making the Audi-haters happy

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

After flirting with an FJ, instead pulled the trigger on something different...well, different than an FJ. Thursday pick up a 2009 Subaru WRX wagon. Yeah, it ain't much of a looker, but Subaru, after screwing up the 2008 redesign, actually listened to customers and made a pretty kick arse car. AWD, 265hp, 244 ftlbs torque, horizontally opposed engine and tach in the center of the dash where it belongs.

Below invoice prices along with low interest rates made for a good deal. The Audi will either get traded in or sold pp - not sure yet. It still has warranty left so someone will enjoy it. It was a good car, but I didn't want to thrash the leather interior, the front seat never really fit me right, and certainly wasn't going to keep it out of warranty. The plan is that the WRX will likely make a few tracks dates a year and also serve as the mtn bike hauler and kid hauler.

kaisen · 05-19-2009, 07:42 PM

Scooby-Do

You'll love it

cantdrv55 · 05-19-2009, 07:51 PM

If I were in the market for a wagon, I'd definitely be looking at the Subaru WRX or an older BMW 540it wagon. Those two do it for me.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Fun little car.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

The Audi is actually a hard act to follow. The interior aesthetic and build quality is superior in the A3. And it is the best FWD car I've ever driven. It does understeer at the extreme, but turn-in is very quick and with the sport suspension it is surprisingly flat in the turns. The 2.0T engine is a winner as well.

The Subie wins with the AWD though, and you can feel the extra grunt that the 2.5 gives down low, and it doesn't seem to run out of breath. It rides a tad higher than the A3 but turns in just as quickly. There is more body roll with the Subie, but the AWD keeps it very composed in turns. This is all not really pushing the car though...it'll be interesting to get it out at Streets and see how it does.

Jim Richards · 05-20-2009, 02:11 AM

Nice choich.

Big Ed · 05-20-2009, 03:03 AM

Is this your second Subie? (Was there one before the VW or am I imagining things...)

Tim Hancock · 05-20-2009, 03:22 AM

Congrats on dumping the Audi and I know that the Subarus are better quality.... somehow I just can't get past the image they project.

onewhippedpuppy · 05-20-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Congrats on dumping the Audi and I know that the Subarus are better quality.... somehow I just can't get past the image they project.

No no no, it's a WRX. More like this:

m21sniper · 05-20-2009, 05:10 AM

Good pick Nostatic.

Much better than the ugly FJ thingy.

gprsh924 · 05-20-2009, 05:15 AM

You should start living your life a quarter mile at a time.

kaisen · 05-20-2009, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gprsh924

You should start living your life a quarter mile at a time.

He lives it one lap at a time at Willow... one coyote at a time on the street

rammstein · 05-20-2009, 05:36 AM

Did you shop the Mazdaspeed3 at all? Just curious if you did how you felt they compared? I'm finding ways to get a Speed3 for around $21k. Was the subie close to that?

I have to wonder how the wrx would be with a set of konis on it.

kaisen · 05-20-2009, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rammstein

I have to wonder how the wrx would be with a set of konis on it.

I drove an STi with Ohlins (a little lower than a base WRX as well) and it was fantastic, although a touch harsh for Midwest roads.

I found the body roll to be simply a psychological adjustment due to your noggin being higher relative to the roll center, not a real attribute of the car. Once you adjust and get used to it, these cars have a higher limit than seat-of-your-pants first told you.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rammstein

Did you shop the Mazdaspeed3 at all? Just curious if you did how you felt they compared? I'm finding ways to get a Speed3 for around $21k. Was the subie close to that?

I have to wonder how the wrx would be with a set of konis on it.

FWD is a non-starter - in that case I'd keep the Audi until the CPO warranty ran out. I prefer RWD or AWD.

Subie is below invoice these days - down into the $23Ks. Plus you can get long term 2.9% financing.

Gogar · 05-20-2009, 06:37 AM

You should pimp that thing out yo. Werd.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Dude, that's my exact car.

Plus I'm getting it just in time for a date with this new girl. She says she knows you...

tmsautoart · 05-20-2009, 06:58 AM

My buddy and I were both in the market for new MKV gtis in '06. It has the same 2.0t as the A3. I bought one and love it for the most part. He loved it too and went to pick one up. He went to our local crap VW dealership and was annoyed at the salesman he got and the less than stellar "deal" he was going to get. On his way home he stopped by the Subie dealership and saw/ bought a Legacy GT. Frickin bad ass! Faster than a WRX and a total sleeper. Now he's making over 300 hp (Dynoed) with a flash / exhaust and Parin intercooler and some other bits. That car is nuts! Ever since then, I have been a closet Subie fan. Still love my GTI....

Dave L · 05-20-2009, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rammstein

Did you shop the Mazdaspeed3 at all? Just curious if you did how you felt they compared? I'm finding ways to get a Speed3 for around $21k. Was the subie close to that?

I have to wonder how the wrx would be with a set of konis on it.

I have the little brothers to both those cars. The Mazda3 is a nice car but the FWD is a real killer, in the rain it will spin the tires under light throttle, I cant imagine adding a lot more power into the equation. The Saab, a dressed up Impreza, proved to be really great this past weekend on the rainy muddy farm roads I was driving on. AWD rules when conditions are dicey.

onewhippedpuppy · 05-20-2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmsautoart

My buddy and I were both in the market for new MKV gtis in '06. It has the same 2.0t as the A3. I bought one and love it for the most part. He loved it too and went to pick one up. He went to our local crap VW dealership and was annoyed at the salesman he got and the less than stellar "deal" he was going to get. On his way home he stopped by the Subie dealership and saw/ bought a Legacy GT. Frickin bad ass! Faster than a WRX and a total sleeper. Now he's making over 300 hp (Dynoed) with a flash / exhaust and Parin intercooler and some other bits. That car is nuts! Ever since then, I have been a closet Subie fan. Still love my GTI....

Really nice cars. There's one here in town with some tasteful mods, it always turns my head because the exhaust sounds very 911-esque.