Hey,
So I made a thread a while back criticizing the WRX for its rough transmission, and some of its weaker points. I was driving a 2016 TLX that was leased, and ever since shifting back to the automatic I realized just how plain boring the drive was. Mind you, I've always been a safe and cautious driver. I had the Acura for roughly 3 months before I finally decided to stop torturing myself and purchase the Subaru. It wasn't cheap, but I could have made out much worse. Found a dealer that wanted to play ball, and extracted a number that eased some financial tension from the situation.
I research things to death - the Acura was an impulse buy, and in the process I lost my 6M Accord, which was only a few years old. I had such anxiety about the Subaru. Will it be smooth enough. Are the features there. Premium gas. Snow tires. Cop magnet. The list more-or-less went on. I think most buyers are disciplined enough to understand their standards before purchasing. It really comes down to 1-2 vehicles. Having never owned a sports car besides my Integra, I didn't know what to expect.
Finally driving the WRX I understand some of the things I've read from here, heard from others, seen online. The experience isn't there until you finally have it, are behind the wheel, and feel the grip from the awd with the twin-scroll turbo kicking you back. I don't launch, or really push the car, but who cares - this is the most fun I've had behind the wheel of a car in a long time, if ever. Those issues I had with the transmission are just buyer's apprehension. Is it butter smooth like the m3 I test drove, no. But it doesn't need to be. It has distinctive notchy shifting which I have grown to love. It feels mechanical. Like a true driver's car. The sound the FA20 generates feel visceral and addictive. I find myself making up reasons to leave the house. I'm pulling 23.1MPG.. from an awd turbo.
Some drawbacks: Pandora (Apple) requires cable, doesn't connect via bluetooth - get random disconnects, maybe once a drive. The speakers are awful. I read reviews criticizing their capacity, but I didn't expect them to be that terrible. That's it.
My biggest takeaway has been just how different the car drives as you acclimate to the trans. clutch. It still plays hard to get, but I've more or less found the perfect shifting points, clutch releases, to really make the car drive like my previous manuals. No regrets.
Now, if you could help me decide on winter options. I'm considering either snow tires, or possibly a tire/rim package to avoid shop swaps every season. Which would you recommend?
Thanks for reading!
So I made a thread a while back criticizing the WRX for its rough transmission, and some of its weaker points. I was driving a 2016 TLX that was leased, and ever since shifting back to the automatic I realized just how plain boring the drive was. Mind you, I've always been a safe and cautious driver. I had the Acura for roughly 3 months before I finally decided to stop torturing myself and purchase the Subaru. It wasn't cheap, but I could have made out much worse. Found a dealer that wanted to play ball, and extracted a number that eased some financial tension from the situation.
I research things to death - the Acura was an impulse buy, and in the process I lost my 6M Accord, which was only a few years old. I had such anxiety about the Subaru. Will it be smooth enough. Are the features there. Premium gas. Snow tires. Cop magnet. The list more-or-less went on. I think most buyers are disciplined enough to understand their standards before purchasing. It really comes down to 1-2 vehicles. Having never owned a sports car besides my Integra, I didn't know what to expect.
Finally driving the WRX I understand some of the things I've read from here, heard from others, seen online. The experience isn't there until you finally have it, are behind the wheel, and feel the grip from the awd with the twin-scroll turbo kicking you back. I don't launch, or really push the car, but who cares - this is the most fun I've had behind the wheel of a car in a long time, if ever. Those issues I had with the transmission are just buyer's apprehension. Is it butter smooth like the m3 I test drove, no. But it doesn't need to be. It has distinctive notchy shifting which I have grown to love. It feels mechanical. Like a true driver's car. The sound the FA20 generates feel visceral and addictive. I find myself making up reasons to leave the house. I'm pulling 23.1MPG.. from an awd turbo.
Some drawbacks: Pandora (Apple) requires cable, doesn't connect via bluetooth - get random disconnects, maybe once a drive. The speakers are awful. I read reviews criticizing their capacity, but I didn't expect them to be that terrible. That's it.
My biggest takeaway has been just how different the car drives as you acclimate to the trans. clutch. It still plays hard to get, but I've more or less found the perfect shifting points, clutch releases, to really make the car drive like my previous manuals. No regrets.
Now, if you could help me decide on winter options. I'm considering either snow tires, or possibly a tire/rim package to avoid shop swaps every season. Which would you recommend?
Thanks for reading!
