Would u recommend a Subaru?
Discussion
I'm afraid I definitely would not: there are numerous well - known issues with their quality, and the UK organisation will do anything to avoid accepting any liability for them. One of the best known ones is rusting roofs (!) on Imprezas; all along the top of the front and rear screens. A classic manufacturing fault, and very well documented on numerous forums etc. Subarus' response is:
"Whilst the manufacturers anti corrosion warranty remains (providing of course all the body services have been stamped and carried out at the manufacturers recommended intervals) you will note from your Service & Warranties Booklet that the manufacturer limits this warranty provision to body panels below window line - and so even if the corrosion was of the perforation type, the warranty will not unfortunately cover this.
Regrettably therefore, we would have to confirm that on this particular matter, we would be unable to provide assistance to you.
In closing, we would strongly suggest that you have this corrosion attended to at the earliest opportunity in order to minimise further damage and cost of repair.
Yours sincerely ......."
So basically, this is the kind of support you can expect from them. A shame really, as it's a good fun car to drive; but I wouldn't buy another - there are plenty of other fun cars out there with much better customer support for the same kind of money, or less.
"Whilst the manufacturers anti corrosion warranty remains (providing of course all the body services have been stamped and carried out at the manufacturers recommended intervals) you will note from your Service & Warranties Booklet that the manufacturer limits this warranty provision to body panels below window line - and so even if the corrosion was of the perforation type, the warranty will not unfortunately cover this.
Regrettably therefore, we would have to confirm that on this particular matter, we would be unable to provide assistance to you.
In closing, we would strongly suggest that you have this corrosion attended to at the earliest opportunity in order to minimise further damage and cost of repair.
Yours sincerely ......."
So basically, this is the kind of support you can expect from them. A shame really, as it's a good fun car to drive; but I wouldn't buy another - there are plenty of other fun cars out there with much better customer support for the same kind of money, or less.
I'm on my fourth Subaru in 16 years, currently an Impreza classic ppp wagon. The first one, a Forester bought new in 1998 is still going strong elsewhere in the family, my H6 Outback cost me nothing apart from fuel and oil in 40k miles. No rust issues on any of them, and all great to drive.
I'm approaching 80,000 miles in a 2008 3.0 Outback. Zero problems. Serviced by an Indie with the odd trip to a dealer for specialised work. Cheap to buy and service. 28 mpg and £500 p.a. Insurance and £475 VED may put some off. Still very quick especially in Sports Sharp. Big load space. Durable.
For balance I had two Impreza hatches. The 1.5 was a slug, very slow. The WRX was rapid!
Both had rust spots on the tailgate which were replaced under Subaru warranty. Otherwise fine if unremarkable.
For balance I had two Impreza hatches. The 1.5 was a slug, very slow. The WRX was rapid!
Both had rust spots on the tailgate which were replaced under Subaru warranty. Otherwise fine if unremarkable.
Yep, have two on the driveway out of four bought during the past 8 years.
1998 Gen 3 Liberty 2.5
2003 Gen 4 Liberty 2.5
2005 Gen 4 Liberty 2.0 GT
2007 Forester 2.5
Not the fastest or greatest drivers cars, though often entertaining, but all-round capability and reliability seals the deal.
1998 Gen 3 Liberty 2.5
2003 Gen 4 Liberty 2.5
2005 Gen 4 Liberty 2.0 GT
2007 Forester 2.5
Not the fastest or greatest drivers cars, though often entertaining, but all-round capability and reliability seals the deal.
My 2005 WRX wagon is an 05 and lives outside and is my daily drive. I've done 24k miles since buying it in April 13. The paintwork is excellent, though I can't count the number minor dings in the doors and wings.
According to the receipts I got with t it the rear shocks were changed under warranty at 30k miles. Yes they do stick but it's a 10 minute job to regrease them. A job I'll be doing next week when I put the wheels with winter tyres on.
Only thing I'd replace it with is a Legacy in a couple of years when the children get bigger.
According to the receipts I got with t it the rear shocks were changed under warranty at 30k miles. Yes they do stick but it's a 10 minute job to regrease them. A job I'll be doing next week when I put the wheels with winter tyres on.
Only thing I'd replace it with is a Legacy in a couple of years when the children get bigger.
I have owned 4 Subaru's since 2000, the first being a 2000 (W) plate Impreza turbo, great car back in the day but wasn't exactly the quickest thing on the road.
Since then I have owned 3 JDM imports, 1 classic and 2 Twin Scroll cars.
Would I say to anyone to get one?
