Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

msdannyj · November 2003

I got Added Security material from Subaru a couple of weeks ago. Has anyone here bought it? Is it worth it? The 6 yr/60,000 runs $583 which I think is cheap or the 6 yr/80000 is $1184. But I am not sure if I will be keeping this car for 6 yrs. Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated. thanks. Btw, I bought my 03 WRX wagon end of june and currently has around 7200 miles. I love this car but STi sure looks good.

nippononly · November 2003

if Subaru offered a moonroof for the WRX hatch...seems to me that Subaru could easily make that premium package Bob mentioned standard, except for the 17s, and raise the price a couple a few hundred $$ to cover it, without any detrimental effect. The 17s could be a stand-alone option. I personally prefer the look of the standard 16" wheels.

ateixeira · November 2003

I guess 2005, Loosh.

2002 was the first year, '03 mostly carry-over. 2004 a face-lift. So 2005 and 2006 are the final years for this generation, they'll have to do something to spice them up.

Dan: to me, the benefits include:

* roadside assistance for the full term
* better resale value
* OE replacement parts for any claims
* piece of mind
* if you want, finance it into your loan
* red carpet treatment at dealer

-juice

saintviper · November 2003

I have 61,000 on my WRX now and have not had any problems. 60,000 miles is only 10,000 past the included powertrain warranty. The price isn't bad, but if you are unsure about keeping it for 6 years, it might not be worth it unless you drive lots of miles. If you do drive lots of miles, you it will only be in effect for 10K miles which isn't that much.

twrx · November 2003

It would be nice on the wagon, however there is a problem with it on the sedan. It has an inbuilt sunroof and really robs the headroom. I am 6" and in my WRX there was about 4" of headroom. I actually measured it because I had a Webasto aftermarket roof installed. The installers told me it robbed about about 2" of head room. Sure enough after it was installed I still have plenty of headroom. I drove a premium WRX and guess what? My head touches the ceiling! I wish I had the heated seats from the premium but the aftermarket accessory shop I got the roof from does not do them because they say that they are unreliable. Anyone know anyone who has had them installed aftermarket? I have seen websites of aftermarket manufactures of them.
TWRX

rsholland · November 2003

from the WRX Premium Package would also be welcomed.

Bob

nixomose · November 2003

Any of you guys have trouble with your front brakes? My wrx is about 1.5 years old. And my brakes are wearing bad. I don't use my brakes much, they usually last me 60K miles (on my past cars) but the rotors are all grooved and the braking is wobbly. I'll be the first to admin then when I do have to use my brakes it's usually because I'm about to hit somebody and have to back off (I'm one of those enthusiastic in traffic drivers you all love to hate) and these brakes are just doing really badly. my vw gti has 45K on it (compared to the 16K on my wrx) and the rotors on that are glass smooth, original brakes (same driving patterns). Is it just me or does anybody else have brake problems?

paisan · November 2003

Get a set of blank rotors for around $80-90 and a set of Hawk HPS pads for em, and you won't have an issue. The OE pads on the wrx seem to wear in about 20-30K miles.

-mike

ateixeira · November 2003

Let them cool with your foot off the pedal, if possible. In other words, after a hard stop, release the brake, since the pad and rotor cool at different rates.

Also check the lugs' torque.

-juice

prayerfor · November 2003

The grooved rotors is common on WRXs and isn't the cause of your problems.

The wobbly braking is almost certainly caused by something known as DTV - Disc Thickness Variation. Basically the contact area of the rotor is thinner in some spots and thicker in others, causing the brake pads to have more and less grab as the disc itself rotates. DTV is most often caused by pad material depositing unevenly on the rotor, such as when you heat the brakes up and then hold down the brake pedal while the car is stopped. Sometimes you can even see a pad imprint on the rotor, but even if you can't, there still may be enough uneven depositing to cause problems.

If it sounds like I know a bit about this, it's because I went through the same thing with my wagon. I had some minor symptoms for a while, but then one day I did a series of acceleration runs, and at the end of each run held the brakes while I monkeyed with my measuring device to record the data. After that, my steering wheel would shake violently any time I tried braking from speeds in excess of maybe 50 or 60 MPH. Over the next few days the problem mitigated somewhat as some of that deposited material rubbed away, but it was never "right".

The obvious solution is just to replace the rotors, and OEM replacements aren't that expensive as Mike said. However, since I was coming due for new pads anyway, what I did is I bought some aftermarket pads (Carbotech Bobcats), and bedded them in pretty aggressively to abrade the leftover material off the rotors. This process worked for me, and now my brakes are pretty much back to normal.

