Started looking for information on whats new for the 2010 WRX. There seems to be rumors out there about 5 more HP and not much more, I will keep an eye out. But if I was Subaru, I will make the following changes ASAP
What do you think??? Add yours here…
Over the last 2 weeks I did not update this post, I kept it quite until the break in period is over. SO the break in period is over.
I drove the car as instructed, I am willing to take an oath that i did, during the break in period I have to incidents. In both incidents I heard a weird clicking noise out of the engine (maybe i am just paranoid) .Iin both cases I called Subaru as soon as they happened. Unfortunate in both cases it happened on a Saturday and no mechanics where there.
I took the car in today, thought it would be ideal if I get an oil change after the break in is over and wanted them to test drive it and make sure everything checks out. Got the Oil change, and Chatted with the mechanic, No issues from what they can tell regarding the new engine, they tested everything.
Talked him at a bit about the break in. I am going to be as clear as possible. Subaru Mechanic told me today, The Break in period is just a precaution, it is not required. “The car is supposed to be driven”. I asked him about all this discussion online about breaking in the engine. Again, Break in is nice to have he said.
My advice better safe than sorry break in the engine, especially if you are buying not leasing the car.
Mechanic told me that Subaru has identified a common thread between the 09 wrx engines that have failed, even thought he said that no official word is out, what he heard is simply rumor. If there is a common thread and its confirmed soon, I would imagine they would let me know. In any case I am due back in April and will follow up.
In the mean time. I am going to do what the mechanic told me. “Just drive it, its meant to be driven hard”
First I want to thank everyone who posted and the many who sent me emails, much appreciated.
I got a few emails from people saying they are not going to buy the car because of this . I would say lets wait and see until the final verdict is in.
The guy from the dealership called me first thing in the morning and wanted to get some information on what happened, I told him what happened and he said he will call me back after technicians looked at the car. 2 hours later, i got the call, they found metal shavings in the oil when they drained it. They asked more question about what happened, they wanted more details and I provided it to them.
Another hour later, I got the call that the engine is out and will be on its way to Subaru Canada where they will take it appart, assess and let me know. The process usually takes two weeks, but with the holidays coming up, I expect it to take a bit longer, in any case, they provided me a replacement car.
I picked up the car in the evening, tried to chat a bit with the technician, but I could not get more info. All i gathered up is that this is not normal based on what they told me (but I expected that) and that the engine is the same as the 2008 model with some modifications.
So for now, I have a Subaru Legacy, and need an engine, other than that I dont know anything. I will keep everyone posted.
There where some comments about a break in period for the car. The more I think about this the more I am convinced that, that is not the problem. As I mentioned in a reply to a previous post, The week I got the car, I drove it about 1000 KM on a regional HWY between Ottawa and Toronto, so the car engine would have been broken in. I also know 100% that no one in the dealership talked to be about a break in, again in anycase, like i said I think 1000 KM is proper. BTW. I did go and check the user manual and no where do i see language on break in, where is it, what page? there is nothing in the warning section, nothing in the index, nothing in the content of the chapters. If you know where it is in the manual, let me know. To me bottom line, if break in is important, the sales man should not ask me to let it rip on the rest drive, if its important it should be told, and noted first thing in the manual.
Anyway for the time being, I have the replacement, I am happy with that, but sad that I dont have the car, and which I was not in this situation
Well, I am back in the saddle and wouldn’t you know it, its super cold. In the morning, I gotta scrape me some ice of the windshield to get going. Today was a bit colder than has been in the last 2 days. I scraped the windshield, but though going Id put on the defrost to get the back window defrosted. Yes i am lazy.
Off i go driving, 5 minutes in, Nothing, not a thing, its as if the defrost button was not even checked. i pressed the button 3 times (its on a timer) NOTHING.
Then i blast the heat up, and point the vents towards the back, boom instant meltdown. I wonder if my defrost is defective, I swear our other car defrosts faster.
Anyone else have that issue with their wrx 265?
Oh one more thing, their is a rattling noise coming out of the engine, sounds like something is lose and making a crackly noise, I gotta figure that out as well, will keep you posted. I wonder if having it parked for so long hurt the car.
I got this email from Don Harold, and with his permission posting it on the blog, thanks Don for sending it in, great email.
Hi. I recently acquired a silver wrx265 sedan. I previously owned a ’04 wrx wagon and a ’05 legacy gt (5sp turbo), so I am familiar with Subarus. I did not have much to go on, other than a couple of early tests which I read online. I moved up from the wrx to the legacy to take advantage of the superior interior and engine (2.5 l vs 2.0 on the wrx). I was very happy with the legacy, but ultimately wanted a smaller, better handling vehicle, hence the wrx265. I don’t think the interior of the 265 is better than the legacy… in fact it is a bit of a step down with respect to the controls. The 265′s seats are much better suited to a high performance vehicle, but the first long trip will tell the tale.
I place more value into the mechanical and performance areas, and in this sense the new 265 is a much better vehicle. The engine pulls right through to redline, and pulls very strongly I must say. The handling is on par with the engine, based on a limited amount of driving. I think the feel of the shifter is also much improved.
