Hi new this place and well impressed, my question is this:

Has anyone had any problems with the 2002 WRX, got mine sept 02 brand new and I am really dissapointed with it.

It is terrible when cold, it just doesnt want to run nicely until its warm!

Also got problems accelerating in 2d and 3rd, i can feel the car splutter at arounf 5000 rpm and it also runs out of guts at 6000rpm.

The dealer told me the computer could find nothing wrong with the performance and that the wrx had a 'woolly engine' (his quote not mine) when cold.

This is my third impreza, first wrx, but not happy at all, anyone else experienced any problems?

Anyone got any solutions?

Cheers
Rich

 

Rich,

I got mine MY02 WRX in Dec 02......I know it doesn't help much but I'm not experiencing any problems with it.....touch wood

Hope you get it sorted fella.

Andy

 

he didnt utter the immortal words "They all do that sir" did he

dont have a bug eye but my classic MY99 does need ten minutes warm up before it "settles" down.

Stick with this board there are alot of people with alot of knowledge (some of it very scary aka astraboy).

 

Not had any problems with mine but what fuel are you running


Mark

 

Sounds to me like you are running 95 RON. My MY02 wasn't smooth at all when cold on 95 but then I have never driven quickly until the engine has warmed and keep revs below 3000. Since using 98 I noticed a marked improvement. The 01/02 WRX is a little astmatic beyond 5500 rpm, something that PPP sorts out but then again there is little point extending it beyond 5k because of the extra torque with PPP (261lb/ft ). I would recommend getting PPP it will improve your car beyond recognition, certainly puts the fire back in its belly. I also found that prior to PPP the aircon sapped some power (quite noticably) and took some smoothness away.

Yorkie

 

I'm probably not the best person to talk, but I was unhappy with MY02 from the start, all the same things on your plus more, and clutch (replaced), etc.

Was assured PPP would sort it out but I just ain't convinced.

Apparently "no-one is ever unhappy with the PPP" according to dealer, so I must be a monkey.

Sometimes I wish someone would either torch my car or nick it, because there seems to be a massive amount of 02's out there, the s/h market is saturated. Just look at the auto-trader, unbelievable.

Apologies if this seems a bit too down.

 

Not being funny **** but i think your talking out of you ar@e the majority of bugeyes that are forsale on autotrader are from carsupermarkets i.e imports and i hope they get stuck with every one of em



Mark

P.s 02 wrx UK totaly happy with it

 

Solution to the "run out of puff" is exhaust and remap, no question. Personally, I think decat/sports cat, up-pipe and remap is preferable to a PPP. I get 260lbft or more right from 2750rpm up, and >280bhp from 5800-6800 (which isn't runnning out of puff to my mind!) Downside is it does ruin your warranty if you've got a UK car.

 

Well Mark,

I shouldn't have much trouble selling mine then should I.....it's in the trader as we speak!

MY02 Silver, 17k, PPP, 4dr, Tracker, £15,500.

I'll be expecting me door to be knocked down.

Watch this space

****

 

Rich

Sounds like mine...see Steve Sherwen's post a few up.

I'm looking at getting mine decatted as per Steve's but was reading a post from John Banks (guru..shamen...god!) in Drivetrain the other day and he mentioned that STi's were all about top end performance and WRX's were set up for more low end "grunt". perhaps this explains the wheezy performance near the red line.

Midlife (MY02)

 

Ive run mine on optimax from new every now and then its had a bottle of octane booster running full decat and ppp goes very nice now nearly on 4000 miles on the clockn so still tight.


Hope your sale goes well **** when i looked on autotrader earlier their was 90% imports but if i was you id hang on to it at least 3-6 months longer wether i liked it or not because everybody wants a 8


Mark

 

Hades..

Sorry to hijack a thread but I've got a WRX 02 with resonator, centre cat removed with a TeK2 and was thinking of up/down pipe decat. What supplier would you recommned ??

Midlife...

 

Yup - my MY02 feels unhappy when cold. Always take it easy for the first six or seven miles until thoroughly warm - then it pulls like a train (at least until about 6k rpm). PPP should sort that though

 

Harry boy why its in get the full decat done you will not regret it


Mark

 

run my01 on optimax & never had a problem, got the up-pipe today so am running full decat now with panel filter, the bug-eye wrx rules.

 

02 WRX with PPP fitted from new - always tried to run on SUL or ideally Optimax from new and not had any problems like that. Even when cold its not what I would categorise as not smooth, its only being kind to it and not giving it any until its proper warm but still is pretty smooth.

Sounds like there is something not 100%, have to tried another dealer to get a second opinion, or ask to borrow one of there's to see if its the same?

 

Thanks for all your help, will go to a another dealer to get a second opinion. The dealer suggested changing my petrol station which i have done to no avail, will be using optimax from now on & will try a bottle of octane booster aswell.

I was hoping a PPP would be the answer what do they cost & what do I tell the wife!

Just in case you wondered I do let it warm up before i boot it, but its just so crap when cold, I started getting into the habit of starting it up then going back inside for a brew so it was warm when i had to go.

Thanks again

 

Rich,I had a wrx non ppp for a year and was v disappointed with lack of power. now got 02 with ppp much, much better. BUT when i used to commute with it and spent lots of time in traffic jams it became sluggish, like it wasn't boosting properly, I think the ECU resets itself.
Now drive a heap to work and use the scoob on proper runs. Goes much better.
Give yours a REALLY good thrashing. i.e get up early at W/E on suitable road and thrash the hell out of it for about 50 miles. reving to 6/6.5K often.
After I did this mine quite suddenly seemed to gain urge and feel like 245PS should. Also U can hear the dump valve.(with ITG filter)
If you use optimax try ordinary SUL some cars don't like optimax (No idea why)
My car pulls very hard from 4K then like stink from 5K up to 6.5
If all this doesn't work, have a go in someone elses to compare.
Oh and both my cars have always coughed in morning until warm.

 

Hi Rich!

I don't know if you're getting the same wheeze as mine at around 5k when accelerating hard? It really annoys me but it's not there all the time. I find that my MY02 WRX has got better and better as I've covered more miles (20k now!). When I put anything in other than Optimax I have a really rough engine while it warms up, try a series of Optimax tanks and a bit of spirited driving too! Also, the standard Bridgestones don't help the feel of the car and when they're cold and add to the negative (take away?) vibe!

BTW, yours whine a bit in second? My dealer said 'they all do that'!

:-)

Mike

 

August 02 WRX, with PPP fitted at 5K. Delighted with it, although a tad disappointed to note that just as the car reached 12800 miles, a second paint chip appeared. Scooby quality just isn't what it used to be...

Cheers

Mike

 

The car is sh!te when it is cold. It runs awfully, but after about 5 mins everything settles down. The engine does run out of puff at 5500rpm.

So....get it decatted and it pulls until the red line!

Steve MY01 WRX

[Edited by Steve Sherwen - 4/10/2003 9:02:43 PM]