WRX - Is it worth the extra $$$?

[swc7916]

We have to replace our 2005 Outback Sport Special Edition that was totalled two weeks ago. My question to anyone out there is: Does the WRX really perform that much better than the standard 2.5 liter Impreza? We drove a 2004 WRX and the dealer this past weekend and were pretty disappointed; I expected to get a surge of acceleration when the turbocharger kicked in, but it didn't happen. Did I drive a bad car? Did I drive it wrong? (The salesman said that you have to drive them like you hate them to get them to perform.) Is it worth the extra $4000? Thanks.

[mtsmiths]

"Worth it" is a relative term. The four thousand dollar question is:

 

How hard do you drive, how many tickets can you afford?

 

In my (far too long) experience most performance cars are rarely driven to their potential (who can afford THAT, after all ... see second half of question above). Is it worth an extra $4K, higher insurance premiums and greater maintenance, over and above the less expensive and perfectly adequate alternative (99.5% of the time), for the occassional few seconds of YIPPEE! ?

 

Only YOU can answer that question.

[subeman90]

IMHO: Nope! I was going to buy a leftover 04 WRX wagon but got my 05 OBS SE instead. Glad i did too! I wasn't impressed by the beat it so it runs fast factor.....i don't drive like that....but i do drive fast though and that is what my 05 will do just fine.

[BigC]

It's the cost of consumables and insurance I would be more concerned with than 4k up front. Consumables as in premium fuel for as long as you own it. Typically insurance costs are higher but that really depends on your age.

 

Why not try a Forester XT if you want a kick in the seat of the pants while still retaining some utility.

[spanky_pete]

I've driven an Impreza with the plain NA 2.5l motor in it. I was incredibly under-impressed by it. For me, the gains in gas mileage and insurance(there was barely any savings) were not worth the loss in performance.

 

If you're into wagons then I second the comment about looking at the Forester 2.5XT or wait until the 2006 models show up. The WRX will be using the 2.5 turbo by then.

 

"beat it so it runs fast"? Not on either of my cars.

[nkx]

my insurance isnt very expensive for my wrx and the buggy, and im 23. you gotta get the revs up to about 3-3.5k before the turbo really starts to spool. 4k and youre WOT, full boost, now thats fun

[spanky_pete]

my insurance isnt very expensive for my wrx and the buggy, and im 23. you gotta get the revs up to about 3-3.5k before the turbo really starts to spool. 4k and youre WOT, full boost, now thats fun

 

I spool at about 2k. Must be in the tuning.

[nkx]

I spool at about 2k. Must be in the tuning.

 

well, yeah, i guess it does start to spin up around 2k, but its not really useable until you get above and beyond 3k.

[Setright]

Okay, the WRX has gotten heavier, but how can you describe the performance as dissappointing??

 

Sure it needs revs before the turbo comes on full song, but these days the transition is so smooth that the "kick" we used to get in the bad-old-days is gone.

 

If you want Turbo kick, get a Porsche 911 Turbo. The 930 model from 1975. That engine has about 2 hp up to 3500rpm and then it suddenly dumps 200hp on you at 3501rpm

[swc7916]

My only previous experience driving a turbocharged car was a test-drive of a turbo Jetta. I could really feel that car take off! The 2004 WRX that I test-drove didn't even feel like it HAD a turbocharger.

 

The Forester XT costs more, uses premium fuel, and gets terrible gas mileage. Anyway, it's for my 22-year-old son and the Forester is kind of stogey-looking. One reason that I was looking at the WRX is that it has side airbags and the others Imprezas don't.

 

Another consideration: What is the longevity of the WRX 2.0 liter engine? I'm assuming that it was designed to be turbocharged and would be stronger than the 2.5 non-tubo engine.

[outback_97]

We've never felt our 2.5 TS was underpowered. The '89 GL it replaced though... I guess it's all relative. We've never regretted getting the NA 2.5. It's not a drag racer. But we didn't want one. I'm just saying what mtsmiths already said I guess, but I really don't understand the obsession with high HP cars or sub 6 or 7 second 0-60 cars that are mostly used for daily drivers in suburban commutes. Then again, why do people drive trucks which can tow 5000+ lbs. for daily drivers either? I could go on but I'll stop. For what we use it for, the power is fine. Presumably you're OK after your accident, sorry to hear about the loss of the car, either one would be a great choice but the decision is one you'll have to make.

