1998 Subaru Impreza L from North America - Comments

At 200,000 miles the following has gone wrong with the Impreza:

Switch that controls cruise and airbag

Gear that controls hot and cold on the HVAC is broken

Leaky trunk / windows

Front seats have metal poking through

Clutch

Leaky transmission

Rust

The model of the car is a 1998 Impreza L coupe. It was purchased used at dealer cost ($1,200). At the time of purchase it needed a good cleaning in and out and a clutch. The reason for the low selling price was its trade-in condition and mileage – 156,000.

Engine / Transmission:

2.2 liter flat four mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. At 200,000 miles the engine runs smooth thanks to the previous owner having dealer oil changes every 3,000 miles and we do the same. The transmission shifts strong on its second clutch. The engine is governed at 6500 RPM so it would be really hard to wreck it, but it can be done!

Exterior:

It’s a green coupe! Some rust is showing up on the rear fenders. The headlights and fog lamps have survived. The windshield hasn’t been lucky – it is cracked from side to side on the bottom. The only extras on the outside of the Impreza are factory fog lamps, alloy wheels, and a factory spoiler.

Interior:

Ick! Tan interior. All panels are easily dirtied and difficult to clean. The front seats are worthless. A major problem with Impreza’s has been the foam in the front seats. The foam is crushed and the metal seat frame sticks through. Both front seats have lost their foam and the metal is just waiting to break the fabric - very uncomfortable for any amount of driving. Anybody put Legacy seats in an Impreza? The stereo is a Clarion AM/FM Tape with factory CD player with six speakers. It also has power windows and locks that work great.

Interior Gripes!:

Besides the broken seats, the stereo isn’t that great – it has a problem playing burned cds. The HVAC control that controls hot and cold is broken. It broke on heat, but has been manually switched to cold. A/C is still ICE COLD, which is great! The cup holders are annoying. There is one in the dash that allows coffee and soda to drip on the stereo while hiding some HVAC controls and there is a broken one inside the armrest. Final gripes are the leaky windows, seat belt holder, and back seat. Another problem with all Impreza’s are the amounts of leaks. The trunk leaks and the windows leak which is especially annoying in the winter when the wet windows freeze on the inside as well as year round with a musty smell in the car. The back seat is fine, however it doesn’t fold down. We don’t use it for hauling much stuff, but when I want to haul a mower or some tools that are larger than the trunk it would be nice. The seatbelt holder is a bit annoying. It is designed to hold the seatbelt straight while it is in use and when unbuckled it folds back to the side post to allow the driver to exit without hitting it and to let rear passengers out. It doesn’t raise high enough to be comfortable so the seatbelt is right on my neck.

Safety:

Built to 1998 safety standards the Impreza has dual airbags and seatbelts. We have a 1995 Impreza wagon with a smaller engine, however it has ABS and four-wheel disc brakes, while this sportier, faster, and newer coupe has rear drum brakes and no ABS. The car has cruise, but it is currently not working due to a broken switch inside the steering column. The switch also controls the airbags, which are also not functioning. The airbag light is lit on the dash. If you have any Subaru and your cruise isn’t working and your airbag light is not on, turn on the cruise and while setting it slip your foot under the brake pedal and lift it while setting the cruise control, try it with the clutch pedal too. The plastic button under the dash broke on this Impreza and was under three dollars to fix. Try this on an open road though!

Fuel Mileage:

Quick car + AWD = lukewarm mileage. It costs about $34 dollars to fill the tank and it will travel about 275 – 315 miles to empty. I also have an Eagle Talon (Mitsubishi Eclipse) that will get about 100 more miles per tank.

Fun to Drive?:

Well in Southeast Pennsylvania we have a whole lot of winter and not enough summer. Driving the car in the summer is OK. If it were a different color maybe it would be a lot more fun. This Subaru is a winter car. It handles sloppy roads with no problem. I have had it out on days that mail delivery was cancelled. It is almost impossible to get stuck in this car! My buddies and I take it out for a lot of late night snow runs. I’ve driven a lot of different cars in bad weather, but this Impreza was the best. I used it on a trip home from school that I will never forget. I traveled East on I-80 through Pennsylvania when a snowstorm turned the Interstate into death road. I maintained a 40 mph clip for about an hour through the worst. The Subaru never skipped a beat nor left the road. This is when AWD in a small car is wonderful. Had I been driving any other car I would have pulled over and be stuck. It snowed over a foot in only two hours.

When it comes to everyday driving, it really isn’t that comfy. The design of the transmission on all Subarus don’t allow for much room in the console area. I am tall and my legs get cramped while driving in town or traffic jams. The get-up-and-go of this car is great. The Impreza coupe is lighter than the other Imprezas and the same power plant that powered pre 2.5 liter Outback wagons with all the extra heft, powers this car. It is nimble and holds the road.

Final Thoughts:

This is not my daily driver. It is really a winter beater that gets used year round. If you are looking at an Impreza remember to check for a wet trunk, if it looks dry look at the spare tire and spare tire well. Rust and dried crusty debris could be a sign of a leak. Change your oil every 3000 miles and keep an eye on regular maintenance. This Impreza has breezed past the 200,000 mile mark and continues to perform. My dad is a Subaru mechanic since 1983 and has seen Subaru models make it to the 300 and 400,000 milestones. Thanks for reading!

I agree with you wholeheartedly. We have a 1998 coupe with 183,000 miles and she always starts with no problem. It's a fun car to drive but the seats are murder if you're going to be in the car for a long trip. It's our 2nd car and we bought it at 112,000 miles four years ago. We only use it for short trips since we have the other car (Honda Pilot) With a baby, the coupe design isn't the greatest but I'm dreading the day we have to give her up. She's been so reliable that I know I'll get another Impreza.