Does anyone here have a digital camera and a 2001 Impreza?

[Frank N. O.]

I'm looking for some information about a Subaru Impreza around 2001 (the bug-eye model) but I can't find one nearby since Denmark is a almost non-existant market for Subaru and no website including the official site and ebaymotors auction showed what I'd like to see.

I'm trying to find out how the steering-coloulm switches work and how the suspension is designed, specifically the normal NA 4-door AWD model I think is designated Impreza GX. I'd also like a torque-curve from the engine if possible.

Frank

[VQ]

The engine is the same from basically the old model, that's what they do, at least until emissions say they need to be cleaner.

[Frank N. O.]

Maybe so, but I don't know what it either :(
I've read that the turbo-models have horrible low-end torque (read: almost nothing at all, and then a big turbo kick in the higher rev-range) but how the NA engine in the GX works that I don't know. I don't even know how a boxer-4 is compared to a straight-4 if there is any difference apart from the fact that Subaru engines I've heard in videoclips have a fantastic deep rolling roar that beats any and all 4 cylinder engines I've ever heard, and more importantly, it's a sound-type I would enjoy a lot in normal driving instead of high-pitched whines.

I found out the large Opel-dealer now also advertises SAAB and Subaru but there were only two Legacy stationwagon's so that didn't really help much.

Frank

[chris]

The boxer engines have natural advantages in being very short, so they can be mounted quite low in the car (better for centre of gravity).

The Subaru turbo engines do have quite a turbo "kick", but they are nothing like the very first WRX's, when it had 155kW. Those had very peaky little engines, and they needed to be really revved along.

The chassis was a beauty, with lovely foolproof handling and great grip though. Then Subaru focused later on improving the engine, and improving mid-range responsiveness, which they did manage to do quite well.

It's also worth noting that export markets often got detuned WRX's in comparison with the home market. Occasionally, just rarely we did get the full strength items in tiny numbers, like the bright yellow WRX STi version III coupé that made it here to Australia. It had the lockable centre differential, and a number of other neat tricks. And it also had very unsubtle acceleration. Not much quicker than a normal WRX from 0-100km/hr, but factor in 40-160km/hr, and the STi version was so much faster. Amazing car.

Recently, Subarus have featured things like variable valve timing even in the base models (that engine not available in export markets AFAIK). The base models have about 132kW from their non-turbo flat-4, while the WRX's these days still claim 206kW, but are known to have in the region of 240kW, with 8000+rpm rev-limits.

But the best thing about a Subaru is the sound, and the overall quality. :) It's not for nothing that Subaru has a such a good reputation in Australia.

[Frank N. O.]

Thanks for the more in-depth explanation, I didn't know that.
I've been looking some more on specs, and for some reason, the Legacy aka Liberty is slightly lighter but also drives longer per liter of fuel. The 2004 2.0I is listed at 13.2 km/l in EU-average, about the same as a normal 1.8-2.0 lower middle-class car, with 2wd, but the Legacy is clearly listed as being awd! There is a Legacy AWD Stationwagon on sale at the Opel-SAAB-Subaru-dealer in town and it looks more elegant in the front than the Impreza and it's hardly that provocative in looks as all Impreza's are since even std. NA models have the sport-bumper. The interior in the new Legacy is also more elegant imho, especially with the handbrake now to the left in lhd cars which at least for me would be better than having it to the right. The dash-console and ventilation controls also looks nice but sadly, this is about the only brand-new car I'd even consider buying if I had the money, but, speaking of money, it costs 350K DKK!!! = 47K euro = 62K USD :(

Frank

[chris]

47,000 Euros for a Legacy?? :eek:

We pay here about AUD$55,000 to get a top spec one with turbo flat-4, or the 3.0L flat-six engine.

The Legacy with the turbo-flat-4 engine, especially in 4 door form is a very classy car. :)

[monaro]

my sisters boyfriend has a bug-eyed impreza wagon, i could get some pics of that if you want.

[Frank N. O.]

Chris: Well you know, std. tax on all things is 25% and registration tax for all passenger-cars is 180% so....

Monaro: Thanks for the offer, if you could take a photo of the steering-coloulm switches showing the symbols that would great. I'd like to find out how the switches work for controlling the lights and wipers and I couldn't find any suitable pictures on the std. resource-links.
If the Impreza is a non-turbo model then I'd like to know just generally if the engine can pull smoothly all the way from low rpm. Thanks again :)

About the Legacy then I got an ever bigger shock when looking at the fuel-economy of the 2.5 flat-4 with AWD, that's listed as 12.2 km/l!! Absolute no other 2.5L car with that output can even come close to 12 km/l, and that's 2WD models! Simply amazing, but if it's true then my hat is off to Subaru for using proper engineering skills, like Volvo also demonstrated for their 2.4 inline-5 for the S60 and S80 that in total real-life polution is only marginally worse than microcars with engines half the size.

Greetings :)
Frank

[blackice111288]

62k for a legacy? somethings not right with that, ours stars at $21,295, and the most expensive is $29,795.

http://www.subaru.com/shop/showroom_legacy_family.jsp?track=homepage_inset

[Frank N. O.]

