Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

jwilson1 · January 2005

Exactly!

Thankx to all for the feedback -- and info ....

and I agree with you Colin ... if money were no object (and it is for all of us I'm guessing) I think I'd head toward Volk or Advan this time. The Sube boards should help from here with some more economical choices.

Best, JW

locke2c · January 2005

I've driven a D Stock WRX with a big adjustable front swaybar and it was massive improvement over stock. the decrease in body roll was absolutely worth it even though it would be nice to match it up with a big rear bar too-- but that's forbidden in Stock class.

~Colin

ateixeira · January 2005

Bolt pattern on most Subies is 5x100mm. The SVX and 2005 STi use 5x117mm IIRC, but they're the only ones that come to mind.

-juice

locke2c · January 2005

actually it's 5x114.3 = 5x4.5"

the Evo uses this same lug pattern, and consequently '05 STis and Evos now use similar if not identical wheel fitments.

~c

andmoon · January 2005

cobbs send it to them reflash for $300. is a pretty good bang for the buck. Over 25K miles now no problems.

Don

n_d_t · January 2005

Anybody here kind enough to tell me exactly where the tweeters are in the wagon? Many thanks.

hypov · January 2005

ya know, I see it everyday and it's not burnt into my memory.

<My memory says>

It's at the door panel, forward of the manual latch to open the door.

</My memory says>

-Dave

cptplt · January 2005

seems my manual says no change at 30K but the mysubaru site says change at 30K. which should it be????

is cleanning the throttle body total BS to pay for the dealership owners yacht??

ppek · January 2005

cptplt,

I believe the WRX is at 60,000 (or more?), because of the platinum spark plugs. I also checked my MySubaru site and it also listed 30,000. I have often found errors on the MySubaru site. I think they have difficulty because the Impreza comes with two different engines, and then there's the whole issue with dealer recommended vs. manuf. recommended.

I believe the base non-turbo 2.5L might get them changed at 30,000. Either way, I had my 30,000 done a few months ago and they did not change the plugs.

Take care,

Paul

bkaiser1 · January 2005

Since I'm coming up on this service in my 04 WRX, I've been calling around lately trying to get some prices on just the required serices. To my surprise, the dealers around me have widely varying ideas of what's required, with prices ranging from $325 to $745 for the 30k service.

Judging my MySubaru's site, I need new spark plugs, brake fluid, fuel filter, coolant, air filter, and engine oil/filter (along with a whole host of other checks). One dealer with the lowest price doesn't include brake fluid or fuel filter changes in that price, so it goes to $450 with those added. Another charges $440 for the 30k service, but doesn't do the spark plugs until 60k. Ugh...what a hassle just finding a place to get this done!

lilbluewgn02 · January 2005

I paid $190 for the services listed on mysubaru.com, plus got 2 free oil changes due to smell of intercooler cleaner sprayed on...my mechanic forgot to tell me and I ended up going back because of it..didn't know what it was

Serge

cptplt · January 2005

this is nuts, if you go to the subaru.com site and look at their maintenance schedule, it does not need to be changed at 30K, same as it says in the manual in my glovebox.

If you go to mysubaru, at least when I sign in, it brings up my dealers "recommended" maintenance schedule which does change at 30K. So does the edmunds site.

I am sticking to what is in my manual.I vaguely recall seeing somewehere that on the turbo its like the DOHC 2.5, PITA to get to the plugs so they put platinum ones on in the factory good till 60K.

kevin111 · January 2005

kevin111 · January 2005

The WRX requires Spark Plug replacement every 60K miles. I believe the standard TS or RS Impreza needs it every 30K miles. I am not sure mysubaru makes the distinction between the WRX and RS and TS models for service.

Andmoon - Any worries about your car passing smogging with the reflash? Just curious. Also, what differences are there in performance and gas mileage?

jwilson1 · January 2005

A number of brands (all?) seem to be doing this now -- publishing a list of mfg. recommended maintenance then putting you on a list so that you get the dealer's recommendations which are always more frequent. It was true on my last Acura, just like on both of our Subarus.

Obviously if you can talk people into changing plugs early, there's more money in it for the dealer. Just as good, too, to have people think it's important to change oil every 3000. At 75000 miles (on my wife's Forester) they told me I should follow up on the 60k tuneup with new air filter, fuel filter, tire rotation (done in October!), oil change, spark plugs (again? must be a high profit item) and consider brake pad replacement. I had them do the oil change and told them I'd keep an eye on the rest.

