The build quality on the WRX wagon leaves alot to be desired, and stock performance is pretty weak. If I bought one, I know I'd really have to mod it to get it to the level of performance I expect, then the tranny isn't strong enough to take it, so you'd have to swap in the STI tranny. At that point, might as well buy the STI...
--- Chad Rebuck <[email protected]> wrote: > For an everyday driver I'd probably look for a used > wrx myself. HP > upgrades are cheap, you have awd, and they should by > sorta inexpensive > given that they cost 22k back in 2002. I should > know as I almost bought > one before I got my "temporary" gli that I still > drive daily. > > Chad > > On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, DocWyte wrote: > > > My daily driver is a 2001.5 Audi S4 Avant. Needed > the > > wagon to carry the child and the dog at the same > time, > > plus they depreciate a little slower than the > sedans > > do. Chip, exhaust, intake gives you about 320hp > and > > 390ft lb of torque, I wanted awd since I live in > > Colorado. This thing with snow tires is a mtn > goat, > > you really have to do something foolish to get > stuck. > > > > Build quality is very good, I had to replace the > > precat O2 sensors shortly after I bought it, > (bought > > it with 49k on it, 61k on it now) but you can > splice > > in the VW 4 wire ones which are $25 each, so > that's > > not a big deal. Working on the car is difficult > due > > to the tight confines, but do-able. > > > > I like it alot, if Subaru had made an STI wagon, I > > probably would've bought one instead tho... > > > > --- [email protected] wrote: > > > > > Andrew, > > > > > > It is good to hear that you solved your hot > > > temperature issues. I am afraid that I may have > to > > > spring for a new radiator myself as my Gli is > > > running a little warmer than I care for. It is > odd > > > because I replaced it about four years ago. In > > > addition, my Corrado runs really hot with the > A/C on > > > (fan works fine) so I may have to do that in the > > > fall too. > > > > > > Interesting comments on the satisfaction of > driving > > > an older car. I have five vw's. I use the > Corrado in > > > the good weather and the Jetta Gli sees the New > > > England winters and whenever the Corrado is out > of > > > commission. I rent out garage space for the > weekend > > > toys: 77 Scirocco, 83 Rabbit Gti, and an 84 > Rabbit > > > Gti. They are a lot of fun and are neat to take > to > > > the vw events throughout the year. I like the > idea > > > of doing a majority of the work on my own and > would > > > never consider that on a newer car (void the > > > warranty). > > > > > > However, I have been getting the itch to upgrade > to > > > a car payment and have a year-round car but keep > a > > > few toys on the side. I was considering the > Subaru > > > WRX (new or used if unabused). A friend has one > and > > > it seems practical as an everyday driver in New > > > England for my 60 mile commute each day. The > only > > > downside is that it would be driven in miserable > > > traffic each way :( > > > > > > For those who agree with holding on the the > older > > > cars, if you were to get a fairly recent car (4 > > > years old or less) what would you go after to > > > replace what you have now? > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > > Message: 1 > > > Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 22:36:16 -0400 > > > To: [email protected] > > > From: Andrew White <[email protected]> > > > Subject: [a2-16v-list] overheating solved (and a > > > little more..) > > > > > > > > > Swapped out the old radiator for a new one, as > folks > > > had suggested (thanks > > > for all the emails!). The old radiator was > seriously > > > about 30 pounds. It > > > was full of gunk, and was the original radiator. > My > > > guess is that it had > > > been a little clogged for a while (the car used > to > > > always overheat after > > > sitting in traffic for a long time), and the > extra > > > gunk from the leaking > > > headgasket as well as things getting shuffled > around > > > when the new > > > headgasket was installed really plugged it up. > With > > > the new radiator, the > > > car runs about 20-30 degrees cooler- it stays > right > > > at about 200 on the oil > > > temp gauge all of the time, with the water gauge > > > around halfway. Doesn't > > > really budge much at all, and I tried running > with > > > max A/C in stop-and-go > > > traffic with the outside air temp around 95, > with no > > > problems. Made a huge > > > difference. Having the Passat dual-fan must help > as > > > well! > > > > > > The other thing- I was talking with a few > friends of > > > mine this weekend, and > > > one was saying "why would you want a car that > you > > > have to fix?" He buys a > > > new car every few years, and although he is in > debt > > > up to his eyeballs, > > > never really has to fix his cars, since they > don't > > > get old enough to break > > > down. Now, my 16v has never stranded me- I do > > > preventative maintenance so > > > that it doesn't happen, but I do have to do work > on > > > it every so often. I'm > > > sure that if I got a new car, I wouldn't have to > > > worry about all of the > > > little things that I have to do with my 16v, but > > > man, it's just so much > > > more fun to drive! My dad got a 2003 Saab, with > the > > > turbo motor (forget the > > > model), and I drove it this weekend. Super > quiet, > > > lots of bells and > > > whistles, supposedly has about 200HP. Was also > super > > > boring! No road feel, > > > motor felt weak, not a lot of fun. This is now > my > > > 4th Jetta GLI (I've had > > > an 84, 87, 89, and now a 92), and my first 16v. > I've > > > had it about 5 years, > > > and still love to walk out and drive it, which > I'm > > > not sure how many folks > > > would say about a new car! Plus- it's got > history. I > > > got it out of a barn > > > in Vermont, with 67K original miles. That's a > much > > > better story than saying > > > that I picked it up at the dealer! > > > > > > Anyways, just my .02. With the new radiator, the > car > > > runs amazingly. I'm > > > going to put a GIAC chip that I had lying around > in > > > this week, just out of > > > curiosity. I had taken it out, since it seemed > like > > > it made the car knock > > > pretty bad. See how it works now. > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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