blindpig

I'm in a delema and thought you guys would be the perfect group of people to ask.
I'm planning on moving up to Revelstoke or somewhere in BC for the winter (and probably end up staying up there). I plan to do a lot of boarding and back country riding too, so maybe snow mobiles in the future? I also plan to go hiking, camping, canoeing, ect (I'll be living in the Rockies so those kind of activities).
On to the question. I am buying a new car on Monday and can't decide between a Subaru Forester or the Impreza WRX (both '09). I prefer the look ect on the WRX but it'd be nice to have the extra cargo room and ground clearance the Forester offers. For other people that do these same kind of activities and live in the mountains, do you think the WRX will have enough ground clearance to get the places I'd want to go? I know the WRX can handle snow and the AWD is awesome on it, I'm just worried that it won't have enough ground clearance. Do I even need the ground clearance for back country riding? Sorry I've never been up to Canada, back country boarded, canoed, lived somewhere snowy, or had to worry about toeing anything before so I'm really looking into this blindly. Any advice is appreciated.

Or am I looking at all the wrong cars and there's a better option for me? I just heard Subaru's are the best in snow from a lot of people.

tomtom88

Ever heard of this thing called a TRUCK?

It would suit your needs far better than either of those cars. Especially when it comes to camping and towing. Broaden your horizons my friend!

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blindpig

I like the idea of being able to have a sports/rally car that can do snow too. Since I will be doing A LOT of driving with this car (trips from Vegas to Canada, CO, ect) so I like the higher gas mileage. I also like the refined style of cars over trucks, smoother ride, easier to drive around traffic, ect. ect. I was looking at a Frontier or a Tacoma but not sure, heard the Tacoma was a pretty bumpy ride.

DC5R

The Impreza comes in a 5-door, no? I'm pretty sure I've seen them around. It's a little lower than the Forester and has WRX engine. Best of both worlds.

tomtom88

lol, I was definitely going to recommend the Tacoma. As far as the smoothness of the ride, yeah, you are gonna feel alot of bumps and whatnot, but thats the case with most trucks. However on the highway the ride will definitely be alot smoother than on surface roads. When it comes to a truck's ride, especially trucks that are meant to be used as OHV's a bumpier ride is definitely a good thing. A truck with a stiff suspension will hold up under rough conditions and will spare the rest of the truck from any excess stress. Plus, the Tacoma is one damn good lookin' truck! Oh and the mpg isnt too bad for the Tacoma, 20-22 mpg highway and around 18-19 for city.

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blindpig

How much would it cost to upgrade the suspension to make a better ride?
Just trying to take comfort into this since I will be very long trips all over.
How much do you find yourself actually needing the extra ground clearance though? Would the difference from 6.1 to 8.9 make a big difference in the places I could reach for fresh lines ect ?

blindpig

Yeah the WRX I'd be getting would be the 5 door hatch back. Main thing I'm worried about is ground clearance. I can throw the boards up on the roof rack and have room in trunk for boots ect. Also since the same engine is in the forester as the WRX I'm guessing it'd be able to tow a snowmobile if I got a hitch thing for it ect.

tomtom88

The cost of upgrading your suspension is determined by alot of variables. Does it have leaf spring or coil springs or both? What kind of A-Arms and Sway bars will you need? What kind of modification needs to be done to accomodate these aftermarket additions? How much do you want to spend on aftermarket shocks? Your best bet would be to speak to your local auto shop or 4x4 shop and get good information from them.

As far as ground clearance goes, you are not limited to 8.9". If you are looking to upgrade the suspension, why not get a 2" or 3" suspension lift kit installed? You do that and you've got almost double the clearance of the subaru's. A decent 3" lift kit varies from $300-$600. Shop around, there are some killer deals out there.

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earlvb

I'd go for the Forester. I have an Outback Sport, and it has more clearance than the rex. I'm in WA state and even at times when I'm going to the lots at resorts that aren't serviced very much, I wish I'd have more clearance. I'd only get the rex if you plan to go to lots that are serviced/plowed. I love Subarus, but they have they're limits. If you're really looking to go backcountry, you might want something else.

mdc

You need a truck. If you are going to tow anything get a truck. The bigger the better IMO. I just don't think the subies are going to tow worth a damn. Actually it's not towing that is a problem, it's coming to a stop. You want a longer wheelbase than a car to tow.

Gas mileage won't be that big a deal...I don't think subaru's are known for great mileage.

Seriously, get a truck for living up there then you will never worry about ground clearance.

MDC