Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
-mike
-Dennis
It gets in my way, and I NEVER use cruise, but I don't wanna break it in case I ever have to put it back.
Colin is right about light throttle =
Thinking about switching cars to something more practical, yet sporty. The WRX wagon seems to be a good bet. What are the downsides to the WRX? I gather from recent posts that paint quality is an issue? Any others? I know I could scroll through this discussion, but there are almost 2000 posts!! Thanks in advance for any help.
Do the proper things to take care of your paint and your paint will stay looking new for years. Staying further back when following cars, hand wash, wax regularly and stay away from brushes and abrasive car washes. Add a transparent Stongard bra to the front of the car will minimize the paint chips from rocks.
Try to keep the engine above 2000rpm at least, maybe even 2500rpm under load (hills, towing, etc).
For optimal gas mileage, the owner's manual for my Forester recommends shifts that work out to about 3000rpm. That drops revs to about 2000rpm, so that's OK for level ground.
-juice
Also, the little sucker will run like a bat out of hell. Lots of fun.
Like warpdrive, I have seen no more problems with paints or dings than any other car I have owned. I have had mine 6 months and have no perceptable chips, scrathes, and dings. I am careful with all my cars.
mike
Mike
however, as a comparison, my 2000 honda accord coupe which I traded in for the wrx had a hood which was starting to look like a 16 yr old boy's face if you know what I mean.. chips a-plenty, some spots were even starting to rust slightly due to total loss of paint down to the metal from road debris (the trucks on I-95 are merciless!)... also, just looking through some of the honda/acura forums at random, I saw some discussion of weak paint quality even on the newer models...
so.. I guess I'll just throw this out for general consideration: is subaru paint quality necessarily any worse than other major manufacturers?
As far as the other major issues that can potentially deter from getting a wrx, the ABS thing kind of scared me a bit at first, but reading a lot about it (and now a few hundred miles experience too) convinced me that if anything it is something common to all subarus in general, not just specifically the 2002 WRX, and besides I find the brakes to be superior to my accord anyhow. The other thing that people complain a lot about sometimes is the transmission (for the 5MT) but the general consensus there seems to be that if you're not trying to drive like the fast and the furious you shouldn't really have any problems...
(also some people don't like the stock tires, but that's easily correctable ;-)
hys
I don't know whether my '99 2.5RS pulsed all four wheels at once or not-- the WRX definitely does-- but it did not behave like a WRX under bumpy ABS engagement.
I've autocrossed a WRX in a less-than-perfect lot and I felt what many owners are complaining about.
-Colin
A part of my normal detailing regime is to clay the car before I apply my paint protection (Klasse in my case). On the WRX, I did this about a week after I bought the car. The clay got more grit off of the new WRX than any car I have ever known. I assume that is was some sort of contaminant from the trip over. I actually threw that clay bar out after just the WRX application. My theory is that the WRX scatching problem is caused mainly by this crud (like sandpaper) and bad washing techniques.
I would recommend anybody with an WRX to use a clay bar as soon as possible to really clean the car.
The grit on my OB from Indiana was not nearly as bad as the WRX from Japan.
Mike
-juice
As for the whoosh of the air going down the hood scoop, I ask, what whoosh? I haven't been in another WRX. It was love at first sight.
Ken
The driving test was subjective with no db readings. I agree, the car is reasonably quiet. I do notice the quality of the stereo with upgraded speakers and the subwoofer diminishes with speed. Without an equalizer I usually have to back off the bass as the volume is increased to overcome cabin noise. There are times when I consider an expensive speaker upgrade but the sound quality is so good sitting still or with the engine off, I wonder if it's worth the trouble.
John
-mike
http://www.mastrowrx.com/
PS, never trust car reviews with "unacceptable noise" in them. These are 90 year old reviewers who can't see over the steering wheel of their Cadillac.
TWRX
I just finished a 2300 mile, 4-day trip from San Francisco to Chicago in my wagon. A few observations:
I got about 20-21 miles/gallon, but I was loaded down with maybe 500 extra lbs of luggage.
Cruise control won't engage over 90mph.
I raced a 3000GT in the nevada desert. The engine pulls like hell up to 115mph but it pretty much groans from there... acceleration above that is slow.
