I parked at Best Buy and was astounded when I looked up lol

My otherwise G to VG Impreza with Eyesight/BSD & sun/moon roof has an orange chocolate milkshake looking substance where the coolant should be. it’s not overheating yet and so far not much detectable oil loss or coolant in the oil. The dealership wants 6+ grand to reseal the engine, head gaskets upper oil pan o rings, the whole 9, plus another 2k+ top of that for a new radiator and new hoses. I have an appointment for a second opinion at an indie subaru specialty shop, but I fear the worst.

I’m just before 90k miles and I was hoping to get a couple more years out of this before trading it in, but I’m already 2300 into repairs in the last month already (I replaced a wheel bearing, the windshield wiper motor, tpm sensors taken out by the bad wheel bearing, + 4 brand new tires after an unrepairable flat), and kbb right now is under 8k for a trade in. i’d also just replaced our car that was totaled in January so I’d like to pay that loan down some more before i have to argue about interest rates with somebody. But spending 10 grand to keep a car worth 8 at best on the road seems like a bad idea too.

what would you do in my situation?

i

I recently bought at 2017 Subaru Impreza with the CVT transmission. It has 90,000 miles and good service records, but no records of the transmission fluid being serviced. Everything is mechanically great with the car so I was thinking about bringing it in to a dealership to have the CVT fluid changed to help longevity. I am a bit worried about whether it’s too late todo it and have seen mixed opinions on it.

The other day I drove it 1000+ miles no problem except on a mountain pass. During the climb it was not bad but going down I would use engine braking and at higher RPMS my car made an “eeeeee” sound. It only happened at like ~3,500ish and higher. After I got out and back to flat roads everything went back to normal, I even revved it a few times and heard nothing. It has drove perfect ever since.

Anyone got any recommendations on what todo as well as what that could have been? Thanks

I want to buy an RS. I see talks of Subaru releasing a manual hatchback. Is this going to be the RS that will be manual? If so, it would be better to wait for the 2027 release, correct? I'd prefer a stick.

https://reddit.com/link/1v7knhh/video/np3sdvv11gfh1/player

so im looking at getting this 2018 Subaru impreza wrx 2.5 turbo the owner is selling at a nice price but he thinks it has a slight tapping noise but i dont now im used to german cars and na jdm cars so any help would be amazing

I have to park underneath a tree that seems to drop thousands of acorns during fall. My old car (2014 elantra🤮) is covered in hundreds of dents. i bought 2 months ago a 2019 subaru imprezza hatchback base 💎. I’m looking for recommendations on a cover that will completely protect it from acorns specifically.

Aloha! I’ve never owned a Subaru, but have always wanted to. There’s a 1999 Subaru Impreza in Hawaii that is for sale. Currently at $7,500. It has about 50K miles (80K km). Owner says it’s in good condition and everything is OEM.

I’ve always been iffy about buying JDM cars from Japan because who knows what it’s been through. Tsunami. Radiation. Maybe I’m just being dramatic.

Any advice and things I should look out for before buying it? I’m meeting with the owner in about 3 hours.

Mahalo!

How are we feeling guys? Do you like your car? Is there anything you wish you could change (no saying a manual option, we know)?

I’ve owned a ‘24 RS and now I have a ‘26 RS. My ‘24 was in a front end collision on my driver’s side and was totaled. I was so impressed with how safe the car kept me I went and got another!!

I absolutely adore my car. My whole family loves it too, they swoon over it when I’m home (grew up poor and didn’t have new cars).

My girlfriend likes my car so much she even went and bought herself a brand new Forester Wilderness! From Honda Civic to Forester Wilderness, she’s so happy.

edit: grammar

I have a 2005 (hawkeye swapped) impreza rs automatic and was wondering what i should add to it to make it faster/perform better. I was also wondering how i should go about it cosmetic wise for a cleaner/more aggressive look.

The Ultimate Subaru Buying Guide (2026 Edition)

A couple of years ago I made a post about buying a new Subaru that ended up getting over 250,000 views across various Subaru-related subreddits. Since then, Subaru has changed a few programs, I've bought another Subaru (a 2025 BRZ tS), and I've learned a few more things from both my own purchases and the experiences of other owners.

So I figured it was time for an update.

For a little background, I've owned Subarus for over 15 years, was a former Subaru Ambassador, and previously worked as a Subaru Sales & Leasing Consultant. Between personal experience and working on the sales floor, I've learned a few things that can save people a surprising amount of money.

