Well, I did it...
 

While I had my wife's CRV in for routine service today, I went and test drove an '05 WRX STI I spotted on the Subie lot yesterday. It's a rocket, for sure, and a little unrefined, but the price was right so I went home to get the Box to see if they could work a good trade. On the way back to the dealer, with the top down, I asked myself what the hell I was doing. When I pulled into the lot and loudly raked the underside of the nose, I remembered why there are so many places I don't drive the Box.

While they were appraising my car, I took out an '06 WRX wagon. Much more refined, leather, heated seats, sunroof, and (yikes!) an automatic. I haven't had an automatic in 27 years...the WRX only had 21k miles on it (30k less than the STI) and was 2 grand less. Despite being an automatic, I really liked it...230 hp, 235 ft-lb, handles very nicely, although not like a lowered Box, of course.

Anyway, they offered me more than it recently didn't sell for on fleabay, and knocked another grand off the WRX since it's the end of the month. Payments worked out to be about 45% lower than on the Box, so I took it.

I hate like hell to part with the P car, but with my job there are just too many places I can't drive it, and I can't justify that payment when it spends 90% or more of its time in the driveway. The WRX will still be a fun ride and a much better everyday driver....but I know there will be another Box in my future when I'm more of a "man of leisure"....

Road condition? Don't know what you're talking about there. :p

[IMG]http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/8...51b85d570o.jpg[/IMG]

Good choice.

The cool thing about Subarus is that the drivetrain is really stout. You can go 100,000 miles without changing anything but fluids. The interiors are low rent and the doors don't close with much of a quality feel, but Subaru put the money where it really matters.

They're much more practical as an everyday car than a sports car with the rugged mechanicals, AWD, 4 doors, and decent gas mileage (if you can keep out of the boost).

I'm sure you'll enjoy it, but it's a totally different animal than the Boxster in what it does and doesn't do well.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I know it's the right thing to do from an economic standpoint, but my god, I feel so hollow...sure, there are WRX fora, but the P car community is much smaller and I think more closely knit. I will miss this place. I hope no one minds if I drop in occasionally :cheers:

The WRX is a good car. A bit low rent on the interior, but you will have a very reliable and (gasp!) practical car. I'm actually semi looking for a Saabaru (those few years when GM sold the SAAB 9-2X which was just a WRX with SAAB bodywork, but it got you a significantly nicer interior) for a daily driver. I had an 05 STi and had a blast with it (it didn't stay stock long....), though I enjoy the P-car immensely more for a multitude of reasons.

Best of luck to you!

There's always the future to get another one. I traded in my Box and recently noticed it wasn't at the dealership anymore. Made me a little sad.

I love Subaru and here's why :D :D :D :D :

Ken Block Gymkhana Training
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkNzkutTiGs

Our other family car is a Subru Forester, and we love it. I cannot tell you the number of times when I am glad we have the all wheel drive and ground clearance. Its a 05' manual that we got new. I am always suprised by how much room there is in the back with the rear seats down, we will be hauling a large antique dresser back to Virginia from Florida in the Subbi.

Ed

:)

My wife is on her 3rd Sub going back to the 90s. Other than maintenance, we haven't spent one dine (really) on a repair.

Pretty impressive I think. Good luck with the new ride and visit us as often as you can.

:D

I had an '02 WRX bug eye with exhaust, intake, and chip. It was pushing a little over 300 HP and I stomped a lot of other cars on the street. Fun car to drive whether on the tarmac or on the gravel.

Quite honestly though it's a totally different beast from the Boxster. My '00 Box S is soooooo much nicer, more refined, and faster on the tarmac than the WRX. I never look back and personally would never give up my Box for another WRX. But it depends on your priorities and where you're at in life. I don't need a family hauler any more, so the extra space and "practicality" of the WRX would be totally useless to me now.

Enjoy it for sure.... I would've picked the STi though. :p

Kirk

congrats
and yeah, i agreee ^ i would have picked the STI, you probably could have talked them down to the price of the vagon.
enjoy
im selling my Pcar as well... :(

interesting choice for a daily driver. Isn't the gas mileage horrible with the Subie?

My NA Impreza gets between 25-29 mpg in mixed driving.

The economy of the WRX will vary with the amount of time the driver spends with his/her foot on the floor. If you can stay off the boost, the 2.0 (or later 2.5) is pretty economical, if you're flooring it all the time (which is hard NOT to do), you will be in the low 20s.