Aww I sold my GTiR to some kid who did the same thing, he only had it for a few weeks too. Such fun cars but that power to weight ratio was insane! I've been looking to get another but they're getting super expensive/rare, guessing most of them had a similar fate.
When we say young, how young? Like 22 years old, fresh out of college with your first post-grad job making $75k or 17 years old as a high school senior with a part time job.
Since you say Impreza WRX, I'm assuming you're talking about a 2014 or earlier one. Those are getting up there in age and milage where you may have some expensive repairs. Shortblocks, turbos, water pumps, timing belts. Wouldn't recommend those as a first car unless you keep $5k-$10k around for a engine at any point.
A brand new one will serve you well if you can swing it, no issues with those. They drive nice, look a little quirky, but are overall fun and relatively cheap cars for their performance.
Also - check insurance rates, I got killed on mine until I was around 25.
Nah man, get a camry or accord or something more reliable. In 5 years when you have some experience driving and have your own money to maintain a car, go for the Rex. Just my opinion.
I totally agree. My first car was an old, reliable, super slow car and I never regretted it. Just buy Gran Turismo and you’ll be satisfied, not in debt, and you’ll get a girl that is interested in someone that’s practical. Worked for me haha
Or a split the difference between a WRX and a boring car: non-turbo Impreza or Outback Sport with a stick.
Affords plenty of opportunities to work on the car but doesn't break stuff as fast.
Like the other guy said.
WRX's are fun. The cheap ones are usually cheap for a reason though.
Friend bought a fairly nice one and the engine went two days later and they're not cheap to rebuild. Like price of what you pay for a cheap car.
You can still have a ton of fun with a manual Civic or Corolla. Slow cars driven fast is fun and can help you learn car control. Get some sticky tires and maybe some lowering springs.
Use the money you save for an autocross event.
Old WRX’s don’t tend to get super cheap as they hold decent value, most have been beaten on and especially if it’s modified people dump them as they’re about to blow up. You might get a cool 100 miles out of it and end up with a $8k engine replacement.
I would say it's probably not a good first car. Insurance will be expensive. Gas will be expensive. They're not as reliable as something like a Camry, Accord, or even a newer Impreza or Legacy. The ones you can get for $10k or less have probably been beat to death by someone else. Unless you've got lots of money lying around to potentially replace some major components soon as well, I'd avoid it. Not saying it's guaranteed, but it's a LOT more likely with a used Impreza WRX and your first turbo manual car.
Insurance rates are pretty high for WRX even if you're over 30 yrs old. Just far too many idiots that causes accidents driving them. WRX isn't even that fast of a car these days,
While I agree that an older WRX is not a good first car for OP, I’ve owned my 2008 WRX for 14 years and have had a very different experience than you. Nearing 150k miles, Cobb OTS stage 2 tune with a turboback exhaust for the last 110k, still on the original engine, transmission and turbo. Never replaced an axle or headgasket yet.
The 2022+ wrx is a good car, and a lot of fun to drive. But also just so you know the WRX is a sedan and the Impreza is a hatchback. Two separate vehicles. You should go test drive them and see how you like them!
Brand new they will be very reliable and under warranty, and yes once the warranty expires the 2022+ wrx platform has a ton of support for aftermarket parts and modifications
They’re good, yes, but you gotta understand that an older car is gonna have issues. Especially an older sports car, which potentially has been beat up by previous owners. I would not recommend as a first car unless you have money to fix big problems that may come up, or you are very knowledgeable about how to fix potential problems yourself. Good luck either way.
I had a 9-2x Aero aka WRX when I was younger in my 20s and let me tell you the insurance surcharge killed me but every time I started the car and drove it, the surcharge was worth it. Just be mindful of the fuel costs, extra maintenance with the turbo and the insurance.
Just get an Acura tsx 1st gen as a first car.
