I am still a bit amazed that we actually got this car in the US. A few years ago, I was pondering with my cardork friends, what type of 4 door I would want. My requirements were pretty simple in my mind:

• Better seating for 4 then the Teg
• Good gas milage
• Large amount of trunk space
• Must be fun to drive without modifying
• AWD would be preferred, especially for snow traction
• No forced option packages to push the price up: a good car value.

The last item is the most important to me: most cars with good performance, AWD, and sport suspension fall into that 'sport sedan' class that Europeans know so well, but we americans just don't get. Instead of stripped down sport sedans and wagons from BMW and Audi, we get 35-45K leather boats. Sure, they may still be fun to drive, but they cost a lot. I am very happy with the furnishings of the miata and the Teg: basic no frills interior. Good cloth seats. Power accessories. I don't want leather. I want the option to not get a roof. I don't want wings.

I couldn't really think of many cars that fit the bill. A used A4 may work, but I would be quick to modify that puppy to get some HP out of it (1.8T car: very capable), but still: 25K for a used car just feels wrong. We lusted for the two fine Japanese Rally cars: the Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, but they had never been imported to the states, so that was merely a pipe dream. Here were 250-300 HP cars for 22-30K in various states of trim, available in sedans and even the stealth wagon. No, they were just dreams...perhaps someday someone with some pull in either company would take a chance in America.

Well, someone at Subaru of America (SoA) got it. SCC magazine predicted it well in advance: we would get a version of the new body impreza released in at a 2001 model elsewhere as the 2002 WRX in the USA. We were able to give the car a good look at the car show circuit. Here in Philadelphia, I basically went back to the SoA booth 3 times, mostly focusing on this interesting Red Wagon. The previous generation Impreza Wagon had not really impressed many with respect to looks, but the WRX model on the New Impreza really stood out over its non-turbo counterpart, the TS Wagon. All models of the Impreza ranges from 18K-25K, and fit just about all of my requirements above with respect to value, performance, and comfort. Looks like I had found a good car for me in the future.

A good friend of mine worked with a local dealer and was able to get one of the first sedans sight unseen in April 2002. Full MSRP was the price for some dealers, with others marking all WRXs up 1-3K. Shameful, but true none-the-less. Being the summer, and already having survived a winter very well with snow tires, the WRX was just in my head as a future car...this year, next year, whatever. Then...a miracle happened :)

That miracle was my wife saying 'we should think about getting a third car: the miata has a lot of miles, and I know you want to preserve it.'. So the deal was we look at cars after the wedding. In my head, we would be looking at sedans, thinking she wanted the new car, and I would get the Teg back. Since my wife does not drive like I do, she was happy to look at Accords, or Integra sedans. Something with a stock suspension that was not too large of a car. A used A4 was also car on our list, as well as the Impreza's. I did not mind the idea of the non-turbo RS or TS for my wife: both are solid cars, good value. I was not thrilled that the TS wagon was so de-featured compared to the WRX. Things like rear disc brakes just turned me sour. Plus, its styling is a lot different then the WRX wagon, while the RS sedan is not too different then the WRX.

So, I did what any good husband would do: work on the wife until she caved. Subtly perking up when the WRX commercial came on TV. Getting the Subaru dealer books and adding them to the coffee table. Saying Subaru a lot...hey, you gotta dream right? She asked me what I wanted for my birthday over the summer, and I simple said: 'Subaru'. She got the idea. But then the unexpected happened: she said lets get the WRX. Its what you want, and this car is going to be more for you then me. Just get it.

Not giving her much time to change her mind...I had the WRX ordered within a few days of that green light. Hey, I am not stupid...this deal may not stay open for ever. I had followed the I-Club boards, and found out that a dealer not far from me (Becker Subaru of Allentown, PA) was dealing on the car in a no-haggle manner for a fair price. I simply walked in, spoke with the sales manager Ken, drove a car briefly, and ordered a Blue Wagon just the way I wanted it. 6 weeks later, I got a call. My total time spent in the dealership was less then 2 hours. This is how everyone should buy cars.

Why the wagon? I am spoiled by the Teg hatch, and this car will be used for longer distance trips. To me, the wagon is fantasic...more of a 5 door hatch car in both form and function then a more traditional wagon. The Impreza is not a large car: that is the Legacy platform for Subaru. The sedan is a good looking car, and a tad more sporting by nature, especially if you plan on modifying your WRX. The wagon was just the right car for us. Had the TS wagon looked and drove like a WRX but simply without the turbo engine, I may have opted for that one and saved 4-5K. But I have no regrets getting the WRX and spending $100 more a month on a payment: the first time you lay down the throttle and smoke a A4 quattro or Bimmer 3 series, you can smile and count the change in your pocket :)

Now, my wife kids me that I should sign something stating I would not modify this car...well, I already would have broken that. I promised I won't touch the suspension: it will remain how it is. There are tons of parts for the WRX already, with more to come. I will turn up the power in the future, mostly through bolt on additions since the factory exhaust costs some power, and the car is capable of better midrange through ignition/fuel curve adjustments without even running more boost (though, you can also run a few more pounds if you desire, even more with a turbo upgrade). The car also begs for summer tires, preferably wrapped around nice 17" rims. I promised her I would pay the car off before doing anything. Plus, there is a nice 5/60 powertrain warranty on the car which I want to keep in tact. So for now, I'll just have to suffer with a 14 second wagon. Don't feel sorry for me though :)