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Comments
That is a car with no installed options and the price includes destination but does not include taxes (8.25% here. ouch!), license or other fees. My next-best quote is $21,330 which isn't too shabby either.
OT
If I were in the market for a WRX sedan, an '04 would be a no-brainer. The center tach, better seats (people say) and All Weather Package are worth the extra cost IMHO. The AWP is even helpful in warm climates since it can be used to keep the side-view mirrors dry in the rain.
The looks wouldn't be a factor since I believe in function over form.
-Dennis
-juice
The best feature of the '04's is the gauges and the in-window antenna.
The most disappointing thing is that the '04's have the exact same wheels. That's what needed a change (they could have easily done that by putting the 5 spoke Subaru wheels instead).
Is it the paint quality or a natural phenomenon?
What care do u guys take to control the paint damage? Is there a subaru authorized spray that i can use. Is it advisable?
Thanks
Get a bottle of touch-up paint, it's about $5. Not much else you can do. Our other cars aren't any better to be honest.
-juice
I was driving by the mall yesterday and I saw a blue WRX, it was so unique looking, it really stands out.
Im probably going to trade in my accord for a new 04' WRX or buy a used 03'.
The intake manifold looks to be cast aluminum to me. Don't know a whole lot about the exhaust, but I am sure it is a low grade stainless steel like most modern exhaust systems.
Craig
-mike
My sister suddenly shouted "oh God look out!" as the GM sedan sped up and lurched out of its lane toward us. Without any conscious thought I hauled on the wheel, darting into the left lane with just an inch or two between the GM's front bumper and my sister.
I never saw more of that sedan than its headlights and hood, but my sister said that when she first saw the car, the driver was driving with one hand while smoking, talking on a mobile phone and fiddling with her seatbelt at the same time. Then the driver took her other hand off the wheel to to flick her cigarette out the window, just letting the car wander out of its lane.
I'm glad I follow the habit of knowing the situation BEHIND me as well as ahead, because if there'd been a car in that left lane I would've been faced with a choice of hitting or being hit. I would've had to choose "being hit" because, with my sister as witness (and both of us in our full-up business attire), it would clearly have been the other driver's fault.
DjB
-mike
bruticus - Sounds like the area near Bridgewater. I was driving west in pouring rain and an Exploder shot across all three lanes just ahead of me. I slammed the brakes and thank goodness for ABS.
I'm also glad that the guy in the RX300 on my tail had quick reflexes.
-Dennis
-mike
I think the SRT would be a close drag race for a strong WRX, and probably pull away from a weak one. The reason I make that distinction is that C&D tested a WRX with a 5.5 or 5.6sec 0-60 time, same as the SRT they recently clocked. Other WRXs have turned in 5.9sec 0-60 times at C&D. They seemed to think their first WRX was on the strong side, or the later ones were on the weak side. This of course assumes they take enough data and correct it properly to even discriminate 0.3 sec across multiple tests (which they probably do).
Interesting, in the test of the SRT, C&D got 14mpg!!
While the SRT was the clear winner of the comparison test against the Sentra SE-R, Focus SVT, and MazdaSpeed Protoge 5, it's hard to say how it would fare against the WRX in a similar comparison. My guess that it's going to be a little lacking when stacked up against a well balanced car like the WRX. As Mike alluded, auto-X would probably be a good way to evaluate the car, because it involves a heck of a lot more than just drag racing.
Craig
This is the SRT in a hard corner, notice the body roll. More pics here http://teamiac.com/events2003/ax-04-13-03/index_4.htm
-mike
Surprised to even see one, never mind at an auto-X...
Craig
-mike
I know absolutely nothing about this car other than it's a Dodge ... well, I guess that's actually a lot.
-mike
1) fake hood scoop, in spite of the fact that the whole front end looks like an air intake.
2) way too much power for FWD, no limited slip device
3) perceived economy class of the Neon platform and the material/quality levels that go with it (back windows are crank downs)
4) questionable long-term durability -- this is a Neon pushed to 9/10ths rather than the average Neon driven at 4/10ths. Admittedly, Dodge has come a long way in the past couple of decades, but how many Shelby Chargers, Omni GLHs, and Shadow CSXs do you still see on the road?
5) questionable long-term image -- Dodge drops/renames its products all the time. While I am sure "WRX" will have 9 lives (both in terms of new models and the memorable impact the 1st gen American WRX had), will anybody remember the SRT a few years down the road?
Craig
-mike
Its an easy choice rex or srt, simple as Subaru or Dodge. Thats a tough one
The SRT does pull more torque. And handling goes to WRX.
I got a question for any mod fanatics. When I buy my WRX is there any mods i can install for it? Performance type mods
scroll down to 'Posting a Photo'
You'll first need to have the pics hosted, like "imagestation"
-Dave
On another issue: I was driving home in the rain today and came to my daily 2-lane exit ramp. It is marked at 35mph and makes a full 180. Today, I had the ramp all to myself so I thought with the slick roads I would test out the rex's grip a bit.
First thing I noticed was understeer gallore, then the whole car gradually started drifting sideways. It was so darned gradual though - never experienced anything like it. It was like I could control exactly how much I skid just by tweaking the throttle. Nothing was sudden or panic inducing. I am wondering, is that the rex doing that or is that the tires? I have the stock tires and they are still in real good shape.
Don't want to give the impression that I was driving like a butthead. I really wasn't going that fast. I was kind of surprised that I skid at all. I was just impressed at how easy it was to control.