Yes I would, BUT there are newer cars out there that are better, the high servicing costs, insurance and VED (along with the MPG figures but most Subaru Owners use these cars as a weekend toy) sort of hits you in the pocket hard if you don't know what to expect, so most are now fitted with 2nd/3rd & 4th hand bits which means you need to find a good one (getting harder to do).
Also parts cost a fortune, you need to go through specialists if you want them as Main Dealers (which are declining as quickly as the Marque in the UK) are expensive.
If you can live with the above then its worthwhile, I sold my last one earlier this year and replaced it with a nice sporty number that costs next to nothing to service, it happily gets 40mpg on a nice long run and loves to be thrashed (and handles great to boot!) with cheap insurance, its just not quite as practical as my last Subaru was but I am no longer quite on first name terms with the guy down at the Shell garage!
Since then I have owned 3 JDM imports, 1 classic and 2 Twin Scroll cars.
Would I say to anyone to get one?
Yes I would, BUT there are newer cars out there that are better, the high servicing costs, insurance and VED (along with the MPG figures but most Subaru Owners use these cars as a weekend toy) sort of hits you in the pocket hard if you don't know what to expect, so most are now fitted with 2nd/3rd & 4th hand bits which means you need to find a good one (getting harder to do).
Also parts cost a fortune, you need to go through specialists if you want them as Main Dealers (which are declining as quickly as the Marque in the UK) are expensive.
If you can live with the above then its worthwhile, I sold my last one earlier this year and replaced it with a nice sporty number that costs next to nothing to service, it happily gets 40mpg on a nice long run and loves to be thrashed (and handles great to boot!) with cheap insurance, its just not quite as practical as my last Subaru was but I am no longer quite on first name terms with the guy down at the Shell garage!
Forgive me leading this thread down a side road but would a £2-3K Impreza be a good buy for reliability etc (I know they were top of the list when new) or am I just asking for trouble. (Kick myself for not buying an ex work colleague car a couple of years ago when he couldn't sell it for love nor money)
duckson said:
Seems so, although I'm very tempted by a hatch STI if/when I get rid of the Chaser.duckson said:
Depends if you can afford an engine rebuild.
Animal said:
I'd definitely recommend a P1 after seeing one parked outside Chesham tube statino this morning - it was stunning!
I've had 3 P1's 
Still have my third, I've always prefered the classic shape Impreza, i think subaru lost their way when they replaced it with the bugeye. Bought a new MY00 turbo saloon back in March 2000, used it as my daily driver for 3 years and 45000 miles, tret it right by not thrashing it everywhere. It served me well with no faults at all. 18 months into ownership i also bought my 1st P1 as a toy, the difference between the MY00 & the P1 was miles apart. The P1 was such a planted raw car to drive, and still is. I wouldn't have any other Impreza. Do your homework and take someone along with you to buy, that knows these cars inside out, otherwise, you might need very deep pockets if you get the wrong one. Good luck with your search.Only had my 04 STI 6 weeks and I can't recommend it enough. Decent enough on fuel when you're not giving it a bootful, sounds superb, fairly comfortable (I did have an S2000 and a DC5 Integra before 
) and it's huge fun when you are giving it some. I won't be in a rush to change put it that way.
) and it's huge fun when you are giving it some. I won't be in a rush to change put it that way.We've had our 2003 Forester XT from new and have done 230,000km in her. We're starting to see some wear issues like worn suspension bushes but it's remarkably reliable, certainly compared to friends' German stuff. It gets to go off-road (gravel forest tracks) pretty much on a daily basis - it doesn't lead an easy life.
Thinking about it going from second to first is a bit difficult when it has just started and the temperature is below -25C, but if you can live with that you should be OK.
Our garage reckons it will comfortably hit 400,000km as long as we watch for rust. We've had none so far.
Thinking about it going from second to first is a bit difficult when it has just started and the temperature is below -25C, but if you can live with that you should be OK.
Our garage reckons it will comfortably hit 400,000km as long as we watch for rust. We've had none so far.
We've had our 2003 Forester XT from new and have done 230,000km in her. We're starting to see some wear issues like worn suspension bushes but it's remarkably reliable, certainly compared to friends' German stuff. It gets to go off-road (gravel forest tracks) pretty much on a daily basis - it doesn't lead an easy life.
Thinking about it going from second to first is a bit difficult when it has just started and the temperature is below -25C, but if you can live with that you should be OK.
Our garage reckons it will comfortably hit 400,000km as long as we watch for rust. We've had none so far.
Thinking about it going from second to first is a bit difficult when it has just started and the temperature is below -25C, but if you can live with that you should be OK.
