"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
09/02/2013 at 23:35 • Filed to: None
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"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
09/02/2013 at 23:35 • Filed to: None | 0
| 29 |
So I am lucky enough to have spare cash and I am looking for a winter car. I'm going to look at cars for $6k, $8k, and $10k to see what my options are. The $10k car is really cutting it close on my budget, so it's gotta be damn good to warrant $10k.
My requirements are: Bugeye Subaru WRX wagon.
Just kidding- although that's what I've been mainly shopping for. My real requirements are that the car must withstand a New England winter, which can be bad as proven by the 3 feet of snow we had in a 24 hour span last year. So I need something 4wd. I also need a car with decent highway gas mileage (30+mpg) because I'll be driving over 60 miles a day just to commute.
That's led me to my decision to get a WRX wagon. I guess it doesn't have to be bugeye, but I really like the bugeye look. I figure I'll shop around until I find something with under 100k miles on the clock. I know I should be looking for a recent timing belt if the mileage is over 100k, so I'm making sure to check for that. I'm trying to only look at adult-owned cars as well- shopping for a wagon should help me with that. Anyone got any tips for buying a WRX or a subie in general? Should I be considering a different car?
PowderHound
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:43 |
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Get a bugeye!
48 Spoons
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:47 |
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I believe this falls into the over 100k check the head gasket line of subbies
Casper
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:48 |
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I would be shocked if you could get that MPG with an AWD 2.5 l (most people I know with them average mid to low 20s). Anyway, there are a lot of common issues with those cars to look for but I don't remember them off the top of my head. The easiest way would be to simply google them, find the ones that worry you (depending on how mechanically inclined you are, how much you are willing to spend on fixes, etc) and make a list of what to look for. Don't focus on just the engine either, the AWD components take a lot of wear and tear over the years too.
PRBot II
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:50 |
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Get a car for $7,000. Use another $2,000 on any needed repairs/modifications/upgrades. Take the remaining $1000 and hit up Vegas, baby! You only YOLO once.
POD
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:55 |
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My co-worker was looking for a winter car, he was looking at the WRX as well, but he was having a hell of a time finding one that was well taken care of. Then he came across this:
Saab 9-2x (AKA, the Saabaru). Basically a re-skinned WRX, but not usually owned by someone that hooned it 24/7. He was able to find several well taken care of ones. Could be another car to consider.
GhostZ
> Roadster Man
09/02/2013 at 23:58 |
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It's so heavy, you won't need 4WD. Just maybe some bags of salt in the trunk to bail you out, though I doubt anything short of 2 feet of snow would bog one of these down.
Think about it. It's a winter car. It's going to be dirty, ugly, and messed up. Sure, an WRX is fun and mobile, but save that for the weekend or for fun. For hauling and commuting, get a cheap, but damn good car for what it does. The Crown Vic is still fun to drive if you make it, and they are notoriously good oppo machines behind the wheel of a skilled driver, yet sedate and calm if you want them to be.
Do they salt the roads where you're at? I'd avoid a WRX for the rust problem that may incur.
Not to mention that there isn't a part on the crown Vic you couldn't pick up at any junkyard in america.
lonestranger
> Roadster Man
09/03/2013 at 00:10 |
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Nobody "needs" 4WD or AWD. You likely want it, but you don't need it. If you get three feet of snow in 24 hours, shit's shut down anyway, and the roads are gonna be fucked regardless of how many driven wheels your car has. Stay home, or use a snowmobile.
And ten grand for a winter beater? Dafuq?
But, hey, if you want and can afford a $10k bugeye to use in the winter, all the power to ya. And like POD said, keep an eye out for Saabarus, as well.
Burrito de EJ25
> GhostZ
09/03/2013 at 00:14 |
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That extra weight is going to make stopping suck.
HammerheadFistpunch
> Casper
09/03/2013 at 00:19 |
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one of them is cv boots, and rusted out knucles. you are 100% about the mileage...good luck getting 21 from a wrx, and premium at that.
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Casper
> HammerheadFistpunch
09/03/2013 at 00:22 |
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Yeah, I never pulled above the teens when I drove... but I drive like it's an autocross everywhere I go. One buddy said he was getting mid 20s but he drove like an old lady and I think he was fudging the math a bit to feel better.
The first Subi I have seen get over 30 MPG in person is my wife's BRZ... again, when I'm not driving.
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GhostZ
> Burrito de EJ25
09/03/2013 at 00:23 |
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I looked it up now, seems I forgot how light WRXs were. I figured it would be a 100-200lb difference, it's actually closer to 500lbs or more for the early ones. You're right about the stopping then, depending on what kind of conditions (highway, low visibility vs city/suburb with good visibility) stopping may be a serious issue comparing the two.
Then again, unless it's icy and blizzard conditions, it may be worth the money you'd save on the crown vic to invest in a great set of snow tires.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Casper
09/03/2013 at 00:28 |
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my fxt 5 sp would get 21-22 commuting in the summer, 19-20 in the winter.
