Question to all former and Current Subie owners

"Miatas and NASCAR" (shawnloomis11) 01/15/2014 at 11:31 • Filed to: None

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I am a college kid on a budget and want a Subaru. I am looking at used early 2000's Impreza wagons. Now here's the question, How bad off would I be with the TS opposed to the WRX. The first TS review i read was it was very wobbly and I quote "Only buy if you want to be a sporty grandma". But I trust yall more than some rando posting on some review website.

Storz > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 11:34

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I had a lot of fun with my '05 RS

daender > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 11:35

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I heard WRX insurance can be a bit of a bitch, especially for young adults. Best bet would be a Legacy/Outback with a turbo of some sort.

Grindintosecond > daender 01/15/2014 at 11:43

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Agree. I am not a past or current owner, but having spent some time around them......I remember the first WRX that came out in the US here and as soon as it did, my roommate at the time (in his mid-20's) immediately got a test drive in one...came by, picked me up and proceeded to beat the tar out of it. Because it was finally a rally car that could be bought, everyone who played Gran Tourismo got one and beat the tar out of it....it was also a college car bought for the kids going to nice schools by the parents...and then they beat the tar out of it. The insurance is high for the WRX for the loving hugs to the trees they gave with their cars. If you're on a budget, like I am now, i'm thinking of a legacy N/A sedan or wagon. It's not beat on and I wont have to worry about 100k mile turbos....But I'd love to built a 1g legacy with sti running gear and beat on that!

Joe_Limon > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 11:44

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Subaru builds tragic cars.

They are mechanically solid, but... and here is the big thing, they are budget cars and such are prone to many of the rattles/shakes/concerns of other budget cars.

Just make sure if you are buying used that you buy stock.

jariten1781 > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 11:48

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College kid: get a Forester. You can find them for the same price and you'll be shocked how often you'll use the extra room. They were mostly owned by families so they're less abused. If you don't mind it being slow you can find an old manual for a good price fairly easily. There's also the XT if you want performance, but those are a lot harder to come by.

Arben72 > jariten1781 01/15/2014 at 11:53

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Lesbowagons are the perfect vehicle for college, especially the xt.

Stupidru > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 12:13

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I'm riding in my wife's old 2003 Impreza Outback. Not a WRX by any means, but it's got a bit of pep with it's 165hp mill. The exhaust sounds decent for being stock, the suspension is pretty squishy, but WRX suspension will swap right over (except for the front sway bar). If it were my money, I'd get a bugeye IOBS then put some WRX parts on it for half the price. Oh, and I get great gas mileage in summer (28mpg with 245-wide tires and heavy 17" wheels) on regular gas whereas the WRX takes premium. No turbos to worry about, and at 108k it's still running like a top.

Stupidru > Joe_Limon 01/15/2014 at 12:16

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They're mechanically solid. The kid's on a budget. What more could you ask for? Who cares about rattles/shakes? As long as it starts up everyday and takes him to school/work, then it fits the bill. Oh, and Subarus are great in every weather condition.

I'd hardly call them tradgic.

lucky's pepper > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 12:21

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2nd generation Forester. Make sure the timing belt has already been changed. XT's are a bit hard to come across, but they're out there. Manuals are a bit hard to find too, but they are also out there. A manual/XT (like my '04) is the best combo but is about as rare as hen's teeth. Smallish but roomy and lightweight, and if an XT, fast.

Someone made the comment about Subarus being cheap cars, subject to squeaks and rattles, and this is true.

Joe_Limon > Stupidru 01/15/2014 at 12:27

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I would much sooner give the kid a heads up as to what he will experience so that way when he does experience those issues, he isn't thinking "stupid Subaru, why you so cheap? you were supposed to be solid" and more along the lines of "ohh Subaru, you and your quirks"

It's tragic because it's something that can be fixed so easily yet it lends to the car feeling far less substantial then it really is.

ihm96 > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 12:30

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Its more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast one slow so who cares if its less sporty if its cheaper and fits your needs better

wrblue11 > Miatas and NASCAR 01/15/2014 at 14:13

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current wrx owner here... alot of poorly upgraded and beat on wrx's out there. if you just like the look, buy an n/a impreza. if your buying a wrx make sure its stock, or at most an exhaust. you dont want to stretch the budget on a wrx and then face having to replace the clutch or something else major. Legacy GT's, forester and outback xt's all have turbos and are great, not as boy racer and more then likely stock. just do your research, see which years are prone to certain flaws and keep your eye out. bring a local subaru guy to see the car with you, and dont be afraid to walk away if it isnt exactly what you want

wrblue11 > lucky's pepper 01/15/2014 at 14:14

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sell me your car... im serious

wrblue11 > ihm96 01/15/2014 at 14:14

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i dont know about that

lucky's pepper > wrblue11 01/15/2014 at 14:50

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I thought about selling it a few years ago because I don't drive it much. I have a work car, and a pickup, so the Forester mainly just sits in the garage. I bought it new and it has less then 33k miles on it. Decided to keep it since no one makes anything comparable (small, quick, manual-trans fun to drive wagon) and it still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

Just put a new head-unit and component speakers in to replace the horrible factory stuff. In the spring it's going to get a new exhaust, tune and some 17" wheels with summer-only tires to replace the all-season Yokohamas.

ihm96 > wrblue11 01/15/2014 at 15:05

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Id much rather hoon a slow car than drive a fast car that I never even touch the tip of its performance. A lot of pro racers even think that driving cheap cars around a track can be more fun than supercars

wrblue11 > lucky's pepper 01/15/2014 at 22:57

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low miles to boot. any interest in a 2011 wrx haha...but seriously

wrblue11 > ihm96 01/15/2014 at 22:58

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not saying it isnt fun, just that it isnt more fun

ihm96 > wrblue11 01/15/2014 at 23:05

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I could understand that if it was between driving a fast car fast or a slow car fast, but I said its better to drive a slow car fast than a fast one slow. You don't think it would be more fun to hoon a camry than to drive a supercar that can never even stretch its legs on a public road?

wrblue11 > ihm96 01/16/2014 at 09:06

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they day im behind the wheel of a camry is the day i drive it off a bridge my friend... maybe you could call that hooning

ihm96 > wrblue11 01/16/2014 at 09:14

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Thats just irrational. You could have so much fun in a camry if you drive it right. I would be having a blast and you would be dead in a crushed camry

wrblue11 > ihm96 01/16/2014 at 09:37

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hahaha maybe that isnt how i want to die

ihm96 > wrblue11 01/16/2014 at 09:49

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You said you were gonna drive it off a bridge haha so thats where i came up with that

wrblue11 > ihm96 01/16/2014 at 10:25

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hahaha i know i was realizing i didnt want to die in a camry haha