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New WRX One Expensive MF To Own
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Dave Head
Mar 26, 2013, 11:56:45 AM3/26/13
to
Got my 2012 WRX last year. It wasn't a few weeks until I had cracked
the air dam on a high curb. One usually, on a regular car, just
rolls up to a curb until the front wheels hit it, but this car has the
air dam way out front, so the wheels can't lift it over obstacles
before it contacts them. The air dam is 7.25" off the ground, not
enough to clear all the common obstacles such as curbs, semi-truck
"gators" laying in the lane of travel, etc.
Then, a couple months later, doing a U-turn on a dirt road high in
some Arizona mountains, the air dam contacted a hill of dirt and was
torn off. $1000.
After that was repaired, a couple more months passed, and another rise
in a dirt road back in Virginia contacted the air dam. Another $1000.
I'm going driving back to Arizona, from Virginia, at the end of May.
I'll probably do all the driving during the day, so I can see debris
in the road, such as truck tire treads, dead animals, etc. and hope I
can swerve. If I can't, it'll prolly be another $1000.
Not that the car hasn't had regular problems besides the air dam. It
has.
A faulty brake light switch had been causing problems since about 2000
miles. It finally failed completely around 32,000 miles, so I took
it in to the dealer, where it was throwing codes for the brake light
switch, which was fixed, grudgingly, under warranty. Only took them 3
weeks to determine that they would fix it under warranty, order the
part (why wasn't it in stock???) and schedule a repair.
The steering rack decided to start leaking around 20,000 miles. Again,
a big hassle with the warranty. They made me pay $100 for that
repair, that would have otherwise been $1200 - $1400.
Finally, since the warranty has expired, the traction control and
hill-holder warming lights have illuminated on the dash. I took it
to the AAA service center in Fredericksburg, Va., who said it was
throwing codes for the "steering wheel angle sensor." The AAA
mechanic said it was a 2 hour remove and replace for that sensor, as
it is seriously buried in the steering column. Sooo... since I know
how to control skids and hold hills, those 2 lights will be forever
illuminated on my dash, because the AAA mechanic said it would likely
be $600 - $1400 to get that fixed. Researching the internet, someone
else paid $680 to get the SWAS replaced. Not happening.
With any luck, I _may_ be able to hold the air dam repairs down to 1 a
year, but I typically drive about 35K miles a year, so that's hard.
Have to treat it special, parking far short of the parking lot bumpers
and curbs, and doing sudden swerves on the highway to keep from
hitting anything in the lane of travel. People on I-10 in Texas
probably wondered "WTF?" when I changed lanes in a heartbeat last
month, to avoid the truck tire gator in the lane of travel, but it was
really tall and big, and would have shattered the air dam.
Just so's you know, if you want one of these things, its likely not to
be cheap. They break a lot, and the air dam is a threat to one's
wallet.
the air dam on a high curb. One usually, on a regular car, just
rolls up to a curb until the front wheels hit it, but this car has the
air dam way out front, so the wheels can't lift it over obstacles
before it contacts them. The air dam is 7.25" off the ground, not
enough to clear all the common obstacles such as curbs, semi-truck
"gators" laying in the lane of travel, etc.
Then, a couple months later, doing a U-turn on a dirt road high in
some Arizona mountains, the air dam contacted a hill of dirt and was
torn off. $1000.
After that was repaired, a couple more months passed, and another rise
in a dirt road back in Virginia contacted the air dam. Another $1000.
I'm going driving back to Arizona, from Virginia, at the end of May.
I'll probably do all the driving during the day, so I can see debris
in the road, such as truck tire treads, dead animals, etc. and hope I
can swerve. If I can't, it'll prolly be another $1000.
Not that the car hasn't had regular problems besides the air dam. It
has.
A faulty brake light switch had been causing problems since about 2000
miles. It finally failed completely around 32,000 miles, so I took
it in to the dealer, where it was throwing codes for the brake light
switch, which was fixed, grudgingly, under warranty. Only took them 3
weeks to determine that they would fix it under warranty, order the
part (why wasn't it in stock???) and schedule a repair.
The steering rack decided to start leaking around 20,000 miles. Again,
a big hassle with the warranty. They made me pay $100 for that
repair, that would have otherwise been $1200 - $1400.
Finally, since the warranty has expired, the traction control and
hill-holder warming lights have illuminated on the dash. I took it
to the AAA service center in Fredericksburg, Va., who said it was
throwing codes for the "steering wheel angle sensor." The AAA
mechanic said it was a 2 hour remove and replace for that sensor, as
it is seriously buried in the steering column. Sooo... since I know
how to control skids and hold hills, those 2 lights will be forever
illuminated on my dash, because the AAA mechanic said it would likely
be $600 - $1400 to get that fixed. Researching the internet, someone
else paid $680 to get the SWAS replaced. Not happening.