And Juice is right that overtorqued lugs can produce the wobbliness too, but I'd guess you're dealing with the DTV issue.

lucien2 · November 2003

if that's the case, Juice, I will certainly wait for that. As tempted to buy now as I am, I really owe it to myself to wait for the Legacy release and get the low down on how outside my range it will be. If WRX picks up avcs in the mean time, and the Legacy is indeed too much dough for my modest means, then an avcs wrx wagon is in my future. Plus I'll have made a few more payments on the GT which will improve my payoff prospects on trade.

ateixeira · November 2003

Baja turbo came in pretty cheap. $2k less than a Forester XT, so the cheapest ticket to a 2.5T engine from Subaru is on the Legacy platform. Don't hold your breath, though, Legacy will surely cost more.

-juice

paisan · November 2003

Pads and rotors.

I picked up a set of "glazed" rotors (nice slotted-drilled DBAs) off a wrx that we worked on. The guy replaced them and told me I could keep em. I slapped them onto the FrankenL and bango, the Hawk HP+ pads cleaned them right up.

-mike

ateixeira · November 2003

Just drive in reverse quick, and slam the brakes. Make sure you have room!

-juice

deadeye5 · November 2003

Have any of you seen the camera mounted on the axle of a race car ? The rotor gets RED HOT after some applications of pedal. IF you drive thru rain and/or puddles on the road and that cool water gets on the rotor while it is very hot, it will warp.Albeit just a few 1000ths it will cause your pedal to pulsate.

cptplt · November 2003

even though its been below freezing recently!

all this year if it was cold (and that could be in the 60s!) it would do the famous shudder first thing in the AM, but it stopped recently.

the only reason I can think of is that my cousin visited a few weeks ago and we took it for a spin and the clutch did burn when he was driving, 2nd time I've noticed it burn though not as bad as when I burnt it coming out of a carwash my first month! Though I don't know whats happening the few times my wife has driven it, she's very good with a stick shift though but I would have to say the WRXs clutch take up point is sometimes difficult to get exactly right if you aren't used to it. She usually never drives the thing unless we have had to swap cars for some reason and in fact doesn't even want to be in it ever since I got the 17in wheels!

Anyway I'm not too upset with my cousin as I got to hammer his M3 he drove to visit me in so I guess we are 'even"!

Could burning the clutch "fix' the shudder problem temporarily as it seems to have done here?? Not that I'm recommending it as a fix!Just wanted to hear if anyone had any technical insights as to why its behaving this way now?

When I have my 2 yr service in a few months I am going to see if the dealer will do the TSB fix.

Sl OT but on the issue of ext warranties brought up a few posts higher, I've said many times before I'm a big fan of them, esp with certain makes.

Well , our 3 1/2 year old, 39K mileage Ford Windstar just needed a new tranny! As it was our 2nd Windstar (we only got another one of these pieces of junk as Ford bought us off with a 4K discount so we wouldn't be in the class action lawsuit against them for the garbage 95 Windstar we had , as well as the 0.9% they were offering at the time) we had gotten a ext warranty. Just made over twice the money I paid on that back already!

So much for Ford quality, the 95 lasted till 50K!This one got 10K less! Then the engine went at 75K on the 95! Wonder how long this one will go for?? I'm ditching it before the ext warranty is up!Of course Ford may have to extend the factory warranty on the engine to 100K like on our 95 to stop those hordes of lawsuits by irate customers!

Oh and to top it all off, it took 2 new trannys before they managed to get it fitting properly! The first factory rebuilt one didn't quite fit!!

ateixeira · November 2003

39k? Scary.

-juice

prayerfor · November 2003

deadeye5 --

You'd be risking some serious jail time if you drove your car hard enough on the street to warp the rotors.

What people misdiagnose as warped rotors is almost always the DTV phenomenon.

karl1973 · November 2003

Back when the "new" WRX first came out, a British car magazine had one for long term test, and they have experienced the famous shudder.
They have mentioned that the way they fixed it, was to take the car out on the highway, and do a few high power clutch slips. That fixed their shuddering clutch problem.

merrycynic · November 2003

This is interesting, I first noticed this problem towards the end of last winter. It subsided when the weather got warmer. Then reared it's ugly head during the first cold days of fall. Now the weather is even colder and it seems to be disappearing. BTW, I have the car since 7/02 and presently have 31K miles.

ateixeira · November 2003

Isn't the cause surface rust on the pressure plate? I think that's why it's worse on a cold, damp morning.

