Subaru Wrx Questions

[harv91]

Hey i have a few questions
1.) I need new tires for my car for winter, Just wanted to ask ur guys opinions on whether to get All season or Winter tires. Also What brand to go for?

2.) My hoodscoop has a paintchip on it, (the size of a loonie). Do u guys think it would be cheaper to get the whole thing re-painted or should i just buy a new hoodscoop? I went to subaru to get touch up paint but they said to just get the whole thing sanded and re-painted.

-Thanks for any advice

[benyl]

Repaint it. Getting a new one will require painting anyway. It will either come unpainted, or you will have to blend the paint to match the rest of your hood. It may not seem like it, but you paint has faded as you car is at least 4 years old.

[harv91]

thanks for the heads up on the paint benyl.
Any idea on the tire situation :dunno:

[spideywrx]

I would personally check nasioc for a used hoodscoop,, as it is gonna be cheaper than the paint route.

or go with a 02/03 jdm sti hood scoop, there is ALOT of those for sale on nasioc.

As for tires, its all up to you,, do you go up to the mountains, do you need winter tires?

I've never owned winter tires,, so I don't know on that.. but I have never had a problem with my all seasons either.. the car IS AWD,, its not like a rwd car.

[benyl]

if you can afford a second set of rims then go with winter specific tires. If you can't all seasons should do.

[GT4rally]

Originally posted by spideywrx
I've never owned winter tires,, so I don't know on that.. but I have never had a problem with my all seasons either.. the car IS AWD,, its not like a rwd car.

Never had a problem with "all season" tires????

Umm... You need to get yourself a good set of real winter tires and discover that you most certainly HAVE had problems... you just didn't know it!!!

Get some Nokian Hakkapeliita's or studded Kumho KW 19's and enlighten yourself... seriously, AWD doesn't help you stop any better than a RWD car!

...geez, I thought you Subaru guys would know this already!

[Canmorite]

All season tires are not reccomended for winter driving in a WRX. (one tiny fender bender was enough)

The car has a short wheelbase and under braking in the snow it's hard to control and gets sideways easily. Get a GOOD set of tires, you won't be dissapointed.

[spideywrx]

Originally posted by GT4rally


Never had a problem with "all season" tires????

Umm... You need to get yourself a good set of real winter tires and discover that you most certainly HAVE had problems... you just didn't know it!!!

Get some Nokian Hakkapeliita's or studded Kumho KW 19's and enlighten yourself... seriously, AWD doesn't help you stop any better than a RWD car!

...geez, I thought you Subaru guys would know this already!

studded tires for city driving huh?

its not like we are living in the arctic man. 90% of the winter the roads are bare.

[bigboom]

Originally posted by Canmorite

The car has a short wheelbase and under braking in the snow it's hard to control and gets sideways easily. Get a GOOD set of tires, you won't be dissapointed.

sideways easily huh? i think there is this new invention called ABS...

[GT4rally]

Originally posted by spideywrx


studded tires for city driving huh?

its not like we are living in the arctic man. 90% of the winter the roads are bare.

You only have to slide through one iced-up intersection to destroy your car... or you!!!

It seriously amazes me how many Calgarian's forget over the summer how cold and "arctic like" our winters can be. Also, we have been lucky the last two winters, they have been extremely mild.

Seems to me that buying a $700 set of studded winter tires to save your $20,000+ WRX is cheap insurance. They should last at least 3 winters, so that's only $230 per winter!

[GT4rally]

Originally posted by bigboom
sideways easily huh? i think there is this new invention called ABS...

ABS won't prevent you from swapping ends... that's called Stability Control --I don't think the WRX has that... yet.

Bottom line guys... Calgary roads are rediculously dangerous in the winter. Why not set yourself apart from "Joe driver" and make your car as safe as you can, since you are, after all, a car enthusiast... right?? If you can afford a WRX, you can afford a set of good winter tires, studded or not (the non-studded KW19's work really well too). Even if you have to put off buying that front mounted intercooler to buy winter tires, you won't regret it when you and your car make it through the winter in one piece.

[That.Guy.S30]

Originally posted by GT4rally


Never had a problem with "all season" tires????

Umm... You need to get yourself a good set of real winter tires and discover that you most certainly HAVE had problems... you just didn't know it!!!

Get some Nokian Hakkapeliita's or studded Kumho KW 19's and enlighten yourself... seriously, AWD doesn't help you stop any better than a RWD car!

...geez, I thought you Subaru guys would know this already!


i dont see what the problem is. they are all seasons for a reason. of course the re92s are probably the shittiest of all seasons but THEY work. most of us already know that when we are on the re92s NOT to drive like dicks.

[GC84ever]

Arctic like???
We get a week at worst of really cold weather and then it can be +10C. You can use the term arctic like when it's -20 or less for atleast 3 months straight, and when you have consider -5C to be a warm day in winter.

Winter roads are always dangerous compared to summer roads, but I'm more worried about the other idiots on the road who for get how to drive. Everybody forgets everything take longer in winter ie: braking, acceleration and turning.
Sure winter tires make a difference over all season tires, but it's the nut behind the wheel that ultimately determines your safety.
Though IIRC someone reported that there are more accidents in the summer because roads are dry people focus less onthe road compared to the their focus during dangerous winter conditions.

