2006 Subaru Impreza WRX 4dr sedan 2.5 turbo Flat-4
Faults:
The only issue I've had was the secondary air pump went out at 58K. I took it to the dealer and they gave me a lot of problems about the factory emissions warranty. I even called Subaru of America and they told me "the coverage is limited by different states laws". I researched online and found a solution, I learned that you can just remove the system and install blocking plates on the heads. I did this and deleted the DTC codes off the ECU map and saved $1200.
The only other issue is there is a worn center carrier bushing on the rear driveline that will need to be replaced, but, it's a non serviceable item and I have to get the whole driveline... arrgh.
General Comments:
This car is amazing, it gets pretty good gas mileage, has the best AWD system made, and accelerates like a V8. It's a blast to drive, I've added engine management, done an intake silencer removal, added a catback exhaust kit, tinted the windows, put in an aftermarket stereo. I still plan on doing more with it, but lack the funds at the moment. I love driving around and hearing the boxer motor purr and the turbo spool up. It's very intoxicating...
This car will put a smile on your face every time you drive it and it gets hard to remove it.
The only things I would change are the body materials and the paint. Both are made very cheaply and the simple clunk you don't hear/feel when you shut the door that an American car has. I would also change the back seats in the sedan to fold down. Yes it has a pass through, but that's blocked off by my son's car seat.
So bottom line, if you are looking for an all weather performance rally car inspired for a fair price, then you won't be disappointed. Also, if you plan on buying a used WRX/STi have it inspected by a mechanic. Make sure they do a compression and leakdown test to see how it's holding up. People have a tendency to beat these cars to death...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 16th November, 2010
17th Nov 2010, 01:56
Thank you...
From my experiences, the vast majority of the Subaru enthusiasts community frowns upon street racing... but there are always the bad apples in the group... people don't realize that pretty much every single mod for these cars requires a custom tune for it, and people will slap on a bunch of parts and go out and blow it up... then you have the kids who go out drag racing and drop the clutch at 5K RPM's, and wonder why their transmission blew up... LOL this is where the "glass transmission" reputation came from on the 5speeds... and the 02 recall of course... people don't realize the amount of grip these AWD systems have, and dropping the clutch at 5K RPM's just grenades the tranny as it would in any other transmission... Mitsubishi started putting rev limiters on the EVO's for this reason, limiting the launch rpm's to about 4500 rpm's to prevent warranty claims, and Subaru went with the former...
17th Nov 2010, 10:08
I would never even buy one of these used. So many of them have been modded and raced. When they are sold, the mods are removed, making the car appear stock when in actuality it has been heavily abused. This is really hard to tell by just looking at the car.
I bought a 2005 brand new and sold it at 51K miles. Fortunately for the second owner, I never modded it or raced it. It was a commuter car that was fun to own.
I would love another one... especially since they now put out 265 HP. They seem to be so rare nowadays and are much harder to find at dealers. I guess putting super unleaded in as a requirement has caught up to these cars.
16th Nov 2010, 13:32
Very good review.
I agree, be very, very, very careful when buying one of these used, as they are often owned by younger people who like street racing, etc... or middle aged people who like to go fast and beat on their cars.
Maintenance is very important, make sure it has been well maintained by the owner and get a full history on the car.
I would never buy one of these from let's say, a high school student.