Not a suspicious question at all, move along.

"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
12/13/2015 at 21:45 • Filed to: None

So has anybody done long distance (like 60-100 mile at a time) drives in a WRX on a regular basis? By WRX I mean a blob-eye like the one in this picture I shamelessly stole off the internet.

How about doing them in a TSX?

I’m, uh, asking for a friend. Yeah, a friend.

DISCUSSION (24)

jkm7680 > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 21:46

the fuck are you up to.

Eberle-Hills-Cop > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 21:48

I used to do 140 miles a day to work in a 2005 sti.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 21:49

Is the tsx a manual? Thatd be sweeeeeet

promoted by the color red > jkm7680
12/13/2015 at 21:50

I have a shameless addiction to low-end torque. Not sure if Honda products can satisfy me any more.

jkm7680 > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 21:56

okey

promoted by the color red > Eberle-Hills-Cop
12/13/2015 at 21:57

How’s the MPGs? I have a reverse commute so that means long stretches of constant speed driving.

Big Bubba Ray > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 21:59

Nope. Nobody in the world has ever done that! Just short jaunts!

promoted by the color red > Big Bubba Ray
12/13/2015 at 22:05

Kinja'd!!!

While sideways across gravel roads, of course.

That One Kid in HS > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 22:06

Ahem

Your friend!

Big Bubba Ray > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 22:32

hahaha ok. only a few have been brave enough to tempt fate like that but I heard it works out well for them.

promoted by the color red > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
12/13/2015 at 22:36

Pffff like I’d buy anything else.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 22:43

Find a wagon plox

TheRealBicycleBuck > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 22:52

Mine gets 22mpg on long high-speed drives.

Dusty Ventures > Big Bubba Ray
12/13/2015 at 23:02

Usually ;)

Dusty Ventures > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 23:04

Are you asking for comfort or for engine/fuel economy? My car isn’t a WRX, but it has a WRX motor

thedevilinside > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 23:11

I didn’t know the term but I had a commute the opposite big rush hour traffic and it was very nice. Longish but seeing the traffic I wasn’t stuck in was nice.

Eberle-Hills-Cop > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 23:22

I actually couldn’t answer that well, I never pay attention to mpg. I don’t think it was that bad or anything though, but i was usually crawling in gridlock off boost 99% of the time. Worst year of my life I think.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > promoted by the color red
12/13/2015 at 23:23

Clearly you need to get a diesel...

:-)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > promoted by the color red
12/14/2015 at 00:07

They ride pretty good, unless someone has cut the springs.

Seat Safety Switch > promoted by the color red
12/14/2015 at 00:11

If your highway cruise RPM keep the car out of boost, you get some pretty decent mileage. My ‘06 WRX wagon was a fairly comfortable car for long cruises, and my ‘03 2.5TS is more of the same.

Full disclosure: nobody has ever bought a Subaru for good fuel economy, ever. Be honest with yourself going in; all of the flat spins you do in abandoned and semi-abandoned snow-covered parking lots are going to hit those MPGs right in the nuts.

promoted by the color red > Dusty Ventures
12/14/2015 at 00:44

I'm looking for something sporty leaning more towards the latter as long as it's not ear-shatteringly loud.

Dusty Ventures > promoted by the color red
12/14/2015 at 02:01

Well what I’ve got is an ‘08 Outback XT. For five years (2005-2009) Subaru offered a line of Outbacks stuffed with WRX motors (with a slight extra horsepower bump for good measure). They’re about a second slower to 60 than the WRX thanks to the larger size (15 inches longer, 3 wider, 5 taller) and about 500 extra pounds, but they’re still solidly quick, and with a simple swap to some KYB struts in the rear (less than $150 for the pair) they feel decent around corners as well, though not as sporty as something like a WRX. Stock they’re not really any louder than your average car, and they fly completely under the radar of anyone not familiar with them since the only noticeable difference between a standard Outback and an XT is the hood scoop and the badge. As a bonus, they also fly under the radar of cops and insurance companies.

As for long distance cruising, they’re an absolute dream. The XT was the premium trim level, so they come with everything. Heated leather seats (and it’s damn good leather), climate control, oversize sunroof, great stereo, heated mirrors, etc. I’ve spent a full day behind the wheel of mine without a hint of stiffness or soreness. For fuel economy I usually see about 22-24 highway and 19 city.

They’re a bit hard to find, especially the better later ones. The ‘05-’06 models had a cat in the up-pipe, which tended to significantly shorten the life of the turbo. Swapping in an aftermarket catless up-pipe can solve this, or you can play it safe and get an ‘07-’09 model, which was catless from the factory, and as a bonus comes with the SI drive. Unfortunately they only made about 5,700 in those three years, and only 1,500 with manuals. So finding one can take some searching.

flatisflat > promoted by the color red
12/14/2015 at 03:38

Kinja'd!!!

250+ mile trips from home to racetrack with a Recaro fixed back bucket seat: doable. And I used to daily this car with a 30-40 mile commute — easy driving. MPG? Eh. Mid twenties.

gawdzillla > promoted by the color red
12/14/2015 at 09:46

I like the seating position / seat quality of Subarus, never got a sore butt after extended drive
but if you need gas mileage you might want to go with the TSX