I have winter tires and the last few years I felt a little silly running them since 90% of the time the roads were dry. And before I had the RE92s, I thought they were ok. I just made sure I applied the brake sooner and more carefully, so that, I wouldn't loose control.

I recommend Dunlop Wintersport M3 tires. they are highly recommended on tirerack.com and I got mine from Mytires in Calgary

[GT4rally]

Originally posted by Thi_Thi Subs



i dont see what the problem is. they are all seasons for a reason. of course the re92s are probably the shittiest of all seasons but THEY work. most of us already know that when we are on the re92s NOT to drive like dicks.

That was going to be may next point... something that really chaps my ass... "all season" tires (M + S) are NOT intended for all seasons. The tire companies market them as such (shouldn't be allowed to), but in reality, they are really summer tires, for dry weather and wet weather, but are NOT intended for snow or ice. The only tires intended for snow and ice have a pictograph of a peaked mountain with a snowflake inside. These are the only ones that pass transport Canada's winter traction requirements.

Listen guys, I don't like driving around on dry winter roads with studded tries either, but, with Calgary's eratic weather, it's better than being caught out.
Actually, I have two sets of wheels ("all seasons" and winter tires) that I swap over, depending on the weather, through out the winter. All you need is a $30 Canadian tire floor-jack and a wheel wrench (I use a cordless impact wrench).

[GT4rally]

Originally posted by GC84ever
Sure winter tires make a difference over all season tires, but it's the nut behind the wheel that ultimately determines your safety.

And wouldn't you feel better if all those nuts had some really good winter tires?


Originally posted by GC84ever

I have winter tires and the last few years I felt a little silly running them since 90% of the time the roads were dry. And before I had the RE92s, I thought they were ok. I just made sure I applied the brake sooner and more carefully, so that, I wouldn't loose control.

I recommend Dunlop Wintersport M3 tires. they are highly recommended on tirerack.com and I got mine from Mytires in Calgary

Why did you feel silly??? Nothing looks better than a WRX with some mean-ass winter wheels!!!!

Agreed... thumbs way up for Mytire, they rock!

[bigboom]

Originally posted by GT4rally


ABS won't prevent you from swapping ends... that's called Stability Control --I don't think the WRX has that... yet.

Bottom line guys... Calgary roads are rediculously dangerous in the winter. Why not set yourself apart from "Joe driver" and make your car as safe as you can, since you are, after all, a car enthusiast... right?? If you can afford a WRX, you can afford a set of good winter tires, studded or not (the non-studded KW19's work really well too). Even if you have to put off buying that front mounted intercooler to buy winter tires, you won't regret it when you and your car make it through the winter in one piece.

yeah but he was talking about under braking and ABS braking makes you stop in a straight line, thats the whole point of it.

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by bigboom


sideways easily huh? i think there is this new invention called ABS...

Have you driven a WRX on summer tires for a winter? Probably not.

I can tell you from experience that the car can get sideways (not drifting sideways, but still uncomfortable in traffic sideways) from heavier or emergency braking.


Originally posted by bigboom


yeah but he was talking about under braking and ABS braking makes you stop in a straight line, thats the whole point of it.

They are supposed to do that, when you have the proper tires.

Summary: Get good winter tires.

[That.Guy.S30]

Originally posted by GT4rally


That was going to be may next point... something that really chaps my ass... "all season" tires (M + S) are NOT intended for all seasons. The tire companies market them as such (shouldn't be allowed to), but in reality, they are really summer tires, for dry weather and wet weather, but are NOT intended for snow or ice. The only tires intended for snow and ice have a pictograph of a peaked mountain with a snowflake inside. These are the only ones that pass transport Canada's winter traction requirements.

Listen guys, I don't like driving around on dry winter roads with studded tries either, but, with Calgary's eratic weather, it's better than being caught out.
Actually, I have two sets of wheels ("all seasons" and winter tires) that I swap over, depending on the weather, through out the winter. All you need is a $30 Canadian tire floor-jack and a wheel wrench (I use a cordless impact wrench).

most of us do already have winters. and most of us have already driven in winter with re92s. i think you make it out more than it is. cautious driving is key. you can easily get around on the all seasons. of course it is better to have winters, but its not necesary.

[DGill]

hey harvey i think you should just buy a winter beater and lock up your beast :whipped:

[harv91]

Originally posted by DGill
hey harvey i think you should just buy a winter beater and lock up your beast :whipped:

The whole point of getting an AWD car is to drive in winter, :bigpimp:

[benyl]

The problem in Calgary is not "artic" conditions.

The problem is when the temp is +10 during the day and drops to -10 overnight. That causes ICE. People are stupid and believe they can drive at night like they did during the day. You cannot.

Get winter tires. I don't think you need to go as far as studding them, but RE92s are absolute shit even in mid summer. They are some of the worst OEM tires made.

[bigboom]

Originally posted by Canmorite


Have you driven a WRX on summer tires for a winter? Probably not.

I can tell you from experience that the car can get sideways (not drifting sideways, but still uncomfortable in traffic sideways) from heavier or emergency braking.



They are supposed to do that, when you have the proper tires.

Summary: Get good winter tires.

no, they do that regardless of what tires you have...its your stopping distance that gets affected.