anyone else dislike their subaru???

Originally Posted by dgmorr

Your first mistake was getting an automatic. Second mistake was getting the base model. The final blow was getting an automatic base model.

same boat as OP, but i like mine as my friend says, it's a driver's car, not designed for creature comforts.. the more i drive her, the more fun she is i had many minor quirks, but i've got used to them as the subaru designers designed this car a certain way for a reason...

5 years ago I debated getting a base Impreza. I took one for a test drive and liked it. Then I took an SVX for a test drive. I bought one and have never looked back. Quieter, more power, leather, less than half the price (used). As for fuel economy my best was 35MPG. Oh yeah, I also converted it to a 5spd.

for those saying it's not a commuter car...
what else is someone supposed to do with an underpowered compact wagon?
on the highway, you'll have to stomp on the gas HARD to get around that minivan. it's a commuter car with the added bonus for winter traction!

I'm getting 10.7L/100km on conservative driving (50/50 highway/city).

I had to get AT because my mom wants to use it every now and then.

Originally Posted by urameatball

for those saying it's not a commuter car...
what else is someone supposed to do with an underpowered compact wagon?
on the highway, you'll have to stomp on the gas HARD to get around that minivan. it's a commuter car with the added bonus for winter traction!

I'm getting 10.7L/100km on conservative driving (50/50 highway/city).

I had to get AT because my mom wants to use it every now and then.

That's roughly 22 miles per US gallon which doesn't sound bad for an automatic awd wagon. Could you have taught your mom how to drive your car? My mom knows very little about vehicles but she has managed to drive every manual transmission vehicle that we owned, ranging from a 1968 Ford F100 to a 2000 Prelude.

Originally Posted by urameatball

when I first got my subaru, I thought it was a pretty good car... good build quality, good specs, and AWD.

but now that I've owned it for a couple months, I'm kinda having second thoughts... just a bunch of little things I've noticed that annoy me.

overall, a great driving car... AWD is great, handles very well, fun to drive. But it's the minor quirks there and there that makes me go blah:

1) (automatic transmission) when very light on the gas, it shifts to 4th at around 50kph, the lack of power will cause the engine to lag so you have shift it back to 3rd.

2) engine noise is quite a bit louder than most other compact cars.

3) interior design is quite inferior looking compared to most other cars in the same price range.

4) just did a long distance trip in my friend's protege5 and it was so much smoother, more refined, and more comfortable.

5) my imprezza is rated at 173hp. but the motor has got no balls at all, especially at highway speeds where a 120hp corolla or civic can pull away easily.

6) very poor mileage (due to AWD)

7) all the of above mentioned quirks just makes it a horrible commuter car. AWD and handling is great, but for general commuting, I'd rather pick another car.

"motor has no balls"

imprezza has just been rated the safest sedan on citytv but some significant rating system/company (i dont remeber)

Originally Posted by urameatball

for those saying it's not a commuter car...
what else is someone supposed to do with an underpowered compact wagon?
on the highway, you'll have to stomp on the gas HARD to get around that minivan. it's a commuter car with the added bonus for winter traction!

I'm getting 10.7L/100km on conservative driving (50/50 highway/city).

I had to get AT because my mom wants to use it every now and then.

i can say for sure the lag in torque conversion exists, but it's not bad on the hwy... the engine is potent and i'm just getting used to driving a 4-banger again (after coming from driving v6's and 8's)... it may look like another commuter car, but it definitely isn't... commuter cars don't handle like a subaru does compared to my gf's '05 civic, this impreza spanks the crap out of it in pretty much everything.. most importantly for me, the engine is strong and sounds sexy

it's the poor attitude that quickly got you banned from TSC

they don't look good either.
(and i'm a fan of the sti, but its still no looker).

Originally Posted by M-e-X-x

i can say for sure the lag in torque conversion exists, but it's not bad on the hwy... the engine is potent and i'm just getting used to driving a 4-banger again (after coming from driving v6's and 8's)... it may look like another commuter car, but it definitely isn't... commuter cars don't handle like a subaru does compared to my gf's '05 civic, this impreza spanks the crap out of it in pretty much everything.. most importantly for me, the engine is strong and sounds sexy

it's the poor attitude that quickly got you banned from TSC

haha!!
am I still the record holder on TSC? -- quickest ban?

but I totally don't understand TSC forum... I joke around and they say I'm an immature idiot, I proceed to methodically criticize and they edit my posts to jokes about my mom. weird crowd.

The Impreza's not underpowered compared to anything else in its size class, that is, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3. The AWD does add a weight and drag penalty which is partly the cause of your worsened fuel economy.

