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To WRX or not to WRX: questions and concerns about Challenger to WRX

2K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  rqjoe 
#1 ·
Hey everyone...

Thinking about getting into a 2016/2017 WRX Premium, Lapis Blue with the 6-speed. I recently moved to an apartment in a city and, while I do have a covered parking garage, it's difficult to juggle my current car situation which consists of a RWD spring/summer/fall daily and a 4x4 for the winter.

The WRX would be totally different from my current DD but the all-weather capability is a huge plus. I'm hoping boost would keep me occupied and make me forget my V8, combined with the fact that the WRX may actually feel quicker due to gearing and the general nature of the car (lighter/more nimble/better visibility/etc). The WRX also seems to be a better financial proposition since it would be less costs in terms of insurance and registration and maintenance. Not only that but the dealership I've been talking to has offered me great trade-in values for both my car and truck, and has also offered a great deal on a WRX.

I'm not new to the world of Subarus in terms of knowing about them from afar but still have limited personal experience with them. My uncle has owned Subarus and only Subarus my entire life (I learned to drive stick on his '05 Legacy GT wagon), and he absolutely swears by them. However, a friend of mine who had a bad experience with his WRX (which was pretty well built) is telling me to stay away from the brand entirely. I can't use his input as the only deciding factor, but he is a serious gearhead and knows his stuff pretty well. That being said, I know that other people have fantastic experiences with these cars and seriously love them, so I'm curious if I can be persuaded to trust other peoples' experiences as well. Obviously members on here will be biased...it is a WRX forum...but I'm hoping to get some level-headed feedback on if this seems like a good move.

I do have a few questions:

-The new FA motors seem to be holding up well (relatively so, at least), but I put on a lot of miles. Any reason to avoid these cars in this case? I do about 22-24k miles/year. How do these motors do after 50k, 75k, 100k miles? How about the rest of the drivetrain?

-Has anybody gone from RWD muscle car to WRX and regretted it, or wish they had switched sooner? I'm most worried about missing the cruising comfort and long-distance drivability. I can easily do a full day of driving in my current car, and am wondering if that's the case with the WRX's higher road/tire noise and more high-strung nature.

-The dealership at which I've gotten the best price offers a complimentary "lifetime powertrain warranty." Has anyone heard of this and if so, is it legitimate? The salesman told me that, for example, "if the motor were to blow at, say, 250k miles, it's on us." I know the old adage about "if it's too good to be true...", but wondering if anyone has any experience with this.

-The aforementioned dealership also sells the Cobb Accessport and claims it won't void the warranty regardless of if they or I install it. Is this actually the case or should I be skeptical?

-Do I have unrealistic expectations about the car's ability in the snow? In the past I've primarily driven 4WD trucks on all-terrain or mud tires through the winter, so going to an AWD car does concern me a bit. I have the type of job where if I need to get to the building in the middle of the night in a blizzard, I gotta do just that. Obviously I'd get proper snow tires, and I know if there's 2 feet of unplowed snow I'm not making it, but will it do well enough to keep me in good shape should I need to go out or get around?

-Somewhat confused about the different stereo/screen/navigation packages, but understand that the base stereo isn't too good. As for the navigation, what package is required to get it as an option? And I've been told that navigation doesn't require a subscription, is this true?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I think more and more about this, but this seems like a good place to start. I really like the WRX and think it would be a good fit for me and my lifestyle, but am concerned about making what's a big change in cars and also going against the negative experiences I've heard of. My other option would be to buy a proper 4WD vehicle (Jeep, small pickup, etc.) for DD/winter use and supplement it with a fun car on the side. That route is likely more expensive than the WRX would be, but isn't a bad option either. As I'm sure you all know, automotive decisions are never easy and this is turning out to be no exception. Anyways, thanks for listening and any help is much appreciated. Thanks everyone!
 
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#2 ·
I'm curious what others will say that have come from a Challenger to WRX or vice versa, but I was debating the Challenger/Charger vs a WRX as well so I'll chime in with my .02 considering I have a '15 WRX now.

