2004 Subaru Impreza Reviews

Head gasket leaking at 100,000 miles.

Right rear CVs had to be replaced at 60,000 miles.

Rusted oil pan is about to fall off.

Complete exhaust system, including CATS had to be replaced, along with O2 sensors.

Timing belt and water pump will have to be replaced shortly.

I am surprised about the lack of negative comments on this car. Buyer beware, check out Subaru forums or put Subaru Head Gasket in the search engine.

This car is a piece of junk. Bought it new with regular maintenance as per manual. Should have been recalls, but for some reason Subaru gets away with it on the head gasket issue.

A very expensive car to maintain. Exhaust system had to be replaced from the CATS back with all O2 sensors, a very expensive repair.

Oil pan is rusted out. Who the hell every heard of a rusted out oil pan on an 04 car?

Right rear CV joints had to be replaced at 60,000 miles. Unbelievable.

The only thing that has shown up is a orange light on the dash at about 20K miles, this turned out be be an oxygen sensor. The car didn't feel any different, but was fixed under warranty anyway.

I won't bore you with talk of interiors, comfort and the sort, that's not why you buy this car. But just to say it has the minimal equipment most people need: climate control, electric windows ECT. But to the important thing, performance! This car didn't cost the earth, 13,999 to be exact, for that money with 16K miles I don't know of another car as capable as this. I have owned a few quick cars, astra GTE 16v, nova turbo 160 BHP (very light) and a japanese import WRX 240 BHP, but this just eats up the road very easily not just 0-60 but after up past 100 very quickly, its so easy to let that happen with this car. The WRX with the PPP gives 261 BHP and 257 lbft of torque and puts it in the same level as the STI and EVO 260 but cheaper than both and its probably faster than both. I haven't owned any of the other two so I can't say too much, but the prodrive figres are very good 0-60 4.8 sec 0-100 14 sec and it has some impressive in gear times too 30-70 5 sec. The only clue on the outside is the prodrive exhaust which gives off an excellent note, not too "in your face" but deep enough to stand out and hear the scooby thrum. The other parts of the pack are the bigger intercooler hoses and chip, upping the boost, the 257 lb ft coming in at 3500 RPM instead of 221 at 4000. Handling is standard WRX, though they do recommend uprated suspension and 18" wheels, but even in the wet this car hasn't lost grip once (except when I wanted it too), you can get the back end out if you choose to. This car is really like a 2004 STI spec D they didn't make, except you get 5 gears instead of 6 and less extras, but this makes it 75 KG lighter than the STI and with the extra torque its easy to see how it's a bit of a sleeper. Racing experiences have been good in this car, just keeps on surprising you. But input on the comparison on the WRX PPP, WRX STI, and EVO 260 would be good, I can see how the handling on the other 2 might be better though.