Equal-length driveshafts help with drag strip style launches, sub-6 second 0-60 times wouldn't really be possible with a FWD on street tires if traction were that bad off the line. Of course throw on an LSD and some slicks and let the real fun begin.
Hood scoop can be functional. There's a outline where to cut from inside the hood to feed cold air into the intake, a few folks have already done the mod.
Rear spoilers on FWD cars? Doesn't matter what wheel drive if the rear of the car gets too light at high speed. AWD Audi TTs in Europe got a rear wing and rear suspension mods when people started losing control at high speed.
The wing on the SRT4 is supposed to actually do something acoording to PVO engineers, at what speed who knows. Can the same be said about the one on the WRX?
Seems like they are meaninful on a track car but are they really functional on a street car?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
As for spoilers, they basically don't create downforce til you hit 100+mph, however they do create some drag on the rear of the car which does help stabilize it apparently from what I've read.
-mike
AZP Installs http://iace.com/azp does a lot of installs of mods for WRX owners. Mods we've done and recommend for auto-x/track/perfromance drivng:
Lowering Springs- Pro-drive for performance, Eibach Pro-kit for looks/comfort.
Sway Bars/end links/rear mounts- Whiteline, Perrin
Uppipe- STi, Perrin, TurboXS
Downpipe- Stomung, HKS, a few others that skip my mind now
IC Hoses- Samco IC Hoses
Catback Exhaust- STi, Stromung
Strut Tower Bars- Perrin, STi, another one I forget now
Boost Control- Electronic Boost Controller
Turbo Timer- Blitz Turbo Timer
Chip- TurboXS Unichip
Upgraded Turbo- VF30
Upgraded IC- STi/Prodrive IC
4-pot Brake kit
SS Brake Lines
Hawk HP+ Pads
SS Clutch Line
Synthetic Fluids
Tires/Rims
That about sums it up
-mike
-Dave
Yeah, that 14mpg figure in the C&D test keeps jumping up and down in my mind. That sounds too low to be normal, and the Mazdaspeed exhibited engine misfire/chugging. Perhaps they got a load of bad gas? It's happened in other tests.
DjB
TIA
DjB
Items coming up this weekend:
Installfest in Greenbrook- Saturday
SECA (Subaru Enthusiasts Club of America)in Woodbridge on Sunday
May 25th Auto-x @ Nassau Colleseum
June 15 Auto-x @ Meadowlands with NASA
Also Hypov and I and a bunch of other car nuts usually do dinner on wed nights in either NJ or Staten Island.
-mike
You would need to check the Tri-State region @ NASIOC.
Most of the meets will occur Wednesdays and/or Thursdays, and a thread will started. Same for Meadowland (AutoX).
-Dave
edit: mike beat me to it
I agree with you there, WarpDrive. I went by the NY Auto Show last night. The seats felt more firm and the side bolsters were different. They didn't seem to stick out as far or were closer together or both.
Anyone that's shopping for a WRX might want to sit in both ('03, '04).
Now the STi seats OTOH ..... :-)
-Dennis
But, wouldn't providing downforce in the rear of a FWD car, take away the grip from the front driving wheels ?
Later...AH
I believe the factory WRX wing is mostly there for cosmetics, but it does produce some downforce (search back in the archives for details) and being an AWD car, at least it has a weak justification. Still, it's there mainly for looks, no question. The data I have seen (again search back a few months) indicates that the Evo and STi rear wings do add significant downforce, so I would categorize these as more functional (and they look ugly, so the cosmetic aspect is not as strong).
Craig
Audi had this problem with first batch Audi TT's. Yes,*even* the front wheel drive only models (yes they made those). Even those were spinning off the autobahns at high speeds. Audi had to retrofit a spoiler to double the downforce to the rear. This applied even to FWD TT's.
Many of the racecars that run Touring Car Class have huge wings. Those are NOT cosmetic. And many of those cars are FWD.
Think about it.
If you are coasting around a high speed curve, and apply the brake. Your back end can still lose traction and cause your car to spin off the road whether it's FWD or not.
That was a sweet ride, hard to believe I traded it in on an Outback wagon in 2000!
Craig
- the TT has a Kamm-back aftbody shape, and that winglet they put on is likely there more to fix/stabilize flow separation than to generate downforce. I doubt very much the winglet is adding that much downforce (double the downforce from such a small area?). It's the effect of the winglet/spoiler on the overall vehicle aerodynamics that is having the effect. In fact, knowing the Germans, I would not be surprised if that mod increased downforce at both ends of the car.
- Touring class cars have huge wings as you put it. and that's a major difference from cosmetic wings -- they have a lot of area. I think it would be interesting to examine the wings on the FWD cars and see how they are placed.
- I'm not disputing that rear downforce can be beneficial at high speed. That is true whether the car is FWD, AWD, or RWD. My main point is that there are ways to generate downforce that can benefit the front and rear wheels. There's no reason to unload the driving tires on a FWD car just to gain rear downforce. You can have it both ways with a smarter design than just tacking on a wing.
Craig
The WRX has a plain better chassis, though. In a straight line it's a close race, sure, but the SRT is probably about at the limit of that chassis, while the WRX is just a blank template ready for 300hp or even more.
Looking at the whole package, paisan's Legacy L is quicker around the turns? That's embarassing. Where are the brakes and suspension to go with that 215hp?
-juice