 

Steve

[swc7916]

Here is the hulk. It's repairable, but not economical to do so; the estimate was over $12,000.

 

[mtsmiths]

Well, aside from what I wrote at the out set (none of which would I change, BTW), I'm going to add a social comment in the form of a question.

 

Why in God's green earth would you even consider going an extra $4K to buy a faster car that you are gifting to a 22 year old male. If you want to buy your kid a car fine, but don't foster raging testosterone.

 

Sounds like silver spoon syndrome to me, but then hey, I had to buy ALL my own cars.

[spanky_pete]

My only previous experience driving a turbocharged car was a test-drive of a turbo Jetta. I could really feel that car take off! The 2004 WRX that I test-drove didn't even feel like it HAD a turbocharger.

 

The Forester XT costs more, uses premium fuel, and gets terrible gas mileage. Anyway, it's for my 22-year-old son and the Forester is kind of stogey-looking. One reason that I was looking at the WRX is that it has side airbags and the others Imprezas don't.

 

Another consideration: What is the longevity of the WRX 2.0 liter engine? I'm assuming that it was designed to be turbocharged and would be stronger than the 2.5 non-tubo engine.

 

If you think that a turbo jetta felt like it had more power than a WRX then there was something wrong with the WRX you test drove. As far as I've read, all 2005 Subarus have side impact airbags. However, you should know that insurance companies don't give you any significant breaks for having them. I save 3 dollars every six months.

 

FYI: All of Subaru's Turbo cars take premium. And they're all rated at about the same milage. Sounds to me like you should stick with something that has a NA 2.5 in it.

[spanky_pete]

For anyone who hasn't seen it, this is what the 2006 Forester will look like:

 

[swc7916]

Well, aside from what I wrote at the out set (none of which would I change, BTW), I'm going to add a social comment in the form of a question.

 

Why in God's green earth would you even consider going an extra $4K to buy a faster car that you are gifting to a 22 year old male. If you want to buy your kid a car fine, but don't foster raging testosterone.

 

Sounds like silver spoon syndrome to me, but then hey, I had to buy ALL my own cars.

 

I am not gifting it to him; the intent is to sell it to him when he finishes school. He needs transportation now and isn't working yet. It will be MY car but I am looking for something that he would choose for himself. I have provided junker cars in the past for kid's transportation but never felt good about their safety or reliability. I am certainly not rich and cannot afford to give each of my (5) kids new cars. Before I would pony up for the WRX he would have to agee that he is willing to pay extra for it.

[Sweet82]

If I couldn't feel the difference in a test drive, I'd pass on the extra $4,000 investment.

 

My Forester is a fast enough for my needs.

 

My vote is no!

 

Good Luck,

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer--slow car.

01 Forester--fast car.

[cookie]

If the car was my everyday driver and I expected it to last for several years I would want no turbo and the least stress on the engine possible. If I was giving it to a teenage driver I would also want to give them a chance to survive thier teenage years.

I think my BMW M Roadster has about the same speed numbers as a WRX. I can tell you for sure that I would never have made it through my teenage years with this car.

If it was my choice the kid would get the 2.5, which is a plenty fast car, and the best stereo available to make the car cool. One of the local football star kids was just killed here in a VW going about 100 in a 35 zone so this may be coloring my thinking.

[subeman90]

my 05 OBS doesn't have side bags (which is fine with me).

 

Side note: are you selling or parting out the OBS? If so i call dibs on the wheels....

 

One a side note: I like my 2.5. I like it everytime I get in the car. I wish I had a job that kept me in that car for 8 hrs a day. Everytime I get out of the car I smile and giggle too. Also if you guys saw how fast I was going tonight on a 2 lane back road that cuts between 2 farms in the middle of nowhere you would giggle too. I'll give you a clue....it started with a 9

[The Dude]

One additional consideration for a turbo engine, simmering. I am not familiar with the Subaru, but many turbos need to be simmered after a boost. The bearings in the turbo unit get extremely hot after a boost, the engine must be idled for a while before shutting off the engine. If this isn't done the stagnant oil in the turbo unit will turn to charcol. I know one guy who went through four tubo units this way, a real slow learner. If your son boosts on the way home, parks the car in the driveway, then runs right in to call his GF, things could get expensive. This kind of damage usually is not covered under warranty. SURPRISE!!!

[SuBrat84]

...Anyway, it's for my 22-year-old son and the Forester is kind of stogey-looking. One reason that I was looking at the WRX is that it has side airbags and the others Imprezas don't....