JW

paisan · January 2005

What's the Offset on the Evo wheels colin?

-mike

j0elboy · January 2005

Hello Wagonistas:

Recently took the WRX SW to be serviced at 24K and told the service writer about some noises with drivetrain--sounds like crunching or creaking, especially when cold--that seem to emanate from under the floor on the driver's side. And, also that it's been a real struggle lately, again especially when cold, to get it into first gear without double clutching. I am aware of some discussion of these issues here. Any insights for me, the service people seemed to think it was totally temperature related, claimed to have called Subaru USA, and additionally claimed to not have found ANY TSB's dealing with this. Can someone direct me to threads, similar experience, or/and solutions. I love the car, it is the best blend of sports car and functionality I have owned.

Thanks in advance.

j0elboy

volkov · January 2005

All I can say is that I have to double clutch going into 1st when it's cold aka below freezing and car hasn't warmed up yet.

socprofinblrex · January 2005

Last March I posted about a reoccuring CEL problem. I was under warranty and I do have one of the early WRX wagons (Nov. 2001). The computer has been sent in more than once including last March. I had another CEL this past December and at an oil change it was diagnosed (fee) and some cleaning was done (fee). I have not made it 2,000 miles and I have another CEL!

In the previous one (Dec.) the only difference in my car I could detect was the gas mileage which dropped about 5 mpg. This time, no drop in mpg and no noticeable running difference. The only other variables I can identify on my own that correspond with past CEL's is a significant drop in temp (we had a week of 0 to -25) requiring more warm up and more reluctant early running while cold. The car is touchier when the weather gets more extreme.

On this CEL, I've filled two tanks of gas, opened & tightened the gas cap as many as 10 times, and made sure that I drove as gently as possible during warm up periods. I'll attempt to make an appointment with the dealer, but I'm tired of paying a fee for diagnosis for a problem that I think should have been cleared up at at least the 2nd time in to the dealer. This will be at least the 4th attempt to fix this. And, now my warranty has expired (by 3,000)so I'm on my own it seems (unless someone cares to see it as a pre-existing, ongoing problem which I doubt).

Okay, I've vented some frustration. If suggestions are also out there, pass them along.

Thomas in Mpls

ateixeira · January 2005

Sure, reset the ECU. Disconnect the negative battery terminal, wait 20 minutes, reconnect, and have the keys handy if you have an alarm. Let it warm up and you've got a clean slate.

-juice

n_d_t · January 2005

I bought my WRX wagon three weeks ago. I am supposed to be back at the dealer's after three months for a complimentary oil change. Is it possible to have the dealer install the sub/amp option then? And is there any benefit to doing that, as opposed to getting the job done at a place like Best Buy? In other words, I expect the dealer to charge me more, but would the dealer installed gear be superior or more appropriate for the car than what I might get in an electronics store? Many thanks.

saintviper · January 2005

Any suggestions on new windshield wipers? The originals were ok, but tended to get full of ice and then couldn't track the shape of the windshield properly.

I replaced them with winter blades which cover the structure of the wiper, but they still freeze solid and stop tracking. These blades also catch more wind at freeway speed and get lifted off the glass?

Any ideas?

bluesubie · January 2005

For easy-to-get wipers, I've gone with Bosch and was very happy. In the recent snowstorm, I couldn't figure out why the snow and ice was sticking to my FXT's wipers so badly. Then I remembered that I still have the OEM's on! I'm getting the Bosch again this weekend.

The PIAA's sold through TireRack gets pretty good reviews.

-Dennis

ateixeira · January 2005

If you install OE within 90 days of purchase (IIRC) then it's covered under your warranty. That's one advantage. So you pay more but it might be worth it, plus it fits custom.

-juice

bkaiser1 · February 2005

I bought some Noltec steering rack bushings well over a year ago for my WRX to cure the crooked steering wheel problem after turns, only to let the bushings sit here in my office under a pile of junk. Well, I finally had them installed yesterday while I was having the 30,000 mile service done and I wish I would have done it alot sooner. The steering wheel is now centered dead-on when cruising on the highway, and the steering rack doesn't seem to be moving around as much in hard corners.

The charge for the install was $50, which was well worth it to me since I hadn't found the motivation to tackle that project in the past year! I have to say, as insignificant as it sounds, the crooked steering wheel has bothered me since day one and I'm glad it seems to be history.