I test drove a 2011 Challenger (V6) and it felt big and didn't exactly inspire confidence that it would handle well in the corners, etc. which is what I love about my WRX - I can take corners and winding roads at decent speeds and the car feels glued to the road. That being said, I think the Challenger R/T would be more fun in a straight line due to the V8 and faster 0-60 times, but how often do you drive like that vs day-to-day driving where the WRX handling could come into play? For me the latter won out. For what it's worth - I had a run with a 2015+ Challenger SRT the other day up to about 60 mph and we were pretty close, until I backed off due to traffic. I don't profess as to whether or not that was a valid "test" by any means - for all I know the other car may have needed a driver mod :) Made me feel good that my WRX at least kept up with that one tho.

With regards to snow - I haven't been able to try it out in the snow yet, but expect it will handle pretty well assuming the tires are something other than summers.

The dealer bit sounds very fishy to me....if it were me I would want to go over the fine print with a fine tooth comb...

Stereo - I debated getting a used 2015 or a new 2016 and reviewed the stereo in a 2016 prior to buying my 2015. The stereo in the 2016 wasn't too bad, it comes with a Starlink touch screen and sounded decent. My 2015 had an upgraded head unit but the speakers are stock which are kind of weak. I may end up upgrading them at some point.
The navigation option comes packaged with the Harmon Kardon sound upgrade and does not require a subscription.

Hope this helps somewhat....
 
#7 ·
Thanks-- yeah, the Challenger doesn't handle well in a vacuum, let alone compared to the WRX. To drive the Challenger hard around a corner you really need to focus and make sure the rear wheels are hooked up, whereas in the WRX you can just point and shoot. You have a good point though, I really only use full throttle in the Challenger maybe twice a week...definitely not a lot. That being said the WRX is slower than the Challenger, but I don't know if I'll miss anything more on the performance side other than being able to go sideways.

Don't trust the dealer as far as aftermarket parts. "They" may do warranty work if the parts are involved but SOA won't support you on it and neither will other dealers. The same goes for their lifetime warranty, that is their warranty not Subaru's and if they choose to deny it, there is no one to back you up.

The radio isn't "that" bad after you mess with the settings a LOT. Stock it sounds worse than anything I've ever heard.

I drove my buddy's tuned Challenger RT before I bought my 16 WRX. I also used to own an early 15 WRX but it had a lot of 1st year issues so I dumped it even though I loved it. The Challenger IMO is a much better commuter car, it is just sooooo darn comfortable to be in. The draw back to that is I would never trust it to handle anywhere close to how my Subaru does and visibility wasn't as good. Straight line performance also feels very similar for both, it may not be, but it feels like it.

As far as reliability, stock the wrx should be just fine and most tuned up to stage 2 never have an issue. They do have a lot of quirks which can randomly happen and make you think something is wrong, but it's just kind of a subaru/wrx thing. They also take a little more maintenance than good ole rwd muscle, so there's that. Also depending on your area and where you go, there may not always be a dealer close by compared to Dodge/Chevy/Ford which are EVERYWHERE.

Good luck on your decision!
Thanks! The Challenger is extremely comfortable, that's probably the best thing about. Its cruising comfort rivals that of even the Lexus LS430 my grandfather used to have, but given its size/weight/mojo that's not surprising. As per the handling-- you'd have to do a *ton* to the suspension to get it to handle anywhere near as well as the Subaru does stock. And the visibility...probably the worst part about the car other than the size. Can't see anything out of it. That's also one of the things that's selling me most on the Subaru, I feel like I can see *everything*. The quirks are what worries me. Not that my Challenger hasn't had any...quality isn't exactly its best trait.

I cannot answer all of your questions . . . but I do have some input.

Reliability: Honestly, from what I've seen here and elsewhere the WRXs (especially when not modded or perhaps I should say not modded incorrectly -- i.e. without tunes) have been pretty darned reliable. I have seen just a small handful of folks who have had issues and more commonly folks (including myself at 23,000+) report zero issues. Last week I even ran into a contractor with a 2015 who has put on over 80,000 miles on his car with no issues -- says he just brings the car into a Quick Lube place for an oil change every so often (which I personally would not recommend.)

Snow: In the Winter I am an avid snowmobiler (well, last winter, not so much due to the lack of snow) . . . and the WRX with snow tires on it is the closest thing to a street legal sled -- it handled fantastically well in the snow. In the past I would relegate my FWD Honda Accord to the garage on snowy days and take my capable, but gas guzzling Nissan Titan 4WD pick up. Now the poor Titan sits at home unless I need to use it to haul my sled in the winter.
Thanks, good info and good to hear it does well in the snow. I'm an off-road guy at heart so I want to go full-4WD truck but it doesn't make sense based on size/efficiency/space...get what you mean with the Titan though, had an Avalanche before the Challenger, did great in the snow but the rest of the time wasn't the best thing to drive.

