couple ?'s about my 03

[MyTOY]

Yesterday I bought an 03 WRX. 67,000mi. I took it for the first good drive today and all I can say is, where has this car been all my life? All those wasted years.
I can't get over how perfectly matched it is to what I was looking for in a car. Couple questions:
There is a prominent "whine" in gear that goes away when I engage the clutch. It doesn't sound like anything bad but you hear it over the engine most of the time. Is this normal?
It has a turbo guage but what am I looking for there?
I'm taking it to the dealer in a few days to have them change oil, coolant, & spark plugs and to look it over. Is there anything else I should ask them to replace or look at with my milage? I've searched this forum and I don't see any common issues with this car but i'll spend to make sure everything is right.
The only thing I could complain about is the kinda rough ride on the hiway, the bumps were very noticable. Oddly, The ride on the other roads was quite nice. I'm assuming it's because of the sporty suspension I assume it has.
By the way, after I decided I wanted a WRX in my price range (02-04), I had a tough time finding one. I thought I was gonna have to drive out of state. When I saw it on the website, I thought it looked a little dorky. When I saw it in person I was stunned. It's sleek simplicity is beautiful. It's black on black.
Thanks for any suggestions. Yes, I will update my profile.

[korybobsimpreza95]

if the car has been lowered or even has different wheels, usually with a lower profile series tire, it will make the ride a little more noticable...not sure about the whine not unless your just hearing that signature subaru rally whine lol...only one thing...now that you have owned a subee...you will never be able to drive anything else again, they get in your blood and you wont like nothing else lol...well that way for me anyways good luck with your new car!

[SabreKhan]

Put an exhaust on it. You'll wet yourself. Or at least, you'll want to. That boxer rumble combined with the awesome driving experience... it's like nothing I've ever driven. I mean, you can make it faster, but you only get to use the "faster" part of the car on the track. The fun noises are every single time you get in the car.

[MyTOY]

Thanks for the responses.
It doesn't seem to be lowered. The wheels are stock with Potenzas on them. I'm taking it to the dealer on Tues. to have them do a general lookover. I want to take care of anything now while I have the truck as a second vehicle before I sell it.
I guess the whine is normal, I've had 20 something cars but never a turbo. I didn't realize till today that the turbo is in the engine bay. I thought it was deeper in the exhaust.
I'm not sure I want to do anything with the exhaust unless it's for efficiency. I'm not too concerned about what it sounds like. I would like to keep it more "rally" than "street". I'm gonna concentrate on suspension for now.
I'm not too interested in performance mods right now cause it is already as fast as I can go around here, even though I was looking at a website someone posted here that had a reflash for $six something that claimed 40-50 hp gain that is tempting.
It's plenty fast now, cept I need to work on getting through the super short 1st gear more efficiently. 2nd & 3rd pulls like a rocket.
Ordered MOMO shift knob yesterday which was too expensive but too sweet to pass up. also upper/lower grille cause I want my paint guy to shoot the hood & bumper cause of allota nicks & I want him to spray those while he's at it. I wanted to round it off with some fresh headlamps cause nothins nicer lookin than some crisp new lamps but WOW, were they expensive. Mine are a little dull.
Thanks again see ya

[Jay!]

The whine you hear may be your center or rear differentials. You can definitely hear the rear diff when you sit in the back seat.

Look into beefier sway bars and strut tower braces.

[jg09]

Yep, it's the diffs. My STi does that, too. As for the turbo boost gauge, it shows how much pressure the turbo is making. When you shift and the blow off valve goes off, the gauge will drop because the engine releases pressure. When you get back on the gas, the gauge goes up again.

[MyTOY]

Good enough, thanks. It does sound like that I guess, Like someone
driving in reverse but not that extreme. I guess there's no major prob.,
I just got a message from the dealer that it is ready to pick up after
a $700 tune-up. I forgot to ask them about my alarm. It didn't come
with a transmitter. I read the manual and I see how to set it with the
auto locks without it but I didn't see how to disarm it without the
transmitter. I didn't even know it had an alarm till I went to open the
door one time and I didn't know how to shut it off (till I read the manual)
and I couldn't start it. If anyone was watching, that must have been
pretty damn funny.
Thanks again

[freakray]

Get a replacement transmitter off Ebay and program it yourself, you're save a load over what dealers charge.

[MyTOY]

So, is there no way to disarm without the transmitter then?
Thanks

[SabreKhan]

My turbo definitely whines louder than my diffs. As a matter of fact, I'd never noticed the differential whine until after I read this thread and paid attention to it.

[jg09]

Originally Posted by MyTOY

If anyone was watching, that must have been
pretty damn funny.
Thanks again

I can only imagine! But yeah, you need the transmitter to shut the alarm off.

[Jay!]

Originally Posted by SabreKhan

My turbo definitely whines louder than my diffs. As a matter of fact, I'd never noticed the differential whine until after I read this thread and paid attention to it.

Mine is n/a. I probably get to notice a bunch more things as I go slowly...

[jg09]

Originally Posted by Jay!

Mine is n/a. I probably get to notice a bunch more things as I go slowly...

Just get up to speed with a turbo Impreza, then push in the clutch and coast. You won't hear turbo whine. It's something our mechanic does to turbo Subies.

[SabreKhan]

Good idea.

[MyTOY]

Thanks guys,
It seems to be a drivetrain whine that I guess is the way it is.
I never had a AWD or a turbo in all the cars I've had. It seems
to be in tune with gearbox. I've had at least 4 manual trans vehicles
& the last 1 for 8 years but I'm just starting to learn how to drive this
car. Just like the 65 Stang I had when I was 17 with a Hurst 3 spd. - FUN
Anyway,
it runs perfectly. I had timing belt & tensioner replaced today.
From my research on this car, I should be OK now to move on
to the fun stuff. I thought I heard a grinding in the driver front
when stopping but dealer couldn't duplicate. I only hear it once in a while
& it didn't sound pretty but only once in a while. I have been surprised by
how the road can transmit the noise.
Some hesitation sometimes ramping up in 2nd & 3rd. But all good aside.
I'll start a fresh post for any other issues. Thanks again.