I had a few questions. Right now i have an 07 2.5i which im paying off a loan for. i was wondering if the insurance rate of an 02 wrx is cheaper then say a 06 or 07 wrx. Only reason i ask is because im going to school in april, and dont think i can afford paying my 07 off while having to pay for housing and such. Also, how long do wrx engines generally last in terms of miles. Theres a few used ones near me on autotrader, theres one for $8k that has a little over 100k miles on it. so, id just like some info on this. thanks

 

Call your insurance agent (or any insurance company) for a quote. That's the best way to find out how much you would pay for a different car/different model years, based on your driving history.

Put your education first. Unload the car payment and buy a used car with cash, if possible.

When checking out used WRXs, the odometer reading is good to know but I'd really scrutinize the chassis for signs of past modifications. Just because a car looks factory stock doesn't mean much when it comes to a popular car like the WRX. It's common for these vehicles to be 'put back to stock' before being sold or traded in to a dealer.

Check out the car for oil leaks from the engine, transmission, and rear differential (not likely to have a leak). Check CV joint boots for rips or tears.

There haven't been any big problems with the U.S. WRX engine other than some owners report what seems to them to be excessive oil consumption between oil and filter changes, as long as the car has been properly maintained. I don't seem to have that issue with my engine which has 80,000+ miles on the odometer, but maybe engine break-in procedure or other factors can make a difference in individual cars.

 

Your personal driving record has much more to do with insurance cost than the actual car model. My 02 WRX is considered a sedan, so I pay the same that I would for an Accord, Camry or etc.

A 100k Subaru motor is a relatively solid bet; I would be much more concerned about the transmission than the motor. As long as someone put oil in it and didn't put NOS or 20psi through the motor, the fail rate is very low. A friend of mine is also a Subaru-trained tech and mechanic, and he does 10 transmissions or differentials for every engine-internal fix (mostly head and cam gaskets). The 02-03 WRX transmissions in general are quite susceptible to broken synchros (1 and 2 gears) and rough shifting, especially with a HP bump.

I just passed my 60k mark and had the motor opened up for a peek inside; it is in lovely condition. I burn almost no oil, no burns on the valves or pistons, and no coolant leaks either. I run 16.7psi of boost on the stock turbo (only engine mod is an STI intercooler) through a catted turboback exhaust. My coolant temp at 75mph on the highway is 186; 192 after a few blasts at full throttle; that's a good indicator of engine and radiator health.

If you're going to buy from a private owner, ask them to put newspaper all over the garage floor under the engine the night before you come see the car. A few brown dots (oil) is OK; a few green dots (coolant) is more disturbing. A dot that looks like brown with a little clear center is oil and coolant together, and is VERY VERY BAD.

I drive the crap out of my car and it comes out smiling every time. I'd consider a used 02 or 03 a good investment as long as you look at the tranny and watch for mods that involve home-made or cheap knockoff parts.