I have an itch

I've got an itch. Going to the ice race this weekend made me pissed that I couldn't find a 5sp Aero (WRX version of the Saab) and got the 2.5 Linear (RS to you guys). I really miss the turbo on my old 9-3.

Now I don't know what to do--do I track down a WRX and trade in the Saabaru. I really dig the looks and practicality of the wagon. At this point in time I will get more on my trade in then I paid for the Saab new...but it is only a matter of time before the pricing sorts itself out.

I found a used '06 sedan for $22k.
http://www.itenchev.com/Preowned-Inventory-3.aspx
I really don't want to trade in on a brand new -- no mile Suby for fear of losing my buttocks. I can find 02-05 WRXs wagons but fear that in another six months I will be pissed that I got a 2.0 turbo rather than the 2.5.

So what do I do?

Keep the Saabaru and drive it forever? Trade it in now on a 06 REX? Get a used 02-05 wagon?

 

if i had the money, i would get and 04-05 wrxwagon

 

Quick question--why the 2.0 turbo over the 2.5 turbo?

New to Subys so I don't know much.

Sorry

 

ide say go with an 05wrx. i'm sure you will love the power of teh 2.0t. nothing to worry about. plus you dont get raped by depreciation out the door.

 

2.5 is an sti. if you can afford the extra payment and insurance i would go for it, but they dont make a usdm sti wagon so if u wanted a wagon u would have to get a wrx. or a legacy.

 

^negative ghost writer. 06wrx's are 2.5

 

oo right my bad, i guess i was refering to the gd8's

 

its not a matter or which ones better. obviously the 2.5 is going to have more potential simply because its has more displacement. what the issues are is price, 2.0 is cheaper because its used, and 2, do you need the extra displacement?(ex, are you going to be highly modifying it?) yes, the stock 2.5 has impressive numbers, if i had the money i'd have one, but i dont. its all about what suits what YOU need.

 

I would go with a 02-05 wagon, the 2.5 does not make much more power. Also I have a 02 WRX wagon 5spd, for sale with 33K miles, for $14,500

 

also compareing the two blocks, the 2.5 is a semi closed deck and will handle alot more power than the 2.0 which is an open deck. the 2.5 also delivers the power sooner than that of the 2.0 and make more power easily. the 06 WRX also basically shares the same long block as the STi. it's only a few mods away from the STi.

 

Here is one more thing to throw in. Saab is already giving $3,000 back on the new 9-2x (list price is 27k for the Aero 5sp (2.5 turbo))--taking it down to 24k--It will likely go even lower in June.

ONLY problem is--Saab dealers know they can't move a 9-2x at what KBB lists them hell mine is valued at 26,5k dealer retail. So I would likely get less on my trade.

Most of the 04-05 wagons I am finding have 35k mi and are 20-24k. Too me that seems a tad high.

As for modding--everyone wants more power--I would likely go AP Stage 2 do a few suspension mods and call it quits--it would be a loooong time before I decided to do internal or turbo swaps/modification.

 

im content with my 2.0 motor with cobb stage 2; got me around the track plenty quick

 

honestly only one word comes to mind...

SWAP!

you'll probably lose the cost of a swap in depreciation/buying another car and you get to keep the nice saaby interior etc and have a nice engine too. fineline will do the whole thing for you for about 6-8k or you can go a more DIY route.

you'd be swapping in a v5+ JDM motor probably, but you'd get lots of power and keep the nice saab features. put an FMIC on there and you got yourself a mega sleeper.

http://www.finelineimports.net/Subaru_Impreza_RS-TS_conversions.html

check it out. i think in your particular case its compelling because your depreciation is so bad on a relatively new car.

 

well considering you just told me jdm motors have to run on race gas...then this is probably not a viable option. the jdm route anyways.

 

whoa yor saab is a 2.5l NA?

[ramble]IMO its really cool having all the little extras in the saab, and a slightly different look.

the 2.5l will provide lots more low end torque. and be not so dependant on the turbo. if you dont want to do any turbo upgrades for a while i would almost say go for the 2.5l it may cost more but in the end you will probably be more content with the overall power.

issues arise when you start looking for the 2.5l turbos. the 06 wrxs and wrx wagons have the 2.5l turbo however they are brand new and have the aweful front grill. i do not know what saab offers in terms of 2.5l turbos. the Legacy GT is now 1 or 2 yrs old and has the 2.5l turbo. i believe it is available in a wagon or sedan. after some suspension work the LGT should be able to hold its own against WRXs. [/ramble]

i would suggest looking at the LGT.

 

Legacy GT would be a viable option...I LOVE those cars, just hard finding a 5sp.

As for a swap--believe me I have thought about it. I doubt I would go JDM for ease (wiring, etc) it would probably be better to pick up a USDM STi or a 2.5 turbo down the road. If that is the case then I would wait for the warranty to expire.

