I will miss this affordable speed...

"MUSASHI66" (musashi66)
02/25/2020 at 09:41 • Filed to: None

I had to drive to Denver today, some 70-odd miles one way. The speed that the WRX produces, especially accelerating from 60mph to 85mph while in 6th gear will be missed. Old Tundra and old Fit don’t compare...

On the positive note, all the snow from yesterday has been blown away by these gale force winds so the car is still clean and ready for sale!

Whatever car we get as the next new car will almost for sure be turbocharged. Powah is addicting. It’ll probably be a bit more mature car though - WRX has no pretense of being a good highway cruiser. It could use 100lbs of noise suppression material. It might be time to remove the Nameless muffler delete and put the stick mufflers back on.

DISCUSSION (22)

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 09:58

I wonder if the muffler delete makes it too loud for cruising....

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 09:58

Silly you, my Sti is my tame highway cruiser! At least in comparison to the miata that's for sure. I could definitely use a fuel efficient v8 like a corvette for that duty but then it wouldn't be very good in the snow. I'll keep getting 22mpg on the highway and enjoy every bounce and noise while traveling smooth highway!

AestheticsInMotion > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 10:00

I happen to have about 100 pounds of good two-layer sound deadening material taking up space i n my apartment you’re welcome to have if you decide to keep the wrx! Although shipping it would probably be exorbitantly expensive...

MUSASHI66 > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
02/25/2020 at 10:02

Wife has the same car, but with the stock muffler and on all-season tires (I’m on my winter tires now) . It is slightly less loud, but once you hit the highway, it’s game over with both of them. I don’t mind it when I am alone as I like my music loud, but when my wife is with me and we’re trying to talk to each other... let’s just say it was a lot more pleasant in the Buick TpurX we test drove the other day.

MUSASHI66 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
02/25/2020 at 10:03

I just hit 34.5 mpg from Denver to Glenwood Springs, then Carbonadale, then back. That’s over Vail Pass, and let’s just say I didn’t drive it at 65mph. Amazing highway mileage, but it does drop to low 20's in town.

MUSASHI66 > AestheticsInMotion
02/25/2020 at 10:08

Thanks for the offer, but it is leaving one way or the other. We decided to be good, use our paid of vehicles, and save like we did when we were buying the house. We cut our credit car expenses in half in February versus January. If I am honest, we could buy that Buick we test drove for cash in approximately 8 months if we reduce our CC spending like we did in February and save the money not spent . While we never pay CC interest, sometimes it’s too easy to just click buy and pay it off at the end of the month.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 10:41

The grownups WRX is a BMW 3 series.

My car doesn’t quick have the grunt of a WRX but it’s highway manors more than make up for it, and the 60-100 pull is pretty damn good. If you need more power get a 335.

MUSASHI66 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/25/2020 at 11:50

BMW 3 series used to be my favorite car. My dad told me “bring me a college degree and I’ll give you a brand new 3 series”. I got very excited, test drove a long roof version back in the day... and then we realized that college degree costs as much as a new BMW and that’s what I got instead. Not bad in any way, but I still wanted that BMW so bad.

Today, I have almost no interest in a 3 series . BMW that pulls at my heartstrings is BMW M2, but realistically, I can buy a new 4Runner and a used Abarth 500 for the same price and I’ll be just as happy. I still think we’ll be looking into the Buick Regal TourX when we are ready. We loved everything about it and a comparable BMW would be about twice as much.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 12:02

My thinking lines up with yours pretty well – used to love the 3 series (have an E46), the newer ones do nothing for me. The M2 is a great car, will likely hold value very well too, but is super expensive for what it is so I’ll probably never be able to justify having one.

The Regal TourX is amazing and can be had at great prices, but just know it’s going to depreciate like a used brick. The beauty of the WRXs is that they hold value so well, same goes for a 4Runner. Obviously as long as the finances make sense for you, go for it – life’s too short to be worrying about depreciation all the time. Just make sure you take it in to consideration, not just initial purchase price.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 13:59

CPO Audi A4 2017 or newer . Some were available with manual (rare) but the DCT is super fast. Light steering though.

