Why there are no low-mileage Subaru WRX/STIs [video]

It could be a great time to buy an older Subaru WRX/STI performance car. But good luck finding a low-mileage gem.

If you are looking to buy an older (2002-2010) low mileage Subaru WRX or WRX STI, it will be hard to find one. There are good cars out there for sale, but it’s hard to find an older WRX/STI with low miles that has just been sitting in the garage. They haven’t been sitting under car covers during the winter like other sports cars, they are out having fun in the snow.

You won't find a WRX STI sitting in the garage

The Subaru WRX/STI is a performance enthusiasts sports car for all reasons and all seasons, and you won’t find it sitting in the garage when it’s snowing. With it’s Symmetrical all-whee-drive, it’s designed to be driven in any kind of weather. Many people who drive more expensive sports cars leave them in the garage, only to bring them out on a sunny day. People who buy the WRX/STI take them out in the worst weather just to have fun.

The WRX was developed for Rally racing and made it to production for one reason. So performance enthusiasts could have fun driving these cars on the road and track. Buyers of the WRX/STI will drive these cars everyday and many will even be highly modified with performance and power upgrades. When it snows, that’s when the real fun begins.

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As I was commuting to the office this week, I saw a 2005 WRX STI driving right along with the other commuters in snowy conditions here in the Denver area. That’s what WRX STI owners do, and Subaru designed them to be driven in all conditions wet or dry. The owner of the STI was driving his performance car in the fast lane and wasn’t taking it easy in the snow. Six inches of the white stuff had fallen overnight and the roads were super slick. That didn’t deter this performance car owner. He knew how the STI would perform in the slick conditions and drove it to its limit.

Fun getting to the ski slopes

Here in Colorado, we see WRX and WRX STI owners all the time with snow boards on the top of the car heading west into the mountains during the ski season. Subaru dealers in this area sell many WRX and STIs and people love the all-weather capability and performance of the car at altitude. With their turbocharged Boxer engines, these cars will scream going up the mountain pass at 13,000 feet elevation. They make quick work of the thin Colorado air.

If you are looking to buy an all-weather sports car, it’s still a very good time to buy a good used Subaru WRX/STI. The new generation 2015 performance sedans are out, and many owners have traded their cars in for the new model. You will have to do your homework, it won’t be easy finding a low-mileage WRX or STI that’s been sitting in the garage all winter. Check out the 11 seconds of fun in the snow video below.