Brian

ateixeira · February 2005

Glad to hear it Brian.

Are the new bushings urethane or rubber? Or are they just shaped differently?

-juice

bkaiser1 · February 2005

They are exact replacements in terms of shape, but the Noltec ones are made of urethane instead of spongy rubber. In total, a $75 fix to an annoying (and common) WRX shortcoming.

B

ateixeira · February 2005

I've seen urethane bushings for the shifter, it makes a big difference there, too.

-juice

andmoon · February 2005

Sorry for the late response.

No problems with cobbs reflash. It has been a while but I think I got 1 or 2 mpg better after the reflash.

My dealer installed aftermarket steering rack bushings for free (I bought the bushings) after a oem steering rack bushing followed by a new oem steering rack didn't fix the ramdon crooked steering wheel issue I had since day 1. I am now at over 26K and have had no issues with the aftermarket bushings.

Wagon runs great at 26K. Only issues are 1) rattle in the drivers side a pillar that the dealer has tried to fix many times. 2) squeeks in the cargo area during winter months. 3) I have to lower and raise my windows to stop wind noise after opening a door...just started this winter so I am not sure if it is temp. related...however it didn't do it last winter.

n_d_t · February 2005

Hi, I have an 05 wagon with no upgrade (yet) to the sound system. Are there any common enhancements I should think of doing? I was thinking about having the Subaru amp/sub installed, but maybe other mods make more sense? (Tweeters, for instance? Can that be done easily, and did anyone improve their sound significantly doing that?) Thanks.

andmoon · February 2005

for the money I wouldn't go with the stock amp/woofer. Only problem with the wagon is that there isn't a good location to put an amp and a sub. I don't think the upgraded speakers are that much of an upgrade.

bkaiser1 · February 2005

I've got an 04 wagon with the OEM upgraded speakers and powered sub...it's okay, but certainly not a great system by any means. If you're really interested in a loud system with clean sound, I'd go with aftermarket speakers and an amp...you could keep the OEM head unit if you wanted since it has the 6cd changer in it. Also, tweeters are standard on the WRX if I'm not mistaken...all the "upgrade" package included was higher quality door speakers.

Compared to other OEM stereos I've had, the WRX system just sounds underpowered and a little muddy at higher volumes...and the lack of XM or Sirius truely sucks. If you are really on a budget, you can probably find the Subaru Sub online for pretty cheap and install it yourself...all the wiring is already there, just plug it in. But if you've got a few hundred to spend on quality stuff, I'd go aftermarket instead.

Just my .02....

Brian

jchristopher · February 2005

Anybody added the Subaru security system to a '05 WRX Wagon? Is it something an end user could handle?

Apparently they come with keyless entry only. To me, it looks like they are all wired up for the plugin "security" module, but I just want to confirm. Obviously can buy it much cheaper online after the fact than from the dealer.

Thanks

andmoon · February 2005

At exactly 60mph indicated on the speedo I hear a whine from the rear. I am not sure if it is a wind noise or gear noise. Doesn't happen at 59mph or 61mph. Happens under and off load but more so under load. Also can hear when I depress the clutch.

Anyone else have this?

Don

oneduckstwo · February 2005

Well, I've searched the past posts about bike racks on the WRX wagon (02) and what I seem to understand is that:

1. The subaru bike rack is not so great and overpriced?

2. Yakima/Thule racks come in 6 million configurations and alot of people post about cutting (!) their rails to clear the gate?

So I'm not sure what to get. The easiest (cheapest) solution seems to be a trunk/hatchback rack if this is possible. I'm not really interested in a hitch rack as I don't even have the hitch or any interest in getting one. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Oh, we have 2 mountain bikes (G.Fisher Marlin + Spec. Rockhopper.)

bkaiser1 · February 2005

The subaru unit is made by Yakima, and is priced similarly. Yakima (and Thule) stuff isn't cheap, but it's very, very durable. I've had a few different types of roof racks (all yakima) on my cars, from using QTowers and round bars with steelhead bike mounts, to my current setup: a Road Warrior roof basket with 3 fork-mounted bike mounts attached to the basket. This holds 3 mtb's or road bikes, plus there's still room in the basket to bungee the front wheels if you need to get them out of the car.

One advantage to using the Road Warrior basket as the mounting point (rather than the round bars) is that it elevates the bikes enough to eliminate clearance problems with the rear hatch. With some setups, the rear spoiler can hit the bike trays (or bike tires) when it is opened. The Road Warrior mounts directly to the Subaru flat bars in a matter of minutes, and the whole thing can be removed from the car (and remounted) in less than a minute.

