£3k Impreza - asking for trouble?
Discussion
I'm looking to get shot of my OH's A3, give her my S3 and buy something for me to use on a day to day basis (when not on the bike / in the Tuscan)...the plan is to buy something for 6 - 12 months and then sell it on again - I've got a long list of cars that I've always fancied owning - MR2 turbo, Scooby, E30 325i, Corrado etc and plan to get through a few of them without putting too much of a dent in the 996TT fund.
First on the list is an Impreza...ideally a facelift UK car (1998 onwards?). They seem to start at sub £3k on Autotrader - will I be buying a heap of trouble at this price?
Budget is "as little as possible" - ideally sub-£3k. I'm not put off my moon mileage as long as the car can take it.
Am I mad or would it be reasonable to expect I could buy one for £3k, pile 20k on it without it bankrupting me?
First on the list is an Impreza...ideally a facelift UK car (1998 onwards?). They seem to start at sub £3k on Autotrader - will I be buying a heap of trouble at this price?
Budget is "as little as possible" - ideally sub-£3k. I'm not put off my moon mileage as long as the car can take it.
Am I mad or would it be reasonable to expect I could buy one for £3k, pile 20k on it without it bankrupting me?
UpTheIron said:
I'm looking to get shot of my OH's A3, give her my S3 and buy something for me to use on a day to day basis (when not on the bike / in the Tuscan)...the plan is to buy something for 6 - 12 months and then sell it on again - I've got a long list of cars that I've always fancied owning - MR2 turbo, Scooby, E30 325i, Corrado etc and plan to get through a few of them without putting too much of a dent in the 996TT fund.
First on the list is an Impreza...ideally a facelift UK car (1998 onwards?). They seem to start at sub £3k on Autotrader - will I be buying a heap of trouble at this price?
Budget is "as little as possible" - ideally sub-£3k. I'm not put off my moon mileage as long as the car can take it.
Am I mad or would it be reasonable to expect I could buy one for £3k, pile 20k on it without it bankrupting me?
Same boat, re: Porsche fund..First on the list is an Impreza...ideally a facelift UK car (1998 onwards?). They seem to start at sub £3k on Autotrader - will I be buying a heap of trouble at this price?
Budget is "as little as possible" - ideally sub-£3k. I'm not put off my moon mileage as long as the car can take it.
Am I mad or would it be reasonable to expect I could buy one for £3k, pile 20k on it without it bankrupting me?
I bought a '99 UK 5 door a couple of years ago with 115K miles (now done 123K)- totally standard apart from Prodrive alloys. Apart from current problem (see my other thread) which I dont THINK (read:Hope) is serious, it has been faultless (couple of new tyres and annual service).
It cost me 3.5K then. Has all the toys of the time (Air con, electric sunroof, CD, Phone etc) - my attitude is even if I had to write it off now (which I am 99% sure I dont), it will have cost me only c.150 per month in depreciation.
I do get the impression it might have been a motorway muncher / rep car due to lack of mods and telephone fitment rather than having a hard early life - came with a stack of receipts / service info. So, I guess my advice is choose carefully, look at history and (depending on requirements) go standard as this might likely (though not definately) have had less of a harsh existence.
Good luck !
I think you could get a decent one for £3K now.
If I remember correctly some of the "98 uk impreza turbos had engine replacements early on in warranty due to big end problems
IMO you should aim for a 2000 model in standard condition as would usually have had an easier life
Seem to be a lot of decent wrx models at this price now and if you could insure an import you get a lot of kit on these compared to uk spec
If I remember correctly some of the "98 uk impreza turbos had engine replacements early on in warranty due to big end problems
IMO you should aim for a 2000 model in standard condition as would usually have had an easier life
Seem to be a lot of decent wrx models at this price now and if you could insure an import you get a lot of kit on these compared to uk spec
Edited by japcrazed on Sunday 29th November 01:52
japcrazed said:
I think you could get a decent one for £3K now.
If I remember correctly some of the "98 uk impreza turbos had engine replacements early on in warranty due to big end problems
IMO you should aim for a 2000 model in standard condition as would usually have had an easier life
Seem to be a lot of decent wrx models at this price now and if you could insure an import you get a lot of kit on these compaed to uk spec
MY99 onwards will bag you the uprated engine, and I see no reason why £3k would not get you a half decent one, I have a 99MY with 95K on the clock, mechanically still spot on, in the 50K miles I have had nothing, except 1 MAF sensor, go wrong. Just make sure at this sort of mileage it has had a cambelt service which will inclue all fluids etc. If I remember correctly some of the "98 uk impreza turbos had engine replacements early on in warranty due to big end problems
IMO you should aim for a 2000 model in standard condition as would usually have had an easier life
Seem to be a lot of decent wrx models at this price now and if you could insure an import you get a lot of kit on these compaed to uk spec
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/715073.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/721162.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/796102.htm
this looks good:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/817506.htm
eta; there are many in the classifieds
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/817506.htm
eta; there are many in the classifieds
Edited by chippy17 on Tuesday 16th December 10:09
Mrs Big Dunc drives a 98 Turbo 2000. 105k miles. We bought it 3 years ago for 3.5k.
I expect its worth a bit less now (maybe half).
It has run faultlessly. The only costs have been routine servicing and consumables (tires, brakes etc).
Just make sure you don't get one that has been thrashed / trashed by a max power buyer, and you cannot go wrong.
3k should get you a late classic shape either 1999/2000. Also may stretch it to a bugeye model.
I recently sold my 2004 WRX for 4700. So you should be able to get a bargain!
My personal view is get one that is un-modded one, and check that it is not a modded one reverted back to standard etc.
I recently sold my 2004 WRX for 4700. So you should be able to get a bargain!
My personal view is get one that is un-modded one, and check that it is not a modded one reverted back to standard etc.
Edited by stevieb on Wednesday 17th December 13:31
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