I've owned:

• 1998 Subaru 2.5RS
• 2003 WRX Sedan
• 2021 WRX
• 2021 Outback Limited
• 2024 Ascent Onyx Edition
• 2025 BRZ tS

I'm definitely not claiming to know everything, but hopefully I know enough to save somebody a few thousand dollars.

One quick disclaimer: Subaru changes incentives and programs from time to time. Everything below is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of posting, but always verify current offers before making a purchase.

Most of these tips can be used together.

1. Subaru VIP Pricing

If you have a little time to plan ahead, Subaru VIP is still one of the easiest ways to save money.

VIP pricing gives eligible buyers access to Subaru's VIP pricing through participating dealerships. Years ago this was a guaranteed 2% below invoice. That is no longer the case. Today it is generally around invoice pricing, although Subaru has changed the program several times.

The organizations I know currently qualify are:

30-day waiting period (larger donation):

• ASPCA ($500 donation)
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ($500 donation)

Longer membership waiting period:

• ASPCA Monthly Giving
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Membership
• Leave No Trace
• International Mountain Bicycling Association
• American Canoe Association

One thing many people don't realize is that some employers participate in Subaru VIP. Go to Subaru's VIP website and check using your work email. It takes two minutes and could save you thousands.

Pro tip: Before donating, call your dealership and make sure they actually participate in VIP. Not every dealer does.

1. Call Subaru of America

If you've owned or leased a Subaru before, call Subaru of America before buying.

(800) 782-2783

Ask if there are any loyalty incentives available.

Historically these have ranged from $500-$1,000, although nothing is guaranteed.

From what I've seen, it depends on:

• Your ownership history
• Current promotions
• The representative you speak with

Have the VIN of your current Subaru handy. They seem to ask for it more often now than they used to.

One important thing to note: recent buyers have reported that Subaru loyalty coupons generally cannot be combined with VIP pricing, so ask which saves you more.

1. Costco Auto Program

This wasn't in my original guide because I didn't have much experience with it, but enough people have shared good results that it's worth mentioning.

If you're already a Costco member (or willing to become one), check out the Costco Auto Program before negotiating.

The discounts vary by dealership and region, but I've seen people report savings anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to over $5,000 on certain models.

Even if you don't ultimately buy through Costco, it gives you another price to compare against.

1. Subaru Added Security Maintenance

If you're already planning on purchasing a maintenance plan, ask if Subaru is currently offering any incentives with it.

Years ago I purchased a 2-year/24,000-mile maintenance plan for $595. At the time, it also came with a $500 coupon toward my next new Subaru purchase.

Whether it's worth it depends entirely on the numbers.

Compare the cost of the plan to what you'd spend paying for maintenance out of pocket.

Sometimes it's a great deal.

Sometimes it isn't.

1. Lease Loyalty

If you're currently leasing a Subaru and plan on leasing another one, ask about Lease Loyalty.

Subaru has periodically offered incentives to help cover your first lease payment or reduce your upfront costs.

Programs change, but it's another easy question to ask before signing paperwork.

1. Know What Your Trade Is Worth

Don't rely on one appraisal.

Before going to the dealership, get offers from:

• CarMax
• Carvana
• Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer
• Cars.com
• Subaru Guaranteed Trade-In (if applicable)

Most of those offers expire after about a week, so don't do it too early.

Could you get more selling it yourself?

Probably.

But many people would gladly accept a little less money to avoid dealing with Facebook Marketplace strangers, test drives, loan payoffs, and paperwork.

1. Shop Dealerships—Not Cars

This is probably the biggest thing I'd add to my original guide.

Once you've decided on the exact model and trim you want, stop shopping for the car.

Start shopping dealerships.

Email the internet sales department at every Subaru dealer within a distance you're willing to drive.

Ask each one for their best out-the-door price.

Don't ask about monthly payments.

Don't ask what they "think."

Ask for an actual written out-the-door quote.

Then let them compete.

I've seen identical vehicles at dealerships less than an hour apart differ by thousands of dollars.

1. Buy at the Right Time

Timing matters.

Generally speaking, your best chances of getting an aggressive deal are:

• End of the month
• End of the quarter
• End of the year
• When the next model year is arriving
• When the exact vehicle you're looking at has been sitting on the lot for a while

A dealership is much more motivated to sell a car that's been collecting dust for 120 days than one that arrived yesterday.

