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Thinking of buying a WRX - couple questions

4K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Kevin529 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys,

So I used to drive a 2012 Genesis Coupe up until this week when it was flooded and totaled Needless to say I'm in the market for a new car and I'm strongly considering a used WRX and just have a few questions.

1. I loved the Gen Coupe but my main complain with it was that it was basically unusable in any snow at all, and being in NY that's a problem. How does the WRX handle snow on all season tires? On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the Gen was a 1 or 2, what would you guys say the WRX is?

2. How do these cars age? This is going to be my fourth car in 5 years and I would really like this one to last quite a while. How do you guys feel your WRXs hold up over the years? Ay common issues? Still happy with your purchase?

3. Of course I like the speed / performance of the WRX and will definitely do some minor mods, but how is the car as a DD? Would you guys say that it's comfortable for long trips, grocery shopping, commuting, etc?

4. How is the stock clutch? The GC stock clutch is GARBAGE and started slipping at 25k and I'm not a very hard driver. Assuming you don't beat the heck out of it, what kind of mileage do you guys see on them? Will it handle the extra power of bolt-ons + tune without an issue?

I think that's it for now, thanks for any input guys. Much appreciated.

BTW I'm looking at a 2013 WRX Premium with 31k on it. Asking price is 25k.

Kevin
 
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#2 ·
Well to answer your questions the best I can from my personal experience with wrx's

1. I drive all seasons and have only been stuck in the snow once the reason being though is I hit a rogue snow pile in the road while going around a sharp turn and lost control and landed in a snow ditch to the point where there was 5ft of snow under the car. But besides for that I have many times tried to get stuck and have not. Pretty much kept up with the snowplows :)

2. I have a 2002 wrx that I bought with 82k miles and living in the northeast with the roadsalt and such the only place I have any rust on the body is one small spot where the paint got chipped down to metal besides for that body is good minus the dings and dents from your random shopping carts.
The 02 had a recall on a fuel line some time back so during the cold weather I occasionally get a smell of gas during cold starts but I just crack the window while it warms up and drive to air it out and its fine after that. But only a certain cold days though not all the time.
Recently spun a bearing in the engine at 163k miles so in the process of installing a used engine so needless to say I love this car. Till death do us part!

3. I used mine to drive to work everyday on a major highway and its great but there are times I wish I just had a beater car so I didnt have to pay out the arse for a tank of 93oct every week.
Also kinda sucks getting stuck in traffice jams with a manual but it comes with the territory I guess.

4. The stock clutch didnt get replaced until nearly 90k maybe a bit more its been a while. But I think that might be partly my fault speeding up the process by down upgrades and putting more power on a high mileage clutch.
Not sure about newer years.
Guess it rounds to how you like to drive.
As far as modding goes all I can say is before you do anything "read up on it" then after you do that read some more there are many horror stories about people just throwing parts on these cars and then posting on forums that their car is running like crap and they put something on without reading up on it first.
So as long as you do your homework you'll be good.

So with all that said my personal experience with the wrx has been a awesome one and once you own one you'll notice you have joined a kind of car club where if you see another wrx that 9/10 times will wave to you. I know I do. :)
Read up before you even buy a new or used car, not sure what your planning on but if you go used stay away from a wrx that had been tinkered with unless you know for sure that whoever messed with it knew what the hell they where doing.
And check on recalls and get a carfax report as well.

Good luck man.
 
#3 ·
In short.
Get snows and it's a 9/10!
I've had an 02,04 and now an 11. Their all awesome! Performance bug will bite you in the ass and you won't be able to stop.
And as for the clutch. I'd rather keep the stock one, they are good and I'd rather not upgrade, but yet keep a weak link in there so I don't blow my F'n tranny.
 
#4 ·
1. On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the Gen was a 1 or 2, what would you guys say the WRX is?

2. How do these cars age? This is going to be my fourth car in 5 years and I would really like this one to last quite a while. How do you guys feel your WRXs hold up over the years? Ay common issues? Still happy with your purchase?

3. Of course I like the speed / performance of the WRX and will definitely do some minor mods, but how is the car as a DD? Would you guys say that it's comfortable for long trips, grocery shopping, commuting, etc?

