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John's First Car! WRX or Not?

9K views 67 replies 23 participants last post by  KeatonHo 
#1 ·
Hey everyone. I'm new here! My name's John, I'm 17 and I am planning on buying my first car. I am by no means a car guy but I really love the culture, I love seeing what amazing things you can do to cars ever since I first watched fast and furious last year (yes, I know I'm late). To me and to many others, nice sports cars are just the usual, ferrari, lambo, corvette, etc. There's no customization. But through tuning culture it's AMAZING to see the customizability within cars and what you do, including internal modifications and external modifications, and make any ordinary car look super.

I think it's amazing to be able to take a $10,000 car, put $90,000 worth of upgrades and overhaul it and see it smoke a $100,000 corvette (which is super ugly). Lol

Anyway, I originally wanted an evo but after many months of looking at cars and carbuilds online I finally decided on a WRX. Hopefully.

I've heard so many things about these cars and want to learn more before I make the purchase.

First off, I'm in Illinois. A suburb of chicago more specifically, therefore, we have awful weather as you may know including 99% of the year being snowy! Haha. But seriously, the terrain here isn't super hilly, I mean everyone's def of hilly is different. obviously California has like 45 degree hills but to them that's normal.

Anyway. First off, I can't drive manual. My parents tell me that it's hard, you can break trans, etc, but keep in mind they were driving manual cars in like the 80's. Also, if they ever need my car in an emergency or need to move it they won't know how. This is why I was considering getting a CVT. I know people advise against it, but some people don't advise against it. Obviously I won't be a street racer, but the reason I want this car in the first place is because it's a sporty car. It's nice and not crazy fast (stock) but it looks so sexy. Plus it's 4 doors which I need, plus subaru has high safety ratings. I am torn between the CVT wrx or the 6speed wrx. Opinions on either??

I'm not sure which model to get, obviously the cvt are only 2015+. I just don't want some junky beater.

Another thing to add, I will be going to college in 2 years. There's a chance I get excepted into a school in downtown Chicago, which obviously is a city. I don't know how much driving I will be doing in the city but I heard city driving manual is bad.
Another thing, there's lots of questions I have about manual in general. Say for example I need to stop abruptly. Do I have to shift down 4 times or something if I'm in say 4th gear?

People say transmissions are a lot to replace and I've heard transmissions on the manual are very fragile. The main thing I'm worried about though is getting made fun of for the CVT if I get it. I want to be able to go to car shows and meets.

The only modifications I will be doing will be for performance, and efficiency. I won't be overhauling engine, etc. Most likely exhaust, muffler delete, air intake, basic mods.

Sorry if I'm rambling or not sounding clear I'm in finals week and just got finished with 3 finals. Thanks much!

Excited to become a part of this awesome community!
-John
 
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#3 ·
I think it's amazing to be able to take a $10,000 car, put $90,000 worth of upgrades and overhaul it and see it smoke a $100,000 corvette (which is super ugly). Lol
What the hell are you talking about?
 
#4 ·
Driving manual is not difficult. You can learn in a day and be sufficient in a couple weeks.

Everyone on here is going to tell you not to buy it for various reasons mainly financial and safety.

I say if you can somehow afford it and want it then get it. Also it's not anywhere near fast enough to be dangerous. Good luck and get the manual.
 
#7 ·
"Also it's not anywhere near fast enough to be dangerous"
UM, yes it is, even in stock form. 149mph is quite dangerous, as are 55 mph clover leafs! The car isn't a viper, but it moves and turns quite well for under 30k.

not to mention, if you are like my 17 year old, I would suggest you get a fkn beater to smash up, he's on #3 already. Very poor decisions are common at your age, trust me. Then again, see above for poor decision making at a much older age!
 
#9 ·
No you are totally right. I don't know how to drive manual.

I guess that's something I skipped over. I'm not sure if I should get a manual and learn to drive it? Or learn to drive manual first? I just don't want to have a manual ****ty car. Everyone says get a crap car as ur first manual, but I don't want an ugly beater manual as my first. I'd rather get something else.

Obviously there's better performance with the manual but I don't know if it's worth it for me, someone who doesn't know how to drive manual.
 
#10 ·
you would expect a better response from a moderator...

10,000 car. Just some old beater, used evo for example. work on engine, upgrade, new wheels, drive shaft, gears, turbo, modifications, and have it be faster/just as fast as a stock corvette or some other stock car.

I knew I would get some hate posting this but from a moderator? really?
 
#12 ·
Haha thanks for the input! One thing I'd like to point out, and this may mean nothing to you guys, I'm working on my eagle scout rank, I'm a "nerd". I don't speed, I'm cautious, and while accidents are inveitable, I am not reckless.

I also don't go more than 5 mph over the limit, and never have.
 
#14 ·
You're not gonna get the love you're looking for here based off what you already said.
And that's the type of response id expect from a moderator responding to some kids post about how he wants to modify his car to be faster than a corvette.

Talk about someone having deep pockets that wants to daily a car that's reliability would be compromised going that route in terms of power u wanna achieve
 
#15 ·
Never said I want to modify my car to be faster than a corvette??

Do you gearheads know how to read??

I said the reason I like this "car tuner world" or whatever the fck it is is because people can do things like that. And there's options, customizable options with cars rather than corvettes where it's just 1 size fits all, it's the same car made thousands of times.