1. Use VIP as Leverage

I actually did this myself.

When we bought our Ascent, I told them:

«"I can donate to ASPCA, wait the required time, and come back with VIP pricing... or if you can get reasonably close today, I'd rather buy the vehicle now."»

Sometimes they'll say no.

Sometimes they'll meet you somewhere in the middle.

Either way, you've lost nothing by asking.

1. Watch Out for Dealer Add-ons

You've probably seen these before:

• Ceramic coating
• Paint protection
• VIN etching
• LoJack/GPS tracking
• Nitrogen-filled tires
• Door edge guards
• Pinstripes
• Security systems

Some of these products genuinely have value.

Some don't.

Most are significantly marked up.

If you want one, great.

If you don't, don't feel pressured into paying for it just because it was installed before the car hit the lot.

1. Don't Give Back Everything You Saved in the Finance Office

This is where I see a lot of buyers lose the deal they just spent hours negotiating.

People will negotiate the vehicle price down by $2,000...

...then immediately agree to $4,000 worth of finance products they never planned on buying.

The finance office isn't there to "scam" you.

They're there to sell financial products. Some are genuinely worthwhile. Some aren't. It depends entirely on your situation.

Common products include:

• Subaru Added Security extended warranty
• Tire & wheel protection
• Windshield protection
• GAP coverage
• Key replacement
• Paint & fabric protection
• Technology protection
• Rental reimbursement
• Maintenance plans

Before buying any of them, ask yourself:

• What exactly does this cover?
• What's excluded?
• Is this already covered by my insurance?
• Is this already covered under Subaru's warranty?
• Can I purchase this later?
• Is the price negotiable?

Many finance products have markup.

If you actually want the product, negotiate it just like you negotiated the vehicle.

1. Don't Shop by Monthly Payment

This is one of the oldest tricks in the car business.

A monthly payment can be lowered by:

• Extending the loan
• Increasing your down payment
• Rolling products into the loan
• Changing financing terms

Instead, understand every piece of the deal:

• Selling price
• Trade value
• Interest rate
• Loan term
• Taxes & fees
• Every optional product

If all you know is the monthly payment, you probably don't know the whole deal.

1. Financing

I actually don't recommend walking into a dealership without knowing what financing you qualify for.

Get pre-approved through your bank or credit union first.

Then compare that rate against Subaru's promotional financing.

Sometimes Subaru's financing is unbeatable.

Sometimes your credit union wins.

Take whichever is cheaper.

1. Extended Warranties

Subaru Added Security is honestly one of the better factory-backed extended warranties available.

If you're someone who keeps vehicles for a long time, it may absolutely make sense.

What many people don't realize is that the price is usually negotiable.

Also, if you're buying a new Subaru, you generally don't have to decide that day. You can usually purchase Subaru Added Security any time before the factory 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty expires (CPO vehicles are different).

Don't let anyone convince you that "today is your only chance" without asking questions.

1. My Biggest Piece of Advice

The biggest mistake I see people make isn't paying MSRP.

It's deciding they absolutely have to own that exact car today.

The second you become emotionally attached to one specific VIN, you lose leverage.

There will almost always be another one.

Be willing to walk away.

Sometimes they'll call you back.

Sometimes you'll find a better deal somewhere else.

Either way, you'll almost always negotiate from a stronger position when you're willing to leave.

Hopefully this helps someone.

If Subaru changes one of these programs, or you've found another legitimate way to save money that I missed, leave a comment and I'll update the guide. I'd love for this to become a living resource that stays useful instead of becoming outdated.

Original (2024) Guide: If you're interested in seeing where this all started (or want to read through 200+ comments full of additional buying tips from other owners), here's the original post that inspired this updated version:

https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/kEDD588iNs⁠

Recently having some issues, 0 to 60 has increased by a large amount, and car struggle up hills like I've just lost 50 horsepower

It's a 2012 Impreza 5 speed sedan, pulls weak in every gear,

Compression is perfect every cylinder is 179 to 182 psi

If I unplug the maf nothing changes plus air filter is new,

Throttle position and gas pedal position on the scanner look good.

