[Gifford.matt18]

Im thinking of buying a Subaru we’d here within the next couple months. I’d like some helping picking one up for under 10k that could get me into the car scene that I would be able to mod but would also be a pretty reliable fun car.

 

[Gifford.matt18]

Im thinking of buying a Subaru we’d here within the next couple months. I’d like some helping picking one up for under 10k that could get me into the car scene that I would be able to mod but would also be a pretty reliable fun car.

A Subaru WRX is what I tried to type

 

[XJman]

I'm just going to leave these thoughts.

What do you consider "pretty reliable"

A 10k dollar WRX is going to be old, beat to death, or both. That is not something any sane person would label as reliable in any imaginative stretch.

 

[Gifford.matt18]

I’m just looking for something that won’t just blow up on me right away

 

[XJman]

Find a car with zero modifications, a full service history, you'll want to profile the owner is his name Chad, does he wear a monster energy hat and have facial tattoos?

That's about it. Let me also toss this out there. With a lower budget ask yourself if a finicky niche vehicle with high maintenance costs and a marginal long term reliability record is something you are really ready for? Are you able to shell out nearly the entire budget you have there if the engine croaks or is that why your buy in price low?

If you are ok with that then follow the advice at the top of my post. If not what is it you are looking for? A WRX is a fun car but they are not for everyone.

 

[Blk18wrx]

My 2 cents... if a wrx is what you want, go find yourself one man, we only live once! I just recommend having a reputable shop that knows subarus do a full inspection on whatever you end up looking at

 

[zax]

OP, I fixed your thread title.

I’m just looking for something that won’t just blow up on me right away

That's never a guarantee. Modifications tend to add more absolutism to the possibility that it might blow up. The most telling, though, is the owner. Beware of WRXs with many many owners. You never know how many Chads came before the current owner.

we only live once!

Perhaps, but this is frequently used as Millennial hogwash to justify a bad decision.

There is an element of truth in what you suggest, but it's equally important to exercise good judgement.

 

[cbk57]

My for what it is worth, is get an Imprezza manual, add some wheels and stuff to make it fun ,drive it a couple years then go for a newer better WRX. Like some said above, a cheap WRX may be a path to spend money. A cheap WRX is fine in my opinion if you either have some money ready to spend on it, or if you have the skills to fix it yourself. It just seems like people that own WRX very often use them hard and or mod them. In the end this is a small displacement motor that people are pushing to its limits and finding them.

 

[ProZach626]

Man, there are a lot of more fun and reliable cars for 10k other than a base Impreza to sink unnecessary money into. I'm going to go with my standard suggestion of a pre-owned Civic Si. Make sure it's unmodified and the transmission isn't garbage. If it meets that criteria, you're good. They're out there.

I really wanted to mention an SRT4, but that would be really stupid... oops.

Find a car with zero modifications, a full service history, you'll want to profile the owner is his name Chad, does he wear a monster energy hat and have facial tattoos?

I'll add "Does he vape?"

Perhaps, but this is frequently used as Millennial hogwash to justify a bad decision.

Other favorite sayings to justify bad circumstances and decisions:
"Everything happens for a reason."
"You can't take it with you." (In reference to money)

 

[zax]

I still lust for an SRT-4.

But I've learned to think with my brain and not my genitals. As you said, very stupid idea

 

[Blk18wrx]

Hey, nothing wrong with vaping! Lol

 

[zax]

Hey, nothing wrong with vaping! Lol

Except popcorn lung.

 

[SlwLrnr]

What about a v6 accord with a stick? I think with only $10k you primarily need reliable. My friend's has over 200k and the original clutch.

 

[zax]

Those are surprisingly quick too.

 

[cbk57]

I was assuming when I suggested an Impreza that the OP wanted a Subaru. But also wanted to retain some economic sanity. I know if you go older Honda Civic SI you are not getting the bad weather performance that an Impreza offers. I owned a Civic at one time and while wonderful cars, I remember one occasion trying to go up a hill in significant snow and turning the wheels nearly 90 degrees to the right to keep going in a straight line, was luck not to get stuck or go back down the hill.

