Looking at putting up my SS for sale soon and going in the oposite direcion and maybe gettting a wrx... just looking on oppinions on 98-2000 model wrx's would deffintly have to be manuel. is there anything to look out for ? problems or any troubles with them? are they reliable etc? how do they go? does it take much to get them moveing want something half quik always had holdens or fords so its new territory for me lol any help would be appretated cheeers

They are like a 4wd vl, most have been thrashed, simple mods will make it move faster. Good thing is the huge amount of aftermarket parts available. Do yourself a favour and get down to one of the wrx track days and talk to a few guys there and see what the best options are, and what to look out for. Also get down there just to have a look at the AVO WRX, shameless plug right there.

They stick to the road like jizz on a blanket....im thinking of getting one for the windies

I heard the manuals are very fragile.

^^^ Yes the manuals can be fragile (Compared to Evos, GTRs etc.) even with the stock power levels. They stick to the road very well (but not as well as an Evo or GTR) If you want it to go abit faster: 3.5" or 3" turboback exhaust, up the boost, cold air intake & a flash tune (with a legal exhaust system & a conservative tune they can gain 25AWKW+) Is there a particular reason you want a WRX e.g. you want a 4 door or is it just cause you like them? If you want something a little more hardcore/race orientated go for an Evo (7,8,9 or even earlier if you want) or an R32 GTR.

gonna go against the grain here. they are an alright sort of a car, but for the most part i think they are overated. that said the early models are getting cheap now, and if your heading that way, are a good car for the money. but the early models have sever gearbox issues. i think it was somewhere in 98 when they went from 4 bolt to 8 bolt, which had less issues

Also interested to know....I've been thinking the same thing lately.

Also FYI the gearbox "weakness" is still there up until the 2001 (bugeye) model & possibly beyond that as far as i know. Try get a 2000 model WRX or even a bugeye if you want as you can find good condition, low Ks ones for around the $13-$17K mark.

If your looking for a 98-00 model i suggest getting a version 6 sti! They dont take much to get going quick! Ive had mine for 5 years.. Mines running 266kw atw with the standard box! Still going strong!

Quote: Originally Posted by SRB-30T [View Post] If your looking for a 98-00 model i suggest getting a version 6 sti! They dont take much to get going quick! Ive had mine for 5 years.. Mines running 266kw atw with the standard box! Still going strong! X2 i love those! or a Club Spec Evo 4 WRX

I advise too buy an Sti if your budget allows!! There are many more upsides to an Sti over a standard wrx.. Stronger motor and gearbox, front lsd, Sports seats etc etc to get it too handle like an evo or gtr requires minimal work like lowering and bigger swaybars. My 02 model sti has Fmic 3" Exhaust Cai and flash tune and it's making 184.3kw very safely and reliably! It is by far the most fun of any car i have owned and i've had some good cars. Vx ss, S14 silvia,Gtir Pulsar the sti would annihilate any one of them! Also the 02 Sti's are one of the strongest package's subaru have put together except for the 04-05 Sti which is much more expensive!

[QUOTE=Woggster;2538761Is there a particular reason you want a WRX e.g. you want a 4 door or is it just cause you like them? If you want something a little more hardcore/race orientated go for an Evo (7,8,9 or even earlier if you want) or an R32 GTR.[/QUOTE] particular reason besides, i like the look/sound of them and have heard alot of good things about them.. been in a few wrx' and the G force in them suprised me and always had v8's so want to try something diffrent and they have dropped alot in price and want to save the remianed of the money to put towards a hose deposit ---------- Post added 20-07-10 at 20:46 ---------- some good adivce on this thread, yeah was haveing a look at a few club spec's but just thinking out loud at the moment till i put my ss u for sale.