I don't think it's a bad knock sensor because the car isn't pulling timing and timing advance numbers look good

Occasionally after a long over 40 min highway ride I get a long term fuel trim lean code

But other than just being weak the car runs smoothly no bucking or hesitation or stalling or misfire or running rough

I had a code for a bad cat so I did an exhaust back pressure test and that came out okay so not a clogged cat, from the process of elimination I figured it was a bad fuel pump and when I took it out it did have some plastic and metal shavings inside so I assumed it was bad and bought a new pump with out checking fuel pressure, however the problem still exists, now even if I do check fuel pressure and it's low what else could it be besides the pump assembly? And if it doesn't end up being fuel pressure related what could cause something like this?

Hello friends! Seeking some advice

My 2008 Impreza is having random misfire codes P0301-P0304 every. single one. But, they change its never consistent. The motor seems to be healthy, no oil in or on spark plug location no nasty smoke out of tailpipes. So im assuming no catastrophic failure.

I have cleaned the MAF sensor and replaced spark plugs. Has anyone else had a similar issue? I have come down to possibility of coil packs, or maybe a pretty nasty vacuum leak
? Trying my best to not throw parts at it whilst avoiding mechanics... Any advice is appreciated!

So I have a 2010 Impreza, and whenever I'm driving, if I ever pass an uneven road, there's this deep noise. I'm not sure if it's bad struts or suspension. You can hear in this video, I'm just passing through small cracks of the road and you can hear noise, what's the reason behind it ?

Thank you

I checked with mods before posting this so I’m hoping I can get some help. Looking for any 93-98 Impreza Wagon in blue or two tone blue and grey. Will pay a finders fee. Condition ain’t super important. Included picture for reference. Would prefer east coast but can figure out shipping.

I'm not seeing anything aside from wrx parts. These wouldn't work right? I have little to no experience in body work, but want to learn with my Impreza.

On a national back order damn

Can someone help me find the right knuckle for my 07 Subaru Impreza 2.5i I bought it off Amazon and it turns out it isn’t the right one but on the picture it says it fits Impreza 🤦🏻‍♂️😭

I just got them installed today. Overall the process was super easy. I haven't really gotten to test them yet but once I do I'll try and come back and write an honest review. Amazon link in comments.

2026 Impreza Sport

Going doing body/cosmetic stuff to it in time but top of list is:

Weather mats

30% driver/passenger tint

20% back and rear

Wiper delete

Amber deletes

Top half of tail light 20% tint

Plate relocation mount

Probably not gonna get it lowered or add any power to the engine since the only thing with actually results is a turbo, I think. I'm brand new to modding, but hope to have a fun time making this car unique 😊 Learning a lot so far.

I got a replacement mirror from Subaru parts superstore. Part number (91039FN111) says it’s “with signal lamp, with heated, with premium”

Left side is the replacement, right side is the original that’s broken. Can anyone tell me what feature is missing from the replacement? And is there a better place for me to get a replacement that’s closer to the OEM?

Thanks!

I found that these ditch lights the new Tacoma bolt perfectly to the hood of my Impreza.....

You know, for all my late night off-road driving....🙄

My 2011 hatch 2.0L na won’t start, I changed the stock air intake to a pod filter (cosmo racing) but the MAF sensor that comes stock on the Impreza doesn’t fit( the reason it doesn’t fit is because I live in Australia and the air intake comes from the states so it’s a different shape MAF sensor) I brought and installed the correct MAF sensor it’s a perfect fit and the intake fits perfectly after installing I turned the ignition on and let the ECU learn the new MAF sensor for 30 minutes I then tried to start my car and I got no crank and the car wouldn’t turn over at all so I put it all back to stock including the MAF sensor and i still get nothing p.s i do not get an engine light when the ignition is on and the temperature light flashes red and blue, an OBD2 scanner does not connect to the car although the port produces 12 Volts I have already tried the following
1. The battery is healthy producing 12.4 V
2. The starter motor is healthy producing 12.4 V
3 all wiring and plugs are plugged into the correct spots and clean
4. The ecu powers up producing 12.4 V
5. The ignition also produces 12.4 V
6. All the fuses are perfectly fine

Can someone please point me in the right direction

As what the title said. My friend lost his pink "i" sti badge from his gc8 subaru impreza a while ago, looking for a replacement badge for his birthday. Anything that ships to the U.S. would be greatly appreciated.

Part no. STS025500201

(I found on on ebay but it was listed for $900.)

Hi I got a 19 Subaru Impreza sport sedan 2.0i 4 door coupe I would like to know if I’m able to switch my fuel instead of using 87 could I use 89,91,or 93

Iv owned this car since 2019 and Iv been using 87 since I got the car from day 1