Couple of beginners questions
Discussion
Guys/Girls,
I am really after a bit of advice....
I am currently looking for a replacement for my aging my99 impreza turbo (standard uk model)
the wife insists it has to be 4 seats as we have a wee one (even though we have just got a kia sorento for the missus!)
I am seriously considering a Monaro as my requirements are
1) cheap (<20k)
2) increase in performance over my impreza
3) some thing a bit different
questions are as follows.
1) can I get a reasonable one for my budget? Brand new is 30k at vauxhall and VXR is well out of my price range
2) Is it going to give me a decent performance increase over the impreza
3) What are running cost like in comparision to impreza? any previous impreza owners out there? I do a 70 mile a day commute and with 7500 mile service gaps its not been particuarly cheap. however a similar running cost would be acceptable.
4) Is there any difference between the HSV and Vauxhall models? in terms of both spec and price/insurance/parts availabilty etc?
I was considering a newish impreza STI but after going past a monaro on the A77 the other day I thought it might be a viable alternative... especially as STIs are as common as muck!!!
I haven't test driven one yet but I might give vauxhall a bell with regards to this...
Any input would be gtreatly received!!!!
Cheers
Fat-Tam
I am really after a bit of advice....
I am currently looking for a replacement for my aging my99 impreza turbo (standard uk model)
the wife insists it has to be 4 seats as we have a wee one (even though we have just got a kia sorento for the missus!)
I am seriously considering a Monaro as my requirements are
1) cheap (<20k)
2) increase in performance over my impreza
3) some thing a bit different
questions are as follows.
1) can I get a reasonable one for my budget? Brand new is 30k at vauxhall and VXR is well out of my price range
2) Is it going to give me a decent performance increase over the impreza
3) What are running cost like in comparision to impreza? any previous impreza owners out there? I do a 70 mile a day commute and with 7500 mile service gaps its not been particuarly cheap. however a similar running cost would be acceptable.
4) Is there any difference between the HSV and Vauxhall models? in terms of both spec and price/insurance/parts availabilty etc?
I was considering a newish impreza STI but after going past a monaro on the A77 the other day I thought it might be a viable alternative... especially as STIs are as common as muck!!!
I haven't test driven one yet but I might give vauxhall a bell with regards to this...
Any input would be gtreatly received!!!!
Cheers
Fat-Tam
Strangely enough I was looking at a brand new Impreza WRX 300 or a second hand Monaro (04 CV8 - my budget wouldn't run to a VXR either). I never got round to driving the WRX 300 but took out an (04 I think) Impreza with the prodrive pack. I may be biased as I used to have a Z28 Camaro but for me there was very little contest. The 04 Monaro in standard trim is a little slower 0-60 than a WRX STI and obviously a bigger and heavier car but IMHO the interior is a nicer place to be and whilst the scooby bought a smile to my face when I was pushing it, it lacked the punch of the Monaro. I having driven American V8's for probably over 10 years and they have always brought a smile to my face whenever I drive them - I thought maybe a change would be good but I got to thinking that the Subaru would be excellent 5 or 10% of the time and ok the rest of the time - the Monaro the reverse. They are in my view very different cars though and it boils down to what you prefer. Price wise I think Autotrader had them starting at around the 16k mark for 40k milers or did when I was looking. As far as running costs go - a bit early to tell had mine less than a month - servicing I recall is 10k miles or 12 months, fuel consumption I wouldn't have thought would be too different to the Subaru - on runs and without too much fun I am getting 22-25 so I am expecting similar running costs to my Camaro which was running the previous generation 5.7 engine anyway - I think you will find the servicing costs are pretty reasonable but I am sure someone will be able to confirm them.
Anyway the best advice I could give would be to drive one and take it from there.
Anyway the best advice I could give would be to drive one and take it from there.
I used to have a 99y IMPREZA with a pro drive pack.
Personally I prefer the Monaro which after some simple and relatively inexpensive mods will see off sti's, FQ340's etc.
I agree with others the inside is a far nicer place, much better cruiser, big boot (on 04 models) economy is fairly similar although on motorway cruises my Mopnaro is better than my Forester Turbo(aeros of a brick don't help).
Big plus is there are not many around and servicing is definately cheaper. Its a very different drive so I would agree with others and drive the Monaro you will be pleasantly surprised and you can always modify it in sensible stages at very reasonable cost -and you will get a lot more positiove interest from others! I loved my Scooby but the Monaro IMHO is a step up again.
The VXR is basically the HSV version of the Monaro. The HSV Commodore is the four door version which was imported for a while and others have in the past brought over on a personal import basis. There are varisou versions depending on model year and spec.
The drivers club web site has loads of info that shoudl answer most of your questions.
Personally I prefer the Monaro which after some simple and relatively inexpensive mods will see off sti's, FQ340's etc.
I agree with others the inside is a far nicer place, much better cruiser, big boot (on 04 models) economy is fairly similar although on motorway cruises my Mopnaro is better than my Forester Turbo(aeros of a brick don't help).
