Well, figured I would take a look at what all the talk was about. Seemed like a nice enough car, but you immediately know that its really just a hopped up version of an economy car. Not to say I didn't like it...

Drove pretty nice and had decent room. The torque was fun, even though there was some lag. The turbo rush is pretty pronounced, but I dont really see how its any different than when people say the S2000 has no torque. The S2000 felt peppier to me below 3000rpm, and while the feeling of torque isnt there in the S2000, the scream from 6-9 is certainly more fun than the turbo rush above 3400 in the WRX... of course, it also happens sooner in the WRX...I'm still surprised that there is no boost gauge (its an option!). The car didn't have quite the turn in of the S2000 (I haven't driven a front drive car yet that did). Basically, you could tell the WRX was still mostly a front driver...

Overall, I like the seats, and the usability of the wagon. I think its a decent car at a decent price. I could see trading the S2000 in for it, only if I was really tired of the real sports car. Not to say it would be nice to have a little extra room now and then... I was also surprised at how few 5 speeds there are. 3 local dealers, one has NO WRXs, one has 3 auto sedans, and the one I went to had 3 auto sedans, and 2 wagons, 1 5 speed.


We didn't drive the S2000 up there, but went in the Bimmer instead (The S2000 is in the midst of Zaino-ing)...

Anyhow, after the drive, the salesman started talking purchase. He had no clue what the S2000 was seemed surprised that there was no tilt steering wheel in the S2000.

So, then things went to the downside...

He asked me if I would be financing, and I told him that I expected money back given the Edmunds TMV on my car vs the WRX with options. His response was that "they don't like to give money back, and like to show a profit instead".

Anyways, after getting my info, he went to the sales manager to see what they could do. While the manager continued to call around, the salesman came back and talked a little more to me.

Asked me the MSRP of the S2000, and when I told him he said "And you think its still worth that much with that many miles on it?"

Asked about the condition of my car, to which I told him was clean, with a few rock chips. "Oh, we'd have to deduct for that. There would be reconditioning involves.".

So, anyways, according to Edmunds TMV on my car is 28600. Now before you guys go nuts on me, I'm just going by what edmunds says...

The MSRP of the WRX with the options I want and including the destination charge (525) is 25550. So, I told them if they could do the wagon for my car and 3k difference, I'd do it...

45 mins later and a few trips back to his sales manager, he came back with "well, he won't do 3000, but he will do 2100". So, then I asked him what the ADM of 1200 was. He really couldn't explain that. As of yet,nobody has been able to explan that to me, aside from "its a supply and demand thing".

So, the deal he came back with finally was the WRX and I'd get back 2100 bucks, but it wasnt optioned the way I like. That 25500 +dest. is for most of the options. This guy wanted nearly 26 for one that only had 400 bucks of options in it.

So, then the salesman started whining about having to stay late to help me out, etc, etc. I told him if you can do the options I want and 3k, call me, otherwise no deal... He said something along the lines of "well, you know if you don't want to make a deal, you can keep driving your Honda" I told him that I've been waiting 45 mins and nothing has changed. Its not like I need to get more out of my trade to make the payment work or something... I basically want my S2000 for its fair value according to edmunds, I want MSRP on the WRX, and thats a differnce of 3100 bucks when the destination charge is factored in. I told him this as soon as we sat down. If his sales manager wanted to make the deal, he would have. I have no doubt that the S2000 would be a quick sale off their lot.

He kept having me wait, saying that maybe the manager could do this or that. If the manager could, he would have 45 mins ago... so I finally walked out.

Royal Moore Subaru in Hillsboro, OR. I give them a rating of POOR on trying to sell the car. Their knowledge wasn't that great.

I dunno, but after having bought my Corvette over the phone from an east coast dealer (local dealers gave me the run around), it was the most pleasant experience I ever had buying a car. Trading it for the S2000 at the local Acura dealer, again was pleasant... not a whole lot of haggling. The guy told me the price he'd sell the S2000 to me for, asked what I wanted for the Vette, and made it work.

The BMW dealer was a pleasant experience too (g/f's 325i). She didn't come out of her CL-S that well financially, but you never do if you buy a new car and only drive it 6 months. But they made the offer work well enough for her to sign.

They didn't mind shopping around for a higher trade in. The Subaru guys acted like they would be doing me a favor by taking my car. Their first offer was "even trade"...

The WRX isnt a rare car by any means... Sticker should be the MOST anyone has to pay for it.



[Edited by S2K_CLS on 03-31-2001 at 10:24 PM]

 

A scooby and $3,000 bucks for my S2K?

No friggin way...

Car buying tip: Never negotiate with a salesperson. Always get the sales manager/fleet manager involved directly as soon as you decide what car you are trying to buy.

