:( Last night I was out driving having a little fun in the snow with my WRX for the 1st time. I stuck to the parking lots mainly. anyway, on my way home. I was braking early for a stop sign (taking it easy) ahead and the back end came around. Like an idiot I hit the brakes harder and went into a slow drift off the road and into a concrete wall. Here the damage. Busted drivers side front wheel, Bumper and foglight were crushed. Headlight mount is broke(headlight is ok). Here's the big one. The driver side front A-arm is bent. The tie-rod is touching the sway bar. I took the wheel off and put the spare on and nursed it a few hundeds yard to a friends house. It doesn't look too bad considering what I hit. Here's my question. How hard will it be for the shop to get parts? I'm having it done where I bought it. They have a body shop, plus I trust them more with the suspension than any other shop. AM I going to be waiting forever for parts???? :confused: Thanks,
Bryan

Call Dale Teague at Teague's auto; I think I remember reading somewhere that he has a parts car; don't know what parts are good and such but he may have what you need. Otherwise it could be as much as a few weeks.....if your insurance is going to cover it they may also provide a rental car. If you are paying for this yourself instead to save your insurance rates then finding other transportation while waiting for parts is your problem.

What tires were you on? RS92's?

Sorry to hear about your fender ding ;). On the down side, people are wrecking WRX's left and right- that means either there's a shortage of parts or that they've realized this and started stocking up. Plus side with all the wrecks is you can probably find something nearly new in a wrecker yard if you have to. I also recommed Dale- he can get new stuff besides having the junkyard full of wrecks for parts ;).

Brian
http://www.ravensblade-impreza.com
http://www.imprezamods.com
http://www.scoobymods.com

Yes, and that is what make's me, so mad. I have an almost brand new set of Blizzak ws-15 snow tires I was going to put on as soon as I got my mudflaps( probably in 2 weeks). The WS-15's are a very aggressive block style tread, so I didn't want them throw stuff on to the car. AFter reading the numerous complaints about the RE92's I should have taken them off ASAP.. That's leaves another interesting situation. My driver side front tire is shot, so I will need a new one. BUT.... This is an AWD car and those tires have just over 15000 miles on them. So they are going to have to replace all 4. I do not want new RE92's put on, so I'll have to find another tire in same price range and have them put them on.. I'll see what happens,
Bryan

Oh and thanks Brian. I'll have to see what they come up with. Then I'll work from there.

Hey, allow me to say what you now already know: You can't really have fun in the snow with RE92s, because the tire isn't up to it in terms of grip.

The WS-series Blizzaks are nice. People grouse about their dry/wet handling but hey, it's winter. You aren't going for any land speed records anyhow. I have WS tires as well, because when you need a snow tire in Chicago, you need a SNOW tire.

Glad you're okay, bummer about the car, but it sounds like it can be pretty easily healed.

Kevin

sorry to hear that

sorry to hear about your car man...at least you didn't total it like I did mine. It just goes to show ya that even if your car has AWD and ABS or whatever, its not too much help when you're sliding on ice.

stevo

sorry to hear of your off...
hope you get the car back together soon...

and glad you are ok!!!

jamie
www.subiegal.com

It's a good thing your A-arm bent. There are those here who say if you had the aluminum A-arms on, you would be looking at frame damage rather than replacing the A-arm.

Dan

This is an AWD car and those tires have just over 15000 miles on them. So they are going to have to replace all 4. I do not want new RE92's put on, If you can get insurance to pay for four new tires, go for it. But I don't see any reason to be too concerend about running one (or safer, two) new tires with the older ones. The difference in circumference is going to be within tolerance. If the others are almost shot (which they shouldn't be at 15k), then maybe it is a good time to get a different setup.

Paul

Thanks for your kind words everyone. FYI. I called the place I'm getting it repaired at (a Subaru Dealer) and he said there should be no problem getting parts. They have already repaired 4 WRX's. So there is some hope.

As far as the A-arm goes. I'm no professional, but I had the wheel off and where the A-arm mounts looks fine. Also the tie-rod is hitting the sway bar, so that would lead me to believe it's the A-arm itself that is messed up. Plus the wheel busted.

The tires are worn on the edges but are almost half in the center. They were rotated at the correct times and air pressure was checked. The worn edges came from sliding it on pavement when I AutoX'd it earlier in the year. I would hope the body guys at the dealership ask for 4, but that's up to them, I guess. I won't leave it that way long if I only get one though. I guess I'll see what happens :o
Bryan

The way Subaru designed the new-age Impreza seems pretty good in terms of safety. I havent heard of one single fatality and barey any serious injuries. Are there any safety rating published for 02> Impreza's yet?

*****< 5 stars in my book.

A thread about a salesman who died during a demo has been around for awhile. Also, a couple others have commented on cases where people died. There's no reason to think all (or many) fatal accidents would be reported here. However, I agree with your belief that this is a safe car.