Big plus is there are not many around and servicing is definately cheaper. Its a very different drive so I would agree with others and drive the Monaro you will be pleasantly surprised and you can always modify it in sensible stages at very reasonable cost -and you will get a lot more positiove interest from others! I loved my Scooby but the Monaro IMHO is a step up again.
The VXR is basically the HSV version of the Monaro. The HSV Commodore is the four door version which was imported for a while and others have in the past brought over on a personal import basis. There are varisou versions depending on model year and spec.
The drivers club web site has loads of info that shoudl answer most of your questions.
fat-tam said:
Is there a faq anywhere?
Good place to start: www.hsvdriversclub.co.uk/
Welcome to the forum
fat-tam said:
1) can I get a reasonable one for my budget? Brand new is 30k at vauxhall and VXR is well out of my price range
Yes if you can find a private Monaro for sale. Alternatively look at the 4-door HSV/Commodore. I'm putting mine up for sale at £13,000 ono or maybe trade it in. Check EBay, Autotrader, PH Classified, and HSV Drivers Club 'For Sale' pages for other cars.
fat-tam said:
2) Is it going to give me a decent performance increase over the impreza
What do you mean by performance?
These cars are rear-wheel-drive so you can't compare them to your 4wd.
In terms of shear grunt (bhp), the LS1 engine has a long pedigree of being tuned significantly and you only have to look at the owners cars here to understand what performance you can get from them. A standard commodore is 333bhp and with a quick ECU remap, exhaust, headers, & CAI 410bhp is not a problem. Several cars here are over 500bhp. Is that the kind of performance you were after??
fat-tam said:
3) What are running cost like in comparision to impreza? any previous impreza owners out there? I do a 70 mile a day commute and with 7500 mile service gaps its not been particuarly cheap. however a similar running cost would be acceptable.
Members report 25-30mpg on long haul motorway journeys. Short runs and your down to 20-25mpg and on track days 5-15mpg.
Service intervals are 6months or 5-6000miles. A DIY Job will cost you £3.85 for the filter, £25 for good oil, and 30mins of your time. I'm not sure how much people like Vauxhall, Monkfish, LSV, etc charge. IIRC Monkfish were doing a special offer for a Monaro service with Royal Purple oil for around the £80mark. There's significantly less to go wrong with the LS1 than the STI engines IMHO so each service is cheap. The LS1 has a cam chain so there's no need to replace it every 4years or 60,000 miles. That's a huge saving. So long as you do your weekly checks the cars will keep on running.
fat-tam said:
4) Is there any difference between the HSV and Vauxhall models? in terms of both spec and price/insurance/parts availabilty etc?
The Vauxhall is just a rebadged Holden/HSV so parts are the same. Thanks to Vauxhall, LSV, Wortec, and WRC, parts are 'relatively' easy to come by. If needed people on this forum can assist you in getting the more unusual parts shipped from Oz.
All vehicles are insurace group 20.
If you want to look at the spec of the 4-door vehicles:
HSV Clubsport Vs Clubsport R8 Specifications can be found [url]here|www.hsv.com.au/cars/clubsport/clubr899_r8extras.h[/url]
Holden Commodore specifications can be found here
Hope it's of some help to you.
I also came from the Subaru camp, sold an STi5 TypeR for the Monaro.
The Impreza is a very focussed car, huge grip, mental acceleration, tremendous cornering ability, massive insurance and you need a burberry baseball cap to blend in. Every time you park an Impreza you wonder if it will be stolen or defaced.
On the other hand the Monaro is a bit more soft, massive torque, great in a straight line (good for traffic light GP) and brings a massive smile to your face when you leave two black lines of rubber as a calling card everywhere. I think the Impreza took a bit of fun out of the driving experience as it's so good, wheras with the Monaro you are back in control, you can powerslide everywhere (on the track of course) and your right foot really does steer the rear.
Saying that I do miss my Scooby, and I miss my Monaro as I now have a crap F**d Focus
The Impreza is a very focussed car, huge grip, mental acceleration, tremendous cornering ability, massive insurance and you need a burberry baseball cap to blend in. Every time you park an Impreza you wonder if it will be stolen or defaced.
On the other hand the Monaro is a bit more soft, massive torque, great in a straight line (good for traffic light GP) and brings a massive smile to your face when you leave two black lines of rubber as a calling card everywhere. I think the Impreza took a bit of fun out of the driving experience as it's so good, wheras with the Monaro you are back in control, you can powerslide everywhere (on the track of course) and your right foot really does steer the rear.
Saying that I do miss my Scooby, and I miss my Monaro as I now have a crap F**d Focus
comm ss V8 said-All vehicles are insurace group 20. -quote.
Not so, my HSV VT1 5lt V8 is only a group 16/17 according to Adrian/Flux, hense my £400 f/c insurance.
Just for the record, it is still up for sale too, P/H Classifieds for more info or mail me, Sorry, had to get that in!!Ha ha
Mike
Not so, my HSV VT1 5lt V8 is only a group 16/17 according to Adrian/Flux, hense my £400 f/c insurance.