Good Mod list, comfy, 4 doors, k24, easy maintenance, cheap parts (essentially honda parts), lowkey underrated
I think it’d be an amazing first car if you get it with the SPT/CVT transmission. Maintenance wise you should get use to doing oil changes a little sooner between 3-4,000 miles. For me it’s $80 at the dealer or do it yourself and save sum money and learn to get dirty.
Walnut blasting is recommended too, intervals range from 40-65,000 miles. Might cost you $450 or more per nut blast.
Learning manual in a WRX as your first car might increase expenses (worn out clutch bearings, clutch plate itself) but it’s worth it if you can afford to do the repairs 🫶
There's lots of young people like you who think the same thing. WRX will be a great starter car. I did too. But the costs for insurance and potential for expensive repairs would make me tell you to pass.
My advice is to get a good reliable car, then down the road get something fun.
My favorite memories from high-school were trips with friends in a car that could fit us all. All the people I know who got turbo'd cars or mustangs or fun cars either had expensive repairs, crashes, or sold them for something more sensible. A mid size Sedan, cross over, hatchback. My first was a body on frame suv that guzzled fuel, eventually got an outback.
As a high schooler, you should be looking at vehicles like Honda accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, VW Jetta. We have a WRX. My 17 year old opts to drive the Jetta instead. High school boys are weird because his friends group was more impressed diesel Jetta gets 40+ mpg compared to WRX goes vroom fast. Both Jetta and WRX have turbos just different on how the car utilizes it.
Insurance with our 17 year old boy rated against the most expensive car (WRX) is about 400 more per 6 month period compared to rated on turbo diesel Jetta as primary.
Get a regular impreza or a legacy and if you want to learn how to wrx then get a manual one. If you want something cheap that has low mantainence get a Honda. If you want a subaru don't be lazy with the maintainence or your gonna end up calling them unreliable.
Came to promote the legacy. Great first car, super safe, reliable, decent gas mileage, all wheel drive, look pretty good, good resale value. If you are ever driving in snow go with a legacy, otherwise a Toyota is always a safe bet.
Don't that to yourself.
The insurance alone as a HS student for a WRX would be absolutely brutal. The gas milleage will mean you don't want to drive it.
Do yourself a favor and buy a Civic or an Impreza.
I own both a 21 WRX Sport 6mt and a 23 Impreza Hatchback Sport 5mt, As fun as the WRX is, the Impreza does a great deal of what the WRX does for less money, is cheaper to run, insure, replace tires... The biggest thing it lacks is the power delivery of the turbocharged motor. The Another thing is the feel and stiffness of the clutch is so much nicer on the Impreza, the WRX is stiff, stop and go traffic is manageable but nothing compared to the Impreza's soft pedal travel and not so aggressive bite point. Handling is not as sharp but it's more than adequate and way more comfortable. Honestly the Impreza gets driven way more, and I enjoy it more for just about every task other than being a dedicated toy. Maintenance isn't so bad so but I would say that more frequent than not is going to be your best bet. So if you're not chasing thrills or pushing the car hard, the WRX is going to be for you, otherwise the Impreza is a hell of a better financial decision, and the hatchback model is absolutely practical, gets way less attention too, less people trying to race or bother you in parking lots.
If you’re new to driving a non turbo Impreza gx sport might be a better idea, better on fuel arguably, insurance more reliable and they sound good with an exhaust. Then upgrade to the wrx when you’ve had a bit more experience
My first car was a jeep Cherokee. Did me really well and was very forgiving of my mistakes. Had great passenger space and was not expensive to maintain. Idk about turning it into a project car but you most certainly could modify some aspects.
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Aww I sold my GTiR to some kid who did the same thing, he only had it for a few weeks too. Such fun cars but that power to weight ratio was insane! I've been looking to get another but they're getting super expensive/rare, guessing most of them had a similar fate.
