Good assessment on your post. I've been looking to run against a stock 09+WRX at the road course with my Z but no luck yet.

The WRX is an easy car to drive fast where the Z takes more skill but is more rewarding at the limit.

They're polar opposites from a power delivery perspective but they both feel equally fast with the Z being quick off the line and the WRX coming in on boost around 3500rpms. Here in Colorado going up a mountain pass at 10k feet my money is on my WRX though. Everywhere else I'll take the Z.

The WRX is easier to city drive compared to the Z - clutch action, once you get use to it is easier, steering a little less twitchy, the ride more compliant and outward visibility is better.

We get about 25mpg in the city and 32mpg highway in the WRX and I've only been able to eek out about 20/26mpg city/highway in the Z.

You didn't take a step back considering your need for selling the Z. They're both a lot of fun to drive, they're just very different but for ~$26k the WRX is a bargain.

good post.......enjoy your new ride.... there not that popular down here where i live.. but i can understand why you made the switch.....

but i have just one kicker...........imho the only really true sports car is RWD
make and model make no difference but it's got to be RWD......

Coming from the Wisconsin/Illinois border, Subaru's are a dime a dozen. In fact, the town I come from has a subie meet every Thursday, and every Thursday around 4-6 pm, a long train of 12+ subaru's come out; in every color, every trim, and typically, a ridiculous BOV and exhaust. They still sound great, but it's like a massive train of vuvuzelas.

That being said, I've driven a 94 impreza L making 200 wheel, an auto RS with 180 crank, an 04 WRX making at least 350 wheel, and ridden in a 400+ 09 WRX. If you've got within 30 horse of the Z, the all wheel drive makes it seem like an even match up to 60. I've seen that they often understeer while under throttle but overall, the subaru is a car that will work very well for snowy or rainy environments, and can be driven year round. The only thing that a lot of people hate about subarus are their insanely difficult to maintain motors; changing anything out of a boxer motor can be a serious pain in the ***...

Hey guys... bringing this thread back a bit. I've had the WRX for a few months now and added a downpipe, AEM CAI and an OTS tune that was very slightly tweaked by Eric at Torqued Performance... I didn't do any dyno run, but the virtual dyno (said to be pretty well inline with a dynojet) netted me 309 whp/324 wtq. Feels like a different car now. Some SS brake lines and a fluid change are needed and some sway bars to level out the handling now.

However, I think everything cost me 550.00 - 600.00.. so not to bad.

Aftermarket part market for the impreza motor(s) is huge. An exhaust for the Z is typically a thousand dollars, where an equivalent one for the WRX might be only 600.

Good to hear you're enjoying the car. Those things don't take much to amp up.

:icon18:Funny

Did ya turbo it???:hello:

Thanks for starting this post & reviving it. Good info when you throw out the unnecessary comments. Your car looks good and now sounds even better, enjoy!

Yeah, i'm really not looking for much power... but the stage 2 set-up has helped my mileage a bit, but I am careful about which parts I choose or will choose in the future. The thing with this car is that the DP is a HUGE restriction on this car, but the full exhaust MIGHT net you 5-8 whp... not worth it for the price and the stock CBE sounds deep and very good to me.

thanks!... now go **** your mother... anally :-)

tempting...

You still got your Subie man?

yep. love it.

Huh?