With any luck, I _may_ be able to hold the air dam repairs down to 1 a
year, but I typically drive about 35K miles a year, so that's hard.
Have to treat it special, parking far short of the parking lot bumpers
and curbs, and doing sudden swerves on the highway to keep from
hitting anything in the lane of travel. People on I-10 in Texas
probably wondered "WTF?" when I changed lanes in a heartbeat last
month, to avoid the truck tire gator in the lane of travel, but it was
really tall and big, and would have shattered the air dam.
Just so's you know, if you want one of these things, its likely not to
be cheap. They break a lot, and the air dam is a threat to one's
wallet.
Geoff Welsh
Mar 26, 2013, 7:45:39 PM3/26/13
to
Dave Head wrote:
> Got my 2012 WRX last year. It wasn't a few weeks until I had cracked
> the air dam on a high curb. One usually, on a regular car, just
> rolls up to a curb until the front wheels hit it,
ummmmmm. No. Those high curbs are there for people too dumb to stop
> Got my 2012 WRX last year. It wasn't a few weeks until I had cracked
> the air dam on a high curb. One usually, on a regular car, just
> rolls up to a curb until the front wheels hit it,
where they are supposed too. No car is designed to run into stuff on
purpose.
GW
Dave Head
Mar 27, 2013, 11:02:57 AM3/27/13
to
On Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:45:39 -1000, Geoff Welsh <GeeD...@some.rr.com>
wrote:
Most cars have the clearance necessary to have the wheels stop at the
little bumper placed there for that purpose. Not this one...
careful...
wrote:
little bumper placed there for that purpose. Not this one...
careful...
John McGaw
Mar 27, 2013, 3:04:10 PM3/27/13
to
MX-5 Mazda and the dam only clears the ground by 6.5" and is 12" in front
of the tires. And yes, it has been driven over some non-Miata-friendly
surfaces including old wagon roads. You just have to know what sticks out
where and by how much and _never_ forget. My old Miata had even less
clearance due to suspension modifications and, while I did occasionally
contact something with the dam, it never experienced damage beyond a bit of
scuffing. Is the WRX dam especially flimsy? (as well as expensive)
cl...@snyder.on.ca
Mar 27, 2013, 8:58:52 PM3/27/13
to
On Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:02:57 -0400, Dave Head <rall...@att.net>
wrote:
Fewer and fewer can reach the curb with the front wheels without
expensive body damage
wrote:
expensive body damage
Your Name
Mar 27, 2013, 11:49:56 PM3/27/13
to
In article <1d57l8ldelm69pk58...@4ax.com>,
Fewer and fewer drivers even notice the curb (or the pedstrians walking on
the pavement after the curb!) thanks to more and more fools driving huge,
unecessary SUVs. ;-)
the pavement after the curb!) thanks to more and more fools driving huge,
unecessary SUVs. ;-)
Dave Head
Mar 28, 2013, 12:58:13 AM3/28/13
to
On Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:04:10 -0400, John McGaw <Nob...@Nowh.ere>
wrote:
I think the WRX dam is eggshell fragile. I've owned LOTS of cars
over the last 50 years or so, and this is the 1st problem I've had
along these lines. I've read where lots of other cars have such air
dams, but are made of things that are flexible, and just bend out of
the way and pop back. Not the WRX, quite obviously.
wrote:
over the last 50 years or so, and this is the 1st problem I've had
along these lines. I've read where lots of other cars have such air
dams, but are made of things that are flexible, and just bend out of
the way and pop back. Not the WRX, quite obviously.
Dave Head
Mar 28, 2013, 12:59:02 AM3/28/13
to
cl...@snyder.on.ca
Mar 28, 2013, 4:41:29 PM3/28/13
to
On Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:59:02 -0400, Dave Head <rall...@att.net>
Nope, it's consumer demand. The kids want a car that looks like a
race car. The companies are more than willing to give it to them if
the kids are willing to pay.
race car. The companies are more than willing to give it to them if
the kids are willing to pay.
Geoff Welsh
Mar 28, 2013, 5:05:04 PM3/28/13
to
Check eBay.
"Learn to drive your damn car" is what my Grandpa would have said to
people who plow into stuff and then complain about the price to fix it.
Scraping neighborhood speed bumps would be a valid complaint, not
plowing into parking blocks or curbs.
GW
cl...@snyder.on.ca
Mar 28, 2013, 8:58:32 PM3/28/13
to
On Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:05:04 -1000, Geoff Welsh <GeeD...@some.rr.com>
Even bigger on 37-39 Chevies, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles!!
Dave Head
Mar 29, 2013, 1:41:09 AM3/29/13
to
On Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:05:04 -1000, Geoff Welsh <GeeD...@some.rr.com>
Yeah, I thought of that. Will have to check, although I'm not sure I
want 'em protruding from the front of the car, as they would need to
in order to work.