There are dozens of different ways of mounting bikes to your wagon, each with their own strengths and weaknesses...and virtually none of them are very cheap. Plan on spending at least $300 to $500 to get everything you need.

The cheapest solution, the hatch/trunk rack, is my least favorite because they don't hold the bikes nearly as securely as other racks, and they have a tendency to wreck your paint. But at least they are cheap...

Brian

ateixeira · February 2005

Don: simplest thing to check is the rear diffy fluid, in fact, I'd change it now.

-juice

saintviper · February 2005

I have a Yakima roof rack an like it, but to be honest, if I had it to do over again, I'd get a trailer hitch mounted rack. I put at lot of miles on (95K on my 2002 so far) and the 2-3 mpg I loose with the rack and fairing on really annoy me. Not so much because of the cost, but the reduced cruising range. That's just a personal pet peeve though.

I like the idea of the trailer mount because it carries the bikes securely and out of the air/bug stream. I also like that these types of racks can be added and removed in just a few minutes. An additional advantage is that you never have to worry about pulling into your garage with bikes on the roof.

Drawbacks with this type of rack are that they only carry bikes. A roof rack can carry skis, canoes, whatever. The other drawback is that you may not be able to open the trunk with them mounted.

andmoon · February 2005

thanks Juice.

The trailer mounts have attachments for skis.

andmoon · February 2005

I changed the rear end oil yesterday. The noise is still there. The oil that came out had a little metal mud but no chips or bigger pieces. I wonder if the limited slip is going.

ateixeira · February 2005

Sounds like it.

The stuff off my Miata was muddy like that. I went synthetic. I'm at 53k miles now, so at 60k I'll change it again. Hope it looks better than last time!

-juice

oneduckstwo · February 2005

Thanks to all of you that responded to my inquiry. I think the vote was 50/50 roof rack/trunk (or hitch) rack. So I spent about 45 minutes at REI last weekend pricing everything out and I couldn't justify the ~$400 price diff. to get the roof rack for my simple transportation needs. I ended up with a $75 Yakima trunk rack that seems to work just fine thus far. It does have pads that rub on the bumper and gate, and it wiggles slightly over bumps but I guess I can live with it. It also comes off in a couple minutes if you know what you're doing (which could be a liability as well.) I intend to lock the 2 bikes together when parked and hopefully this will discourage theft. Anyway, thanks again...this group is always great help.

oneduckstwo · February 2005

Someboby please tell me I'll still be able to look at a stock Civic Si without much concern...apparently the rumor is a 200hp Si. Yes, it's childish entertainment to pull away from the boy racers and their various wings and scoops (most often with automatics) in my old man's wagon.

saintviper · February 2005

Actually, if it's your own wagon, then that's ok. If it's your old man's wagon, then you need to get a life.

The Si is still fwd right? 200hp, but probably 140ft/lbs of torque? And Civics have gotten fat over the years. Might be close.

oneduckstwo · February 2005

To clarify my previous post lest you all think I really am an old man (is 27 old?), I only meant it pleases me when Celicas, etc. look at my '02 and foolishly think, "oh, it's just a wagon."

I will say a couple days ago an old man in a newer blue WRX wagon with blacked out rims and giant exhaust gave me quite a run late at night exiting the 210 in Pasadena. The guy looked like Sherlock Holmes or something, and just disappeared...all I saw were taillights. I wonder if he posts here...

Any thoughts as to scheduled maintainance if I'm doing oil changes myself? I'm on 45k and the last time I went to the dealer they told me it wasn't necessary. Picked it up w/30k and it hasn't been there since...

ateixeira · February 2005

Just keep a few business cards from the closest track, hand them one if they want to street race. "See you at Summit Point, have a nice day."

-juice

km24 · February 2005

hypov · February 2005

???

km24 · February 2005

I have seen pictures of the new facelift on the forrester but I have not seen any good pictures of the WRX. When is the WRX going to get a facelift? Also when is the WRX going to get a total redesign? Does anyone have some official news on the new WRX?
Thanks
Khyle

rsholland · February 2005

Facelift likely, rather than redesign for MY 06. Nothing official yet, but you may (?) see something at the Mexican Rally next month, as Solberg will debut his new racer then.

If not then, then sometime between then and late summer you will see something for sure.

Bob

Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

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