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July 17, 2008 11:31 a.m. John Brown SuperDork

So for lunch I decided to go walk the lot, we had gotten a shipment of new Imprezas in and I wanted to just see what the big deal was on the new car.

I walked up to the first WRX and it was a two tone grey over silver, I noticed the overlap on the paint was dramatic. It looked like the car was painted all silver then repainted partially grey. I walked up to a blue over silver and the same thing. The third car was a silver over grey and the paint was the same way.

Has anyone else seen this?

It is amazing how much they want for that car with that cheap of a paint service. Looks like Fuji learned something from GM ;)
July 17, 2008 11:39 a.m. Strizzo Dork

subys have notoriously crappy (and thin) paint
July 17, 2008 12:23 p.m. integraguy New Reader

I saw a picture of this on AutoBlog, but it was a bad picture as it didn't show the 2 toning at all. I'm not really sure I'm all that crazy about this type of paint scheme...I would rather the time/money be spent on one of those colors that changes as the light changes. Looks bright blue at noon but looks purple at dusk, sor tof paint job. Ford did alot of this in the '80s....even on Escorts.
July 17, 2008 2:30 p.m. confuZion3 HalfDork

I just have a problem with the fact that Subaru dumbed down the WRX and made it something that my GRANDMOTHER would feel quite happy driving. I drove one and enjoyed the experience, but the car is nowhere near as racey as its predicessor. It got all big, and sedaney. Is this one radically different from those that you might have seen 2 months ago? Or is this just a new paint scheme?
July 17, 2008 2:52 p.m. Feedyurhed New Reader

I am a big fan of Subarus but boy did they miss the boat with the re-design. In my opinion the WRX in general and the STi specifically should be first and foremost drivers cars. In the past you could forgive the odd styling and the crummy paint because the car itself was so good but now even the car fails to excite along with the ugly look and thin paint. I had four Subarus in a row but finally switched brands because of it and I never thought I would do that. I realize manufacturers want to appeal to the broadest band of customers but what they did to the WRX/STi was inexcusable not to mention just plain lame. I hope one day I can go back.
July 17, 2008 8:21 p.m. Storz HalfDork

Could not agree more with the previous post, my wife and I were ready to trade in the 05 and plunk down some cash to get her into a new Impeza, however after driving one we were both totally underwhelmed!! Drum brakes!!!! Sorry subaru but you have lost two fans...
July 17, 2008 8:40 p.m. ProDarwin Dork

If I had a dollar for every paint chip on my Subaru.....
July 17, 2008 8:48 p.m. ignorant SuperDork

what is wrong with drum brakes in the proper application. Used on Big Rigs.. find more swept area for cheap. Hell.. Find more swept area.
July 17, 2008 10:56 p.m. neon4891 HalfDork

Sounds like how each redesign of the focus made it more boring than the last gen.
July 18, 2008 12:16 a.m. fiat22turbo SuperDork

You can't easily modulate drum brakes. They tend to be on or off. Drums are also are more prone to overheating. Drums are typically more difficult to repair.

On the rear of an AWD car drums don't make much sense since the static weight balance is closer to 50/50 than say in a FWD or RWD car.

Basically they are a cheap way to put brakes on a vehicle and it shows that Subaru isn't as serious about their sport image as they once were.

BTW, big rigs use drums and a number of other technologies because they don't like to spend money on such things unless it is specified by rule or if it directly affects their bottom line. Like say more efficient/reliable transmissions or more powerful/reliable engines This is why the basic tractor trailer hasn't changed much, outside of the engine and transmission, since the 70's. Of course Europe, Australia and Asia have all invested in other technologies, but then that it is another conversation to have.
July 18, 2008 12:45 a.m. Ryan9118 HalfDork

What's the two-tone you're talking about? I haven't seen it.

