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  • RidgeRunner

    Sept. 6, 2010 1:29 a.m. RidgeRunner Dork

    Howdy,

    Long time no post.

    School me on Subies...

    I recently came across a nice lookin' 2007 Scooby Impreza 2.5i for sale, and am considering it for a daily driver and possibly something to convince me to get back into weekend fun on the autox course.

    I test drove it, I think it's got sufficient pep considering I'm coming from a SOHC Tuppercar (Saturn). Feels a damn sight sportier too.

    Any particular problems to look for? Easy to maintain? Good longevity? Reasons not to get it? Call me stupid for not getting a Scooby years ago?

  • jrw1621

    Sept. 6, 2010 5:30 a.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

    Just be prepared for a big trade off in mpg.
    A 2000 Saturn SOHC is currently epa rated at 25/36
    A 2007 Impreza is currently epa rated at 19/26

    For the average person this will be $500 more per year in gas or about 42 more dollars per month.
    www.fueleconomy.gov

  • DaveEstey

    Sept. 6, 2010 7:39 a.m. DaveEstey Reader

    I see no reason why he couldn't do better than 27 in the Scoob. My Legacy GT averages 26 over a tank of mixed driving.

    That said, my Legacy just spun a bearing yesterday with 68k miles on the clock and the oil level was fine.

  • Sept. 6, 2010 8:43 a.m. triumph5 Reader

    wath out for head gaskets leking and then blowing.

  • DaveEstey

    Sept. 6, 2010 9:08 a.m. DaveEstey Reader

    they stopped doing that 8 years ago.

  • Sept. 6, 2010 9:38 a.m. Mikey52_1 Reader

    DaveEstey wrote:

    I see no reason why he couldn't do better than 27 in the Scoob. My Legacy GT averages 26 over a tank of mixed driving.

    That said, my Legacy just spun a bearing yesterday with 68k miles on the clock and the oil level was fine.

    Bearings spun? First hard acceleration of the day, maybe? While I was still in Vo-Tech, one of the other students, whose Dad had more money than sense, had brought in his (new) 383 Roadrunner the day before, for a 'tune-up'. First thing in the morning, he lit 'er up, idled about 15 seconds, then goosed it hard showing off for the rest of us. And then the banging ensued. We found both rods on #3 throw, and 1 rod on #2 throw, that stacked the bearings on top of one another. Cold oil, don'cha know...

    Yeah, I know, apples and oranges...still, 68K and tossing bearings? I don't know how that bodes for any future.

  • RidgeRunner

    Sept. 6, 2010 12:08 p.m. RidgeRunner Dork

    Yeah, the gas mileage is going to make me sad... but it's still not bad. I've had much worse.

    Just looking around the 'net, I'm pleased to see there's a decent selection of "upgrades", should I decide to make my commute more fun.

  • DaveEstey

    Sept. 6, 2010 12:15 p.m. DaveEstey Reader

    In reply to Mikey52_1:

    Nope. Car was nice and warm. I think the PO ran it low on oil a couple times.

  • Sept. 6, 2010 12:24 p.m. Mikey52_1 Reader

    DaveEstey wrote:

    In reply to Mikey52_1:

    Nope. Car was nice and warm. I think the PO ran it low on oil a couple times.

    yeah, that would set you up for it...sorry for your visit to Murphy's corollaries.

  • ddavidv

    Sept. 6, 2010 1:12 p.m. ddavidv SuperDork

    Hysteria from some of the haters aside, not much goes wrong with the newer ones. Wheel bearings have always been an issue. Watch the timing belt interval. Run it to 200,000 miles with few worries.

  • Sept. 6, 2010 1:27 p.m. Kiponator New Reader

    I had an '06 and my recollection is about 24 or 25 mpg on my mixed highway/town/backroads commute.

    Also in stock form it understeered like crazy but I guess that's easy to fix.

    It seemed like mine burned a significant amount of oil starting from the day I bought it new, never really followed through on what that was all about ... traded "up" to an A6 2.7t when the Subaru hit about 44k miles and deeply regretted that decision on a monthly basis even though the Audi was a CPO car.

  • Feedyurhed

    Sept. 6, 2010 2:18 p.m. Feedyurhed HalfDork

    I bought my son a new 06 Impreza wagon when he started college (in 06 of course) and it has been absolutley flawless. One of the best automotive decisions I ever made. He has plenty of space to haul things, AWD for winter and consistently gets in the upper 20s mpg. And that includes the occasional autocross. It's got 70K miles on it now and when he graduates in December KBB states that it will be worth about $10-$11K. Seriously, just a great car.

  • Sept. 6, 2010 3:37 p.m. paul Reader

    Mine needed transmission rebuilds every 27-30k miles, consumed oil from when I bought it new and the paint started chipping off a block away from the dealership, it didn't handle too well, was slow and never got more than 26mpg...

    Ever wonder why it's rare for subaru techs to actually own subarus?...

  • RidgeRunner

    Sept. 6, 2010 5:21 p.m. RidgeRunner Dork

    paul: AT or MT?

  • irish44j

    Sept. 6, 2010 8:51 p.m. irish44j HalfDork

    jrw1621 wrote:

    Just be prepared for a big trade off in mpg.
    A 2000 Saturn SOHC is currently epa rated at 25/36
    A 2007 Impreza is currently epa rated at 19/26

    are you sure that's right? IDK about EPA numbers, but my 2009 wrx gets 19/26 real-world mileage (calculated, not using the trip computer). I would think that the pre-2009 wrx with a smaller turbo would do better than that, and that the non-turbo impreza should do much better.

    Like I said though, my typical tank of mixed heavy rush hour and 80mph highway I get around 23...

  • RidgeRunner

    Sept. 6, 2010 11:13 p.m. RidgeRunner Dork

    Any major differences between the 2.5i and WRX besides a turbo and visuals? Looks like 230hp for the WRX vs 173 for the 2.5i...

    I can't leave anything alone, so who knows... If I get the thing, I may eventually find myself wanting to make some improvements.

    Starting with the WRX would be nice, but from what I'm seeing they're several thousand more... plus insurance would likely be higher.

  • griffin729

    Sept. 7, 2010 2:12 a.m. griffin729 Reader

    My '01 Impreza RS gets 23-25 mpg fairly consistently no matter how I drive it.

  • HiTempguy

    Sept. 7, 2010 8:06 a.m. HiTempguy HalfDork

    griffin729 wrote:

    My '01 Impreza RS gets 23-25 mpg fairly consistently no matter how I drive it.

    Cruising on the highway at 115km/h with cruise on, I can get 700kms on 50L. That works out to 33USmpg.

    Just cause some of you can't drive, doesn't mean a Subaru doesn't get good gas mileage (and mine has 225,000kms on it).

    Straight city driving drops it to about 550km/tank, which is still ~25usmpg.

 
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