Paul

Man that really sux. Glad your OK.

snow+my wrx=me being very nervous :(

hmmm that sucks, i'd totally blame the tires for that.

I didn't quite believe all the negative hype about the re92's, UNTIL last week. I was powering through a tight turn in 3rd gear (wet conditions) and WHEEEeee the car slides on through dukes of hazzard style.

I've gone through this turn many times on my old FWD protege with 2 year old all-seasons on it at similar speeds & conditions, and never ever slipped like that.

I'm driving like a granny this winter and ditching the re92's for next.

Let me state the obvious. AWD helps you gain traction to get you moving, but when it comes to turning and stopping in snow, all the usual laws of physics apply.

I haven't graduated to the WRX yet (though I plan to) but I have driven my '97 Outback year-round since it was new. I find that the AWD gets you going so easily that you tend to over estimate your traction, actually thinking insane things like "hey, this snowfall isn't so slippery this time!".

Then it comes time to stop and you realize you're a mere mortal. Regardless of the tire, enjoy the benefits of AWD when it comes to not getting stuck in snow, and starting out from a stop, but take it easy, leave plenty of stopping distance in front of you, and slow down A LOT on the turns. Be safe, drive safe, and enjoy your car (and life) for a long time.

Originally posted by Jayson_K
hmmm that sucks, i'd totally blame the tires for that. ??? The tires should have defied the laws of physics? It's not like he was caught off guard, he'd been playing around in a parking lot earlier, so he had a pretty good idea of how "crappy" the re92's are. I'm amazed at how much people think these tires suck; they really aren't that bad. I'd love to see a head to head challenge comparing these to another A/S. Apart from going to fullout snows (which is a big waste of $$$ for most people), these are competent tires to use in the winter.

Paul

the other night I slammed into the back of a truck in the snow. ...then I realized that I was driving a blue sedan, I have a silver wagon - then I woke up, what a dream.

these are competent tires to use in the winter. Thanks, Snowphun, I'm glad someone thinks so. They seem good to me too. The first night I was on rainy roads my wrx felt pretty slipper. However, the other night it was quite solid in the rain. I think the first time I was out in the rain it was the first time it had rained for a month or two, and it was a light rain (plenty of oil on the roads).

In anycase, if anyone finds a good, legit, comparison of the re92s with another allweather tire, I'd love to see it.

It's nice to finally see someone admit their mistakes rather than immeadiatly(sp?) blaming it on the RE92'S or the car. I am impressed that he has the ballz to admit he screwed up. Granted the RE-92's are up to the quality standards that they should be but...... I can't even count the times I have busted up laughing after reading threads that begin with "Yeah dude I was going around this turn at 100 miles and hour pullin a Richard Burns Rally Car drift and I spun around and totaled my car. It's all the tires fault they are pieces of garbage!!!!!!" After all AWD, ABS, and the best tires in the world can't negate stupidity....

Again thanks for your nice comments. I'm not afraid to admit what I did wrong. Although I can say that I'm not too impressed with the re92's, they do the job but that's about it. But I knew that before this happened.
I swear they should put warning labels on AWD an 4wd vehicles. I know what they can and can't do, it was just an unfortunate circumstance and a bad move on my part that caused this.
Too many others think they are invinceable and that it why you see all of the rolled SUV's.
Anyway, my car was towed this morning to the dealership and I was shocked that by 3 pm, they had already ordered the parts, even before the adjuster got there. It's a little worse than I thought, but not too bad. I did have some minor subframe damage, but it is a bolt on piece, so they'll just remove it and put a new one on. Besides that, the parts include, bumper, driver side fender, lower control arm, knuckle, tie rod, wheel bearing, strut, and wheel/tire( OK so the whole front corner of the car :rolleyes: ) . They will only replace 1 tire. I've heard nothing but great comments about the dealership and their body shop. It's the 2nd oldest Subaru dealer in the country, from what I was told, so they know their suby's. I'll post a pic of the car if I can figure out a way to shrink it.

Bryan

It's not the tires, it's the driver.

It's not the tires, it's the driver to a certain extent. You can still have tires that are inferior and be fine, but you drive down to the low limits of those tires.

I switched from RE92s to Pirelli P7000SSes on the same day in the same weather, so I could really have a frame of reference. The difference was staggering. Backing in to my garage, there was a steep, perhaps 1.5-foot uphill section. With the RE92s I would get wheelspin. Not so with the Pirellis. Just a drama-free back-in.

Similar differences were noted during everyday driving. In situations where the ABS would activate with the RE92s, the car just slowed down with the Pirellis.

I do think that there is much RE92 bashing when someone should admit that they were a butthead. But please don't mistake me for an instant: the WRX, the RS and the Legacy GT are too good for those tires. Switch, and you'll realize the vast difference.

Kevin

They will only replace 1 tire
I'm assuming you are talking about your insurance company...

Why don't you see if you can get the Blizzaks put on! Maybe they will reimburse you for one tire.
I would think you'd definitely want to put some new tires (maybe rims) when the spring time rolls around. Just a thought.