If you want an opinion from someones who's owns 3.....Their a fantastic car! My comparison between the Evo and a WRX is that the EVO is a slightly faster, track based car but in saying that I wouldn't really compare an evo with a WRX - STI than yeah! My first WRX was a Club Spec Evo 8, then an 05 STI now an 07' STI. The WRX was a good car but completelydifferent to drive than the STI. If you want something quick, spend the extra money and go for an STI. You'll be in a much better possession than Buying a WRX and spending the cash to make it into something it's not. The STI is a much stronger feeling car but is a fairly harsh ride. I spend 3G on the STI and made 220 at all four wheels. If your after a car that handles like it's on rails, sounds good and performed well - Buy one. My 2c.

Quote: Originally Posted by Vl_Calais [View Post] If you want an opinion from someones who's owns 3.....Their a fantastic car! My comparison between the Evo and a WRX is that the EVO is a slightly faster, track based car but in saying that I wouldn't really compare an evo with a WRX - STI than yeah! My first WRX was a Club Spec Evo 8, then an 05 STI now an 07' STI. The WRX was a good car but completelydifferent to drive than the STI. If you want something quick, spend the extra money and go for an STI. You'll be in a much better possession than Buying a WRX and spending the cash to make it into something it's not. The STI is a much stronger feeling car but is a fairly harsh ride. I spend 3G on the STI and made 220 at all four wheels. If your after a car that handles like it's on rails, sounds good and performed well - Buy one. My 2c. i was haveing a look at evos and have test driven a evo 9, but way out of my price range , even the evos 2-3's are going for more then th wrx's so im leaning towards the subarbu. will defently have a look more for sti' then wrxs. what performance mods did u do for 3g? i was hopeing to buy one with mods already but then again more of a chance that its been thrashed

Don't buy one, biggest pieces of ****. a 98 to 2000 has to many kms now, power it up and the motor will take a crap, and so will the box, do yourself a MASSIVE favour and buy a lancer, better motor, much better gearbox and much better handling, to the people that think wrx's handle good, you must be used to driving vn commordores..lol I had a new one in 99 and spent massive money on it back then(gt30, dogbox etc), ****in ill handling understeering ****heaps. cheers darren

no matter what model you buy, soon as you give it punishment, 2nd gear will mince itself and front diff will **** like a seagul

Yeah my mate fried 3 manual boxes in 6 weeks lol ---------- Post added 20-07-10 at 22:53 ---------- and i should ad had an evo 7, there heaps better then the wrx's

how much is your budget allowing ? if 10-15k then maybe look at r32 gtr and also dont forget ba xr6t. there was a xr6t few weeks back on carsales the auto had blown 3rd 4th gears and it was 11k but it had fair few mods and was running 11.7s with dyno charts and video proof. xr6t would be my choice over them all main reason being cheap to get parts and big and comfy. might not handle like a wrx but a wrx sure wont be as big and comfy or have the power of the xr6t. just my 2 cents worth.

Well the early BA's had the same problem - sh1t gearboxes! If you want a reliable daily then a wrx with an exhaust and fmic is fine but honestly if you know that 150ish kw at all 4 wont cut it then dont buy one. Its not only the gearbox that can **** themsevles, the axels are weak and the diffs are pretty average too but fine for a stock car so long as u dont dump the clutch all the time. Oh and if you put a stronger clutch in a stock car it can still have problems. The STI gearboxes are much better and they do have forged internals standard - but you will probably only make as much as a RB30 with a boost increase, cooler and exhaust. Ride wise tho - I personally like them, they feel tight imo. I havent driven an evo though, but i liked the smaller car over the bulk of a GTR.

Quote: Originally Posted by MR.SUS [View Post] i was haveing a look at evos and have test driven a evo 9, but way out of my price range , even the evos 2-3's are going for more then th wrx's so im leaning towards the subarbu. will defently have a look more for sti' then wrxs. what performance mods did u do for 3g? i was hopeing to buy one with mods already but then again more of a chance that its been thrashed i have a genuine evo 3rs im looking to put on the market chasing round the 15g mark genuine 12 sec car with only minor mods pm me for details