Next time, it's simple, don't buy a AWD car with a relatively big 2.5L motor. Buy a FWD Corolla with a 1.8L for decent fuel economy, but don't complain to us that it has no acceleration and is not as fun to drive in now Everything is a compromise, there are no 50MPG AWD cars that have 200HP and cost $22K

Originally Posted by urameatball

when I first got my subaru, I thought it was a pretty good car... good build quality, good specs, and AWD.

but now that I've owned it for a couple months, I'm kinda having second thoughts... just a bunch of little things I've noticed that annoy me.

overall, a great driving car... AWD is great, handles very well, fun to drive. But it's the minor quirks there and there that makes me go blah:

1) (automatic transmission) when very light on the gas, it shifts to 4th at around 50kph, the lack of power will cause the engine to lag so you have shift it back to 3rd.

You should know that buying a manual will always have greater advantages over automatic i.e. fuel economy.

Originally Posted by urameatball

2) engine noise is quite a bit louder than most other compact cars.

This is not a corolla, this is a 2.5L boxer engine.

Originally Posted by urameatball

3) interior design is quite inferior looking compared to most other cars in the same price range.

name them... anything sub-class of 30k will always be inferior regardless of the make and model.

Originally Posted by urameatball

4) just did a long distance trip in my friend's protege5 and it was so much smoother, more refined, and more comfortable.

5) my imprezza is rated at 173hp. but the motor has got no balls at all, especially at highway speeds where a 120hp corolla or civic can pull away easily.

once again, refer to the above -- get a manuall, as well as the the cars above which you listed are super light compared to the subaru.

Originally Posted by urameatball

6) very poor mileage (due to AWD).

ALL - WHEEL - DRIVE .. no one seems to understand this.

Originally Posted by urameatball

7) all the of above mentioned quirks just makes it a horrible commuter car. AWD and handling is great, but for general commuting, I'd rather pick another car.

Everyone has their valid opinion, these cars are not for everyone.

As for me, I own an 2001 RS and I love it! Then again, it's manual - so even more fun!! ... especially in the snow..

Originally Posted by urameatball

for those saying it's not a commuter car...
what else is someone supposed to do with an underpowered compact wagon?
on the highway, you'll have to stomp on the gas HARD to get around that minivan. it's a commuter car with the added bonus for winter traction!

I'm getting 10.7L/100km on conservative driving (50/50 highway/city).

I had to get AT because my mom wants to use it every now and then.

Your problem is automatic. The automatic on impreza is not very smart.
As for gas mileage not sure if it's the transmission or the way you drive, i can get 10L/100km very easily on my 99 legacy gt.

I'm actually sort of looking to get a WRX Wagon as a daily commuter car... But this sort of makes me think twice.

I want a wagon so that camping/mtn biking/kayaking I can drag along all my stuff with (relative) ease compared to any sedan...

Are there any other cars comparable to the WRX Wagon that I could look at? Seems like the WRX is the perfect combination of practicality and power =) Oh, and for those who already own the WRX, how is the sound system? Should I bother with it? or just upgrade it right away, to whatever custom sound system?

The Impreza and (surprisingly) the Kia Sedona just got the highest ratings for safety from the IIHS:

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/18/k...ash-safety-te/

You might want to look at a Forestor or Legacy Outback as they're more practical in terms of carrying capacity. I like my Impreza (sedan) but trunkspace is definitely at a premium. Even with fold down seats, I don't know how I could fit a bike in there. (I have a trunk mounted bike rack)

The wagon style is a bit bigger, but not by much, I'd really equate it to a hatchback.

Originally Posted by kashirat

I'm actually sort of looking to get a WRX Wagon as a daily commuter car... But this sort of makes me think twice.

Why would it make you think twice? I think this thread is just a case of the customer buying the wrong product for his needs and not understanding the compromises.

The WRX wagon is a great car, but definitely going to be a bit heavy on the gas for commuting, especially since it takes premium gas only. The hatch space is definitely small, but there is no problem fitting a bike in the back with the seats folded down. It does come with roof rails so you can stick attachments to it and carry your kayak. The sound system is very ordinary so if you care, you should upgrade it

Originally Posted by ji2o0k

really ? what trim/year is your friend's RSX ? I find my pretty quiet, maybe I haven't really driven a quiet car ? I have both stock tires and winters, I don't find the cabin loud.

Mine is a 2003 RSX Premium........

2002 RSX Premium with 17"s

well. i've only sat in one RSX... so i could be wrong