4. How is the stock clutch? The GC stock clutch is GARBAGE and started slipping at 25k and I'm not a very hard driver. Assuming you don't beat the heck out of it, what kind of mileage do you guys see on them? Will it handle the extra power of bolt-ons + tune without an issue?

I think that's it for now, thanks for any input guys. Much appreciated.
I didn't read the other replies so if mine are redundant I apologize.

1: With all seasons and sensible driving techniques, its a 10. Unless the snow is so deep you are shoveling it with your bumper, even then the torque to weight ratio and AWD will just turn your car into a snow plow.

2: There are tons of late 90's imprezas running around with big milage on them, a lot of people here have 02-03 bugeyes with 150k+ and modified, still running strong. As long as you use the right fluids and do your services on time, these cars have pretty long life spans.

3: I have driven my wrx from el paso texas to southern illinois several times. Never had any comfort issues that you wouldn't have driving that far in any other vehicle. As a DD it is wonderful if you don't start adding things like lightweight flywheels and stage whatever clutches. Same can be said for any car though. As for issues, it depends on the year. Earlier years have a little issue with the O rings on the power steering pump return line needing to be replaced, nothing major, but its a common quirk they have. Also the older years have a catted up pipe that should be replaced with a catless one, sometimes the cats fall apart and bits of junk from it will get sucked into the turbo and cause havoc. Just a safety precaution.

Newer models seem to have issues with the pinion valve on the steering rack. Mine went out at 85k, when I researched it I found that quite a few newer gens were having this problem. The 09's had some issues with spun rod bearings for some reason. The 08+ have a intercooler to throttle body couple that has crappy rubber boots glued on the ends of it that like to warp and blow out and cause leaks. Easy fix though, just take the hose off and remove the boots then re-install.

Other than that, no issues that I can think of other than the ones that come with all turbo'd cars like this. Occasion boost/vacuum lines cracking with age and causing boost leaks, things of that sort. Every car has their little quirk for the most part. Honestly they are few and far between with subaru's.

4: My clutch has been in for 95k now, and I tend to bang gears sometimes and downshift aggressively. Also taught a couple people how to drive manual with it. Its showing no signs of wear or slipping. They do have a bit of a long throw on them compared to some cars, and are a bit stiffer than a lot of other cars, but you get used to it quickly.

Most people here are at least stage 2, which at a minimum is a downpipe and a tune pushing 18psi. A lot of us have a pretty big bolt on list as well. They handle it very well, just have to remember to tune for mods that effect the AFR. As far as MPG I get around 25mph on highway at stage 2, and around 22-23 for city driving if I don't mash on it too much.


Overall, I love this car. Most people who drive subaru's, especially the wrx and sti's, stay very loyal to subaru. The community is pretty good too. Expect a lot of waves from fellow wrx/sti/brz owners.
 
#5 ·
I have a 06 and here's my input.

1. I'll give mine a 8/10 for handling snow on all seasons. This year I will have a dedicated set of winter tires so, I expect it to be a 9 or 10 with those on.

2. I am just as much in love with mine as the day I drove it off the lot brand new. As long as you do your regular maintenance on time and with the correct parts/fluids your car will treat you good in return. The only things i have had to replace other than regular wear items are a climate control relay and a battery.

3. It is a good daily driver as long as your not expecting more than what it is. It is a turbocharged 4 door sports car and not a luxury sedan although they have seemed to get more features and plush since my model was released.

4.I think the clutch holds up exceptionally well for stock. I have 73k miles on my stock clutch now with no signs of slippage or fatigue (fingers crossed). The stock clutch will hold up fine to bolt-ons and a tune.
 
#7 ·
I have a 13 wrx and i love it. You need to be careful when modding and tuning. This particular year runs a little lean under boost, so i would recommend a pro tune and to get all your parts and do them all at once and then tune it for those particular mods. I did not follow that advice and ended up putting 2 pistons and a set of rings in mine. That being said if you do things correctly this should not be a problem. Car is 8/10 in the snow but i have performance tires not snow tires. i imagine with all seasons or snows it would be great! Right now im at stage 2 with sf intake and inlet tube. 3in turbo back exhaust. I have a problem with over boosting because of this. So as a daily driver i have to be carefull not to get into to much boost. Stock intake prevents this for the most part so it should not be a problem for you, depending on what you want to do as far as mods go.
 