The look of the sedan is ok with me, despite the slagging it’s gotten in the press. I like the sedan’s look better than the hatch, which has been born out in a number of positive remarks I have received. The gun metal wheels are a nice compliment to the silver color of my car. I do appreciate the toned down hood scoop and spoiler as well.
Many people do not really get what a Subaru is all about. One must have a certain appreciation for AWD and turbo power delivery to even consider this kind of vehicle. In a way I am happy to be one of a small group that seems to appreciate it, and enjoy it’s unique character. I hope I will be talking this way 2-3 years from now…
Thanks to Phil Ingratta who wrote in and sent this info. Thanks Phil for sharing.
Here is an article I found on some 0-60 times far better than the ones you have on your site, and I think are more accurate. PHIL 2009 Subaru Impreza Here is sample text "Out at the track, the new and improved WRX launches hard; all four tires spin as the car leaps forward as if it were rear-ended by a bus. A mere 1.6 sec pass before 30 mph is reached, a time on par with the new BMW M3 and Cadillac CTS-v. Sixty mph comes in 4.8 sec, and the five-door, five-passenger hatchback we tested covered a quarter mile in 13.5 sec at 101.1 mph. That's near a second faster than last year's model and just a tenth slower than the 2008 STI. Consider the $10,000 difference between the base WRX and the" homologated rally car, and you'll be asking yourself, "STI why?"
I had intended on taking my 265 to the track this weekend. long story short, i was playing soccer and busted my achillies heel, and have to go for surgery. So nothing to report on the 0 – 60 or quarter mile runs or whatever.
But when i hurt myself, i fell down hard and eventually painfully made it to the car, of course i cant drive, and thank God my wife plays on the same team and thank God she drives standard. So my wife jumped behind the wheel, for this first time, she was a bit hesitant to drive it because she was worried it maybe too fast.
The Feedback from my wife:
1) Visibility is not good: Mind you my wife is tiny, 5 foot tall. She moved up the seat as much as possible, pumped it as high as possible and she still thought that the view was limited especially with the air intake being high up. My wife also had a hard time parking and backing up because the seats are built up high and get in the way for someone her size. When she turned around the seat was kinda in the way.
2) She loved the ride, she said that the one thing Subaru did well was to give you that sense of control, and that when she got to high speed (and yes she did, as we where rushing to the emergency room) you never lost or felt that you are going to lose control of the car.
3) She thought that the dials and instruments where great, because she jumped in the car and was able to manage things quickly.
In general she thought it was a fun ride, but not for her because of the visibility. I bet Subaru is not going after women my wife’s size with the wrx 265 anyway
Ok, so yesterday i head downtown for dinner with some friends, got to the parking lot and it is one of those no attendand parking lots. You get it, get a ticket, hang on to it, and then when you leave you walk up to a machine, put your ticket in, and pay. Once you pay you get another ticket which is what you use to scan yourself to get out.
I get in, get my ticket, no place to put it. As you know i already posted about the lack of compartments in the car. There is a compartment under the heat controls a good portion of it is taken up by the 12 volt adapter. I put my ticket there, kinda toss it in, and off i go to do my thing. I come back, i try to get the ticket, but you think i can get my hand in? nope, so this compartment is shallow and deep. I don’t think i have giant hands either. Anyway i managed to get the ticket out and get going, but those compartments or lack of, is getting annoying. I have now resorted to using a (well i wont call it compartment) more of a side thing, that is on the door, its working Kinda, but not the best solution.
It took a few trips to actually get the test drive going. The first time I went, I just showed up to dealership and asked to test drive one, unfortunately they did not have any in stock yet and I was told to come back in a month.
In mid Sep I called, and was told that the first of the WRX 265 a Black one, had arrived and sold already, and to check back. Success finally came at the end of Sep when the dealership told me they had 2 of them on the lot, a 5 door WRX and the sedan, however only the 5 door was ready to test drive.
I thought I would go and test drive the 5 door, got there it was later in the day and it was getting dark. In any case, got in the car and the salesman told me to let it rip, and so I did, and was sold in the first minute.
As we drove along, and it did not matter if we drove on a local street or a highway, that car just wants to fly. It cornered well, handled well, sounded great, and again the main attraction, the speed. I mean it just takes off. The fact that it is an all wheel drive helps kick it even more and gets you up there in speed pretty quickly, and the best part, you always feel in control of the ride.
I did a quick look around the car, visibility was great, and its size was perfect for me, and the dash board and controls where simple and easy to use.
And so with that, I decided to go for it, I wanted to get the sedan in White. Subaru did such a good job on this years white, and the car looked awesome in white except they only had a white GT. If I wanted to get the 265 in white, I would have to wait for one to make its way from Japan, and I was not waiting. With that we made the deal on the silver, the only 265 sedan they had on the lot.
Come to think about it, the test drive went really quick, I did not really bother looking at the details of the car, the drive sold the car. I mean performance wise; one can not expect a better ride at that price.
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