Just for the record, it is still up for sale too, P/H Classifieds for more info or mail me, Sorry, had to get that in!!Ha ha
Mike
I still have my STI and my VXR and can't really bring myself to sell either of them!
Running costs wise the Scoob on shorter trips (and kept below 3000 RPM) is much more efficient on fuel, whereas I drove the VXR along the M4 very rapidly in cruise last week and the computer was saying 26.9 mpg, much better than Scoob.
But they are totally different cars. The Top Gear magazine has the Scoob down as an alternative drive to the Monaro in the new cars section??!!
It's what you want at the end of the day. Effortless cruising in silence and comfort it's the Monaro, for the whizzing round B roads with a big grin on your face it's the Scoob every time.
>> Edited by hainser on Thursday 12th January 07:05
Running costs wise the Scoob on shorter trips (and kept below 3000 RPM) is much more efficient on fuel, whereas I drove the VXR along the M4 very rapidly in cruise last week and the computer was saying 26.9 mpg, much better than Scoob.
But they are totally different cars. The Top Gear magazine has the Scoob down as an alternative drive to the Monaro in the new cars section??!!
It's what you want at the end of the day. Effortless cruising in silence and comfort it's the Monaro, for the whizzing round B roads with a big grin on your face it's the Scoob every time.
>> Edited by hainser on Thursday 12th January 07:05
hmm Monaro on A77 - wonder who that was. I'll be heading down it tomorrow - slowly thanks to 40 miles of average speed cameras!! I just got mine back from the repair shop in EK yesterday and they had clocked up 14 miles somehow! What colour was the Monaro? Only other one in Strathclyde that we know about is also black. Subaru or Monaro - well if you want to look like a chav buy the Scooby, if you want to look like someone that actually knows what a car is buy the Monaro. Dont know if its still available but there was a nice devil yellow one for sale for ages on Skye.
sorry for not saying thanks to all the really helpfull replys....
but about a week after my first posting the engine on my scooby went boom....
opps....
£2300 later (and nearly 3 weeks!!!) all was sorted... then yesterday guess what?... its all gone very lumpy (engine that is!) ..... oh dear... now I can't afford a scoob or monaro.... hopefully I should get it fixed free depending on whats wrong...
new car teritorry is no gonna be late summer me thinks...
Whats peoples view on the reliability of the monaro? is it good?
I have so far gone through..
1) nissan micra (engine failure) scrapped
2) Alfa Romeo GTV (engine failure) scrapped (wifes old car... not popular at all)
3) Scooby (engine failure) (fixed.... kinda)
I can see a pattern.....
yes I thrash my cars....
no never from cold....
There is no expense spared... always FDSH etc....
can I expect a monaro to hold out?
I was thinking a larger capacity engine car before I blew the engine on the scoob because of reliability reasons....
highly stressed 2 liter engines always have worried me...
thoughts?
Regards
- Fat Tam -
but about a week after my first posting the engine on my scooby went boom....
opps....
£2300 later (and nearly 3 weeks!!!) all was sorted... then yesterday guess what?... its all gone very lumpy (engine that is!) ..... oh dear... now I can't afford a scoob or monaro.... hopefully I should get it fixed free depending on whats wrong...
new car teritorry is no gonna be late summer me thinks...
Whats peoples view on the reliability of the monaro? is it good?
I have so far gone through..
1) nissan micra (engine failure) scrapped
2) Alfa Romeo GTV (engine failure) scrapped (wifes old car... not popular at all)
3) Scooby (engine failure) (fixed.... kinda)
I can see a pattern.....
yes I thrash my cars....
no never from cold....
There is no expense spared... always FDSH etc....
can I expect a monaro to hold out?
I was thinking a larger capacity engine car before I blew the engine on the scoob because of reliability reasons....
highly stressed 2 liter engines always have worried me...
thoughts?
Regards
- Fat Tam -
Put it this way - both the LS1 & LS2 (5.7 & 6.0) put out around 65bhp per litre.
That's absolutely bugger all.
Even my 865cc Triumph bike at 55bhp puts that out and it's considered to be quite the softy.
If you tune the things to get another 60bhp in total, you're still getting less than 80bhp per litre which in the grand scheme of things is actually pretty underpowered.
The small block Chevy is nigh on indestructable until you start going mental with it.
That's absolutely bugger all.
Even my 865cc Triumph bike at 55bhp puts that out and it's considered to be quite the softy.
If you tune the things to get another 60bhp in total, you're still getting less than 80bhp per litre which in the grand scheme of things is actually pretty underpowered.
The small block Chevy is nigh on indestructable until you start going mental with it.
The block itself is pretty solid. US guys thrash them down the drag strip.
If you run it stock you should be fine. If you modify it, then you need to make sure the mods are reliable etc. There are plenty of forged and uprated parts available, probably just as cheap or cheaper than WRX bits to make it even more solid.
If you run it stock you should be fine. If you modify it, then you need to make sure the mods are reliable etc. There are plenty of forged and uprated parts available, probably just as cheap or cheaper than WRX bits to make it even more solid.
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