#8 ·
Responses in red:

1.How does the WRX handle snow on all season tires? On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the Gen was a 1 or 2, what would you guys say the WRX is?

I drove my 07 WRX on stock Bridgestone Potenza RE-92 all season tires (horrible tires, btw) through two MD winters and somehow I made it with no major incidents. At stock power levels, they were extremely easy to break loose. I had to be very careful when turning, braking, and accelerating. AWD helped tremendously though. 4/10

For the next two winters, I used Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus all season tires. They were tremendously better than the stock all season tires since they were a much higher quality than the stock tires. At stage 2-ish power levels, they would still break loose in a straight line if I stomped on the gas, but I was much more confident when turning and braking. 6/10

I've been on Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds ever since. They are not classified as "snow" tires, but rather "high performance winter" tires. They still make a world of difference. Snow shenanigans are extremely fun because they stick when you want them to, but they can also break loose if you want them to. There was one day where we got over a foot of snow and I drove single-file behind a row of pick up trucks and suvs on my way to a local mountain to go snowboarding - other cars were spun out or suck on the side of the road, but I made it to the mountain with no problems - the front bumper of my car was plowing snow almost the whole way. If it weren't for the lack of ground clearance, I would have given it a 10. 9/10

2. How do these cars age? This is going to be my fourth car in 5 years and I would really like this one to last quite a while. How do you guys feel your WRXs hold up over the years? Ay common issues? Still happy with your purchase?

If you take care of them, they age pretty well. I bought my 07 WRX brand new and I've driven it damn near every day. I'm on my second transmission and third engine, but I've modified it fairly significantly over the years. My stock trans lasted until ~84k. My stock engine lasted until ~93k. My built engine lasted until ~140k. I love my car and I don't plan on selling it any time soon. I'm currently building my engine for a second time and I hope to get a few more years out of it. Common issues for me have included regular maintenance: Subaru maintenance schedules and new car break-in period- 2000 through 2009, links for 2010, 2011...

3. Of course I like the speed / performance of the WRX and will definitely do some minor mods, but how is the car as a DD? Would you guys say that it's comfortable for long trips, grocery shopping, commuting, etc?

I think the WRX is one of the best all-around daily drivers you can buy. Fun and fast in the warmer months and damn good performance in the colder months and safe and capable in the snow. I've taken my car on many road trips - the longest being a 10+ hour day trip to NY for a car meet with some WRXTuners buddies. I've commuted in the car almost 6/7 days a week since 2007.

4. How is the stock clutch? The GC stock clutch is GARBAGE and started slipping at 25k and I'm not a very hard driver. Assuming you don't beat the heck out of it, what kind of mileage do you guys see on them? Will it handle the extra power of bolt-ons + tune without an issue?

Believe it or not, I'm still on my stock clutch @ 140k miles (365 whp, 340 wtq). I'm going to upgrade it since I'll be making a little more power this time around and I want it to hold. At this point, I can still see high teens to low 20's in MPG if I stay out of boost. My car handled basic bolt-ons (Stage 2-ish) up to 93k, when I upgraded my turbo. Shortly after that, my stock engine failed, but I would have expected to get well over 100k had I not upgraded the turbo.
 
#9 ·
1. On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the Gen was a 1 or 2, what would you guys say the WRX is?

- Snow in southern California is minimal but I have been up to Yosemite and big bear with 3-6 inches of powder on the road and the OEM dunlops took it great. If you live somewhere where the snow piles up I would definitly consider a winter set of wheels/tires. On the stock set id say a solid 7 with a snow set closer to 9 ( only thing better is a 4x4 truck with studded tires)


2. How do these cars age? This is going to be my fourth car in 5 years and I would really like this one to last quite a while. How do you guys feel your WRXs hold up over the years? Ay common issues? Still happy with your purchase?

-I've got a 13 with 25k miles and I love it. Its not uncommon to see an 02 or an 03 on the road home from work. In fact I think ive seen him every day this week : ) I see alot of 05-06 STis on PCH on the weekends as well. They hold up just like any other car, Its just important to do your scheduled maintenance.