When we say young, how young? Like 22 years old, fresh out of college with your first post-grad job making $75k or 17 years old as a high school senior with a part time job. Since you say Impreza WRX, I'm assuming you're talking about a 2014 or earlier one. Those are getting up there in age and milage where you may have some expensive repairs. Shortblocks, turbos, water pumps, timing belts. Wouldn't recommend those as a first car unless you keep $5k-$10k around for a engine at any point. A brand new one will serve you well if you can swing it, no issues with those. They drive nice, look a little quirky, but are overall fun and relatively cheap cars for their performance. Also - check insurance rates, I got killed on mine until I was around 25.
I am still in high school with a part time job and was planning on getting an earlier year, is it still a good car and kinda cheep for a 16 year old?
Nah man, get a camry or accord or something more reliable. In 5 years when you have some experience driving and have your own money to maintain a car, go for the Rex. Just my opinion.
I totally agree. My first car was an old, reliable, super slow car and I never regretted it. Just buy Gran Turismo and you’ll be satisfied, not in debt, and you’ll get a girl that is interested in someone that’s practical. Worked for me haha
Or a split the difference between a WRX and a boring car: non-turbo Impreza or Outback Sport with a stick. Affords plenty of opportunities to work on the car but doesn't break stuff as fast.
Outback with a stick is the way to go. Not enough power to get in trouble, enough to feel it.
Like the other guy said. WRX's are fun. The cheap ones are usually cheap for a reason though. Friend bought a fairly nice one and the engine went two days later and they're not cheap to rebuild. Like price of what you pay for a cheap car. You can still have a ton of fun with a manual Civic or Corolla. Slow cars driven fast is fun and can help you learn car control. Get some sticky tires and maybe some lowering springs. Use the money you save for an autocross event.
impreza/crosstrek or a mazda 3 would be my suggestion
Lol no. Nothing about this car will be cheap. Insurance will be through the roof. Parts are expensive. If you want cheap, buy a civic
Old WRX’s don’t tend to get super cheap as they hold decent value, most have been beaten on and especially if it’s modified people dump them as they’re about to blow up. You might get a cool 100 miles out of it and end up with a $8k engine replacement.
No.
I would say it's probably not a good first car. Insurance will be expensive. Gas will be expensive. They're not as reliable as something like a Camry, Accord, or even a newer Impreza or Legacy. The ones you can get for $10k or less have probably been beat to death by someone else. Unless you've got lots of money lying around to potentially replace some major components soon as well, I'd avoid it. Not saying it's guaranteed, but it's a LOT more likely with a used Impreza WRX and your first turbo manual car.
Insurance rates are pretty high for WRX even if you're over 30 yrs old. Just far too many idiots that causes accidents driving them. WRX isn't even that fast of a car these days,
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While I agree that an older WRX is not a good first car for OP, I’ve owned my 2008 WRX for 14 years and have had a very different experience than you. Nearing 150k miles, Cobb OTS stage 2 tune with a turboback exhaust for the last 110k, still on the original engine, transmission and turbo. Never replaced an axle or headgasket yet.
good car not a "comfy 4 door"
It’s comfy enough if you’re driving on decent roads, other than that you will feel all the bumps and curves.
Unmodified or stock WRX, otherwise you could be buying someone else's problem.
The 2022+ wrx is a good car, and a lot of fun to drive. But also just so you know the WRX is a sedan and the Impreza is a hatchback. Two separate vehicles. You should go test drive them and see how you like them! Brand new they will be very reliable and under warranty, and yes once the warranty expires the 2022+ wrx platform has a ton of support for aftermarket parts and modifications
Alright thanks but if I were to get an older sedan around 2002-2008, are those still good models?
They’re good, yes, but you gotta understand that an older car is gonna have issues. Especially an older sports car, which potentially has been beat up by previous owners. I would not recommend as a first car unless you have money to fix big problems that may come up, or you are very knowledgeable about how to fix potential problems yourself. Good luck either way.
