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Old 08-12-2004, 10:37 AM   #1
SinhCredible
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Member#: 33517
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: Philly / DE
Vehicle:
2005 FXT(i)
CGM

Default 02-05 WRX owners. If you had to do it all over again what would you do?

Rather than buying my car brand new and putting 40k miles in a year...

I would have bought a 00-01 gc8 4 door or even a 97-01 wagon and drop in a USDM ver8 sti engine and tranny. Why the USDM sti engine? Its legal and its 2.5 liters.

My route:
03 wrx new = $23000

My would have route:
GC8 = 11k or 97-01 wagon= 5k-10k
USDM STI engine and tranny= 7k
USDM STI rims or volks = 1.5k-2k
Eibach springs and Koni shocks= 700
Total= 15k- 21k

Other little things would be on the gc8 and I would of loved the gc8.
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Old 08-12-2004, 10:49 AM   #2
projectrally
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Location: South Portland, Maine
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what you described is exactly my plan. well, mostly my plan. different strut/spring combo, and different wheels which i've already got.
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:10 PM   #3
cjbruce
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I would have bought the WRX. The waste of my spare time in getting the swap to work reliably is easily worth $20k.
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:32 PM   #4
sonicsuby
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The only thing I would do differently is give more consideration to buying a wagon. I really love the fender flares and wider track of the sedan, but I would like the cargo space (I'm a homeowner) and the ease of mounting my bikes on the roof that comes with a wagon. I probably still would have ended up with the sedan, but who knows

asnrefugee: Did you pay cash for your WRX? If not, even though it looks on paper like it would cost less to go the GC8 route, you'd probably end up paying a bit extra to get the car working reliably and you can't really finance that type of work unless you put it on a credit card or home equity line, which would be stupid.
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:43 PM   #5
UncleMeat
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2010 subasuckbox
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I would've waited a couple months and bought my '03 WRX with a few more options, like the BBS wheels, and gotten a better price for it. For a while I wished I had waited for the STi, but I'm very happy where I'm at. My only regret is I bought in during the peak of the hype, when you could not find a WRX on any lot. So I didn't pay over MSRP or anything, but I didn't get a good price either. That would give me a whole lot more money every month into the mod fund.
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:46 PM   #6
Rebellion
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if anything I woulda waited for the 05... but that would have been 3 years of waiting... who wants to do that? Probably would have gotten a wagon instead too.

(and I'm still partial to SRP, san remo doesn't do it for me as much)
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:52 PM   #7
Thumper23
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I owned a GC8 and would've done that, but I can't afford two cars and the headache and problems that would've come with the swap just wouldn't be worth.

That, and I can't really finance an engine swap where I can finance a new car.
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Old 08-12-2004, 12:57 PM   #8
Jasvboost
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Location: Heart of the Streetz, CT
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RIP 04 Stg2 JBP WRX
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Would have bought the WRX back in 02' instead of modding my DSM. By now I'd be ready to make the change for the STi. That's about it.
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Old 08-12-2004, 01:36 PM   #9
makanai
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I bought the wagon. It doesn't look as good as the sedan, but I love having the extra space to haul stuff in. So, I would have still bought the wagon. The only thing I would have done differently? I would have haggled more and paid less. I probably paid too much on the price of my car, but on the other hand, I actually managed to wrangle more out of my trade-in than I thought, so I was pretty close to the price point I wanted.

Other than that, no regrets.
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Old 08-12-2004, 01:46 PM   #10
pinkrobe
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Location: Calgary, AB
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I bought the 02 wagon used. I'm very happy I got the wagon instead of the sedan, since I bike and snowboard a lot. The $11k I saved will go towards a new uppipe and turboback, new wheels and tires, a new audio system and HID for the fogs. And my mortgage. Actually, mostly my mortgage. I let my girlfriend haggle and she squeezed an extra $2000 off the price. In retrospect, I would do exactly the same thing again.
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Old 08-12-2004, 01:54 PM   #11
SBoneWRX
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I probably wouldn't have spent as much as I did for a stereo, wheels, tires, etc for my '02 WRX if I knew the STi was coming out in '04. Even if I wanted to now, trade-in would be a pain
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Old 08-12-2004, 02:01 PM   #12
Tanks0rs
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I would have crashed the Maxima that let me get my Rex way earlier than i did =P