I did not go directly from RWD or muscle car to the WRX, but have had several RWD muscle cars in the past. WRX is more fun to drive than them on a daily basis. For drag racing, yeah the V8s were more fun in the instant. In the instant. Rest of time WRX more fun.

I went to a dealership when a friend bought a plain Impreza last Fall. The dealer sold him a "lifetime powertrain warranty." So they do exist but in his case at least it was not complimentary. Perhaps your dealership is throwing this in to get you to buy.

I find mine with snow tires to be excellent in snow. Only issue might be ground clearance. But on typical roads even this is not an issue. Only if off-roading or un-plowed, "rutted" roads might it be an issue. You can get snow tires that raise the car a little to help also.

I find the base stereo to be OK. Bigger issue is the wind and road noise from the car which detracts from any stereo.

Road trip of 550 miles one-way was fine for me in this car. Comfortable enough.
Thanks, I would definitely up-size a drop for the winter. I'm an off-road guy at heart so I know damn well the limitations of ground clearance, but slightly bigger tires would probably help a bit. How bad do you find the wind/road noise? That's one of my bigger concerns. The Challenger was dead silent until I put a resonator delete on (now it's really loud), but I'm worried about how much outside noise makes it into the cabin of the WRX. Does it get annoying at all on long drives? Hard to tell on a 5-10 minute test-drive.

My Girlfiend has a 2010 challanger RT 6speed as her summer ride and while she really enjoys it and I like driving it as well from time to time I prefer the wrx. She also really enjoys driving the WRX as well when I let her lol. The challanger is a big comfy cruiser and thats really all I like it for. Yes it has a huge torquey v8 but it doesnt like driving in the city. Its best suited for the highway. She apprecaites how quickly the WRX get up and goes and how quick the steering is and the tightness of the suspension. I have to agree that the wrx is all of those qualities but I have to maintain its no racecar (to which I think some owners make it out to be). I also have a 05 S2000 which I have owned since new and it is much more sports oriented than a wrx. But I digress.

I have never heard of a dealership offering lifetime engine warrantys on their vehicles but i guess anything can be true. Also if they reach out to Subaru to cover a issue and they find out an accessport was being used then its likely not going to be covered by subaru. Your dealership though is another story.

If you have a nice set up snow tires on the subaru it will be amazing in the snow. I can speak directly to expirience. I had to drive 1 week through a buffalo winter with the factory Dunlop Sport Maxx tires and it was probably the worst thing I have ever done in a car. I immediately bought a snow set of wheels and tires and it was just amazing in any kind of snow after that.

The stock stereo in the WRX blows. I put a Subwoofer in mine and it helps a little bit but they are pretty terrible IMO. I cannot comment on the Upgraded stereo.

OVERALL, I love my WRX. I bought it because I had a child and wanted something with a backseat. I thought about going with the STI but I couldnt justify it for a daily driver. It is a great car and checks a lot of the boxs I had when looking for an affordable fun car. Is it perfect? No, not in my eyes but its as good as your going to get for the price you can get one for. If I had to choose between a challanger and a WRX, it would be a tough call as they are two completely different vehicles but I would probably go with the WRX for the long term vehicle. Also its not hard at all to make a wrx faster than a Challanger. If its really that much of a concern then maybe an STI would be a good fit.
Glad to hear more positive feedback about snow driving. As you said, the Challenger is a cruiser...not meant for anything else. I'd also like to go STI but can't really justify it, not now at least and not with the new motor in the WRX being so well received. But you hit the nail on the head, and that's exactly why I'm really thinking I'll be in a WRX soon: value.

Thanks again everyone. This all definitely helps!
 
#3 ·
Don't trust the dealer as far as aftermarket parts. "They" may do warranty work if the parts are involved but SOA won't support you on it and neither will other dealers. The same goes for their lifetime warranty, that is their warranty not Subaru's and if they choose to deny it, there is no one to back you up.

The radio isn't "that" bad after you mess with the settings a LOT. Stock it sounds worse than anything I've ever heard.

