice
-mike
PS: If you are worried about bullet holes in your quarter panel, it's time for a new neighborhood!
Again, I'd rather have the whole car stolen than just some parts. That deductible when I had to replace the door on my Maxima was harsh. plus, I got that Max for so darn cheap ($14k brand new)I might have even made some money.
P.S. Paisan - Wy move? It's generally a good neighborhood and more than that, RENT STABILIZED, baby!
-mike
"Lawyers in da Hood" or..."Ghetto Law"
-mike
As for the tires, any other idea what to do with my RE92s? Given that I'm getting the car January, I'd like a good set of tires under me and my new car, but I'd also like to get some money back for the stocks.
One more thing, has anyone else had the Strongard kit applied to their car and is it worth it?
$700-$800 (with installation) on top of a new car purchase is a little rough (also makes the car less of a bargain). I'm tempted to just buy a tube of the touch up paint.
Eric
-mike
rex_ruther: Yeah, I can't watch that show "Law and Order". First, why would I go home and then watch work? And second, Manhattan DA's are wusses. We need our own show. :]
I'm in civil.
Eric
P.S. Cool, Housing Court is a total ZOO!
Later...AH
-juice
-juice
"Ultra High Performance All Season
Performance tires which are capable of going through the snow.
1.) Sport 5000
2.) AVS DB (the quietest tire I have driven)
3.) G-Force KDWS
4.) Pilot XGT Z4
5.) P7000 Super Sport"
Here's the link:
http://i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64899
esqknight: I think any lock would do. Lik juice says, you could get cheaper ones at Autozone.
They've also worked quite well for the Subies we've owned.
Secret #1--Rinsing your car frequently (2-3X/wk. if possible) with just plain water will do far more to maintain your paint than leaving the dirt on there and getting a deluxe car wash only once in a while. This takes 5 min. in the morning with a garden hose--no need to dry--you just want to get the harmful dirt off the finish.
A guy in LA had a '50 Caddy and all he did was rinse it off every day--his paint stayed like new for 20 years! The car never gets really dirty this way, so you can go the whole summer and never pay for a car wash. In the winter, just pay the $1.50 and use the rinse and wax cycles only. Avoiding harsh car wash detergents will add years to your finish. Use mild soaps like Rain-X or Armour-All for tough cleaning at home--these won't take the wax off or hurt your paint.
Secret #2--Use carnauba wax to seal the paint and give it a hard protective coating. It's an extra layer of insulation against harmful chemicals and flying debris. Classic Car wax is great if you can find it, Malm's is also outstanding. Mother's also makes a carnauba, but haven't tried it, so can't vouch for it. Many "modern" wax formulas without carnauba give a great shine but can be hard on the paint, IMO. There might be exceptions to this--haven't tried them all by any means.
Secret #3--It takes two months for new paint to cure and harden. Asking the dealer not to touch the paint except to wash it off can save you a lot of grief later on. Some dealers use power buffers that can leave swirl marks in soft finishes. When you take delivery, just keep the paint clean as in #1, using a little spray wax from the self-serve wash to protect it. After 60 days, go ahead and apply the carnauba.
Secret #4--Keep the car out of the elements day and night if possible. The more you can do this, the longer your paint will last. If you don't have a garage, a car cover can really help.
Also, park in the shade, but not under trees where harmful bird poop and tree sap get on your finish. And those insect casualties on the hood and grill need to be washed off right away because they have some really nasty acids that will eat right through your paint. (I just keep a spray bottle of distilled water and a towel in the car for this.
Nutty thing to do, I know, but hey, when you're a fanatic . . .)
Secret #5--I agree that Stongard is great if you do a lot of hwy miles--those gravel trucks can really pulverize your front end in a hurry.
I try to avoid the hwy whenever possible, and just a tube of touch-up does fine for us.
Secret #6--Don't park next to big SUVs and pickups or 2 door sedans. They are much more likely to give you a wicked door ding than a 4-door sedan with smaller doors.
Of course, one good hailstorm can send all your hard work down the tubes. Knock-on-wood. hope these suggestions help a little.
The links below from www.michelin.com shows how the Pilot Sport A/S are better than the Pilot XGT-Z4s in pretty much all criteria.
http://tires.michelin-us.com/catalog/tires/pilotxgtz4.html
http://tires.michelin-us.com/catalog/tires/pilotsportas.html
Also, here is something from Michelin's site:
http://www.michelin-us.com/us/eng/tire/promo/pilot_sport/flash-home.htm
Also, www.tirerack.com is a vendor and they would skew their tests towards those manufacturers whose sales arrangements would net them the most margin....just a thought.
Later...AH
So.... am I to take it that I should disregard TireRack's testing for business bias and rely on Michelin's tests on their own tire as more objective? ;]
-mike
Due to the above, I think I would go with their results on the Pilot Sport A/S tires too.
If Consumer Reports or someone like that had done the test, I would go with their results since they are by and large devoid of any noticeable bias, even though their test parameters have to be watched closely before making any determination of the results.
Also, if Michelin charges 70% more than the price of the dunlops (SP 5000s), I think they are confident that it is worth it, I would suppose. And I am not comparing the load factor of the Michelin which is slightly more than the dunlops (90 vs 89) or the UTQG rating (400 vs 340)...I am commenting on the virtues of the tire itself in terms of its extreme grip in the wet, excellent grip in the dry and regular handling and very good grip in snow and ice. If you look closely at the tires' construction (including the use of Kevlar etc), you will realise the reason for its price. That tire is well nigh indestructible. But they are a bit too rich for my blood and I might settle for the Dunlops after all. In fact, I would think that the Michelin Sport A/S would probably compete with the Pilot XGT-Z4s, which is another one of Michelin's Ultra-high performance all-season tires.
Later...AH
TIA
DjB
Later...AH
-juice
-juice
-mike