I like the tuner cars, like the WRX because you can customize it.

I would never put more than $30,000 into a car until I'm older.

I'm reluctant to put this much money in for a WRX.

Don't judge a book by it's cover, my pockets are deep, I work my damn ass off in school and out.
 
#19 ·
I said the reason I like this "car tuner world" or whatever the fck it is is because people can do things like that. And there's options, customizable options with cars rather than corvettes where it's just 1 size fits all, it's the same car made thousands of times.
Ummm... the Corvette aftermarket industry is huge, bruh...



Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
#17 ·
Look kid...... We are trying to help you out here. A wrx is not a good first car for a teenager starting out driving. It just isn't. We have read/heard it all. The I am mature enough, the I have the money, everything. I too wanted a wrx as a first car. Living under my parents roof, my Father would not let me own a turbo'd car as my first. Instead I rolled off of the lot with a new impreza 2.5i MT. Learned how to drive a manual, and even modded it a bit. I was mad for a while but learned to love the little car for what it was, and what it wasn't.

Hindsight, I am glad that I didn't get a wrx at the age of 18. I would have killed myself. And back then I though I was one of those "mature" teenagers that could handle it. After driving it for a few years I finally upgraded to a wrx. In the past decade I have owned 3 different wrx's and now an STi. Wait until you are older, and more financially secure before you pull the trigger on a wrx. The best advice I have seen on this thread yet is to buy a MT non-turbo'd impreza. And I couldn't agree more.
 
#18 ·
And for some reason you keep relating to anything else but a newer wrx as a ****ty car. You can go find a nice low mileage non turbo'd impreza that is a manual to learn on that is not a piece of ****. Just because you don't get the wrx, doesn't mean the alternate is any worse. Especially for a 17 year old. Hell, when I got my license I drove around my moms minivan for a while until the start of my senior year of high school when I got a 1999 ponitac grand am.

I don't get the new self entitled generation. smh.
 
#21 ·
Here I'll feed your ego.

Yeah bro, get it, the girls will love you as you are buried in debt with no money to do anything with them, but hell with personality, you've got a car. You'll look super rad as the vape flows from your cracked windows and the flat bill coupled with the limo tint helps block out any sun there may be. You slap a BOV and a straight pipe on that car and panties will be dropping all across the states. Don't forget your garbage can looking fender flares to cover your hugely offset wheels. You've also got to camber the crap out of them 45deg no less. Do not forget the random japanese cartoon character stickers and dolls in the car so you can be totally jdm. Thats the most important thing, be JDM.

OR, you can buy a reasonable car that wont break your budget so you can spend more money on booze and various other hobbies once you hit college.
 
#23 ·
self titled?? I just mentioned I'm working on my eagle scout. I mentioned I work my ass off in school and out. I'm far from self entitled. Every other kid in my grade is self entitled because their FIRST cars are 40K jeep wranglers or hummers....

A regular impreza seems like a cool option. I just want something that looks nice, looks cool. Doesn't even have to be fast. Everyone's opinion of fast is different. One guy earlier in this thread said the WRX wasn't fast.. you are saying it is. everyone's opinion is different. I will for sure look at the regular impreza...

If I do go that route, should I get manual or auto? Thanks

-John
 
#25 ·
Just because you are working on your eagle scout (congrats btw) and work your ass off, as you put it, doesn't mean you are mature enough or financially secure enough to even consider a used wrx. Unless like mentioned above, you are using your parents checkbook.

I mean you even just said you wanted to look cool. Eventually, later on down the road in life, you will learn that other peoples opinions do not matter. Add the looking cool in front of your friends/girls with a turbo charged car, it is a recipe for disaster. I mean look at 90% of mustang owners that think they are cool because they have a mustang. Most of those cars and people end up trying to do a burnout in front of a large crowd to look cool, and end up crashing into the said crowd.

Oh, and manual.
 
#26 ·
I am going to agree with the other, I wouldn't get a WRX as a first car and considering it sounds like you want to modify your cars at some point down the road, get a manual. The automatic transmissions in these econoboxes are not going to be forgiving to modifications.

I would suggest looking into a used Civic Si, they have a strong culture, and a civic si is cheap, fairly quick and easy to drive.
 
#27 ·
I really feel you guys aren't reading. I never said I want to look cool. I want a cool car. I want a sportier car. I already don't give a **** about what people think about me... I mean I'm in boy scouts...

I want to take the focus of the WRX first. I haven't even ridden one before. I am HOPEFULLY going to a car meet saturday after finals with my dad and his friend who collects camaros (he has a dozen apparently, with one in his living room).

Obviously it's a sportier car and as much as I want a sportier car you are right there are MANY dangers. I'm not so particular with that car now.

As for the impreza, what year would be a better year to purchase?? The one thing I'm looking for in my car is something sporty. I just feel there's no other time to own a sporty car. After college you need a proffesional car, then you get married, have kids, there's like no spot for a nice car. I'm fine with waiting, really.

I want to talk other options though.

Imprezas are cool, and can be modded a bit right??

I was also looking at Mazdaspeed 6/3 but of course those are faster cars. Opinions?

BMW are nice but ofc those are luxury, I don't feel a teenager should be driving a luxury car.

As for the transmission on the impreza, is it fragile like the one in the WRX?
 
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