 

1) I'm 22 and my 2.5 Legacy gets me in MORE than enough trouble. I'm sure if I had a WRX I couldn't imagine the trouble. 2) The Impreza is safe enough that the side impact air bags aren't going to make a huge difference in a side impact crash.

 

It is my opinion as a 22 year old... The 2.5 is more than enough car. As much as I would LOVE to have a WRX or especially an STI .. that's asking for more trouble than a 22yr old needs. If you want to spend the 4k on suspension and brake upgrades.. that would be a wise investment to improve the safety of the vehicle.

-Eli-

[Dr. RX]

One additional consideration for a turbo engine, simmering. I am not familiar with the Subaru, but many turbos need to be simmered after a boost. The bearings in the turbo unit get extremely hot after a boost, the engine must be idled for a while before shutting off the engine. If this isn't done the stagnant oil in the turbo unit will turn to charcol. I know one guy who went through four tubo units this way, a real slow learner. If your son boosts on the way home, parks the car in the driveway, then runs right in to call his GF, things could get expensive. This kind of damage usually is not covered under warranty. SURPRISE!!!

This simmering that you call it is only needed if you are aggressive with the car, under normal driving this is not needed. I am an agressive driver, I have a 96 JDM WRX EJ20G powered 96 Impreza, goes like a bat out of hell, I drive it hard, but when I get within about 10 minutes from home, I bring things under control and the rpms down, this allows the engine to cool down as well as the turbocharger. By the time I get home, everything is cool enough to shut it down. I have been driving turbocharged cars since before a lot of you were born, I have never had a single turbo carbon up on me using this technique.

 

swc7916, to answer your question, and this will probably draw flames for the younger set, but I would not give a WRX to anyone who didn't have at least ten years of driving experience. Is the car worth the extra, well that is totally up to you, but I feel if you are asking, it probably isn't. The current WRXs are not like the GC series WRXs from 1993 to 2001. The first JDM WRX had more horsepower (240 versus 227), were lighter and much quicker. I think the closest Subaru, in performance, stock out of the factory, is the STi. But for what you intend this for, replace it with the same type of vehicle you had.

[rizzo]

I am not gifting it to him; the intent is to sell it to him when he finishes school. He needs transportation now and isn't working yet. It will be MY car but I am looking for something that he would choose for himself. I have provided junker cars in the past for kid's transportation but never felt good about their safety or reliability. I am certainly not rich and cannot afford to give each of my (5) kids new cars. Before I would pony up for the WRX he would have to agee that he is willing to pay extra for it.

 

i'd go with another outback sport... or maybe even the RS wagon. it's a bit sportier looking than the outback sport (it doesn't have the bulky looking bumpers and 2-tone paint). a 22 year old certainly doesn't need the turbo, and when he finishes school, i'm sure he'll have other payments to worry about than a higher insurance premium and the cost of premium gas. i'm 25, and if i had the turbo, i'd be screwed. as is, i can barely afford the car payments and the insurance on my 03 OBS. i've got rent, utilities, and student loans to pay. plus i still wanna have fun. but it was the price i paid to get a decent car that's gonna last me longer than my last car (89 camry wagon). and for just a daily driver, i wouldn't need the car to have quick acceleration. sure, it's got the "wow factor" with friends, but other than that, it's pointless... and i think all the 05 imprezas have the same safety features.

[cookie]

cal them troublechargers. As well as the coking problem it is one more major component you need to keep overhauled. That said they are a lot of fun when they are on boost, but it is going to cost you some money for that performance. They old saying is "speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?"

[swc7916]

Last night I went to the dealer and drove a 2005 WRX and a NA Impreza back-to-back for comparison. This 2005 WRX was noticably better than the 2004 we drove last weekend. My overall impression was that the WRX has a smoother, quieter engine. The NA engine seemed a bit noisy and I could feel a lot more engine vibration. The WRX acceleration didn't feel that impressive until comparing it to the NA engine; the power climbed as the rpm's increased instead of peaking out and dropping off. I called the dealer to talk to a service technician and was told that in 3 years they have never had to replace a turbocharger on a WRX. In my estimation, the WRX is not a "pocket rocket" or a ticket waiting to happen; it's actually quite nice. Also, the WRX and STI are the only Imprezas to come with side-impact airbags. Hey, if I buy this car my son won't be the only one to drive it!