Howdy,
So I test drove a WRX today. I've attached my autox/street review to the
end of this email.
I'm really writing this to let folks in the Pittsburgh area know that
Day Apollo Subaru in Coraopolis, PA seem to be decent in general and Jason
Rebholz in particular was cool. Not pushy, let me drive a WRX just
walking in off the street, understood the feedback I gave him, etc.
He knows what autox is and did it up until a couple years ago, other
folks in the dealership currently autox, etc.
No high pressure sales job, but we did talk about price and they aren't
sticking people with list. We didn't talk exact figures, but he didn't
balk when I suggested invoice or invoice + a little.
Anyway, just thought prospective Subaru buyers around Pittsburgh might
like to know. Phone is 412-264-9222. I've got no affiliation with them
at all, just met 'em tonight.
Mark
------- begin sucky review ---------
Well, I stopped by Apollo and drove one. Red Subaru WRX, manual. The car
had ~500 miles on it (already!).
Mixed reactions. Below 3k, the thing is a dog. Above 3k or 3.5k it comes
on reasonably well, but it certainly didn't feel a _huge_ amount faster
than even my '95 DOHC ACR. I'm sure the extra 700 lbs has a lot to do
with that, but still. Starts tailing off a little before redline.
The ABS seems pretty good, at least in a straight line (stock tires kinda
suck though). Shifter is pretty mushy, particular on hard throttle 1->2
shifts. Its also reasonably difficult to get back into 1st if you're
moving much at all. Steering is kinda slow compared to the neon, but not
horrendously so. Suspension felt decent in everything I did, but I wasn't
sliding it around corners. Up to the point where you get a bit of tire
noise it seemed pretty neutral. Kinda felt like if you tried to jam it
into a corner it'd push, but as long as you were smooth on entry it'd
probably be ok. No real data there though.
Interior is decent/good. Seat seemed to hold you in pretty well, plenty
of headroom and adjustability, controls reasonably placed though the
throttle was maybe a bit high for hard braking heel & toe.
I did a few semi-launches. AWD is pretty cool :-) I think to launch it
well, you'd need to take it to 5k+ and sidestep it. I went up to around
4k and released the clutch quickly. It'd hop off the line, then semi-bog
a bit, then go. No tire noise at all off the line... :-) Gotta wonder
how the clutch would take it though. Not much room for mechanical
sympathy on the line.
Ride was good, solid but not harsh, nothing loose feeling.
Overall it seems like a decent car. I don't think it'd be as much fun to
drive as a Z28 and that it'd take a little while to get used to the turbo
(both for performance driving and just around town stuff). It _certainly_
would take a while to get used to the "cop siren" sound the turbo makes
around 3.5k or so. I checked my mirrors a _lot_ :-) I think it'd overall
be good for the daily driver stuff. The only thing I don't like in that
role is the silly cupholders.
For autox, I'd have a hard time believing it would be faster than a neon
on regular courses, and I dunno if the launch could make up the difference
in ProSolo. I've never driven a type R, but from what I've seen the type
R is a little better than the ACR. I predict that GS will have some WRX's
doing well with good drivers, but it won't dominate unless every top
driver gets in one.
|