DasWauto > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
02/25/2020 at 16:28

I had muffler deletes on mine for a few months but removed them because they were too loud and droned at my typical cruising speed. Hilarious on cold starts, downshifts and when ripping it but not something I want to live with again.

DasWauto > MUSASHI66
02/25/2020 at 16:34

My winter tires are actually much quieter than the other tires I have on my ‘17, more comfortable as well. Any tires are better than the stock Dunlops though, they groaned absurdly after less than 6k miles and they don’t even look that worn - I couldn’t ditch them fast enough.

That said, I don’t find the WRX too loud at highway speeds at all. It is an unrefined car though, and that’s why I’m looking to replace mine too. I know I’m going to miss driving it on loose surfaces though so I’m having a hard time finding something that satisfies my criteria.

DasWauto > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
02/25/2020 at 16:37

This is an option I’m considering to replace mine as well. I search them on autotrader semi-regularly to see if a manual one pops up to test drive. Not sure I want to buy a luxury car though - I think I want something I don’t have to be careful with or be precious about in the slightest.

MUSASHI66 > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
02/25/2020 at 23:03

I figure if I can get a TourX at $10000 under MSRP, depreciation already happened most of the way and we’d keep it for long enough where I don’t really care.

But, wife would drive a 4Runner as well and she’s be OK with some off road mods. Then I could just buy an Abarth 500 and bam!! Perfect garage.

MUSASHI66 > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
02/25/2020 at 23:04

I just don’t know if I have the guts to buy a used Audi.

MUSASHI66 > DasWauto
02/25/2020 at 23:07

I still think it’s the best and fastest car in that price range, but we had them for three years and I’m ready for something new.

My Dunlops are doing pretty well. 12k miles or so, 5 to 6/32’s left, and way way quieter than the winter tires I have on now.

MUSASHI66 > DasWauto
02/25/2020 at 23:09

No droning to speak off with this set, but it is louder. I might put the car on my raisers and put the stock mufflers back on now that I have to travel weekly on the highway. I can probably sell the deletes for $100-150 anyway.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MUSASHI66
02/26/2020 at 01:11

I guess that's the improvement subaru made on the newer Gen instead of more power, better highway mileage. Bout the only complaint about my subaru (aside from needing to carry gallons of oil around on long trips) is maxing out at 24mpg even at sub 75mph. But smiles per gallon are still maxed out at least.

DasWauto > MUSASHI66
02/26/2020 at 05:08

Mine were a less reputable brand and their design really amplified the noise. The pipe diameter stepped up twice (stock ~2” to 2.5” to 4” single wall tips) which looked awesome but almost painfully loud at WOT, and droning like I mentioned. I have no doubt nameless’ design is better.

You could probably get more than $150. I got $200 (CAD) for mine within 2 days of listing.

DasWauto > MUSASHI66
02/26/2020 at 05:24

Absolutely agreed. If I was sticking with having just 1 car to do everything (fun, practical, all weather capability) , there is no other choice in that price range. I just shot myself in the foot by buying a BMW as a second car, which makes the Subaru’s lack of refinement but all the more apparent.

Winter tires can definitely be loud, it varies a lot tire to tire. I have Michelin Xi-3s, which are excellent in that regard, they’re quieter than my summer set (pilot sport A/S3).

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > MUSASHI66
02/26/2020 at 12:23

If you’re keeping it for a while yeah I’d be less concerned. But most folks are getting these at steep discounts, so wouldn’ t expect the depreciation to slow down anytime soon after purchase. I’d love one too...or a 4Runner + Abarth combo, thats actually a dream combo for me too but may take more up front investment even though you may be saving more of it in the long run.

MUSASHI66 > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
02/26/2020 at 17:33

We shall see how things are in 6-9 months. 4Runner is definitely an option, but we’ll be buying whatever my wife like the most. I’m shocked how much we both disliked the new Outback XT. It was just ... blah. On paper, it was close to perfect car. Maybe CX-5 Turbo, maybe 4runner, TourX....