I'm about to lay down about 21 grand on a car, and I now have 2 cars picked out.
A tC manual with exaust, and trd supension kit or A Subaru RS2.5 manual.

The Subaru has alot of handling perks AWD bigger engine etc, but the tC haunts me in the back of my mind.
To get to the point can you guys help me decide.
Don't be bias help me pick the better car.
I talked the Subaru dealer into lending it to me for the weekend .

 

Subaru!

If you want looks and style, go with the tC. If you want better handling and better power potential, go with the RS. The tC is a nice car, but the Impreza is a SOLID car. I've not driven an RS, but if you mod the suspension and do some power mods, you will have an extremely capable, fun car. One thing to consider is that an RS is much more of a sleeper, it really doesn't have bold styling at all, which is a pro or con depending who you ask.

 

3 words...

All
Wheel
Drive


'nuff said.

 

too many peeps already have the tC go with the subaru.. and in a few years trade it in for a brand new tc or whatever SCION has concocted to replace the tc.. you know what i mean..........

 

Here is a 3rd option

http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/92x/index.jsp

Saab 92x- its a rebadged Subaru RS or WRX depending on the trim. More expensive but I hear that they are not selling well and have HUGE (what I heard was $6000) discounts on them at the dealers.

 

That's interesting, I didn't know that. How do you know they give such big discounts?

 

am I missing something here? If they port install the suspension you don't get charged labor, and the exhuast is $500. So say even at dealer pricing of a gratious $900 AND throw in tax, tag title and misc dealer fees =

TC - 16k + 500 + 900 + 2000 = $19400
Suby - 18,300 = 575 dest. 2000 misc fees = 20875

With even the generous overestimates on the TC it still figures over 2 grand under your guess, and you don't even get a moonroof on the 2.5rs. Nor do you get the Pioneer 160watt stereo (you get OEM 4speaker unknown watt) , no color matched side mirrors with integegrated signals, no 17'' wheels.... How's the radio reception with the antenna in your glass? By .1liter... 1/4th of a PINT... 0.026th of a gallon....

the only high points on the suby is AWD (which robs HP which is at the same as the TC and more lost in drivetrain) and 4 doors. Do you need 4 doors? The back seats in the TC are probably THE roomiest seats I've seen in a sub-compact sedan. Oh, and the rear seats recline... and the interior folds up like a Transformer... how much trunk space does that suby have again?

"Safety features" Trunk Entrapment Release - yeah, those old folks who buy base imprezas'll need it.. whereas I can climb into my drivers seat and drive away if I fall in/get thrown into my trunk....

and where's the Pure Pricing on Subarus? the Invoice is $17,020 retail is $18,245 if you do end up sticking with the impreza despite logic, make sure you don't get shafted... If you're going to get an impreza and can't afford an STI, look elsewhere, there's nothing to see here.

21k for a tc...

 

Get neither right now. Wait a month and get a 2006 tC.

 

i heard the tC has about the same amount of backseat room as the Infiniti M sedans. that's SAD on infiniti's part. and rock solid on the tC.

 

1st when I said 21k thats how much im willing to spending. The tC is actually more expensive then the RS.
RS 20k
tC 21k

The suspension kit is everything thing comes about 1400 shocks, springs, sway bar.
Yes the tC has alot more extra features.
Problem is I cant drive a tC with the aftermarket stuff before hand.

The subaru handles... well everyone knows. A Subaru is going to have a better resale value also.

Compare them and the tC has a bigger back seat I think.

tC are not common in my area at all, but They have my tC backordered for a manual.


One more question between stick and automatic. Whats the performance difference I live in a high traffic area and I use to drive a mustang GT(crap), but in high traffic time my leg felt it would fall off. I really like sticks, but probably should be pratical.

Thanks for all the help.

 

subarus have amazing resale value

 

It's true. My buddy just picked one up last night: '05 9-2 Aero (turbo model, like the WRX wagon), out the door for little less than $23K. Only option he chose was leather and xenon headlights. If you're interested in the Arc (non-turbo) model, then you should have no problem getting one out the door for less than $21K.

BTW, he bought his in San Rafael, CA (SF Bay Area).

Good luck on your search.

 

Well, your decision should really depend on what you what. I bought the tC because very few people around where I live had one, and I liked how it looked from the very beginning. If you want a lot of different people saying "hey, nice car" than go with the tC. If you want one specific type of person saying "hey, my WRX can beat you" than buy the 2.5RS. I'm no trying to slam on Subaru, my best friend owns a WRX. But I will say that I get a lot of people telling me they like my car better than his, even if his may be faster. Plus, mine will last longer, and I still have this great little thing called a warranty. Go with the tC, then hit up the TRD stuff.

 

i ono..if u want power, the RS is the one. if you want style, tC all the way

 

Am I missing something? I thought the 2.5rs was a coupe or was that just the older ones, cause if its a coupe you should get it.

 

...What power? The RS has 165hp, the tC 160hp. The RS has 166lb-ft torque, and tC 163lb-ft. The RS is actually about .3-.5 seconds slowed in the 0-60.

Maybe you have it confused with the WRX/STi?

 

the RS has a horrible interior...very cheap looking and feeling. Around here, their resale values are horrible. Unless it's a fully loaded STI. Even then, the resale isn't great because everyone knows... if you have an STI, you probably drive it hard.

Personally, the only reason I would buy the RS is if I lived in a region that dictated all wheel drive as a necessity.

 

man subaru's are PLAYED out where i live.

but i got a TC and it turns heads all the time

 

Unfortunately, the only Impreza coupes that I know about are 2 generations ago. Next years model is a sedan too. I wish they'd make a coupe again.. The old 2.5 RS coupes look hot, better than the last or current gen, imo.

 

Drop a WRX/STi engine into the RS. Presto you have power!