3. Of course I like the speed / performance of the WRX and will definitely do some minor mods, but how is the car as a DD? Would you guys say that it's comfortable for long trips, grocery shopping, commuting, etc?

- Its a rocket ship that you can pick kids up from school in. The seats in the 13 are pretty cozy. I regularly take 3-4 hour drives up to the mountains and I dont ever get out with a sore back or hips. For the daily commute the worst part is knowing how fast you could be going and then having to sit in line like everyone else. As for mods I tell everyone this please drive it for a few thousand miles first and get to know it. then have fun modding

4. How is the stock clutch? The GC stock clutch is GARBAGE and started slipping at 25k and I'm not a very hard driver. Assuming you don't beat the heck out of it, what kind of mileage do you guys see on them? Will it handle the extra power of bolt-ons + tune without an issue?

-I drive moderatly hard, 25k miles on the OEM clutch so far and it still feels great. The trick with most performance cars is to be nicer on the clutch than you think you should. If you drop the clutch and slam things around you will put more wear on them then necessary.

BTW I'm looking at a 2013 WRX Premium with 31k on it. Asking price is 25k.

25k Is a bit steep, I got my 13 Hatch new for 25,500 If you can talk the dealer down a bit its a hell of a car.

Kevin
 
#10 ·
Thank you guys for all the replies. A lot of great info here, and you guys basically solidified my want for the car!
It seems like it would fit every need that I'd have of it without issue, so I'm thinking it may be the way to go, despite my fiancee wanting me to get an SUV... Heh

I spoke with one of the saleswomen today and was able to get the price down to 22,995. I still think that's a little steep since I can get a new one for a few thousand more, but that price is now significantly cheaper than any other local deal.

Thanks again guys
 
#12 ·
Thanks , but I didn't buy it yet - I won't be ale to make it to the dealership until Tuesday when I plan to finalize the deal.
It is a 2013 WRX Premium with 31k miles. CarFax looks good, no accidents or damage reported and decent service history.

Thanks again for all the replies guys and I will post pics asap!
 
#14 ·
That's a good price. They hold their value well. Some 02/03's still go for 10k or better. I sold my 02 for 9k with 125 on the clock and deer damage to the drivers side.
I paid 25,995 for my 11 limited one year ago with 32k on the car.
 
#15 ·
1. I loved the Gen Coupe but my main complain with it was that it was basically unusable in any snow at all, and being in NY that's a problem. How does the WRX handle snow on all season tires? On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the Gen was a 1 or 2, what would you guys say the WRX is?

I prefer snow tires, but I'd give the WRX an 8 with new ASRs. Of course performance degrades as the tires age. Check out Nokian Nordmans if you want a decent snow tire (and you want an 11 out of 10 for performance).

2. How do these cars age? This is going to be my fourth car in 5 years and I would really like this one to last quite a while. How do you guys feel your WRXs hold up over the years? Ay common issues? Still happy with your purchase?

The hubby has had this car since 2003 and he has not really baby'd it. I have spent the last year fixing odd things here and there on the car, but they are really about his neglect over the years and not about poor design or manufacture. Subarus, Hondas, Toyotas...for the most part, you can't go wrong if you want one of these to last for years with just a modicum of care.

3. Of course I like the speed / performance of the WRX and will definitely do some minor mods, but how is the car as a DD? Would you guys say that it's comfortable for long trips, grocery shopping, commuting, etc?

I love this car for long trips, but then I am an impatient driver and I like its giddyup. I drive it for 200-300mile trips (each way) and it is comfy. Commuting sucks if you have lots of traffic, but that is true for any manual. Grocery shopping is great, but we have the WRX wagon and the space is perfect for just that task.

4. How is the stock clutch? The GC stock clutch is GARBAGE and started slipping at 25k and I'm not a very hard driver. Assuming you don't beat the heck out of it, what kind of mileage do you guys see on them? Will it handle the extra power of bolt-ons + tune without an issue?

Haven't had an issue with the clutch at all in 11 yrs...and I probably beat on it more than the husband does. My Honda's clutch is more temperamental so I lack finesse when I drive the WRX. We get 32-36mpg, the higher mileage with the least time spent above 3000-3500 rpms. Less with brand new snow tires (for the first 10k miles or so anyway).

Hope that helps. :)
 
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