Our garage reckons it will comfortably hit 400,000km as long as we watch for rust. We've had none so far.
i would and do.
We recently replace my old blobeye WRX (which becme the wifes) with a hawk Wagon WRX SL with PPP and i have a JDM Hawk STI imported and tweaked by Litchfields. Both get used daily for the commute with no issues, wort bill we've had in 8 years was £1000 for a clutch replacement. Apart from that it's annual servicing and consumables.
Yes they aren't great for fuel economy but we knew that when we bought them (the Litchfield does about 20mpg if your lucky), parts can be expensive if you go to a main dealer. But i've never got stuck in the winter - including driving down roads that are 'closed' (i don't undertand people with a scoob and another car, who loch the 4 wheel drive away in the winter and complain about struggling to work in the fiesta!), i've had more issues owning BMW's, Vauxhalls, etc than i have with my Imprezas
We recently replace my old blobeye WRX (which becme the wifes) with a hawk Wagon WRX SL with PPP and i have a JDM Hawk STI imported and tweaked by Litchfields. Both get used daily for the commute with no issues, wort bill we've had in 8 years was £1000 for a clutch replacement. Apart from that it's annual servicing and consumables.
Yes they aren't great for fuel economy but we knew that when we bought them (the Litchfield does about 20mpg if your lucky), parts can be expensive if you go to a main dealer. But i've never got stuck in the winter - including driving down roads that are 'closed' (i don't undertand people with a scoob and another car, who loch the 4 wheel drive away in the winter and complain about struggling to work in the fiesta!), i've had more issues owning BMW's, Vauxhalls, etc than i have with my Imprezas
IMHO, Subarus are like Leonardo Da Vinci's thoughts on flight...
"Once you have tasted flight, forever will you walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you and been and there you long to return."
Once you've had one, you'll always want another. Had 2 Foresters, got an Impreza wagon, looking to move to a Legacy in 1-2 years.
"Once you have tasted flight, forever will you walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you and been and there you long to return."
Once you've had one, you'll always want another. Had 2 Foresters, got an Impreza wagon, looking to move to a Legacy in 1-2 years.
I'd recommend them; I'm quite passionate about the marque. Subarus undeniably have flaws, but are among the most characterful modern cars... And in general the flaws aren't reliability-related. Like all cars, research carefully before purchase. I'm on my second Scoob (both highly modified Blob-eye STis).
The rear struts on my first suffered the infamous 'clunk'. It was more of an annoyance really, as it didn't affect suspension performance on road; in fact the standard STi pink suspension was a very sweet ride on UK roads, quite plush yet great for pushing on. The shocks needed regular re-greasing of the exposed damper arm was all, so it was a mistake when I swapped them out for ultra-hard HSD coilovers... IMO one has to be really careful when choosing coilovers for use on road and track...
The STi's ergonomics are absolutely spot-on. I remember actually feeling relief when getting back into my car after using a 335i courtesy car for a week: despite its plushness the BMW was a pain to drive. Make a quick stab at the clutch to rapidly change gear - catch left foot on dead pedal. Numb wrists from overly chunky steering wheel. Confortable seats but crap in corners. The Scoob is the opposite, yes the cabin's a bit crap but all the controls are really well set up. I'm quite ok with the inside of my car not looking like the executive lounge at Munich airport...
Anyway, I've found them bulletproof and that for me is the best bit. The boxer engine, the amazing traction and *that* exhaust note are the icing on the cake.
The rear struts on my first suffered the infamous 'clunk'. It was more of an annoyance really, as it didn't affect suspension performance on road; in fact the standard STi pink suspension was a very sweet ride on UK roads, quite plush yet great for pushing on. The shocks needed regular re-greasing of the exposed damper arm was all, so it was a mistake when I swapped them out for ultra-hard HSD coilovers... IMO one has to be really careful when choosing coilovers for use on road and track...
The STi's ergonomics are absolutely spot-on. I remember actually feeling relief when getting back into my car after using a 335i courtesy car for a week: despite its plushness the BMW was a pain to drive. Make a quick stab at the clutch to rapidly change gear - catch left foot on dead pedal. Numb wrists from overly chunky steering wheel. Confortable seats but crap in corners. The Scoob is the opposite, yes the cabin's a bit crap but all the controls are really well set up. I'm quite ok with the inside of my car not looking like the executive lounge at Munich airport...
Anyway, I've found them bulletproof and that for me is the best bit. The boxer engine, the amazing traction and *that* exhaust note are the icing on the cake.
Edited by MurderousCrow on Tuesday 16th December 07:34
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