>"Learn to drive your damn car" is what my Grandpa would have said to
>people who plow into stuff and then complain about the price to fix it.
Yep. So far, I'm real good at backing off the parking bumpers,
although I really shouldn't have to. Its "tall" objects, more than
7.25" tall that is, laying in the roadway that suddenly appear out
from under the SUV in front of me, and I have about 3/4 of a second to
miss it that has me worried.
> Scraping neighborhood speed bumps would be a valid complaint, not
>plowing into parking blocks or curbs.
>GW
Yep. I think I have the parking blocks corralled, but yeah, there's
speed bumps, dead animals in the road, truck tire "gators" in the
road, lotsa stuff in the road. And its not like they have to make it
out of something that shatters, instead of either bending out of the
way, or being tough enough not to be damaged by these things.
want 'em protruding from the front of the car, as they would need to
in order to work.
>"Learn to drive your damn car" is what my Grandpa would have said to
>people who plow into stuff and then complain about the price to fix it.
although I really shouldn't have to. Its "tall" objects, more than
7.25" tall that is, laying in the roadway that suddenly appear out
from under the SUV in front of me, and I have about 3/4 of a second to
miss it that has me worried.
> Scraping neighborhood speed bumps would be a valid complaint, not
>plowing into parking blocks or curbs.
>GW
speed bumps, dead animals in the road, truck tire "gators" in the
road, lotsa stuff in the road. And its not like they have to make it
out of something that shatters, instead of either bending out of the
way, or being tough enough not to be damaged by these things.
benjammin
Mar 29, 2013, 12:42:42 PM3/29/13
to
Put me in the category of "kids" if you will -- my wife would probably
agree with you -- but I love my WRX. I'm closer to 70 than to 60 now,
but I grew up in the northeast with MGs, Triumphs and Austin-Healeys
(not to mention AC Cobras!) and have visited race courses from Watkins
Glen to the Long Beach Grand Prix.
I sold my red Mustang GT convertible with V-8 and 5-speed and kept the
WRX (Premier edition, with factory performance package); the WRX was
just so much more satisfying to drive.
I've watched as my neighbors have gradually migrated from numerous
Subarus to Toyota Priuses to curb-bumping crew-cab 4x4 pickups over the
years; I'll happily stick with my WRX. Who knows?: My next car might
even be an STi.
"Call me irresponsible
Call me unreliable
Throw in undependable, too
"Do my foolish alibis bore you?
Well, I'm not too clever, I
I just adore you
[You childish WRX, you!]
agree with you -- but I love my WRX. I'm closer to 70 than to 60 now,
but I grew up in the northeast with MGs, Triumphs and Austin-Healeys
(not to mention AC Cobras!) and have visited race courses from Watkins
Glen to the Long Beach Grand Prix.
I sold my red Mustang GT convertible with V-8 and 5-speed and kept the
WRX (Premier edition, with factory performance package); the WRX was
just so much more satisfying to drive.
I've watched as my neighbors have gradually migrated from numerous
Subarus to Toyota Priuses to curb-bumping crew-cab 4x4 pickups over the
years; I'll happily stick with my WRX. Who knows?: My next car might
even be an STi.
"Call me irresponsible
Call me unreliable
Throw in undependable, too
"Do my foolish alibis bore you?
Well, I'm not too clever, I
I just adore you
[You childish WRX, you!]
Illuminated
Mar 29, 2013, 2:19:30 PM3/29/13
to
Hi Dave
Are you sure your first name is not really Richard !!!!
AD
Apr 1, 2013, 2:47:55 AM4/1/13
to
Well, apparentl,y in the rex you want to CRAWL to avoid
damaging that precious air dam fhi have so thoughtfully
provided for the cold air intake crowd.
Dave Head
Apr 3, 2013, 2:19:20 PM4/3/13
to
failure, the brake light switch failure, the steering wheel angle
sensor failure, and now it seems the original equipment battery may
just be on the way out. Runs down in 30 - 45 minutes playing the
radio. Used to work for several hours. I think its time for a new
battery. The "good" battery at Batteries Plus is $234, and is a big
hairy thing with 65 AH of capacity and 820 CCA. Nothing else on the
market (that I can find) approaches that. Maybe I'll get to 45
minutes to an hour with that... <G> But the car is comsuming $$$ for
these nickel and dime things like it had 190,000 miles on it. At
least I can install the battery myself, not like a $530 power steering
pump that I had to have installed for another $300 on the old WRX that
had the 190,000 miles on it.
isq...@gmail.com
Apr 3, 2013, 2:39:33 PM4/3/13
to
вторник, 26 марта 2013 г., 17:56:45 UTC+2 пользователь Dave Head написал:
I do not feel very different with 4" of ground clearance on my A4.