Has anyone noticed how much orange peel is on new car paint as well? When I went to the Seattle Auto Show, there were lots of cars with terrible orange peel all over the whole body. I saw a new 'Vette Z06 at a dealership the other day, and it had lots of orange peel on it as well. It looks terrible, especially on a $70,000+ car.
July 18, 2008 1:47 a.m. Strizzo Dork

my 07 ms3 doesn't have too bad orange peel (just did clay bar and wax today, so i know), but it does have effing thin paint and there are little chips all over, not just on the front of the car either
July 18, 2008 6:50 a.m. ignorant SuperDork

fiat22turbo wrote:

You can't easily modulate drum brakes.

duh. I knows.. what you saids and I knows you the brake man...

but sarcasm etc.. travels poorly over the internet. I was pointing out the fact that on a cheap car, they said impreza not wrx or sti, that drum brakes are still the norm. They are a cost effective way to make a non performance vehicle stop. Still used worldwide. Yes, the friction surface is enclosed.. yes they overheat that way... yes yes yes...
July 18, 2008 6:52 a.m. ignorant SuperDork
as for paint.. I had it explained to me this way..
1. it's expensive
2. it's going waterborne
All new cars, with current gen paint, are highly susceptible to rock chips. Hence the prevalence of plastic lower body cladding and "mud flap things"
July 18, 2008 7:01 a.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Ford went waterborne on paint way back in the '80's and it wasn't very good. The technology has improved but still has farther to go.
July 18, 2008 8:34 a.m. ProDarwin Dork

fiat22turbo wrote: On the rear of an AWD car drums don't make much sense since the static weight balance is closer to 50/50 than say in a FWD or RWD car.

Not really...

For reference, my Subaru weighed in with 42.4% on the rear wheels. And that's with a substantial 4 pt rollbar/diagonal/harness bars.
July 18, 2008 8:42 a.m. neon4891 HalfDork

ignorant wrote:

fiat22turbo wrote:

You can't easily modulate drum brakes.

duh. I knows.. what you saids and I knows you the brake man...

but sarcasm etc.. travels poorly over the internet. I was pointing out the fact that on a cheap car, they said impreza not wrx or sti, that drum brakes are still the norm. They are a cost effective way to make a non performance vehicle stop. Still used worldwide. Yes, the friction surface is enclosed.. yes they overheat that way... yes yes yes...

I'm pretty sure that alot of base models and appliance cars still run rear drum, hey that rhymes. My R/T is the first car I've had with rear disks.
July 18, 2008 8:53 a.m. Tyler H Dork

I agree that the new WRX is disappointing. Cars these days must be evaluated on individual merits. There is no sense of 'lineage' between generations of automobiles any more. "Product lifecycle" has replaced lineage.

I'm thankful that Subaru brought us the '02~07 WRX goodness, relatively undiluted from the land of JDM.

This is a rare thing for a manufacturer to do. Americans buy cars based on payments, how cool it looks, and how many doohickeys are on the feature sheet.

As crazy as it seems, a limited-slip differential does not affect the new-car purchasing decision of the vast majority of buyers. :(

On the bright side, the WRX is a helluva car and has depreciated to the point where I just bought one. --04 WRX, unmodded, unmolested, clean...$12.4k, or about half what a new WRX costs.
July 18, 2008 12:19 p.m. ValuePack HalfDork

Um, wouldn't that be an Impreza Outback Sport, not a WRX? Ugly as sin, I'll agree... looks like an FHI afterthought.
July 18, 2008 3:01 p.m. ddavidv SuperDork

Goodbye GC body style, how we loved you so. Hello boring new Impreza, devoid of all Subaru funkiness However, perhaps it's time to look elsewhere in the Subaru line for funky turbo goodness:
July 18, 2008 3:28 p.m. Tralfaz New Reader

ddavidv wrote:

Goodbye GC body style, how we loved you so. Hello boring new Impreza, devoid of all Subaru funkiness However, perhaps it's time to look elsewhere in the Subaru line for funky turbo goodness:

No Manual Trans on the XT

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