Bye, Bye 2000 Impreza RS

[JD]

Hi,
Today in extreme cold weather my son totalled his Subie.
Total write off with serious frontal damage. Wondering how come air bag
did not pop?! Looking for a upgrade to WRX(not STi version). Any
comments/suggesions on couple years old WRX? Can't afford brand new.
We are just glad accident did not involve any other person or property.
He just destroyed his own car losing control side ways, Sigh!

The problem with used WRXs is that very few that I know of have not been
driven hard. I have a couple of friends who have bought them; transmission
issues and clutch problems. If you can find a good deal... since the the
trannies are particularly expensive. The engines seem to be bullet-proof.

 

[JD]

Sounds like he was driving like a "COMPLETE ASSHOLE"....
Glad he didnt cream someone elses car or kill another person....
Maybe he might learn something from this? Help him buy a Nissan Sentra....

And... how would you know that? On ice, it is still pretty easy to
overdrive a car without driving like a complete asshole.

 

[JD]

Hi,
Today in extreme cold weather my son totalled his Subie.
Total write off with serious frontal damage. Wondering how come air bag
did not pop?! Looking for a upgrade to WRX(not STi version). Any
comments/suggesions on couple years old WRX? Can't afford brand new.
We are just glad accident did not involve any other person or property.
He just destroyed his own car losing control side ways, Sigh!

Aside from the issue of whether an inexperienced driver (and you don't
mention how old or experienced your son is; for all we know he could
be a 40 year old ice racing champ) who totals a 2.5RS should move up
to a WRX (or STI), let me toss my two cents worth in on the topic
since I have some relevant experience here. I had a 2.5RS, that
replaced an Outback Sport that I felt was underpowered and too softly
sprung. Turning out of a driveway onto a road covered with light snow
(no traffic in sight, with relatively new, original all-season
Bridgestones) I punched the throttle to see how the tail would react.
The rear came out as I had anticipated, but wouldn't come back
regardless of my steering correction and throttle control. The car
eventually struck a high curb that and cracked a wheel. a 2" by 1/2"
chunk of the bead wall came out, but the crack didn't spread; tire
didn't even lose pressure and I made it home (still holds pressure and
I keep it around as an emergency spare).

Now, many of the "performance" cars I've owned (WRX, Z-28, SE-R,
Corvair) have had limited slip differentials which, regardless of the
driven wheels (and you'll note that the 4 I mention are all different
configurations) allow traction to be shifted away fom the driven wheel
that's lost traction. This can enable the driver to apply throttle,
coupled with steering correction, to use the remaining rear driven
wheel to pull the car out of the "drift". I ultimately replaced my RS
with a WRX and since have attempted to duplicate the "accident", at
progressively higher speeds. With the LSD (no I wasn't tripping), the
rear caught and was recoverable, in every instance. I love the WRX,
but would have been happy with the RS if it had been available as a
wagon (which it eventually was) and with a rear LSD (which has never
been offered).

Is the limited-slip differential a cure-all? No. But it's an
inexpensive mechanical solution to a common problem, and should be
more widely available. I hate the idea of the high-tech alternative:
traction control systems that apply braking force to a wheel losing
traction. Defeats the pleasure of studying the limit of adhesion and
learning how to power through that moment.

You can get the same effect with some left-foot braking.

 

[JD]

Dude. Depending on what you hit, and how old the car is, 20MPH is more than
enough to write it off. I believe he said it was a 2000; an 8-year old car.
Think about it for a second.

I have slipped on ice years ago; from a nearly dead stop. Crappy feeling,
but very little you can do. If you don't know much about the accident, I
can't see why you can be so critical.

An engineer in the US makes at least $40-50k. Certainly enough to buy
a kia or hunday. Totalling car on on ramp indicates excessive speed.
Sliding on ice at 20mph would not total the car. Let him get a bank
loan and drive a cheap car. Do other motorists a favor and dont let
him get a hi performance car to drive recklessly in. Don't you expect
him to be responsibile in his job? He should be responsible with cars
and money too.

 

[Tony Hwang]

And... how would you know that? On ice, it is still pretty easy to
overdrive a car without driving like a complete asshole.

Hmmmm,
Today we both test drove 2008 WRX amd Mazda Speed3 from our neighborhood
dealership. To both of us Speed3 was more impressive. Tried Speed3 where
the accident happened, Could not make it slide. WRX as is needs some
upgrade. Speed3 as is was acceptable. Better feel for brake, pick up,
suspension, even stereo, etc. Tried upto 100mph exercising all gears on
freeway and tight parking lot. Now we have to decide.

 

[JD]

Hmmmm,
Today we both test drove 2008 WRX amd Mazda Speed3 from our neighborhood
dealership. To both of us Speed3 was more impressive. Tried Speed3 where
the accident happened, Could not make it slide. WRX as is needs some
upgrade. Speed3 as is was acceptable. Better feel for brake, pick up,
suspension, even stereo, etc. Tried upto 100mph exercising all gears on
freeway and tight parking lot. Now we have to decide.

They are nice cars. I have had Mazdas before. I don't like them in snow,
but other than that, I can't say anything bad about Mazdas. Good cars.

 

[KLS]

They are nice cars. I have had Mazdas before. I don't like them in snow,
but other than that, I can't say anything bad about Mazdas. Good cars.