If it's of any consolation S4 and RS4 sit lower yet.
You get a "bitch to park" problem with just about anything that sits low.
But it seems to be taken to exteme on wrx.
Why won't you dump that p.o.s and get a brz instead?
you hardly get any snow and ice in texas anyway
> hitting anything in the lane of travel. People on I-10 in Texas
>
> probably wondered "WTF?" when I changed lanes in a heartbeat last
>
> month, to avoid the truck tire gator in the lane of travel, but it was
>
> really tall and big, and would have shattered the air dam.
>
>
>
> Just so's you know, if you want one of these things, its likely not to
>
> be cheap. They break a lot, and the air dam is a threat to one's
>
> wallet.
I get it. Not for my wallet. Thanks
If it's of any consolation S4 and RS4 sit lower yet.
You get a "bitch to park" problem with just about anything that sits low.
But it seems to be taken to exteme on wrx.
Why won't you dump that p.o.s and get a brz instead?
you hardly get any snow and ice in texas anyway
> hitting anything in the lane of travel. People on I-10 in Texas
>
> probably wondered "WTF?" when I changed lanes in a heartbeat last
>
> month, to avoid the truck tire gator in the lane of travel, but it was
>
> really tall and big, and would have shattered the air dam.
>
>
>
> Just so's you know, if you want one of these things, its likely not to
>
> be cheap. They break a lot, and the air dam is a threat to one's
>
> wallet.
Dave Head
Apr 3, 2013, 3:36:25 PM4/3/13
to
On Wed, 3 Apr 2013 11:39:33 -0700 (PDT), isq...@gmail.com wrote:
>???????, 26 ????? 2013 ?., 17:56:45 UTC+2 ???????????? Dave Head ???????:
I'm in Virginia, just traversed Texas when driving to Tucson. We do
get snow and ice, but not a lot. Still, I wouldn't drive it in this
vehicle, as any snowdrift would likely break the air dam. Fortunately,
my other vehicle is a Jeep Cherokee!
My next car is probably a 3 - 5 year old Caddy CTS-V. Broke the
record at Nuremburgring, 0-60 in 3.9, AWD, my kinda car, just a bit
expensive on gas. Will probably lease a Chevy Volt at the same time,
and get off the hose for a lot of local driving to make up for it.
>???????, 26 ????? 2013 ?., 17:56:45 UTC+2 ???????????? Dave Head ???????:
get snow and ice, but not a lot. Still, I wouldn't drive it in this
vehicle, as any snowdrift would likely break the air dam. Fortunately,
my other vehicle is a Jeep Cherokee!
My next car is probably a 3 - 5 year old Caddy CTS-V. Broke the
record at Nuremburgring, 0-60 in 3.9, AWD, my kinda car, just a bit
expensive on gas. Will probably lease a Chevy Volt at the same time,
and get off the hose for a lot of local driving to make up for it.
AD
Apr 4, 2013, 1:15:44 AM4/4/13
to
Dave Head
Apr 5, 2013, 8:22:56 AM4/5/13
to
On Wed, 3 Apr 2013 22:15:44 -0700 (PDT), AD <isq...@gmail.com> wrote:
No. Is it faster than a CTS-V?
AD
Apr 8, 2013, 4:03:08 AM4/8/13
to
which I understand is not available on cts of any kind, -v or not.
awd on ats is not available with a stick though. the insignificant
portion
of the clientele preferring manuals AND awd would still have to pay
their dues to the germans
but wait for ATS-V...
Your Name
Apr 8, 2013, 4:57:22 PM4/8/13
to
At least it's not as bad as a real super car, where even replacing an
internal lightbulb can cost you $1000+. :-)
AD
Apr 10, 2013, 3:19:13 AM4/10/13
to
On Apr 8, 11:57 pm, YourN...@YourISP.com (Your Name) wrote:
> At least it's not as bad as a real super car, where even replacing an
> internal lightbulb can cost you $1000+. :-)
I doubt that. A 20 something guy in a beater around here brushed
> At least it's not as bad as a real super car, where even replacing an
> internal lightbulb can cost you $1000+. :-)
against
a lambo (driven by another 20 year something, go figure) while
merging on the freeway. Bodyshop PR person sworn
they would squeeze the repair bill under $10k
which is the uniform liability cap where I live.
I doubt <$10k would've happened in the states tough (labor rates
are significantly higher).
that's why I don't think I saw post-teenage guy driving a lambo in
kaulifornia.
Not unless he slaughtered his parents first. Gawd bless
the insurance companies.
On the other hand local car rags estimate subaru cost per mile
typically
at about 2x of an entry level luxury german. Blame the exorbitant
subaru cars and parts prices in urop.
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