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Why do wrx's cost so much? esp Used!

39K views 67 replies 24 participants last post by  zax 
#1 ·
Im shopping around for a WRX Got to be honest im really put off by the price. I know they are hard to get a hold of right now and because of this the used ones hold there value but ive been seeing people selling used for more then New!! Then looking at new the base model comes with nothing and is $26,556. The premium which is the same car just with blue tooth and moon roof and still has cloth seats is a wooping $29,600. I plan on buying one cause i really like them alot but when you look at the prices of other cars right now in the same performance category its a downer! Right now you can get a new Mazda speed3 for only $22,000 at some dealers and the new Focus ST is pretty sweet and comes with a ton of tech even in the standard base model.. Like i said the car is awsome i love that it has AWD main reason for wanting it but the price sucks!
 
#2 ·
If you and others refused to buy them the price would not be so high. Dealers sell them as high as possible. If I could sell my car for $100K, I would. Demand and controlled numbers have caused the issue.

I'd not pay full price and so I won't be buying anytime soon. You are wise to look at other cars as well. Shop around.
 
#6 ·
Wow $24,800?? I wish. Not where i live in the Northeast! Your lucky if they come down off $26,500 for the base Model up here. Heck the one dealer has like 4 or 5 left over 2012's that got caught in a sand Storm and had to get repaired and are now for sale and they wanted $27,000 for them and now they just marked them down to 26k and those things where in a sand storm and there a 12 not even a 2013 and thats what they want!!! Out of there f%&*king Mind!!!LOL....
 
#4 ·
Price remains high because the car is in demand. There's not much competition out there in this price range for a performance-focused AWD car. So if that's what someone wants, they need to look at a WRX. If AWD is not important to you, then your options are wide open.

When I was looking to buy, the resale value was a huge positive for me rather than a negative. Just remember if you opt for a 2WD car in this market segment, because there's lots of choice - and therefore lots of stock - the used value will go down. I was tempted with a Mustang, but knowing that after 5 years (when I plan to change the car) it will have lost a significantly higher percentage of its value than the WRX, I couldn't ignore it. I'm hoping it will leave me enough equity to step up to a BMW.
 
#5 ·
MS3 has fwd and a lot of torque steer but if thats your thing go ahead..

Focus ST has fwd and a lot of torque steer as well so same problem as the MS3.

Subaru has AWD and a lot of awesomeness... Sold.

But seriously, there is no other car like this and thats why the prices of used cars are so high for them. And most of the cars that you see that are used with pricing so high dont get sold and if they do it wasnt for what they wanted.

I just ordered mine new and got invoice so it was $25k and some change... And honestly for what you get that is not expensive at all. You can go out and buy an Accord for that and be bored everywhere you go. Food for thought.
Also I agree with Soobvirgin... Buy new and the car will hold its value when you are ready to sell it and get something else.
 
#7 ·
Oh i know i do agree! I really like the WRX alot and im trying to hold out for a good price! But when you see brand new MS3's going for 22k its tempting! I dont know a whole lot about the MS3 i here they are really good and have a beast of an engine and great performance and i would imagine the FWD with snow tires will still rock in the winter. But i deff would rather AWD. But to save 4 or 5k is very tempting for sure!
 
#9 ·
Saving 4-5 K is very tempting. It's your call, I can't say for sure what I'd do except:

I will not buy any German car sold in the US.

I will not buy another Mitsubishi.

I'll buy Honda, Toyota, or Subaru but won't pay high and won't wait.

If I could find a sub $25K WRX I'd look closely but it's not worth playing games.
 
#12 ·
A US bugeye WRX, a US MR2 MkII, a US Pilot, and an EU 323F. I don't need more cars because my problem is I don't sell my cars. I drive them until the doors fall off.

I like the new hatches and could buy one reasonably, especially if I sold two of my existing cars. However I won't order and wait, I won't pay full $, and I'd look at other makers too as stated above.

I think of buying cars this way: dealers don't want the cars. That's why they're selling them. They want the money. It's the buyer that has the money.
 
#13 · (Edited)
A US bugeye WRX, a US MR2 MkII, a US Pilot, and an EU 323F. I don't need more cars because my problem is I don't sell my cars. I drive them until the doors fall off.

I like the new hatches and could buy one reasonably, especially if I sold two of my existing cars. However I won't order and wait, I won't pay full $, and I'd look at other makers too as stated above.

I think of buying cars this way: dealers don't want the cars. That's why they're selling them. They want the money. It's the buyer that has the money.
Ya i hear ya.. Thats why im being really picky about what car i buy next cause i plan on driving it till the doors fall off myself. I live in the cold snowy mountains of PA and a WRX would be perfect. I just hate the price for my budget. When i saw the price of the new MS3's going for 22k for all different colors to pick from its very tempting and i know with good snow's FWD is good in the winter as well. BUT my heart say's WRX all the way but my head say's MS3 and save 4k...
 
#16 ·
If you are in the snow belt and want AWD nothing else will do, even though FWD is closer than RWD to your goals (winter mobility).