I drove my buddy's tuned Challenger RT before I bought my 16 WRX. I also used to own an early 15 WRX but it had a lot of 1st year issues so I dumped it even though I loved it. The Challenger IMO is a much better commuter car, it is just sooooo darn comfortable to be in. The draw back to that is I would never trust it to handle anywhere close to how my Subaru does and visibility wasn't as good. Straight line performance also feels very similar for both, it may not be, but it feels like it.

As far as reliability, stock the wrx should be just fine and most tuned up to stage 2 never have an issue. They do have a lot of quirks which can randomly happen and make you think something is wrong, but it's just kind of a subaru/wrx thing. They also take a little more maintenance than good ole rwd muscle, so there's that. Also depending on your area and where you go, there may not always be a dealer close by compared to Dodge/Chevy/Ford which are EVERYWHERE.

Good luck on your decision!
 
#4 ·
I cannot answer all of your questions . . . but I do have some input.

Reliability: Honestly, from what I've seen here and elsewhere the WRXs (especially when not modded or perhaps I should say not modded incorrectly -- i.e. without tunes) have been pretty darned reliable. I have seen just a small handful of folks who have had issues and more commonly folks (including myself at 23,000+) report zero issues. Last week I even ran into a contractor with a 2015 who has put on over 80,000 miles on his car with no issues -- says he just brings the car into a Quick Lube place for an oil change every so often (which I personally would not recommend.)

Snow: In the Winter I am an avid snowmobiler (well, last winter, not so much due to the lack of snow) . . . and the WRX with snow tires on it is the closest thing to a street legal sled -- it handled fantastically well in the snow. In the past I would relegate my FWD Honda Accord to the garage on snowy days and take my capable, but gas guzzling Nissan Titan 4WD pick up. Now the poor Titan sits at home unless I need to use it to haul my sled in the winter.
 
#5 ·
Hey everyone...
I do have a few questions:

-Has anybody gone from RWD muscle car to WRX and regretted it, or wish they had switched sooner? I'm most worried about missing the cruising comfort and long-distance drivability. I can easily do a full day of driving in my current car, and am wondering if that's the case with the WRX's higher road/tire noise and more high-strung nature.

-The dealership at which I've gotten the best price offers a complimentary "lifetime powertrain warranty." Has anyone heard of this and if so, is it legitimate? The salesman told me that, for example, "if the motor were to blow at, say, 250k miles, it's on us." I know the old adage about "if it's too good to be true...", but wondering if anyone has any experience with this.

-Do I have unrealistic expectations about the car's ability in the snow? In the past I've primarily driven 4WD trucks on all-terrain or mud tires through the winter, so going to an AWD car does concern me a bit. I have the type of job where if I need to get to the building in the middle of the night in a blizzard, I gotta do just that. Obviously I'd get proper snow tires, and I know if there's 2 feet of unplowed snow I'm not making it, but will it do well enough to keep me in good shape should I need to go out or get around?

-Somewhat confused about the different stereo/screen/navigation packages, but understand that the base stereo isn't too good. As for the navigation, what package is required to get it as an option? And I've been told that navigation doesn't require a subscription, is this true?
I did not go directly from RWD or muscle car to the WRX, but have had several RWD muscle cars in the past. WRX is more fun to drive than them on a daily basis. For drag racing, yeah the V8s were more fun in the instant. In the instant. Rest of time WRX more fun.

I went to a dealership when a friend bought a plain Impreza last Fall. The dealer sold him a "lifetime powertrain warranty." So they do exist but in his case at least it was not complimentary. Perhaps your dealership is throwing this in to get you to buy.

I find mine with snow tires to be excellent in snow. Only issue might be ground clearance. But on typical roads even this is not an issue. Only if off-roading or un-plowed, "rutted" roads might it be an issue. You can get snow tires that raise the car a little to help also.

I find the base stereo to be OK. Bigger issue is the wind and road noise from the car which detracts from any stereo.

Road trip of 550 miles one-way was fine for me in this car. Comfortable enough.
 