-juice

merrycynic · November 2003

Juice, interesting. I never had this clutch shudder problem on any other car. I never noticed so much rust as on the Subaru' brakes on any other car either. Of course the rust disappears after a little use.

merrycynic · November 2003

Is it me, or is it more noticeable on cold damp mornings, and especially when starting in reverse?

locke2c · November 2003

it's not rust, but yes it is high spots on the clutch lining and flywheel. and yes, sometimes scuffing can fix it if the diaphragm is still working properly.

-c

nixomose · December 2003

Thanks for the info. I learned about lightening up on the brakes after a hard stop and I do that as autmatically as I double clutch now. Usually my hard braking is highway from 70-80 to 40-50 and not to a complete stop. I try to never sit on my brakes at a stop and try to roll slowly so the pads don't sit on any one spot on the rotor. No biggie though, I'll check the lug bolts torque. thanks for the info, all.

npaladin2000 · December 2003

Ok, I'm sitting here in the middle of a big snowstorm in eastern NY state, and wondering if anyone is driving a WRX Wagon in it, and how it's working out? And should I go out and by myself one tomorrow, because I got myself stuck 6 times on a 1 mile drive to work just now (I just love how the plows leave a monster snowbank right at the entrance to my apartment complex...).

msdannyj · December 2003

Well, I actually had to drop my wife at work and pick her up on Saturday in northern NJ (7 miles each way) and my WRX wagon ploughed through like a champ, not even a skid here or there. The majority of the vehicles on the road were buses, trucks, SUVs, audis and of course, subbies. I should say, I am VERY VERY impressed. My last car had ABS and Traction control and was not even close.

karl1973 · December 2003

Get snow tires, no matter what kind o car you have. They make a huge difference.

raybear · December 2003

My '96 Legacy GT Wagon is almost as bad as anything else right now. The original Potenzas were never very good foul-weather tires, I'm due for a change.

npaladin2000 · December 2003

Ok so a WRX should be great so long as the OEM tires are replaced? I'm not one to bother with snows in the winter (mostly because I know if I do there won't be so much as a flake all winter).

Actually, this presents an interesting buying point...why bother with the 17 inch rims/tires option if you're going to replace the OEM tires anyway, right? I just need to find some good all-season rubber for it (Probably on the stock 16 inch rims...I know 17s would be better for handling, but Dutchess County's roads tend to be a little rough and patched a lot, and I'll need to save my tailbone a bit).

My 2 options right now are to do a short to mid-sized lease right now and then take a loan to take the buyout at the end, or wait until September (need to pay off a loan) and do an outright buy (timing works well on that since by next Sept the 04s should have incentives and the dealers might give better prices). I'm stretching myself as it is planning on the WRX rather than oan OBS, but somehow I don't think I'd forgive myself if I settled for an OBS (and the limited slip rear diffy should help with snow traction even more).

redscooby · December 2003

Don't do the lease & buyout - it's just like taking out a second loan. You'll be much more at ease with yourself and your WRX if you wait until your other loan is paid off. Plus, you should get a better price on an '04 in the second half of next year. There ends my lesson on personal finances

-Chris

redscooby · December 2003

I added a set of Prodrive mudlaps a few weeks ago. Excellent quality, and I'm very happy with the way they look. Hopefully they'll provide a little extra protection to the sides of the car this winter. Some pictures:

http://members.cox.net/redscooby/Car/103_0396_1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/redscooby/Car/103_0398_1.jpg

-Chris

1hokie · December 2003

I just posted on the non-wagon wrx topic here at edmunds about the east coast snow. One thing to add here - tires. The OEM's seem "fine" to me - that being said, they don't impress me, but they don't disappoint for everyday driving. Even through 10" of snow, I didn't have a problem. Winter tires would have been even better - a tempting option to get since I'm all about getting performance in all weather (hence the WRX). But then I was also thinking of getting a set of 17's for the spring/summer/fall - for better styling, and improved handling (so I can push the car like I shouldn't). But then what do I do with the OEM tires with 13k miles on them?

So, for now, and for my wallet's sake, the OEM's will do just fine.

jim_loves_cars · December 2003

I'm in Northern NJ and got my '04 WRX wagon outfitted with snow tires (Dunlop WinterSport M2's) a few days before the snow. I got home before things got dicey and stayed home through the storm. I went for a spin after digging out on Sunday and looked for unplowed side roads to play on. I couldn't get the car to break loose without driving like a maniac, which I don't do, especially through neighborhoods. The car seemed super-safe and it was lots of fun trying.

