Subaru WRX

Anyone own one?
I have been thinking about buying one lately.
not new

2nd gen probably, 3rd gen possibly

they are growing on me...

any owners or previous owners thoughts?

a reply to: TinySickTears

I've always liked them, used to be a big rally fan. I never did get one, owned a few Evos instead(bought a IX new, sold that and had a used 8).

They have headgasket issues iirc, so if one has a fresh gasket or hasn't seen higher than stock boost it should be good.

If your in a rust prone area, they like to rust around the subframe. Older ones driven in winter are obviously more susceptible to that.

Dont fall for one based on a cheap purchase price, it may end up costing a lot to sort it out.

a reply to: TinySickTears

five Subarus in my lifetime. I expect more. Big fan of the STI. Be careful with the turbo, cops aren't nearly as excited about how fast they go as you may be.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: TinySickTears

five Subarus in my lifetime. I expect more. Big fan of the STI. Be careful with the turbo, cops aren't nearly as excited about how fast they go as you may be.

Didnt stis have a weaker tranny than the wrx? Or am I thinking of something else?

Probably only an issue if its moded heavily or used to drag/hard launch the car.

a reply to: TinySickTears

What ever happened to the eclipse?

originally posted by: MisterSpock
a reply to: TinySickTears

What ever happened to the eclipse?

sold it not too long ago

had a few problems.

it was a rough ride too. wife didnt really want anything to do with it.
it was more on the low end side.

im trying to step it up and have a legit car that we can all ride in.
i mentioned a possible 3rd gen cause i have been seeing them around at dealers for the right price. credit is terrible but with that price point and what i can put down in cash i should get financed.

anyway i dont want something that has had a lot of work done which is what i am seeing on the lots.
a majority of the private owner stuff has been modded up a lot.



and an evo huh?
damn.....
dont see those too much.
me and a dude at work that is into cars were talking about them along with the wrx's the other day.
you find wrx's all over the place. evo does not fall into the super rare category around here but you never see one on the road an unless youre looking specific you wont come across them at dealers.

is it just a pure numbers thing? more wrx/sti's sold?

i saw 1 evo x about 6 months ago and thats the first time in maybe 5 years that i have seen one anywhere in person.


i am in a rust prone area.
lot of them have miles on them too

a reply to: TinySickTears

Getting a newer wrx would help with the rust issue and probably give you a larger pool to choose from, which means probably finding a lightly modded or stock car.

Evos came only in a trim that more matched the sti in performance and price. That resulted in no doubt a much lower sales volume. They also seem to have been boughten and held on to more so than the subie twins(wrx/sti).

Most up here didnt even see winter, though were always heavily modded. Also, around here, sales were sluggish compared to the wrx.

I bought a new 9 that was on a local lot for over a year, negotiated almost 10k off sticker. I worked that sales manager for weeks.

In hindsight, should have kept that one.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Of course they do, a single tranny for the WRX will set you back around 70k$. Nearly worth two STIs..

a reply to: TinySickTears

What's the 3rd gen again, like 08 or newer?

They sold a lot more as time went on, they are nice and you should be able to find a "stock" one.

It's all relative, a stock wrx to me would be maybe just turboback exhaust, an intake and maybe a Cobb tune.

Ticked me off when they quit making the hatchback, as it's one of those cars that unless I planned a full rebuild I would never buy used. I know how enthusiasts treat those things sometimes, wouldn't want a time bomb on my hands. When they start doing a hatch again I'll pick one up because they are really fun cars.

a reply to: Hypntick

I'd try to find a bugeye wagon for a build.

Older, but tons of utility and no doubt the lightest of the bunch.

originally posted by: TinySickTears
Anyone own one?
I have been thinking about buying one lately.
not new

2nd gen probably, 3rd gen possibly

they are growing on me...

any owners or previous owners thoughts?

What year you looking at?

I had a 2004 a while back.

Only lasted a day.

cleaned up a a few poles after drifting her around a corner in back streets where many farms are so mud on the read made me loose it and seeing I was just learning manual driving Thought I can hold it in 2nd but because it was modded it had a few more horses that I didn't expect and it just felt like I was rails, back end swung back around so quick after trying to correct it that it just spun the car and off the road through a pole or 2 and ended up backing it into a heavy telephone pole that totaled the back end.

I had luck on my side as I was headed sideways and thought this is about to hurt but just reflexes turn the wheel to keep you spinning to try and hit the pole side on and luckily it spun just in the right motion to get the back end to take the impact


Got a Evo 7 after that and the WRX just doesn't compare in terms of driving and car control, the Evo just Sh!ts all over the WRX on tarmac.

Not done any gravel driving in a WRX but have heard that they have a leg up on evo's on off road/gravel.


driver comfort, after the 2004 model they changes the seats,

2004 and prior had nice racing style seats which were more comfortable than the EVos recaro seats then they changes the seats to a more less sporty look and feel.


The boxter engines just sound awesome with 3 inch full exhaust, they are so distinct that its one easiest motors to guess when you hear them.

4wd 2L turbos, be it a WRXy or an EVO.


You turn into a little kid the amount of fun you can have in these cars.

a reply to: InhaleExhale

Would like to get 02-04
Not far into it yet

So maybe it's first gen?

They went through some pretty fast facelifts

originally posted by: TinySickTears
a reply to: InhaleExhale

Would like to get 02-04
Not far into it yet

So maybe it's first gen?

They went through some pretty fast facelifts

the 02-04 to me are the best looking and the last of the 2 lt.


The model just before had the round bug eyes, same body.

02-04 to me have a very nice look that can be modded to the extreme if you like.

Here in Australia a 04 can be picked up for around $15K or less, high KMs and its closer to the $10K or even under.

To me for the experience of what you get and fun driving, its a bargain.

a reply to: InhaleExhale

I think 02 to 04 is the blob eye.
Not positive