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PowderHound
> HammerheadFistpunch
09/03/2013 at 00:55 |
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Mine I get 24 or so normal driving which is giving it quite a bit of gas and then get 28 or so cruising the highway. They aren't terrible, but certainly not good.
offroadkarter
> POD
09/03/2013 at 02:44 |
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I agree with this, most WRX's are ragged out by kids, the saab's usually lead an easier life because most people don't look to these as a "performance" car like the subaru's.
Two things going for it over the wrx
1. More mature image IMO
2. Its a Saab, how many Saab's do you see on the road?
mattc993
> POD
09/03/2013 at 04:09 |
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Yes, yes. This.
The Saabaru is the real jalop choice here. You can generally get a better value (condition, mileage, etc.) here too as has already been noted. The resale isn't *quite* as good as the subies just because most people don't know that it's really a subie...
dinobot666
> Roadster Man
09/03/2013 at 08:41 |
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I had a WRX wagon and it was fine for winter duties, but you'd be better off with a Legacy Wagon in terms of overall winter driving competency. By that I mean that the Legacy has a longer wheelbase and is also more stable.
You're going to find most WRX wagons from that era have been riced and or abused beyond worth dealing with.
ColoradoTaco
> dinobot666
09/03/2013 at 08:57 |
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This, then you'll have saved enough to repair the headgasket.
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dinobot666
> ColoradoTaco
09/03/2013 at 09:06 |
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Did that on my old Legacy, and on my new Impreza. :(
ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
> Roadster Man
09/03/2013 at 10:00 |
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B5 S4. Manual. sedans are cheaper and easier to find. But Avants are where its at. Cheap to fix? Hell no, that engine bay is packed full to the brim. Fun to drive? Hell yea! As long as its working alright. Nice interior, with a cold weather package you get heated seats adjustable from 0-6 not the usual, boil or off options. Its low key, no one will notice you, especially if you have a boring color. Also the aftermarket for the B5 S4 is very strong, both first hand and second hand parts etc.
But dont take my word for it, I'm bias.
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Roadster Man
> lonestranger
09/03/2013 at 13:11 |
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I never called it a beater- my summer miata is the beater and this will be my dependable commuter that I will also use each winter. The miata is more of a beater. I'll be putting close to 10k on my winter car before the school year runs out, and I am willing to spend the money on something that won't let me down.
And I want 4wd/awd simply because I already have a RWD car and I'm not about to get a FWD car.
Im keeping an eye out for saabs, but people are asking pretty big numbers for them.
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Roadster Man
> GhostZ
09/03/2013 at 13:14 |
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If only... Sadly it doesn't meet my efficiency requirements.
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Roadster Man
> PowderHound
09/03/2013 at 16:26 |
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What year is yours? If I can get 28mpg on the highway then I'm all set. With the exception of a few miles, my daily commute is all highway.
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Roadster Man
> mattc993
09/03/2013 at 16:28 |
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Uh oh, now I need to consider the jalop factor. The Saabs I've found around here are very low miles and are out of my price range. The first thing every ad says is "It's really a WRX!" That being said, I'm including it in my search just in case.
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GhostZ
> Roadster Man
09/03/2013 at 19:42 |
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It will cost you 300$ more to go from 30mpg to 20mpg if you drive 5k over the entire winter.
Which means if you can buy a good Crown Vic for $300 less than a WRX (which I am certain you can) you still profit despite the fuel costs. Getting it $900 less buys you 15,000 miles of fuel (3 winters). That's assuming 4$ a gallon. Yearly high speed internet connections cost more than fuel, it's the upfront cost of the car (and some proper budgeting) that will let you come out on top.
Also, the WRX gets like, 21-22 mpg, so it doesn't meet your requirements either. You'd be really hard pressed to find a 4WD vehicle that also has 30mpg and decent power.
JasonStern911
> Roadster Man
09/04/2013 at 01:28 |
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Roadster Man
> JasonStern911
09/04/2013 at 10:05 |
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I neglected to reveal that my current daily driver is an NA miata. I don't really want a winter miata and a summer miata, although I have entertained the thought...
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PowderHound
> Roadster Man
09/04/2013 at 14:27 |
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it's an 03. It also has a few aftermarket goodies and was dyno tuned so I'm not sure if any of that has anything to do with it.
dmtactical
> Burrito de EJ25
09/04/2013 at 19:42 |
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Actually stopping is surprisingly un-sucky. I commuted every day last winter in my 90 LTD Crown Victoria, on Prime Well all seasons with about 60% tread. The ancient auto tranny is not electronically controlled and doesn't have a 2nd gear selection. The car has no ABS. I expected total disaster and instead the braking and handling was quite responsive. With real snow tires and a newer tranny with a second gear selection, I would be completely confident driving a Panther in harsh winter conditions. Also my car weighs just about 2 tons, which is the same as a new Camaro. It's more weight than an eco box but pretty average compared to most cars on the road.
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JasonStern911
> Roadster Man
09/05/2013 at 00:26 |
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Even I am getting surprised at how often this image is relevant:
Look at all that ground clearance for snow!