Next time I'll have to get out there while things are really bad. No worries. This is Northern NJ -- we'll get more snow!

Jim

merrycynic · December 2003

My WRX wagon's wheel wells collect more ice than any other car I've ever owned. I spent twenty minutes chopping ice from the rear springs and wheel wells this morning. The coils were filled with rock hard ice. What gives?

hypov · December 2003

My WRX wagon does that, so does my OBS and did my OB

Putting on mudflaps did helped reduce the accumulation.

-Dave

jim_loves_cars · December 2003

any one know if mudflaps are available yet for '04 WRX wagons? I know they are for 03's, but I think the 03's won't fit on '04's because of the design change. I'm not certain about this though.

I would love to get a set on my wagon - they are a boon all year round (especially in winter) and I like the way they look.

Jim

ateixeira · December 2003

Wax your wheels!

Seriously, that keeps them clean and slippery, slush and ice will not stick to them.

They are painted, so just use the same wax you use on the rest of the car. It's easiest to do it when you are rotating your tires.

-juice

merrycynic · December 2003

Juice, there is little to no build up on the wheels. Its the wheel wells and springs that accumulate all the ice.

pathstar1 · December 2003

Some people spray the wheelwells with oil or silicone spray, so the ice doesn't stick. I think some rally teams do as well.

My last Subaru was really good at locking the front wheels staight ahead with ice. Entertaining.

ateixeira · December 2003

I haven't had that problem. My Forester has mud flaps, I guess that might help. Those do get "full", so when I stop I kick off the slush that accumulates onto them.

Stuff in the wheel well won't through the wheels off balance because that is sprung weight, so it's less of a concern that ice forming on the wheels themselves.

-juice

redscooby · December 2003

Had our first decent snowfall today (I'm guessing around 4 inches) which was preceded by freezing rain just to make things nice and slick. Even with mudflaps on, I had the same problem with packed snow in the wheel wells going from the bottom of the mudflap to about 3/4 of the height of the wheel. Had to spend a few minutes on the driveway in the windchill digging it out before pulling into the garage.

On the plus side though, I was impressed with the WRX's traction from a standstill and also with the way it handled unplowed neighbourhood streets. It was fun to experience a little 'four wheel drift' on some low-speed corners when nobody was around. I'm sure the traction would be even better with winter tires instead of the OEMs.

bluesubie · December 2003

I used silicone spray to help with the buildup on the Outback's mudflaps. The springs had a little buildup, but I didn't even think to spray them.

Thanks for the tip, pathstar! :-)

-Dennis

hypov · December 2003

Spraying oil or silicone on the mudflaps is an idea, but on the wheel wells I'm not too eager. Mainly that the oil or silicone may be transfered to the rotors via unstuck snow/ice. Might make braking a thrilling adventure.

-Dave

merrycynic · December 2003

Dave,
Excellent point!

locke2c · December 2003

that's simply not gonna happen dave. there's no reasonable way for it to get down from the wheel well past the tire onto the rotor, for one.

two even if it did it would be an insignificant amount and it would be burned off instantly.

-Colin

merrycynic · December 2003

Colin,
Thanks, that's a relief. How about from the coils?
While we're on the subject of ice, last winter I had to use a credit card on several occasions to open the gas filler lid due to freezing over. Anyone else have this problem?

saintviper · December 2003

OEM tires are just fine in snow. No, not as good as dedicated snow tires, but perfectly adequate. People who say the OEM's are terrible in snow are either driving way too aggresively for the conditions, or have unrealistic expectations.

merrycynic · December 2003

It looks like the WRX has been left off the list for the first time. Being the mercenary I am, I'll take advantage of the situation and recommend the new and improved STi WAGON as the way to get back on.

redscooby · December 2003

I'm not ready for new tires yet, but couldn't help look at TireRack after seeing some of the recent posts (what a great site for tire research). Until I bought the Scoob, I hadn't realized there was such a bewildering choice of tires!!

Can anyone explain the huge price difference between the Pilot Sport A/S ($167) and the ContiExtremeContact ($75)? They are rated 2 and 3 in their category, with the Pilot Sport scoring slightly higher in traction/handling and the Conti scoring slightly higher on comfort/wear (but the differences are marginal).

-Chris

Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

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