How hard would it be to do something like this? Keep in mind my car is the EXACT same as an Impreza just with diff headlights/hood/fenders and comes with STI steering rack.

Mannnnnn...I can never leave well enough alone. I really should not have hung out with you guys this weekend.

 

A usdm WRX swap would be cheap and realtively easy. You can find the motors and trannies much more commonly, and even run Accessport etc on them.

i have seen WRX trannies for 1500, engines for 1k-2k and ecus for as low as $100.

and yeah, you get around that whole "has to run 96 octane thing" although most us guys with JDM swaps just make do with the gas they have and tune around it. My problem was I only had a 92 oct map thinking i could get that anywhere in MN. boy was i wrong.

 

i would totally jump all over the saab if they offered a non-wagon aero. its the best of both worlds. you have the power and handling of subaru, and the luxury of saab. that would be great.

 

lol, we are a troublesome group arnt we.

as for the swap if you have the same tranny as a wrx or an RS for that matter all you would need is the new motor. wiring and ECU. one thing i am not sure about is the wiring harness. i know there are some differences betwwen the RS and WRX, but if they are minor you might be able to use the same harness and just change teh block and ECU.

for the WRX swap you would prolly be looking around 5k for the swap to be done. fort he STi swap it would be about 10k since the motor is so expensive. it would be about 15k for the entire STi driveline swap including brembos and dccd and what not.

i am not exactly sure what block you have, is it the open deck 2.5l from the RS, or is it the STi short block like the LGT, and FXT have? there is always the option of going with an aftermarket kit. i think the AVO kit is about 3-4k and that boosts 6psi and gives 200 hp on a RS.

over all the swap offers more reliability (if you dont use a stand alone) and more potential then the turbo kit.

i dont know how set on a wagon you are, but if your looking LGT remeber that the legacy is a full wagon. and to get the half wagon like the 9-2x you will need a wrx wagon.

 

I am probably the weirdest 23 year old. I would almost always take the wagon variant over a sedan version of the same car

Mainly for practicality. I have a dog and I would rather him not ride in the back seat--due to shedding, I like the ability to carry stuff (a lot of it). The wagons don't lose much in the way of handling/performance vs the sedans so it is a good pay off. Plus beating someone while driving a wagon is awesome.

Dynapar I talked to your aunt today at work--she wanted to know if we were drinking at the ice racing event--I told her we all went to bed early and spooned. I am trying to convince her to let me or someone else from CL bring the agency Boxster out for the next event. Stay tuned.

 

its a 2.5RS with a body kit. Mechanically identical in block, tranny, wiring etc.

I wouldnt recomment turboing the existing engine unless you want to run standalone. See me trying to start my car this weekend? thats why you dont want standalone.

 

Hey, you guys all saw me running my JDM swapped impreza at the ice race... I had a tank full of 91 octane that day...
That said, what IS an issue with JDM swaps is that they are not technically legal; you will fail emissions if they check your OBD-2 port, and it is against the law to swap in an engine older than the chassis (i.e. a V5 into your Saab).

 

haha! 94 engine in a 93 chassis pre obd 2 gets me out of that little clause.

but then the sniffer will own your ass anyways unless you prepare.

 

So you got a little excited at the icerace, and now you want to trade in a 05' 2.5rs for a 06' WRX wagon. I guess if you have the money, get the WRX wagon and trade the Slaabaru in. But if I can give some advice, relax and sit back for a couple of weeks and see how you feel then. If anything, put the Slaabaru up for private sale and advertise it on like carsoup or autotrader...don't get raped by the dealer.

 

Maybe I will put some lambo doors on it and really up the value Kidding

Here is the thing; I can get 1 grand more on trade in then I paid for the car. So no raping involved. It also helps that I have paid the 9.2x off--I owe nothing on it. Private sellers and dealers can't move the cars off the lots for the price they are asking. Going value--from what I have seen on saab9x and saabnet is about $500 more than what the dealer's are offering on trades. But then you have to wait, and wait, and wait for a buyer. Not worth the $500 hassle.

I don't plan on moving (even if I do) for a few months. Thanks for all of the advice so far.

 

oohhh great! :shock:


i can just see that nice silver boxter going into a snow bank ouch lol.


i agree with what others are saying. keep the car for a while longer and see what you think. also keep in mind that you can still squeeze some more power out of that NA motor with some easy bolt on stuff like exhuast and intake.

 

GOD I HATE THE NEW GRILL!!! Why Subaru? Why?

 

I think it will grow on people. I think it is hot. Then again I am weird and like wagons.

 

I like the Saab grill, but the new Subaru grill just isn't the "Impreza style" I like. It lost some rally look to it, and that's what the WRX has always been about.

 

i like the new look, i'd take the 06 STi/wrx over the 04-05.