The Subarus are competent cars. If you want a WRX, do not let my cynicism stop you. I'm guilty of buying one and enjoying it for a decade myself! Just be very picky with money. You should keep as much as possible. Shop, shop, shop.

An east coast dealer with whom many have been pleased, and who has been contributing to threads on the site, is also a vendor. Consider the WRX buyer thread, maybe he can beat the competition.

Buy the seller not just the car. Insist on great service and professionalism. Good luck.
 
#23 ·
Look out of state. The dealership I get parts from has about 10 WRX/STIs on the lot. People in FL are having a very hard time selling their WRX/STIs. Ask me how I know. I have my 06 listed for 13,500 and have barely had any bites.
 
#28 ·
Drews said:
People in FL are having a very hard time selling their WRX/STIs. Ask me how I know. I have my 06 listed for 13,500 and have barely had any bites.
That's because AWD isn't really needed in FL. List your car up by me, and you could probably get $15K without much effort...
 
#30 ·
Drews said:
Would people be willing to pay shipping though?
How much would it cost to get your WRX up here? You could probably drive it here and fly home for less than $1500. You certainly have a place to stay while you broker the deal...
 
#31 ·
Shipping would be a cheaper, more realistic option for me honestly. I could probably ship from here for ~500.
 
#33 ·
I know.
 
#34 ·
I was in your same situation. Couldn't even locate a 5 door limited anywhere in the NE. I realized Florida was littered with them, so I decided to buy one down there. I bought a one way plane ticket for $125 from Allentown to Orlando. The dealer picked me up at the airport and drive me back to the dealership. We did the paperwork in about 30 minutes and I was on my way.

The issue for me was that I had no interest in an 18 hour drive, or putting 1200 miles on my car in 3 days. I found out that the Amtrak auto train runs from Orlando to Alexandria, Virginia. Cost $300 for my car and myself to take the trip. Dinner and breakfast included. I got to sleep, and saved 900 miles and $100 in gas. Got into Alexandria, and drove 3.5 hours back home to Allentown.

It was a great experience and I got the car I wanted at a decent price too. Less than $500 in travel expenses, and a day and a half of my time. It's worth it if you really want a certain car.
 
#38 ·
#37 ·
I'd also reccomend buying from a dealer willing to work with you and eating the cost of a one way ticket. I have a dealership two miles from my house, but they wouldn't get me the price I wanted and were not being helpful (even though I'd purchased my previous two outbacks from them) so I paid 50 bucks for a train ticket to Baltimore and paid 24,500 out the door for a brand new base model sedan the day it came off the truck. It also gave me a nice 5 hours of driving to start enjoying my new car right away (and to start chipping away at the break in miles)

Good luck with your purchase
 
#42 ·
If you can wait your best bet is to order, I ordered mine and got it for invoice pricing. I am also in the northeast, I went to the largest dealer in my area and wait time was 8 weeks. The dealers wanna sell the cars they just wanna try to get the best price for the since they are in high demand. Best thing to do is email the dealers and ask for the bottom price on the car you want, then take the lowest price and go back to the other dealers to beat it. If these dealers know your shopping around they will try to beat others pricing, let them know that you know what invoice cost is and you won't pay over that. That's what I did and got a deal I can live with, the wait sucked but now that's its here it was well worth it.
 
#44 ·
Dude, I live in northern MD....come down to Jones Subaru in Bel Air, MD. I placed an order for a base WRX hatch with no options on 12/17/12 for 25,300.00, which is the true-car guaranteed price. You can get these cars for a good price if you are willing to place an order and wait 2-3 months.

IMO, that is a great price for the amount of car you get, and is a significant step up from my civic SI.
 
#45 ·
Got mine for 25,500 in Hagerstown MD. They have a couple base models in stock as we speak. A gray and a plasma blue iirc. When comparing the only other awd turbo car on the market in performance Japanese makes, only the evo and wr's/sti. Evo is quite a bit more expensive than the Subaru models and you don't see too many on the road for a reason. Reliability and price/resale value. Tons of lancers though, blah. WRX FTW don't think twice.
 
#46 ·
when i went to my dealer, they flat out refused to budge on the price. they had 2 WRX and 2 STi's on the lot.. all were 2012's.

WRX Premium Hatch (which i bought) $29,188
WRX Base Hatch $25xxx
STi Base Sedan $37xxx IIRC they had a dealer mark up on it
STi Limited $38xxx also had a hefty mark up...

**going of memory here. but they would NOT budge even though I'd just got a car from them a month earlier. i have 4 Subie Dealers in my area and checked their inventories... unobtanium on sedan's... only Hatch backs.. and i wanted either a premium or limited, not a base.
 
#47 ·
I bought my 2013 5 Door CBS Premium for 27K even before Tax Title and Fees. I just played one dealer against the other until they wouldn't go any lower. Only option mine came with was the armrest extension which was free. The dealers will go lower you just have to be stern and ready to walk away, but you may have to order to get the price you want. The dealers pay fees for the cars on the lot but ordered cars are sold right away and don't have a holding fee so they are more open to making a deal on one.
 
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