I repeat:
Std. sales-tax on all commodities (food and clothing etc.): 25%.
Registration tax on all passenger-vehicles: 180%
So basically cars are 3x as expensive to buy in DK than most other places.
Still we have 2 million cars in a country filled with 5+ million people and especially in the large Copenhagen area there are massive car-troubles with kilometer long congestion etc. so I am not looking forward to the day they are finally going to lower that tax. Switching to fuel-tax won't help either in the cities since many use a car for less than 5 km's of driving! And this in cities that has very well-developed bike-paths and bus-systems.

I wish there was a coupe-version based on the 2.5I Legacy AWD like the Cougar based on the Mondeo/Contour/Mystique.

In the US I've seen used 99 Mercury Cougars for sale at 5000-6000 USD, in Denmark you can maybe get a 92 Ford Escort 1.6 that's not totally rusted and with less than 150K miles on the clock, and I'm not kidding or exagerating.

Frank

[chris]

It's certainly an outrageous tax-grab. :eek:

25% tax on commodities is also quite steep.. :eek:

[VQ]

Yeah, but fuel does also cost like $3 a litre too.

The Liberty is a nice car, I find it very attractive in my eyes, the previous model looks good too, it's one japanse car I like in general, and the interior is VERY nice too.

[chris]

They've been very conservative with the design of it, not changing things that didn't need changing.

The best bit about Subaru in my opinion is the quality, and the way they drive. They are a very driver orientated car. Imagine a Subaru as a mixture of everything that is good in a BMW, Audi and a Volvo, and then you have a Subaru, at least in basic features. You'd still have to fuse in the Subaru character, and mechanical features.

Subaru has always pushed its 4wd and horizontally opposed engines philosophy for ages, and all it took was some style to be added, and you've got a diamond.

It wasn't always so good, especially when you think back to things like the very undesirable Vortex (77kW flat-4, and the 83kW flat-4 turbo version), and others from around that time with undesirable styling. Things like leopard-skin look seat fabrics, and interiors with 1000 buttons to do about 50 things didn't help either.

The hallmarks of 80's gauche. Thankfully banished and never to return. :)

But Subaru aren't the only ones who got swept up in the gadget craze of the 80's.. ;)

[VQ]

everyone did that I think, remeber the dash from the Vk Calais? argh, horrible to work with and doesn't go past 199, Ford contued to use a digital speedo on the EA based Fairlanes though, albeit in orange, bleh!

Subaru have one flaw with their awd setup, after all this time, when you modify the engine, the gearbox is always the weak link, now really, if the car is designed as a Longitudal mounted AWD, then it shouldn't have that much of a problem should it?

[blackice111288]

oh, i remember those old buicks with the star-treck like digital speedo's. i was in a 200sx that had one of those.

i dunno if having longitudal AWD setup would be any stronger, seeing its basically a FWD tranny with a transfer case. CV joints are the first to snap, depending on the make of the car and how much power you're running.

Subaru's problem is that its gears arent really that strong (in the base models, the sti's trasmission is built with stronger gears and is a popular swap here in the US) i've heard about some impreza's transmissions literally blowing up cause the gears were overstressed with to much power.

[blackice111288]

edit- Sorry VQ,I misunderstood your post, i thought you meant horizontally mounted engines with AWD-Like the EVO or 4WD Honda Element or Acura CL


i dunno if having longitudal AWD setup would be any stronger, seeing its basically a FWD tranny with a transfer case. CV joints are the first to snap, depending on the make of the car and how much power you're running.
thats should have read:
i dunno if having horizontal AWD setup would be any stronger, seeing its basically a FWD tranny with a transfer case. CV joints are the first to snap, depending on the make of the car and how much power you're running.

[chris]

Subaru gearboxes are designed to work okay provided everything is kept to original factory specifications. They don't factor in people tuning WRX's to 500kW or more.

[VQ]

Well, a Holden LS1 can and has handled more then 1500hp with only a triple plate clutch infront of it.

[chris]

But it isn't 4wd though, the Subaru is.

[VQ]

yeah, but the AWD holden uses the 4 speed auto, the beefed up one I think, and they can be modified to handle power too.

[blackice111288]

Subaru gearboxes are designed to work okay provided everything is kept to original factory specifications. They don't factor in people tuning WRX's to 500kW or more.

kinda how honda's Cv axles snap after 300hp

[VQ]

then again, those parts won't break if you don't do burnouts, the cv joints on the golf are stuff cos of hard launches from all 200 odd nm of torque.

[blackice111288]

no, VW CV's are just made stronger. Honda manufactures CV axles with two things in mind, making them as cheap as possible and work the best they can under stock conditions. so that 400hp turbocharged B18C5 with those forged pistions and rebuilt head isnt going to be to frienly on those thin set of stock honda CV joints as the would be on a set of TCI 500 HP shafts. they are much larger in diameter than stock Honda CV axles. They are heat-treated, liquid salt bath quenched and double tempered (ion nitriding process) to give the axle stubs extra strength while maintaining torsional twist to resist heavy-duty shock loads.

http://www.tciauto.com/sport_compact.htm