I agree with JD: the Mazda3 I have now (2008) is terrible in snow and
ice, and in those conditions, we drive the OBW. I plan to buy a set
of snow tires on wheels for this car next fall. I'm happy with the
gas mileage, though, and overall the car is nice.

 

[Tony Hwang]

They are nice cars. I have had Mazdas before. I don't like them in
snow, but other than that, I can't say anything bad about Mazdas. Good
cars.

Hi,
Mazda had snow tires. WRX didn't and their OEM tires suck to begin with.
I was excited in a long time test driving a new car. Mazda sure did a
good job. Between two body styles on WRX, I liked 5 door version better.

 

[bigjimpack]

So you drive 100mph and wonder why kid crashes car? Hmmmmm? Let us
know where youre at so when your son drives like an a**hole again he
wont hit any of us!!!.

 

[Tony Hwang]

So you drive 100mph and wonder why kid crashes car? Hmmmmm? Let us
know where youre at so when your son drives like an a**hole again he
wont hit any of us!!!.

Hi,
I don't think you don't know what you're talking about. We know what
we're doing. Accident can happen to any one any time. Even best racing
drivers in the world are known to have accidents causing even death.
BTW, I hate top poster!

 

[Tony Hwang]

So you drive 100mph and wonder why kid crashes car? Hmmmmm? Let us
know where youre at so when your son drives like an a**hole again he
wont hit any of us!!!.

Hi,
Sounds like you are a complete asshole not like any one on this thread.
We know what we're doing. Just be quiet if you don't have anything
constructive to say. BTW, I hate top posters.

 

[bigjimpack]

Well your son didnt know what he was doing and could have killed or
crippled someone. There is a pattern of irresponsibility in your
family. I could care less if you or your son THINK you're good
drivers but youre likely to kill an innocent person.

 

[Tony Hwang]

Well your son didnt know what he was doing and could have killed or
crippled someone. There is a pattern of irresponsibility in your
family. I could care less if you or your son THINK you're good
drivers but youre likely to kill an innocent person.

How about minding your own business? How long have you been driving?
I guess you never had accident. Son started driving at 14, he is 24 now.
First accident just wrecking only his car. Me? I am 68, never had an
accident. I drove company car all my working life. My family is I think
more responsible and over all better than yours. How many engineers,
doctors, in yours? How many cars/trucks do you have? What is your net
worth? I am out of this thread now.
Time to get out and deal for a new car! I hate top posters.

 

[Blair Baucom]

Hi,
Mazda had snow tires. WRX didn't and their OEM tires suck to begin with.
I was excited in a long time test driving a new car. Mazda sure did a good
job. Between two body styles on WRX, I liked 5 door version better.

Odd the Mazda website says the Speed3 has:

"P215/45R18 93Y high performance summer radials"

I owned two Ford/Mazda Probe GT's and was very happy with both.

Blair

 

[alf]

Time to get out and deal for a new car! I hate top posters.

do not feed the troll . as far as Mazda3 goes I heard opinion that as
at the beginning the car is fun and exiting after a while it gets
boring. And Impreza is always fun.

Regards, A.

 

[Bugalugs]

How about minding your own business? How long have you been driving?
I guess you never had accident. Son started driving at 14, he is 24 now.
First accident just wrecking only his car. Me? I am 68, never had an
accident. I drove company car all my working life. My family is I think
more responsible and over all better than yours. How many engineers,
doctors, in yours? How many cars/trucks do you have? What is your net
worth? I am out of this thread now.
Time to get out and deal for a new car! I hate top posters.

Right on Tony

 

[JD]

How about minding your own business? How long have you been driving?
I guess you never had accident. Son started driving at 14, he is 24 now.
First accident just wrecking only his car. Me? I am 68, never had an
accident. I drove company car all my working life. My family is I think
more responsible and over all better than yours. How many engineers,
doctors, in yours? How many cars/trucks do you have? What is your net
worth? I am out of this thread now.
Time to get out and deal for a new car! I hate top posters.

Remember, this is a guy who thinks he is being ripped off because companies
use timing belts instead of chains, put regular gas in an engine calling for
premium, because he thinks the oil companies, in cahoots with the car
companies, are ripping him off, and thinks decent tires are a rip-off.

So, I wouldn't get baited by the opinion. Fools will always drag you to
their level and then beat you with experience.

 

[JD]

Hi,
Mazda had snow tires. WRX didn't and their OEM tires suck to begin with.
I was excited in a long time test driving a new car. Mazda sure did a good
job. Between two body styles on WRX, I liked 5 door version better.

Not surprised. They build a good solid car. We had a Protege for six
years. I only got rid of it because my wife needs to drive in snowstorms
and I wanted AWD and winter tires; the Protege, even with snows, was just
not good in snow. But that car was as solid as the day we bought it; no
squeaks and everything just worked. I like my Subarus, but I'd be happy
with a Mazda too.

 

[bigjimpack]

So you think it's fine to drive around at 100MPH after your kid
totalled a car while driving like a a**hole?

 

[JD]

You don't know that he was driving like an a**hole. And there are lots of
places it is quite safe to get up to 100MPH under the right circumstances;
and you have no idea whether this was a safe time to do it.

So you think it's fine to drive around at 100MPH after your kid
totalled a car while driving like a a**hole?