Well, I'm looking for a new daily driver, and a possibility that's been suggested to me has been the Impreza. I'm looking for a reasonably priced car that gets decent fuel economy and cheap to maintain. Standarn tranny is a must, and if the front wheels have to have power, the back ones better too(AWD). What type of price range am I looking at to get a used one for cheap in the anchorage area? I'm a poor college student. thanks

If this doesn't sound feasable, what other vehicles would to suggest? I've always been a RWD fan myself. FWD only just isn't fun. ;)

old toyota pick up :D


jp well kinda... im not really sure on base impreza's but the wrx was a fuel whore... probably my driving style and mods though. The wrx was rated at 19MPG on the highway and 17MPG on city roads. however for a 18,000+ price tag, probably not what your looking for. as for the 2.5rs's im sorry, im not really sure on pricing, and gas economy. hope that helps, just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the reply. A WRX is out of my price(and insurance) range. I was thinking something older, and a lot cheaper. An old toyota pickup is an option, but a good friend of mine just got hit a few weeks ago on international and spenard and after seeing his trucks condition, I've shied away. I currently drive an 85 chevy k20 pickup on 38's, and I'm just looking for something smaller now. Yeah, the grass is always greener...

Well, I own one of those "Older" imprezas. I can just give my 2 cents based on my green machine.
Mileage on the 2.2 5spd is decent. Typical around-town mileage is 21-23 mpg year-round, a little worse in the really cold times if you don't stick it n a garage. Highway, 30 is my highest, and typical on long trips.
My car only has 50,000 miles on it so far, and maintenance has been gentle on me (no major, big $$ issues). But, that's just my experience.
They come and go quickly, my friend. If you want a good one at a decent price, you have to be one step ahead of everyone else.
My gf just bought a 2000 Impreza L for about 11 grand, for a point of reference.
As far as the awd goes, my 97 feels like a fwd car in most driving. In slick or snowy situations you can get the rear wheels to do their thing and bring the rear end around. But, it sure isn't 4wd-feeling.
Different years/models have different setups as far as awd goes.
Hope this helps. :) They are fun little buggers.

thanks for the reply. That's the sort of info i'm looking at. Do these things suffer from understeer as badly as FWD vehicles normally do?

not as badly but it is one of their "cons" rear sway bar and strut bar takes care of that issue...

How would a rear sway bar take away from understeer?

stiffens up the rear

So these cars tend to have a front wheel bias then?

The wrx was rated at 19MPG on the highway and 17MPG on city roads.


Was this your car? It's "rated 20/27", but depending on driving can get much less (or more).

So these cars tend to have a front wheel bias then?

by design...weight distribution cause some understeer....but the diff is pretty close to a 50/50 distribution....

by design...weight distribution cause some understeer....but the diff is pretty close to a 50/50 distribution....

gotcha. So how does handling(cornering) differer in feeling from that of a 4x4?

Best thing you can do, is go out and test drive an older impreza. Afforable usally has one or two in stock here in fairbanks. Subaru's awd design drives alot better then your typical 4x4 truck.
Dan
P.S. 2000 RS impreza for sale.

Was this your car? It's "rated 20/27", but depending on driving can get much less (or more).
i was prety sure thats what is said on the window sticker when i bought it.... maybe i was wrong, but i was getting around there if but mostly worse mileage than that.

Best thing you can do, is go out and test drive an older impreza. Afforable usally has one or two in stock here in fairbanks. Subaru's awd design drives alot better then your typical 4x4 truck.
Dan
P.S. 2000 RS impreza for sale.
Yes, a test drive would definatly be good. Only issue is i'm not super affluent with a standard car tranny, but I can get around. As long as I can gas one of these things around snowy corners without going straight sideways, i'll be happy. What's a fair price on a mid 90's one?

Sounds like an RS is your ideal vehicle. The 2000 is almost identical to the 2001 RS, save a few interior changes. I'd buy yukon's RS if I were you.

The great thing about the RS is it's very constant power, as opposed to the WRX's and other turbo vehicles which have a point in the rev where the turbo kicks in, and spins the wheels faster. (I heard)The RS running at the Alcan Winter Rally did really well on the ice stages due to this, constant power .