#6 ·
My Girlfiend has a 2010 challanger RT 6speed as her summer ride and while she really enjoys it and I like driving it as well from time to time I prefer the wrx. She also really enjoys driving the WRX as well when I let her lol. The challanger is a big comfy cruiser and thats really all I like it for. Yes it has a huge torquey v8 but it doesnt like driving in the city. Its best suited for the highway. She apprecaites how quickly the WRX get up and goes and how quick the steering is and the tightness of the suspension. I have to agree that the wrx is all of those qualities but I have to maintain its no racecar (to which I think some owners make it out to be). I also have a 05 S2000 which I have owned since new and it is much more sports oriented than a wrx. But I digress.

I have never heard of a dealership offering lifetime engine warrantys on their vehicles but i guess anything can be true. Also if they reach out to Subaru to cover a issue and they find out an accessport was being used then its likely not going to be covered by subaru. Your dealership though is another story.

If you have a nice set up snow tires on the subaru it will be amazing in the snow. I can speak directly to expirience. I had to drive 1 week through a buffalo winter with the factory Dunlop Sport Maxx tires and it was probably the worst thing I have ever done in a car. I immediately bought a snow set of wheels and tires and it was just amazing in any kind of snow after that.

The stock stereo in the WRX blows. I put a Subwoofer in mine and it helps a little bit but they are pretty terrible IMO. I cannot comment on the Upgraded stereo.

OVERALL, I love my WRX. I bought it because I had a child and wanted something with a backseat. I thought about going with the STI but I couldnt justify it for a daily driver. It is a great car and checks a lot of the boxs I had when looking for an affordable fun car. Is it perfect? No, not in my eyes but its as good as your going to get for the price you can get one for. If I had to choose between a challanger and a WRX, it would be a tough call as they are two completely different vehicles but I would probably go with the WRX for the long term vehicle. Also its not hard at all to make a wrx faster than a Challanger. If its really that much of a concern then maybe an STI would be a good fit.
 
#8 ·
[/QUOTE] How bad do you find the wind/road noise? That's one of my bigger concerns. The Challenger was dead silent until I put a resonator delete on (now it's really loud), but I'm worried about how much outside noise makes it into the cabin of the WRX. Does it get annoying at all on long drives? Hard to tell on a 5-10 minute test-drive.
[/QUOTE]

If you are used-to and need quiet, the WRX will annoy you. Some will say it isn't so bad, but compared to my Regal, the new Fusions and even the Foresters, the WRX is loud. It comes with no insulation in the doors. But you also tend to get used to it. And of course the road surface makes a difference. I insulated my doors myself and it makes a big difference. My snow tires really liven up the noise with the more aggressive tread. For me, while I find the noise (wind and road) levels more than I am used to, they are bearable and one of the little quirks I can put up with just to have the "funness" of the rest of the car.
 
#11 ·
If you are used-to and need quiet, the WRX will annoy you. Some will say it isn't so bad, but compared to my Regal, the new Fusions and even the Foresters, the WRX is loud. It comes with no insulation in the doors. But you also tend to get used to it. And of course the road surface makes a difference. I insulated my doors myself and it makes a big difference. My snow tires really liven up the noise with the more aggressive tread. For me, while I find the noise (wind and road) levels more than I am used to, they are bearable and one of the little quirks I can put up with just to have the "funness" of the rest of the car.
I was used to quiet but with the resonator delete, the Challenger is loud. Really loud. What did you insulate with? I've heard good things about Dynamat. Figuring a bit on the trunk and doors could go a long way should I need it down the road.


Road noise in the WRX exists. A good deal of it is due to the tires. The very aggressive summer tires tend to be considerably noisier than a tire that is made to be quite. Just FYI, 911s have their share of road noise, too.

Just remember that the WRX is a four pot, turbo engine. While it is decently fast and handles very well, it will not have the instant push from the big block V8. Torque is what pushes you into the seat and really, there is no replacement for displacement.
Different tires could certainly help. Would explore this later on of course. And the torque of the V8 is great, but I really only use it so often. On ramps and such, the occasional blast through the gears. Otherwise it's just cruising for me, and with my new commute handling is more important than power.
 
#9 ·
Road noise in the WRX exists. A good deal of it is due to the tires. The very aggressive summer tires tend to be considerably noisier than a tire that is made to be quite. Just FYI, 911s have their share of road noise, too.

Just remember that the WRX is a four pot, turbo engine. While it is decently fast and handles very well, it will not have the instant push from the big block V8. Torque is what pushes you into the seat and really, there is no replacement for displacement.
 
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