Chance to buy WRX STI SPEC C TYPE RA
Chance to buy WRX STI SPEC C TYPE RA
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TS-341np

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Hello Everybody.

I have a chance to buy 2004 JDM WRX STI SPEC C TYPE RA in blue, only thing is holding me back is the mileage which is about 94k with service history and in very good condition.

So my Question is
1: How much you think I should pay for it?
2: What are they like to drive?
3: If I don't like it would I be able to find a buyer for it?

Thank you for all you lovely people for your time and your advice..

Shaz

S100HP

13,471 posts

187 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Rot. Check for it.

I don't like driving them, they feel archaic.

No, it won't be easy to sell.

Ask me how I know...

TS-341np

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Tell me then how do you know. wink

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
S100HP said:
Rot. Check for it.

I don't like driving them, they feel archaic.

No, it won't be easy to sell.

Ask me how I know...
No I'm not having that. Your 143k mile hawkeye 2.5 wagon is not remotely comparable with this car.

Your car is completely undesireable, where as the OPs car is one of the most sought after Imprezas ever made.

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Back to the questions...

If you don't enjoy driving one of these, then you have no soul. Proper old school mechanical experience, but these have Twin Scroll turbos, so the lag is nothing like their UK counterparts.

Value - circa £12-14k

The market is limited for higher priced 'Newage' cars, but if it's a good one it will always find a home. Interest is also increasing as they get older, with an awful lot of people out there having regrets of selling their Imprezas in years gone by.

S100HP

13,471 posts

187 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
No I'm not having that. Your 143k mile hawkeye 2.5 wagon is not remotely comparable with this car.

Your car is completely undesireable, where as the OPs car is one of the most sought after Imprezas ever made.
Okay. Maybe it will be easier to sell.

Shaz_

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
No I'm not having that. Your 143k mile hawkeye 2.5 wagon is not remotely comparable with this car.

Your car is completely undesireable, where as the OPs car is one of the most sought after Imprezas ever made.
Who's OP??

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
The Original Poster - i.e. you. Not yours yet, but you know what I meant...

Shaz_

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
The Original Poster - i.e. you. Not yours yet, but you know what I meant...
Got it. Thx

Shaz_

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Is it a fresh import?

Needs undersealing if you’re going to use it in winter regardless.

Shaz_

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
Is it a fresh import?

Needs undersealing if you’re going to use it in winter regardless.
It's still in Japan, friend offered it to me. will do underseal once here in UK. Looks like rust free?

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Yup looks good. I assume you’ve seen the auction sheet?

plenty

5,036 posts

206 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Car looks clean although ideally you should request pics of the interior and engine bay as well.

The JDM Newage twinscroll car is an absolute riot to drive. And IMO the blobeye Spec C RA is the pick of the Newage Impreza range this side of an RA-R. The blob RA adds a lot of extra stuff such as trick suspension bits to the already superb Spec C (the difference between the hawk Spec C and Spec C RA is minimal by comparison).

Furthermore, the blobeye has the most rear-biased torque split (66R/33F) compared with 55R/45F for the bug and 59R/41F for the hawk. This makes for a very entertaining handling balance.

The miles are a concern, not because the car can't take them (it can) but inevitably you'll have 100k+ on the clock when it comes time to sell on, and the pool of buyers for an Impreza with 100k+ miles is limited, even for a model as desirable as this. So don't let that put you off in terms of the car itself, but do ensure it's reflected in the asking price.

The only real flaw in the package IMO is the tiny fuel tank - these cars like a drink, particularly the twinscroll, so get ready to be on first-name terms with the people at your local Shell. Also you must ensure that the car runs on 99 RON. If it hasn't been remapped, a custom map from one of the reputable mappers across the country will transform the car.

Good luck and if it's a good one you'll own one of the finest driver's cars ever produced. For more info and opinions type-ra.com is a great community.

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
Yes, re-map is essential too.

A £500 Ecutek map from the god that is Andy Forrest took my Hawkeye RA to 350 bhp and 360 torque with the downpipe cat still in. More than enough for silly acceleration to counter those pesky Golf Rs.

ZX10R NIN

29,742 posts

145 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
A Spec C Type RA is a cracking buy but do your checks & get ths seals done as soon as it lands apart from that there's no reason not to buy.

rallycross

13,660 posts

257 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
quotequote all
These Spec C Models really are fantastic to drive.
I've had 3 of these (S202, Spec C2.0 and Type 25 2.5 (Lichfield Spec C), and of all the many Evo's Subaru's, Cosworths etc that I've had the Spec C model Impreza's are right at the top of the list of best to drive on track/B roads.

Make sure its a real one, put some good tyres on it, if its got the standard Jap suspension get some AST or similar shocks and get a UK remap (340/340 is safe and easy to do) .

Nothing will come close to it on a twisty back road.

Prices never really dropped below £10k and seem to be moving back up towards £12k to £15k plus.

Shaz_

Original Poster:

7 posts

88 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
Yup looks good. I assume you’ve seen the auction sheet?
It's 3.5 C which is not bad for vehicle of this age. there are lots more pics I just didn't put them on including interior looks decent from the pics.

Auction sheet translation below.

70140/ST 17 in AW / ST suspension/ roof monitor/ rear spoiler / after market navi/ scuff on steering / seats worn / AW & door mirror A / A on AW / interior dirty, A / under neath rust / ceilling faded / trunk mut missing/ head ligth cloudy / AU on exterior, rear bumper A. hole.

rossub

5,383 posts

210 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
quotequote all
Ok, in that case I'd lower my value down towards £12k rather than the £14k. Sounds like it needs a bit of tidying up.