also probably wouldnt have bought it from SCS
The car ended up having to have a new transmission put in, also a new clutch - i was looking at about 4 grand worth of work, but since my uncle is a service manager at a mazda dealorship i was able to get a used tranny for 1500 instead of 3000. I guess the previous owner like to pull the E brake. Also i dont know how something like that slipped by the guys there.....
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Old 08-12-2004, 02:31 PM   #13
reno_bk
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If I could rewind to June 2003 when I bought my 04 wagon, I'd have given the STi a closer look. I labored over the decision, and ultimately the practicality of the wagon won me over. My back seats spend most of their time down with stuff piled back there (dogs, bike gear, camping stuff, etc) so I guess I really did NEED the wagon more than the STi, but I can't help but second guess myself everytime an STi drives by. Oh well...can't change history...
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Old 08-12-2004, 02:48 PM   #14
Smoke Show
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for all the money i have spent i wish i had known that the sti was coming out when i bought my car... i think i coulda waited another year.
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Old 08-12-2004, 02:48 PM   #15
ChrisL2
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I would have waited for the 05 legacy
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Old 08-12-2004, 04:15 PM   #16
gtguy
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Driven my '98 Legacy GT wagon until the '05 Legacy GT wagon came out, instead of using an '02 WRX wagon as an interim car.

Kevin
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Old 08-12-2004, 05:51 PM   #17
dadswrx
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At 40k miles per year, you need a good beater car. Maybe an old Honda civic or early to mid-90's Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. As a backup, you can have your toy car. This is basically what I did when I was driving about 30k miles per year. Now that I only put about 10k miles per year, I use my Grand Marquis as the backup/beater to park at the park and ride and my WRX as a commuter one week per month (I carpool).

Mike
02 WRX Wagon
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Old 08-12-2004, 06:27 PM   #18
Shamus375PA
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Vehicle:
1994 Toyota MR2 NA
Solar Yellow

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I would have kept my 1993 MR2 Turbo and bought a $15K "other" car for winter. Pickup? 2.5RS? Who knows, but I really miss my MR2.
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Old 08-12-2004, 08:40 PM   #19
rexaroo
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Location: Denver,Colorado
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2002 WRX Wagon
Silver

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The MR2 turbo in red looks great--people think you are driving a baby Ferrari.

I put 6K per year on my 02 wagon and won't ever sell it--best all-around vehicle I've ever had.
My only regret is not getting an 02 WRX sedan to go with it, so I could have fun whoring it out with front lip, STi grill, and EDM STi headlights, etc.
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Old 08-12-2004, 08:51 PM   #20
PA-Brat
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Location: on this forum-shut me off HELP
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03 modifed WRX
turboless OBW Ltd 5spd

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We'd do it again
Bought the '03 WRX when the STi was just coming out and the '04 OBW when the OBXT was just hitting the lots - however since our desire to own awesome fast turbo subarus increases at a rate which far exceeds our expendable income (not to mention gas and insurance) we have a car which is still an awesome vehicle to solo in and a OBW limited purchased for almost $11k less than the sticker on the XT.
On a side note, if we put that many miles on car, we probably would have reconsidered one of the purchases.
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Old 08-12-2004, 08:55 PM   #21
subalou1
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11.59@124, best trap 131

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the only thing i would have done different was bought and EVO!!!!!!!! Good Luck everyone. Maybe i just own a money hungry lemon???? Who knows
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Old 08-12-2004, 09:38 PM   #22
deebo
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02 wrx cobbstage 2
mbp

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i love my wrx no probs whatsover and its fun to drive =)
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Old 08-12-2004, 09:50 PM   #23
Zaffir
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjbruce
I would have bought the WRX. The waste of my spare time in getting the swap to work reliably is easily worth $20k.
I think that'd be the deciding factor. If you were happy doing the install, it has the potential to be a great learning experience. And you get a nice vehicle out of it. However, the problems you encounter with getting it all to work right could totally ruin any value you had before.

Reliability, especially in a daily driver, can be a big factor.
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Old 08-12-2004, 09:53 PM   #24
SlickRick51586
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Chapter/Region: South East
Location: Parkland, Florida.
Vehicle:
2004 WRX
PSM

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If I had to do it over I woulda saved up some more money bought a 350z/STI/EVO instead of my WRX. I like the rex, however I don't have any mods but considering all the people crying weak tranny I don't think im going to do any mods until warranty is up. If I had got the STI instead I wouldnt want any mods and would be satisfied with the cars looks.
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Old 08-13-2004, 01:23 AM   #25
MoMoRaCeR
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2004 WRX
WR Blue Pearl

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I would've waited till the STi prices went down a couple thousand bucks at the local dealer (which wouldn't have been a long wait, maybe around Christmas) and got my parents to buy me that, then I wouldn't have to mod it cuz I'd be satisfied.
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