i have to agree that the WRX is a lot of car for a new driver....but from reading this entire thread i honestly think you have more maturity than some of the posters.

i wanted at Jeep ****** cj10 when i got my cdl. My parents thought i would kill myself doing som crazy off roading adventure so they bought me an RX7. go figure. I like you grew up around cars and racing and learned to respect ALL cars at an early age....so i had NO issues with driving a sports car at such a young age. it wasnt untill after i got my 2nd rx7 and graduated high school that i got tickets haha.

One thing to really take into consideration is the cost of driving the car, maintaining the car and the insurance. Those three things are all hidden costs that you should really put a lot of thought into before purchasing a car.

good luck and welcome to the forum!

 

That's my main problem with the Tahoe. It will cost me a crapload just to keep gas in the tank every week. I've heard the WRX gets decent gas mileage...+1!

 

In the end YOU have to drive it. A fast car doesn't necessarily mean you will get into trouble but perhaps something with a firm suspension and quick reactions will accilmate you to something without as much feeling as to what's happening. Then again you're driving a Tahoe which doesn't have the fastest responses either. A non-turbo will get you used to feeling a more linear power curve. And the softer suspension may help you feel what the wheels are doing relative to what you are doing behind the wheel. A WRX isn't that stiff but an RS makes you work a little harder. Power does corrupt. If I was 16, it would be WRX all the way. But I'm glad it didn't happen, because I was a nut.

 

keep in mind that the wrx takes premium gas. in the end the extra few miles a wrx might get over another car is cancelled out by the extra cost\gallon you spend on the premium stuff. it adds up.

 

The thing is, monsterboy, that I am by no means a nut. Actually, I'm as far from it as possible.

What kind of gas mileage does the WRX get (on average in the real world)? The Tahoe gets ~14.5 MPG on a good day.

 

I've got 31K miles on my bugeye and I get about 260 miles to the tank (new tranny fluid ). But, with a 15 gallon tank, that only works out to 17mpg. I have pretty heavy feet though

 

I don't plan on driving fast. I also plan on running the car at low RPM's most of the time...that would help gas mileage, right? It's not like I will be flooring it, so the MPG will be better.

And the Tahoe gets 14-14 MPG with my mom driving, and she drives like she's 90!

 

Not quite. Higher RPM with less boost is more efficient than low RPM with high boost afaik. I actually don't have much backing my statement, but I do have a boost gauge and I have to assume that if I am running at 3.5k rpm in third (just random examples) with little to no boost, and then say I shift down to fourth and my boost gauge almost goes to the 0 mark (which as far as I know means the maximum the engine would normally be able to draw in without boost, so the max air that engine could bring in w/o a turbo) which is probably more than it would go, but just for example, that means the engine is using more air and therefore using more fuel. It seems to work, and it keeps you in your power band. If that made sense, awesome . Also if someone knows I am wrong, please correct me.

 

Do you mean that since there's no boost in the lower RPM range, that the engine is taking in more air, and in turn using more fuel? I think that's what you meant.

Maybe I was wrong about the whole RPM range thing...I think I remembered what I wrote from muscle-cars.

 

i think the most i've ever gotten on a full tank was about 285-290 driving conservatively. officially the most boring 290 miles of my life.

i usually average 240-250 with spirited driving.

 

So if I drive slowly and don't go too hard on the car, I should expect mid-20's for MPG?

 

Yup. It shouldn't be hard considering the newer models have the EJ255 and plenty of torque down low.

 

just get the stupid wrx.. everyone doesnt know what they talkin about. the only thing you need to know is not to abuse the power. if you abuse it. and dont plan to drive slow. you do deserve it. a car is a car. nothing else.. just how you use it.. soo ... none of that stupid ****... and your fine. get the car.. but prepare for the worst if you dont plan to be mature about it

 

I think I will get it. Maybe the Wagon though. More practical. I know that I'm mature and responsible enough to drive it safely.

THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS. I'LL BE BACK WHEN I GET IT!

 

One last thing.... make it a red wagon. It's the best color for the Impreza and no one ever buys it.