Goodbye, Hatchback!

On Saturday, October 3rd, I picked up a WRX STI Series.HyperBlue... but not without some help.  That help came financially from my 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Hatchback which I have been upgrading and working on since I bought it 3 and a half years ago.  Performance-wise, there's really no comparison between a N/A FB20 with a CVT and a Turbocharged EJ25 tuned by STI with a 6-Speed Manual, but I must admit: I do miss the hatchback!

There's been a lot that has changed on my little base model econobox from when I rolled it off the lot in March of 2012.  2010 WRX STI Rear Sway Bar, 2011 WRX Wheels, 2012 Impreza Sport Side Skirts, 2013 modified BRZ Exhaust, 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid Tail Lights, and 2015 WRX front seats... all Legos that made my Hatchback unique.  I've had a lot of compliments over this time about what I've done with it.  I've even fooled some people into thinking it was a WRX!  And, while I've loved how it handled and responded, the gas mileage and the storage capabilities are still the strong suits I will miss.  After all, I am going from a car with 27mpg City and 36mpg Highway using Regular Unleaded to a sportscar with 17mpg city and 23 Highway using Premium.  Having that power under the hood comes at a cost, but I still sort of wish it were a hatchback.

I'm not having buyers remorse at all!  In fact, I'm quite attached to my new ride just 3 days after taking it home.  I would just like to thank this little hatchback for being awesome about everything I asked of it.  It was it a versatile car, being able to load up everything from moving boxed to crates of laser tag gear.  Being an automatic meant that if I had to trade cars with my wife or relatives that they'd have no issues driving it.  Many times they would compliment how it drove after having to return it to me.  It still managed to be a great adventure seeker, too!  That AWD got me in and out of some sticky situations that other compact cars would've struggled with.  It was my everyday driver that did everything.  Pretend Rally car, pack mule, economy car, snowplow, weekend getaway car, literally everything.  I've made a lot of memories in a short time and it's been great through it all.

Best of all, since it was affordable, I managed to pay it off early.  I
never imagined I'd need all that value to trade it in so quickly, but when that Hyper Blue STI showed up... I knew I had to trade in my hatchback and move to the next stage of my life: piloting a rocketship.  It'll be a great car for the next owner and hope I still get questions about what I did or how I found parts or what tricks I used to get things to work they way they did in this hatchback.  It'll make me remember what a great car it was and bring back all those fun memories.

I feel like I owe more to this Hatchback than just thanks for the memories.  I need to thank it for being the catalyst that got me to where I am now.  When I bought it, I loved it enough to recommend it to friends and family.  I recommended so many people, I started working at a dealership for Subaru (my first full-time job).  I was successful in Subaru sales and managed to make enough to get my first house.  I continued to be successful and married the love of my life, got her a Subaru, got us a puppy, and have been working happily with a sales team I look forward to seeing every week.  It all started with this little hatchback.  I'm so thankful how things have panned out since that rainy day when I took it home.  Thanks, Impreza.  You've been awesome!