A Sports Car For a First Car?

[LeadFootLiam]

Two of my friends have a 2002 Subaru WRX. I looked at them earlier and did not pay much attention to it because of how expense they can be, for a first car.

That was a while ago, and I have changed. I have realized how good this car is in terms of how it fits my needs. What do you guys think?

It will be my daily driver, and I will occasionally take to track days and autocross.

 

[Joel]

Great at being your first money pit, and the first car you wrap around a tree.

 

[Wolfe]

A naturally aspirated Subaru with a manual transmission will give you most of the same experience without as much risk of expensive maintenance and having been thrashed by previous owners. The NA EJs are pretty bulletproof and the reputation the transmissions have for failing doesn't apply so much if the car hasn't been (ab)used as a stoplight dragracer. A 200-some horsepower WRX is also rather quick for a first car, and will only return fuel economy in the mid 20s. My wagon can manage just over 30mpg.

They're good cars, and dependable if they've had a good life, but if you're worried about the expense you may want to go sans-turbo. If anything does go wrong, parts are typically more expensive than your average Honda/Toyota. FYI, some of the 2.5L engines have faulty headgaskets; there's an updated headgasket design that resolves the problem, so if you're looking at any 2.5L model you should check which EJ derivative it has and, if applicable, ask the owner if they've been changed.

 

[Doog]

WRXs are fairly expensive to insure from what I've read. Then add on the fact that you're a 17-22 year old male, and this is your first car...

 

[Slash]

WRXs are fairly expensive to insure from what I've read. Then add on the fact that you're a 17-22 year old male, and this is your first car...

Well that depends if he pays for it as well, if he's like me, he's on his parents plan until he's 21.

 

[Azuremen]

Great at being your first money pit, and the first car you wrap around a tree.

This. So much this.

Well that depends if he pays for it as well, if he's like me, he's on his parents plan until he's 21.

And that won't change the fact the WRX is way higher up in insurance brackets because young people love them and love to crash them. Being on your parents' plan doesn't really lower the cost much, plus he is in Canada.

Unless you're implying that if he is on his parents' plan, he doesn't have to pay insurance...

 

[Slash]

This. So much this.



And that won't change the fact the WRX is way higher up in insurance brackets because young people love them and love to crash them. Being on your parents' plan doesn't really lower the cost much, plus he is in Canada.

Unless you're implying that if he is on his parents' plan, he doesn't have to pay insurance...

Yeah, that was what I was getting at, the part about not having to pay for it until he's off the plan. I lucked out, they get a discount on it.

 

[Harry6784]

Nothing wrong with getting a quick car as your first car. You just have to be that more responsible and respect the car that much more. I got my car when I was 18 and even though I like 'spirited' driving, I never push the car past my driving limits.

WRX is a great car. AWD, decent mileage, fun to drive, good looking and quite practical. Not many other cars that meet all those criteria.

 

[Slash]

Nothing wrong with getting a quick car as your first car. You just have to be that more responsible and respect the car that much more. I got my car when I was 18 and even though I like 'spirited' driving, I never push the car past my driving limits.

This, but the thing is, a lot of people don't know their limits, and that's how accidents happen, and people get hurt.

 

[E28]

Get something cheap, reliable, and relatively slow.

You'll still love it, and have fun, and if you were to have an accident, you'd probably come out better than if you were in a WRX going too fast.

 

[GranTurismo916]

What about a non-WRX?

 

[BerettaGTZ]

I think a WRX is a bit too much for a first car. I'd look for a 2.5rs but thats just me.

 

[Joey D]

A good first car is something cheap to own and cheap to repair when you do end up running into something (which, statistically will happen).

Also instead of trying to track or autocross it, you might want to actually learn how to drive first. Oh and never track your daily driver, if you have an off and wreck it, the insurance won't pay out.

 

[Xavier2342]

Given what your intentions are with that car, without a doubt it's an awesome first car.

 

[Parker]

Without knowing your driving ability or how you are as a person I'd suggest you get a regular Impreza first. A Subaru is a wonderful first car but I'd get comfortable driving, shifting and maintaining a car before you get into a WRX.

 

[Badasp5.0]

A naturally aspirated Subaru with a manual transmission will give you most of the same experience without as much risk of expensive maintenance and having been thrashed by previous owners. The NA EJs are pretty bulletproof and the reputation the transmissions have for failing doesn't apply so much if the car hasn't been (ab)used as a stoplight dragracer. A 200-some horsepower WRX is also rather quick for a first car, and will only return fuel economy in the mid 20s. My wagon can manage just over 30mpg.

They're good cars, and dependable if they've had a good life, but if you're worried about the expense you may want to go sans-turbo. If anything does go wrong, parts are typically more expensive than your average Honda/Toyota. FYI, some of the 2.5L engines have faulty headgaskets; there's an updated headgasket design that resolves the problem, so if you're looking at any 2.5L model you should check which EJ derivative it has and, if applicable, ask the owner if they've been changed.