 

[zax]

I was assuming when I suggested an Impreza that the OP wanted a Subaru. But also wanted to retain some economic sanity. I know if you go older Honda Civic SI you are not getting the bad weather performance that an Impreza offers. I owned a Civic at one time and while wonderful cars, I remember one occasion trying to go up a hill in significant snow and turning the wheels nearly 90 degrees to the right to keep going in a straight line, was luck not to get stuck or go back down the hill.

With winter tires equipped, you may be surprised how little value AWD provides aside from burning more fuel.

 

[cbk57]

With winter tires equipped, you may be surprised how little value AWD provides aside from burning more fuel.

You are probably right, I have never had winter tires. I still feel though in adverse whether no car I have ever driven performed better than a subaru. That includes any low grip situation including heavy rain. My prior car experiences are Subaru Impreza, Crostrek, Honda Insigh, Honda Civic, Volvo S70, Volvo 850, Porsche 944, Mercury Cougar, Alfa Romeo Spyder. My wife has two all wheel drive Honda CRVs as well. I think a subaru in abnormal conditions beat all of those. I would also say it beats most rental cars I have driven as well. Although one time I had an infinity all wheel drive sedan in bad whether and it was outstanding.

Also the Alfa caught me out once on loose traction, not wet or anything just an off camber turn with a lot of loose junk it and if I crashed left I was safe, if I crashed right I was probably dead, the car snapped loose with no warning and I chose to make the car go left.

 

[zax]

You are probably right, I have never had winter tires. I still feel though in adverse whether no car I have ever driven performed better than a subaru. That includes any low grip situation including heavy rain. My prior car experiences are Subaru Impreza, Crostrek, Honda Insigh, Honda Civic, Volvo S70, Volvo 850, Porsche 944, Mercury Cougar, Alfa Romeo Spyder. My wife has two all wheel drive Honda CRVs as well. I think a subaru in abnormal conditions beat all of those. I would also say it beats most rental cars I have driven as well. Although one time I had an infinity all wheel drive sedan in bad whether and it was outstanding.

No offense intended, but a lot of that is simply increased confidence (sometimes overconfidence) providing a cognitive bias.

AWD doesn't help the car handle, turn*, or stop in inclement conditions. It can help the car to start from a standstill.

I put an asterisk above to say that in the case of dirt-stage or snow rally, driving all four wheels can help the car power through low-traction corners, but this is at the absolute limit of grip and should NOT be the way anyone drives on public roads.

TL;DR - AWD helps far less in inclement whether than Subaru and other manufacturers would lead you to believe.

 

[XJman]

My two cents on the topic of number of wheels driving.

It helps, marginally, not past acceleration. It takes its toll in cornering and braking.

In slick conditions I've found the more wheels I have power to the more the car wants to move sideways. WHen power is on the front the front of the car wants to slide to the side of the ditch, awd, 4wd, or fwd. Rwd same. Awd I always find the entire car just wanting to keep going in one direction. Around a corner up hill, slide straight to the side. Living in the great state of disappointment where straight flat roads don't exist this is an extremely important consideration as the cliff to the side of the road doesn't stop until hell.

Down hill I have the same issues with AWD and 4WD vehciles, less because of the driven wheels, but because of the weight compared to a more traditional FWD layout. Conservation of momentum is a real wicked mistress.

100% RWD is the hardest to deal with, however its also the easiest to predict and correct for in my opinion and thus what I'd rather deal with.

 

[cbk57]

No offense intended, but a lot of that is simply increased confidence (sometimes overconfidence) providing a cognitive bias.

AWD doesn't help the car handle, turn*, or stop in inclement conditions. It can help the car to start from a standstill.

I put an asterisk above to say that in the case of dirt-stage or snow rally, driving all four wheels can help the car power through low-traction corners, but this is at the absolute limit of grip and should NOT be the way anyone drives on public roads.

TL;DR - AWD helps far less in inclement whether than Subaru and other manufacturers would lead you to believe.

I have found in heavy rain for example the Subaru feels far more stable, than a front drive car. I also felt it was more stable than my wife's CRVs. I have never really tried driving very aggressively with all wheel drive. At one time I raced go carts and my car control was pretty good but I never had access to all wheel drive back then.