Newbie advise on buying a 03MY WRX SL
 

Never had a Subaru before so this is new to me so I'd like your help and info on the facelift WRX.
My main criteria at the mo is to get a fairly practical everyday car that is reasonably priced and quite quick and fun to drive but not too much bone shaking when you've had a bad day at work and you just want to drive home in a casual relaxed manor.

I've considered a few cars but thought that the WRX SL might fit what I'm looking for at the moment. I know I can get a new one for £20k through drivethedeal but what whould I realistically get a used one for and when did the SL come out?

TIA
Martin

Hi Martin,

The SL was added in early 03 IIRC. Used examples are coming up for between £16-18k with between 6-14k miles. The Scoob is certainly a reasonably priced practical everyday car, but QUITE quick it ain't. If you haven't driven one these things are VERY QUICK even in standard form. The available speed matched to a great chassis offering superb handling and loads of 4WD grip might mean that those casual relaxed drives home will become a bit more frenetic. However, you will arrive home smiling :D The performance highlights one minor downfall in the leather interior of the SL in that you will tend to slide around in the seat due to the cornering forces. A better way to spend the £1600 price difference over the normal car is to add the PPP (Prodrive Preformance Pack) to add more smiles per mile and a much more satisfying sound. TBH, it's how the car should be but EU noise and emmisions regs on new cars sanitise the Scoob a bit :( The ride on a standard car is comfortable, but a bit wallowy given the performance, so another few hundred on Prodrive springs and a good geometry set-up will improve handling with almost no loss of ride quality. After that, if you keep reading these forums your wallet will be regularly emptied pursuing the next little improvement ;)

Haggle with at least 2 dealers on a new one, and get a quote from a company like www.tins.co.uk to get a good start to the negotiations. Most pay around £18.5k for a new WRX, but discounts are hard to get on the PPP. If you order the springs at purchase you should get free fitting and a bit off, but it might be worth getting an after market specialist (TSL/Powerstation/Scoobyclinic) to re-do the geometry as Scoob dealers aren't very good at it.

Thanks for the reply.

I don't really want a bone shaking supersaloon like the STi etc but with what you are saying that the std car is too soft so the suspension upgrade is a must!
I have to travel on some pretty bad roads to work every morning and the 'performance' car I have at the moment does tend to knacker you out before I even start work (probably due to the size of alloys) this is why I tend to use my diesel which is less hard work but does lack some involvement.
My intention is to sell both cars and get something that I can use over the winter and change again in the spring hence the need for a used car so I don't lose too much money.
I'm also considering an A6 4.2 quattro (for comfort) but I think for what I want to spend I doubt that I'll get one with the remainding manufacturers warranty.

My MY02 WRX had a harder ride than my WR1, IMHO.

The WR1 has the Prodrive suspension, which i have found to give the best ride of the two. I think that is the suspension upgrade you can buy.

I agree with all of the above bar the comment on the leather seats - they are fine. I've got a WRX SL wagon and have fitted the PPP, 18" Prodrive wheels (get it done before delivery for a good px on the old wheels/tyres), and the springs. The latter are very much needed but still don't reduce roll to what I would like. The heated seats are good too!

If I did buy a used one and then upgraded the springs how much would it likely to cost and is it the norm for most people to change them so when it comes to resale it wouldn't affect the price?
Is the 5dr hatch much bigger inside than the saloon? I've not really looked at these because I always thought they were a no no when it comes to selling, although it would mean that I wouldn't miss the practicality of my A4 Avant.

Springs, fitting and geometry should be somewhere around £400 from a specialist and £550 from the dealers. You could save a couple of quid and get Eibachs, but TBH the Prodrive are better for so little extra. As with any aftermarket additions, you won't recoup much at resale, but it will make it more attractive to enthusiast buyers.

The wagons are much more practical, as the saloons have a fixed rear bulkhead meaning the rear seats cannot be folded. There's a poxy little ski flap but you've no chance of getting mountain bikes or fridgefreezers in (I can carry more in my tiny VW Corrado :rolleyes: ). I'll probably go for a black wagon next time, with springs, 18's, tints, PPP, roof rails and front splitter :cool:

Hi Fella, that's two converts to Scoobies from the VAG network!!

I too post on TyreSmoke!!

Have you driven one of these bad boys yet?

Check my username, I was VAG too. 9 years of smiles in the Corrado, but this thing makes my face hurt ;):D:cool:

Yep, i've just gone from an R32 and this is a different kettle of fish altogether!!
:freak3: :) :freak3:

Prodrive springs fitted incl geometry for £370 incl VAT at main dealer. Kept the old springs in case the next owner wants them. Black is the best colour - looks nothing!

Hi Mosquito,

I've briefly driven the std WRX just before the facelift came out but TBH I was interested in the STi PPP at the time for the facelift model when they released the new pricing but they didn't have an older STi for me to test but said try the WRX and we'll let you know as soon as we get the new STi in....which they didn't so I bought the R32 at the time and a few others in between.

I'm actually selling my M3 cab and my A4 Avant and the wifes Clio 172 in order to release some readies and get something around the £20k mark thats fairly comfy (19's on the M3 is no fun over the bad roads to work and there are not many other times to use it as I'm working 7 days a week at the moment so its silly the M3 sitting in the garage), but we are still staying in the VAG brand with the new A3 Sportback in a couple of months time....can't decide wether to get the 3.2 or T FSI.

So did you change the R32 for more power or a different driving experience. Are you missing the interior quality of the R32, as this would be one of my concerns, but I suppose you can't have everything especially at this price.

Martin

Suspension is a personal thing. I agree with you 19" wheels on the M3 is not much fun. I would go and try a std WRX first. There is a bit of roll, but the trade off is a very supple ride IMHO. I only really noticed roll in very slow, very tight corners.

I am going through the same as you !!. 182 looks like its on the way out. The A3 with 2.0T and 4wd, plus chip looks interesting!

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

I noticed your Clio 182 for sale on Cliosport. My wife quite likes her 172 but I think she'll prefer driving the Sportback better. I imagine AmD can't wait to get their hands on the T FSI.

I changed the .:R because it wasn't big enough basically!

I had a new arrival six weeks ago and all the pram and car seat gubbins wouldn't fit in!

A new house and new baby tied most of my funds up so i couldn't really afford to spend anything on changing cars. Changeing the misses polo would have been expensive - or leave the potential for big bills buying a car that's out of warranty.

I am missing the quality of interior, especially as i'd specced mine up with meather and satnav, but the driving experience is phenominal!!

Try the Sti, that's what i've gone for- with the big spoiler swapped for the WRX one- I might be wrong, but i'm sure the ride is less bumpy than the R was, yet it goes round corners and changes direction much quicker!

P.s. I'm ChrisR32 across on tyresmoke

I like that, an Sti with a WRX rear spoiler!

However, I'm more interested in Subaru UK doing an Sti wagon - PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll have to go for the Forester. There aren't even JDM STI Wagons anymore.

I know - a real shame. Look at home many people buy fast Audi estates & hatches. Subaru are really missing out on a trick here.

Won't buy a Forester I'm afraid unless I could lower it as far as my WRX with Prodrive springs?