I can go on and on why the RS is one of the most perfect snow/ice driving vehicles, but I won't. It's a pretty damn rare car, but if you find one, they go for around 9k now.

Now I just need to prove these theories at the next rallycross. :lol:

I won't though.

Sounds sweet to me; now if only I could afford 9k. heh my current vehicle is worth about $3500.

Take out a 6k loan, that's like $100 a month if you get a loan.

nah, debt is outa the question. I am saving up for a home loan. If i am that desperate for a cheap DD, i'll go buy a cheap 80's accord. bleh

Hey, Last year I bought a 91 Legacy from Park and Sell on Dowling for $2,950.
I sold it to a girl in the Valley, (Have a quick look at the members rides section, under AK, Legacy, Sha Sha...It's the white one, pics taken shortly after I bought it)
90 - 95 ish Legacys are cheap. I saw one for sale near me a few days ago, I can go check and see if it's still there if you want. Looks to be around a 90/91.
Body has a few bumps, but I didn't really get a good look.
To cut a long story short, legacy's are easier to find here than an impreza. The legacy I had drove and looked sweet......

Thanks for the heads up; I would be interested... What's the main differences between the legacy and the impreza's? Do they have legacy's around that aren't wagons?

Go to the members section, Alaska, Legacy, Sha-Sha...That's what I got for 3K

I'll go see in the morning if that legacy is still there....

http://www.legacycentral.org/centric/t_members.htm

Ah, I was thinking of the outback I guess. I'll go look at the pictures now.

EDIT: thanks for looking in the morning.
EDIT2: very clean looking car you had there

Legacies are better :P

I had a legacy as well, very nice. For all intents and purposes, they are virtually identical to the Impreza's mechanically. Both were 2.2 then 2.5l flat 4's. Both have the same tranny/differential/etc. Legacy's are just a bit biger, with a bit more features. You could get an early BC (90-94) fro under 5, some were even early turbo models (more expensive though) and many BD (95-99) modesl can be had around the 5k mark. Impreza's have more performance/dress up parts available generally. But the Legacy's are cooler :D

this is what I grew up looking at..
Especially in the Circuit of Ireland, Ulster Rally etc......
I thought and still think, that a Legacy, in the full Rothmans livery is the dogs b***s....

http://www.legacycentral.org/library/literature/rothman.htm

Very nice. So if the Impreza and Legacy are almost identical performace wise, wouldn't the performance parts be interchangeable among both? I don't care about the dressup look.

Very nice. So if the Impreza and Legacy are almost identical performace wise, wouldn't the performance parts be interchangeable among both? I don't care about the dressup look.

Some might work, but most of the bolts on would not fit w/o modification.

So they are differen't mechanically, then?

yes and no. Both the impreza's and the Legacy's use the same engines and tranny's "off the shelf" from Subaru, like the V6 is in the Z, G35 and maxima. some parts are interchangable, such as internal engine components (I believe), headers usually, and some turbo kits can be retrofitted to the Legacy engine bay. Older Legacy's were able to use the GC8 suspension bits. I believe in fact Subie Gal did that on her old Legacy. Beyond that they are different animals, exhaust system would be longer and routed differently, body would be wider meaning a different sway bar setup, etc.... The aftermarket for the Legacy has come a ways for offering parts for Legacy enthusiasts, however the Impreza and WRX have quite a bit more aftermarket support. Most everything you would want you could find for the Legacy, and if you know someone, you can hook up Japan parts.


And performance wise they might be close, but the Impreza is a bit better than Legacy cause it is "improved" over the legacy. Looooooong story cut VERY short, the Legacy was Subaru's rally car till the GC8 came out, the GC8 as pretty much a shortened chassis Legacy with a different shell, I.E. more nimble and stuff. (more detailed, factual, historical informative story can be found somewhere I am sure)

That makes sense. When it was first stated I was thinking something along the lines of a mustang and a couger sort of setup for parts. Since I can't afford "improved", I just want a good winter DD that is fun to drive. thanks a lot for the reply.

I'll go see in the morning if that legacy is still there....

http://www.legacycentral.org/centric/t_members.htm
did you see that legacy for sale yet?