This right there.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Stock MY01-02 WRXs aren't really that quick unless you want to dump the clutch and then, subsequently, destroy a couple of cogs in the process. Turbo lag is prominent as with most turbocharged Subarus of the era, and the GDs were also close to 200kg heavier due to considerably improved torsional stiffness and NVH than the GC WRXs so they were considerably slower. Safety was also markedly improved over the GC. MY02s (unsure if this was the same across the pond) also had shorter gear ratios in order to pep up the WRX a bit in terms of acceleration.

Find a stock one, and it'd be passable street car for a first time driver if you're sensible. As a first time performance vehicle, there is nothing I would recommend more. Insurance will be a considerable expense.

Otherwise, exactly what Wolfe said.

 

[LeadFootLiam]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm still deciding, thinking about an Integra GSR, it will be a lot cheaper and easier to work on.

 

[kikie]

Is This a Good First Car?

My honest opinion? No it's not. Why does it have to be a (rather) high performance car?

It's too:

* expensive

* dangerous for inexperienced drivers

 

[LeadFootLiam]

Expensive yes. Dangerous? Its 4WD, I have also participated in a couple autocross events, pretty sure I can handle it.

Plus these are super hard to find, so I might just forget it and get a GSR or something. @kikie

 

[C_Raccoon23]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm still deciding, thinking about an Integra GSR, it will be a lot cheaper and easier to work on.

I think an Integra in general is a better choice. I had a '96 as my first car and it never gave me trouble during the 4 years I owned it.

However, it wasn't a GSR though, but an LS. Not sure if a GSR would be a good first car either as it's the most powerful Integra you can buy besides a Type R. But maybe the other guys here can give you some better insight on that.

 

[kikie]

The fact that it's 4WD makes it more dangerous in the hands of inexperienced drivers. The fact that it's 4WD means that you can go through corners at higher speeds. A 4WD gives you a false sense of security.

If you go through a corner at high speed and somenthing happens in front of your car, you hit the brakes. The weight of the car shifts forward making the rear wheel to lose grip. Result; oversteer. You try to control the oversteer. You can't, make even more mistakes and voilà, you smash into a tree, house, other car etc... .

Get a FWD, it's safer to drive. A 4WD acts more like a FWD than a RWD but it is still a dangerous toy for inexperienced drivers.

 

[LeadFootLiam]

Might just get a GSR, sacrifice the lack of 4 doors. They are fast too! They are capable of 0-60 in 6 seconds.

@kikie Its pretty difficult to oversteer a WRX unless your on gravel or snow, or have an 80/20 diff. Two of my friends have a WRX and it's nearly impossible for them to oversteer it in dry condition. There are a lot of WRXs and STi's at my local autocross events, have never seen them oversteer even in the wet.

 

[McLaren]

They're not you, though, are they? How much driving experience do you actually have compared to them, or in general?

 

[LeadFootLiam]

They're not you, though, are they? How much driving experience do you actually have compared to them, or in general?

All around the same, couple months difference, one is a year old though, so he would have more.

 

[wrapture]

Id say it depends on how mature you are out in the real world (which none of us would know). One of my favorite mottos is "Save it for the track."

 

[Bluntified]

No offense, but judging by your name you should get something sloowwwwww. Lead Foot + Fast car = disaster.

I'd get the GSR, though watch out for thefts! It's one of the highest stolen car in Canada! The Subaru is just cop bait and waiting to be pulled over.

Why not something like a Accord? I had a '91 EX-R (first car <3) and loved it, had it for 5 years. It taught me a lot about general repairs, they're so easy to fix and parts everywhere. Early to mid 2000's are really nice IMO.

 

[savage388]

I love the wrx however I'd say it's not a good first car at all, they tend to be huge money pits full of problems from previous owners.
That said I'd still love to have one, just be realistic with your budget.
They really aren't all the fast or dangerous either, I don't get what everyone's comments about wrapping it around a tree are. Awd, 227 hp and four doors isn't exactly a recipe for disaster if you ask me.

 

[LeadFootLiam]

No offense, but judging by your name you should get something sloowwwwww. Lead Foot + Fast car = disaster.

I'd get the GSR, though watch out for thefts! It's one of the highest stolen car in Canada! The Subaru is just cop bait and waiting to be pulled over.

Why not something like a Accord? I had a '91 EX-R (first car <3) and loved it, had it for 5 years. It taught me a lot about general repairs, they're so easy to fix and parts everywhere. Early to mid 2000's are really nice IMO.

I could get an MK1 Miata, those are awesome, not practical at all though, lol. Never know that about GSRs! Would have never guessed that they are high theft.

EX-R, hmmmm, not my thing, I can be very picky.

What about this? http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/cto/4265556667.html

 

[Downhill Dino]

I could get an MK1 Miata, those are awesome, not practical at all though, lol.

What, not practical? What.

What about this? http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/cto/4265556667.html

That's probably just as bad as the WRX, if not worse.