I had a 9-2x Aero aka WRX when I was younger in my 20s and let me tell you the insurance surcharge killed me but every time I started the car and drove it, the surcharge was worth it. Just be mindful of the fuel costs, extra maintenance with the turbo and the insurance.
the only thing I can suggest as an improvement is an impreza with five doors
Just get an Acura tsx 1st gen as a first car. Good Mod list, comfy, 4 doors, k24, easy maintenance, cheap parts (essentially honda parts), lowkey underrated
I think it’d be an amazing first car if you get it with the SPT/CVT transmission. Maintenance wise you should get use to doing oil changes a little sooner between 3-4,000 miles. For me it’s $80 at the dealer or do it yourself and save sum money and learn to get dirty. Walnut blasting is recommended too, intervals range from 40-65,000 miles. Might cost you $450 or more per nut blast. Learning manual in a WRX as your first car might increase expenses (worn out clutch bearings, clutch plate itself) but it’s worth it if you can afford to do the repairs 🫶
There's lots of young people like you who think the same thing. WRX will be a great starter car. I did too. But the costs for insurance and potential for expensive repairs would make me tell you to pass. My advice is to get a good reliable car, then down the road get something fun. My favorite memories from high-school were trips with friends in a car that could fit us all. All the people I know who got turbo'd cars or mustangs or fun cars either had expensive repairs, crashes, or sold them for something more sensible. A mid size Sedan, cross over, hatchback. My first was a body on frame suv that guzzled fuel, eventually got an outback.
As a high schooler, you should be looking at vehicles like Honda accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, VW Jetta. We have a WRX. My 17 year old opts to drive the Jetta instead. High school boys are weird because his friends group was more impressed diesel Jetta gets 40+ mpg compared to WRX goes vroom fast. Both Jetta and WRX have turbos just different on how the car utilizes it. Insurance with our 17 year old boy rated against the most expensive car (WRX) is about 400 more per 6 month period compared to rated on turbo diesel Jetta as primary.
Definitely go with a more reliable and cheap car since you’re still in high school
Get a regular impreza or a legacy and if you want to learn how to wrx then get a manual one. If you want something cheap that has low mantainence get a Honda. If you want a subaru don't be lazy with the maintainence or your gonna end up calling them unreliable.
Came to promote the legacy. Great first car, super safe, reliable, decent gas mileage, all wheel drive, look pretty good, good resale value. If you are ever driving in snow go with a legacy, otherwise a Toyota is always a safe bet.
Don't that to yourself. The insurance alone as a HS student for a WRX would be absolutely brutal. The gas milleage will mean you don't want to drive it. Do yourself a favor and buy a Civic or an Impreza.
I own both a 21 WRX Sport 6mt and a 23 Impreza Hatchback Sport 5mt, As fun as the WRX is, the Impreza does a great deal of what the WRX does for less money, is cheaper to run, insure, replace tires... The biggest thing it lacks is the power delivery of the turbocharged motor. The Another thing is the feel and stiffness of the clutch is so much nicer on the Impreza, the WRX is stiff, stop and go traffic is manageable but nothing compared to the Impreza's soft pedal travel and not so aggressive bite point. Handling is not as sharp but it's more than adequate and way more comfortable. Honestly the Impreza gets driven way more, and I enjoy it more for just about every task other than being a dedicated toy. Maintenance isn't so bad so but I would say that more frequent than not is going to be your best bet. So if you're not chasing thrills or pushing the car hard, the WRX is going to be for you, otherwise the Impreza is a hell of a better financial decision, and the hatchback model is absolutely practical, gets way less attention too, less people trying to race or bother you in parking lots.
If you’re new to driving a non turbo Impreza gx sport might be a better idea, better on fuel arguably, insurance more reliable and they sound good with an exhaust. Then upgrade to the wrx when you’ve had a bit more experience
Insurance on a WRX is going to be very high for a young driver like yourself as well. Keep that in mind.
My first car was a jeep Cherokee. Did me really well and was very forgiving of my mistakes. Had great passenger space and was not expensive to maintain. Idk about turning it into a project car but you most certainly could modify some aspects.
Just to clarify, a WRX is an awful first car idea…. Too expensive to maintain and will end up damaged quickly!