Is there any really noticeable problems that develop in WRXs around or after 100K miles? Someone told me the clutch/transmission is shot to ****, but anyhow, here's the situation I'm in, and the reason I have for asking:

My 01 Grand AM GT is decidedly, a piece of ****. I've been pouring money into it since I got it, and I still owe $7K on it. KBB for trade in is around $5/6K. In the condition it's in, it'll probably get 4K.

I'm looking to get a WRX wagon, just us a daily driver to replace it. Currently I'm looking at one with extremely high mileage, just so I have something more reliable and that gets a few gallons/mile better, so I can bide my time and money.

The bank told me that my best option would be to refinance my loan to incorporate the cost of the WRX, then fix and sell my Grand AM over time and use the money from that as a principal payment on the loan.

The WRX I'm looking at is (obviously) the one in the picture. The body's good, no major paint chippage. Runs as well as any other WRX I've driven. It's stats are as follows:

WRX Sport Wagon, 117K miles, 5spd, 6CD upgraded stereo, new clutch, short throw shifter and bushings. Adult owned, never smoked in, no accidents as per Carfax.

The guy is asking $8,500 (about 1K lower than KBB, as the guy's lowered the price twice -I've been watching it for a while-), and I'm going to try and offer 4500 with 5500-6000 being my real goal.

I really dont want to spend the money on something that'll die just as quick as my Grand AM is... but at the same time, I've heard multiple good things about Subarus' reliability.

Any help would be awesome.

 

the transmission holds up according to how you drive. (for the most part)

but good luck getting it for $6k. there is no way the guy is going to go that low.

 

+1 if the guy is already selling for 1k under kbb, you wont get him to budge much more than he already has.

 

i dont think youll be getting better gas milage with a wrx, my girlfirend has an 02 grand am gt and it seems as though she gets much better gas mileage than me. also keep in mind you will have to start using 91 or higher octane instead of the 87 you can put in a grand am.

 

My GAGT has some sort of problem resulting in extremely bogged down gas mileage. I'm averaging 23/24mpg.

 

werd, offering him 50% of his asking price is insulting almost

 

23/24mpg city or hwy? I get approx. 19 mpg city driving in my WRX, and it's relatively stock. Don't expect to get much better than 23 mpg hwy mileage with a WRX. And like someone else mentioned, you have to use premium fuel, here in TX I can use 93 octane. Not to keep you from getting the rex, it's a awesome car, but just some FYI. The mileage per gallon is a tricky thing with the WRX, it's a turbo car, and it has a lot of lag, so if you are always stepping on it, well, your gas mileage will suffer accordingly.

 

+1 but I have a full tbe and an accessport... God I love boost. :-)

 

Admittedly, the gas mileage isn't the most important factor in my decision. Mostly the fact that I love WRXs and the AWD will be very helpful in the winter... and for some fun.

In the end it all pretty much boils down to my fear of any major problems with the car because its over 100K miles. If I dont have too much to worry about, I'll probably jump on this chance because it's cheap, it'll allow me time to save up for a newer wagon/newer drivetrain/parts for this one, and it'll give me a relatively reliable winter ride considering the past few winters here in NY have sucked, and driving on the Taconic in snow with my GA is nigh-impossible.

 

I got 28mpg on the freeway if I just cruised it without getting in boost all of the time, stock. Even now I get the same mileage (RA gears, lightened flywheel, upgraded clutch, full tbe, uppy, etc...). I'd have your car checked out if you can't get above 23mpg.

 

Eh, it's not so bad. If I drive like a good girl (as I did on my last tank of gas), I can get 300+ miles to the tank. Last tank, I got 351 miles before the gas light came on. I did the math and it came out to 26 mpg. But, I was also trying my damndest to keep it under 3k rpm. Gas is just too fkn expensive nowadays to be romping on it all the time like I used to. Pre-$3/gal. gas prices = ~275 miles/tank.

 

Oh no, the gas mileage for a WRX is pretty decent, especially considering it's a flat four, turbo, making over 227hp. I will take that trade off any day. There are so many factors that contribute to gas mileage, I try to keep the revs below 3k, but damn it's hard around where I live. It's like a drag race from stop light to stop light, usually with soccer moms behind gigantic SUV's. And here in TX using the A/C is critical about 6 months of the year, and I know my gas mileage suffers because of that. I estimated my hwy mileage to be about 23 mpg, but I don't travel on the hwy much so I can't say for sure. I usually get about 300 miles to a tank, if I stay out of the boost. The only mods I have are a full tbe (catless), catless uppipe, and intake silencer delete mod. My car is very healthy, it only has 29K miles on it.

 

Offering $6K REALLY would be an insult IMHO.

 

If I were you...I'd save my money, get my head above water and then buy a lower mileage car.

Subarus are really reliable but you are already deep in the whole and upside down in debt on your current car. Might as well refinance that car and get your debt down before digging yourself into another big hole.