Terrible wind noise at about 125mph. It just howls.
Got my first paint chip on the hood. Paint is as soft as people say.
Seats are wonderfully comfortable. I did 700 mile days and felt just fine at the end. Cruises nicely and quietly at 85mph for hours on end.
Radio antenna could be better.
Turbo is great at altitude. I cruised through steep grades in the sierras fully loaded no problem.
I went through some of the fiercest rainstorms that I have ever been through both in the Wasatch mountains and in the desert west of elko. I never felt unsafe even on steep grades in the worst weather at highway plus speeds. The subie handled beautifully in the wet.
This car is so easy to merge in. I looked forward to rest areas so I could blast up the on ramp at full acceleration.
Best gas mileage was 25mpg. Bought the gas at a no-name truck stop in Wyoming. They didn't have 91 octane so I got the mid-grade, and got 4mpg better per gallon. Don't know how it happened, can't explain it.
They know steak in Wyoming.
Regarding the 4 MPG, it could have been the thinner air, lower temperatures, lack of AC use (if driving at night), or simply an overall downhill route. Even if there's hills if you're loosing altitude you'll tend to get more MPG.
Could've also been a math problem. ;-) Just teasing.
-Colin
But above that rpm, it opens up and sings a sweet song, tearing the road to shreds.
Also, if you happen to give your mother-in-law a ride, she'd never know what kind of performance it was capable of, even the ride would be tolerable, space decent.
But give a ride to your brother-in-law instead, and you can impress him just as easily.
It's like two cars in one.
-juice
The car howls above 125 MPH? I'll have to take note of that if I EVER get any car I own up to that speed! LOL
And yes, Wyoming folk do know steak. Great post.
Nice report. BTW, are you running the stock tires?
Ken
The noise quickly vanished as I dropped below the above limits.
-scott
the sedan has the ugly ;-) blistered fenders the wagon has the more attractive non-bulging fenders.
thus the wagon runs into tire clearance issues sooner. I'd get 215/45-17 and play it safe.
-Colin
-scott
In 215/45-17 I'd try the Dunlop FM901. I've researched it heavily as it is one of few tires available in the 235/40-17 size I need and not megabucks.
Anyway this tire is new to North America but Australia, Japan and NZ have had it for a while and they like it from what I've read on Aussie and Kiwi messageboards. They don't care for the Kumho 712 much except as a dirt cheap, better-than-nothing summer tire.
You can get the 215/45-17 FM901 for $93/tire plus shipping from www.tirerack.com or $99/tire with free UPS ground shipping from www.discountiredirect.com.
In my case it comes out about $18 cheaper to go with Discount Tire and I'm in no hurry to get them (Tirerack is cheapest on Fedex 3 day interestingly).
-Colin
The Subie wagon is nice coming out of the longer turns, but as a novice I found it hard to corner into the sharper turns, may be due to my lack of experience, I noticed the BMW's doing very well.
The Imprezas were holding their own, but I was impressed with the M3. " What a Car!" I was proud to be driving the only Subie Wagon at the event, I hope to keep going and picking up some driving tips...Any help or thoughts will be appreciated.
Keith.
-mike
-mike
p.s. They did tell me though that they still carry the falkens.
-scott
-mike
the AVS-i was great in its day which was about a decade ago. it's still a good tire, but gets hard with age and looses a lot of rain traction. still, it's dirt cheap and I go through summer tires pretty fast.
-Colin
-mike
with the Sumitomos. He commutes 100+ miles RT per day so he buys new tires every year. He liked the 712's initially but as they wore, dropped off in wet and dry performance. Although his Sumitomos are new he rates them better than the Kumhos. If I had 17" on my WRX I would consider the HTR ZII or the HTR + for an A/S tire for the money . The Dunlop FM901 is cheaper but has a lower treadwear and the traction rating if that matters for your driving style.
I'm also considering a used S4 Avant, or A4 Avant. I had a V70 T5 5spd that was great except the torque steer drove me to sell it! But now I miss that turbo rush and that wagon versatility that my C280 doesn't offer.
Thanks.
Adam
I have a WRX wagon w/the Vishnu Stage 0 putting out about 275 crank HP. I don't presently have any cravings for a STI version consequently. :-)
Stephen
-mike
Stephen