 

Last night, we were talking about it, and came to that exact conclusion.

I mean aside from showing me the car (what little he did except talk about the flat-4 and the aluminum hood) he did little else but run around between me and the manager. So, really talking directly to the manager is the perfect idea...

Thanks for the tip though...

one other thing on ADMs that we thought of... if there is no explanation for it, except the supply and demand arguement, then in that case, you could try the line of "well, if I pay that now, I expect to get the amount back on top of trade-in value when I come buy another one in 3 years". see how they like that

Overall, I did like the car. But the S2000 is still ahead. Its nice to have that room, but even as "bare" and pure as the S2000 is, I don't feel like I am in a low rent car...

the Suby... well, lets just say that you always know you are driving the 25000 dollar version of the 18000 dollar car...

 

Exactly.

 

So why are you trying to trade the s2k for it then?

 

Well, the issue of trade was more just to ellicit a response. I guess I'm spoiled having owned a Vette and now the S2000.

When I owned my Sentra SE-R, it was ok to have the top of the line of the entry level car

Having got a new rear window in the S2000, its incredible. I'm a perfectionist and am really starting to wonder how I will handle the work of putting a towel over the window each time I lower the top.

Getting out of the car and putting a towel in the window might work for someone's weekend toy, but for my commuting in daily driving, it becomes somewhat impractical.

I've got 2 commutes -- 1 is a mile each way, which if I need to put a towel in the window for, is hardly worth the trouble of dropping the top.

the other one a 20 mile one way commute, which is nice, but then at the end of both commutes, I leave the car for several hours, so I can't just leave the top down...

I guess I could try and get over the rear window issue, but having bought the car used with a less than perfect rear window, its truly amazing to be able to identify the car behind you by looking through the rear window

FWIW, I guess just expected a nicer interior on the WRX... something more in line with other entry level cars...

Overall, it was a neat car. If I was shopping, I'd be very closely looking at that car.

Trading down is never fun, and while I don't always need the extra room in a car, it would still be nice to have SOME room

I can't always borrow a neighbor's larger vehicle...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by S2K_CLS
[B]Well, the issue of trade was more just to ellicit a response.

 

Mike... i like a dunce attempted to drop the 5 speed wrx wagon into 6th....grind....

too bad the wagons don't have the nice wide bodies of the sedans! I really like the looks of the sedans...but only if they are lowered about 2"...


Scot

 

Scot,

I was impressed with the shifter feel of the WRX. Compared to the S2000, its wide spaces and rubbery, but for a commuter car, I thought the shifter had a nice positive feel.

I like the fenders of the sedan, and I wonder about how the suspensions on the 2 cars are. I'd assume they are identical, but not so sure because the wagon does have a narrower track.

For me, the looks of the sedan are preferred, but the wagon being a tad cheaper, and lots more useful (without any penalty of length) got my attention. The fact that the wagon is 500 bucks cheaper doesn't hurt either

I could see a set of wheels for the wagon... Its funny how the 2.5RS sedan looks like the WRX sedan minus the hood scoop... I think its the same interior too...

did the car you test have the optional performance gauge pack?

I played with the wagon on some pretty bumpy roads. It soaks up the bumps nicely. the S2000 bounces all over our $h!tty roads here in Oregon. A lot of the road deterioration is due to studded snow tires that people put on here like a religous event... It really thrashes the road. In my suburb, the old town section hasn't been repaved in what seems like years. The street is so bad, I'm afraid to go faster than 15mph on it.

I love the S2000, but am getting sick of driving on the bad roads... I can understand why so many people have daily drivers and make their S2000 their weekend toy... Between the ruts and the bumps, I get tired of driving inside of 30 miles. And its not really the car's fault... it really is the roads. When I moved here, my Sentra SE-R became less fun to drive too. It never wandered in the ruts when I lived in TX, but when I moved here, it became a victim of the ruts. I've heard its due to wide tires, but my SE-R had 195/50-15s on it, my Vette had wider tires than the S2000... The Vette was rock solid on these sucky roads...

My girlfriend's Formula wandered like something wicked on the roads... That car made you tired after only a few miles...

I just got back from driving my freshly Zainoed black S2000. 40 miles round trip to and from dinner (meeting friends across town). Nothing like admiring the Zaino shine for 5 minutes after you've buffed it off and gotta go out in the rain...

black car? never again!


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scot
[B]Mike... i like a dunce attempted to drop the 5 speed wrx wagon into 6th....grind....

 

I've been thinking of that, or a nice cotton towel for the inside. I've also been thinking of carrying my California car duster inside the car. Then, I can dust off the back window and put the towel on it before dropping the top...

I guess if I keep the car 3 years, do all this proper care stuff, and it still ends up looking like crap then I will really be erked