I got my first snow driving experience this season yesterday in the Sierras. I have ~9K on my RE92's with no auto cross. Not very good snow tires at all, but workable on the fairly well maintained roads near Lake Tahoe. Starting traction was absolutely not an issue. Just gentle acceleration and your on your way! Stopping and turning...well that's where you want to exercise a little prudence.

It is good to hear of people being well protected in a crash. Hopefully I will never have to test it out.:D

Why don't you see if you can get the Blizzaks put on! Maybe they will reimburse you for one tire.


That's what I am doing. The guy at the body shop actually suggested that, but then he asked me if they were aggressive. I said yea and he's like " oh you don't need those, this car is AWD".
Just for the record. I have never ever used snow tires on any vehicle of mine. It just so happened that I picked up a nearly new set pretty cheap. So after years of driving FWD cars with A/S tires in the snow. Im putting snow tires on an AWD... :lol:

Bryan

Just for the record. I have never ever used snow tires on any vehicle of mine Bryan, be sure to give these tires a workout somewhere safe. Snows are great in certain situations, but can be nasty at higher speeds or emergency situations. Lots of soft sidewall, big soft tread... you get the idea.

Drive safe!
Paul

Thank's Paul. I have read about that and can actually tell. I can squeeze the tread very easily and it is rather deep tread. It's been pretty warm here in the NE as you probably know. I am hoping things freeze up soon, so I'm not wasting my time putting these on, thanks again,
Bryan

Here's a pic of the damage from the outside, just before I threw the spare on. I carry my camera with me everywhere, too bad I had to use it for this...



:(

Geez, looks like you were driving in snow on RE92s!!

Originally posted by stiguy555
The way Subaru designed the new-age Impreza seems pretty good in terms of safety. I havent heard of one single fatality and barey any serious injuries. Are there any safety rating published for 02> Impreza's yet?

*****< 5 stars in my book.

My cousin was hit head on by a drunk driver while driving his friends rex. They were on an off ramp on the freeway and the drunk came down it going the wrong way. He got broke a few bones, his friend was alright, but both of their girlfriends died.:( :( :( . The drunk driver is in critical condition. That bastard:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Don't bother buying a stock control arm. They are $300 bucks ea. You could get the STi aluminum ones w/ poly bushings for the same price...but in a pair. That's what I did.

PS-glad to hear you are OK.:)
Sorry about the car.:(

Steve-o...that sucks. Sorry for you and your friends too.:(

Sorry to hear that, Steve-O. I have a question. Were the ladies sitting in the back seat, and were they belted? I only ask because friends call me an old lady when I insist that rear passengers also buckle up. I admit to being old, but I also admit that the car won't move an inch until everybody is buckled up.

Kevin

Originally posted by gtguy
Sorry to hear that, Steve-O. I have a question. Were the ladies sitting in the back seat, and were they belted? I only ask because friends call me an old lady when I insist that rear passengers also buckle up. I admit to being old, but I also admit that the car won't move an inch until everybody is buckled up.

Kevin

All the passengers were belted, and the girls were sitting on the passenger side. They were hit head on, more on the passenger side, and the car rolled a couple times. My aunt said the passenger side was absolutely crushed.:( :( .

I also have everybody in the car buckle up. It's stupid not to. I know if myself or my friend that was in car didn't have seatbelts on, we would both be dead no doubt about it.

stevo

The drunk driver is in critical condition.
Hopefully he recovers so he can spend a long time suffering (sober) in prison.
That's a really sad story, but a head on collision is going to be very, very bad in any vehicle...

Those are, though, the only two reports I've heard here on WRX faalities. and not many serious injuries, either.

I'm sick, though, of people blaming their wrecks on RE-92's. Yeah, they don't have a lot of grip, but they're very well-behaved and predictable. They're about as good as skiis in the rain, but they don't hide any surprises. Tire failure is one thing, overdriving your car is another. be careful out there, people, and know the limits of your round rollies.

Compression braking works well for me in the snow, the brakes can get tricky, especially in wet slippery snow. I know that "oh $hit, I'm a passenger" feeling... not fun, not funney.

Sorry about your car -- I would have suggested that you try to get your parts off a wreck, since most WRX's get banged up in the back, instead of the front. ;)

Compression braking works well for me in the snow

I compression brake also, but you definitely have to know when to do that and not. It was wet snow I was driving in, but I hit a patch that had been cleared and it iced over. Compression braking may or may not have helped but I kind of doubt it. Studded tires would have been my only savior, or quick thinking with the gas pedal.

I would have suggested that you try to get your parts off a wreck, since most WRX's get banged up in the back, instead of the front.

Great idea if you don't have collision on your insurance or you're paying for it out of your pocket. But not for me. Not to mention the shop had the parts ordered less than 3 hours after the car was dropped off and a full day before the adjuster got there. I still don't have any idea how long it'll be there, but it's looking good so far.

Bryan