RE: SOTW: Subaru Impreza Wagon
Discussion
Anyone taken their brave pills this morning??? if this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-impreza-WRX-Sti-t... a) fits (im no impreza buff) & b) is in as good nick as is claimed...... 
Alfa Papa said:
I just love the fact that on top of the "engine knock" admission in the ad, the seller has gone to the trouble of showing the Car Scrapper's truck that is obviously about to take it off to oblivion. Like the remark "WAS BEING USED REGULARLY UP UNTIL LAST WEEK". So was the Space Shuttle...
well spotted! perhaps its the scrap man who's selling it?My brother has a spare EJ20 engine, but i'm still not tempted.
If it wasn't f
ked then this would be an uber-shed. As it is, requiring an engine rebuild and a grand's worth of exhaust and brakes (assuming you don't ebay a used backbox and do the brake work yourself) there are better examples available that aren't shagged for less money (including cost of putting this one right).
These are great cars- I still remember my old P reg Wagon with it's 'big' turbo, scoobyecu and miltek exhaust banging and popping away on the overrun with great affection.
ked then this would be an uber-shed. As it is, requiring an engine rebuild and a grand's worth of exhaust and brakes (assuming you don't ebay a used backbox and do the brake work yourself) there are better examples available that aren't shagged for less money (including cost of putting this one right).These are great cars- I still remember my old P reg Wagon with it's 'big' turbo, scoobyecu and miltek exhaust banging and popping away on the overrun with great affection.
Tin Hat said:
I bought an S reg in 1999, The Guy who sold it to me had tears in his eyes when I collected it!
Wow, what a buzz - I had never been in an affordable car that felt so focused and with so much character - and so fast after my Golf 16V. They were relatively rare then and a flash and a wave was common from other Impreza's. The image that the car developed killed it for me, but there is no denying that it is a great car with a really special engine.
Are there any unmolested examples (outside of Shed's budget)?!!
Yes there are but they are rare now. Wow, what a buzz - I had never been in an affordable car that felt so focused and with so much character - and so fast after my Golf 16V. They were relatively rare then and a flash and a wave was common from other Impreza's. The image that the car developed killed it for me, but there is no denying that it is a great car with a really special engine.
Are there any unmolested examples (outside of Shed's budget)?!!
A mate has just bought a 30k from new M plate. Has a few mild tweaks but nothing over the top and the addition of the bullet proof newage 6 speed box. Outstide was pretty much standard though. Only thing is the stainless exhaust. He paid less than £2k. Do your homework and look around and you'll still find good ones. You'll just be spending ages looking for an original untouched one.
LeighW said:
Good for breaking only, this one. It may be cheap, but it'll never be cheap to run. My 'best' bill on my WRX was for new head gaskets and a clutch (engine was out anyway, so may as well...). Just under £2.5k.
It's worth getting your spanners out to save cash.Last time I had big end go, new short motor from Subaru £990, gasket set £250. So, for under £1.5K all in I had a brand new bottom end built to manufacturers tolerances.
mneame said:
VCat said:
What kind of performance would this have had when new?
212bhp iirc.MY94-96 'phase 1': 211PS (208bhp) / 201lb ft (Mitsubishi TD05H 16g turbo - rated at c.340bhp potential)
MY97/98 'phase 1.5': 211PS (208bhp) / 214lb ft (Mitsubishi TD04L 13g turbo - rated at c.280bhp potential)
MY99/00 'phase 2': 218PS (215bhp) / 214lb ft (Mitsubishi TD04L 13g turbo - rated at c.280bhp potential)
Saloon dry weight (no fluids) = c.1235-1275kg, dependent on MY.
Wagon's heavier, but can't recall by how much (something in the order of 30kg more, for like-for-like MY, IIRC).
Edited by joz8968 on Friday 22 July 15:58
DocJock said:
LeighW said:
Good for breaking only, this one. It may be cheap, but it'll never be cheap to run. My 'best' bill on my WRX was for new head gaskets and a clutch (engine was out anyway, so may as well...). Just under £2.5k.
It's worth getting your spanners out to save cash.Last time I had big end go, new short motor from Subaru £990, gasket set £250. So, for under £1.5K all in I had a brand new bottom end built to manufacturers tolerances.
****NEXT Poor SOTW. There are lots of Impreza's out there, if you look, minus an engine knock! I'm on my second classic WRX and have had no problems with either, if you service them regular (every 2k in my case). When you drain the oil and refill with new, you must unplug the cam sensor and turn the engine over for 30 seconds (in 10 second bursts) to stop oil starvation to the big end bearings. There are other knocks it could be though. Piston slap is a common problem on facelift Impreza's. This should have been fixed by main dealer recalls but so long as it's not too loud and it goes away when warm, it shouldn't really be a problem. Also, check alternator and air con pump bearings as these can be noisy knocking noises. Last but no least, if the cam belt tenstioner is on its way out, it can make a knocking type sound sometimes.
Some of the numpty comments on here about this poor old scooby are a joke!! There are plenty of cheap engines around, diffs galore, gearboxes are cheap as chips. Some of you are talking tosh!! You'll pick this up for less than £650 and then it's worth spending a few bob on it!!
This motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
This motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
What a completely pointless shed of the week story, yes you found an unmolested scoob for 650 quid, but its knocking its bag off which is an engine rebuild, £1500 absoloute basic minimum spend, so its actually gonna cost you over 2k for an 11 year old car, and thats before youve found anything else wrong with it and forgetting the stupid mileage!!!
gnm321 said:
I want to see a hyundai xg30 in as shed of the week they aren't pretty but all that kit (that is reliable) combined with a strong engine matched to a reliable slush box....and most are under £1000 with tax and mot.
Find one, send me the link and I'll happily take a look at it 
ScoobieWRX said:
Some of the numpty comments on here about this poor old scooby are a joke!! There are plenty of cheap engines around, diffs galore, gearboxes are cheap as chips. Some of you are talking tosh!! You'll pick this up for less than £650 and then it's worth spending a few bob on it!!
This motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
Indeed yes there are plenty of everything around to fix this up, point is-there are also plenty of less worn out cars for not much more money. If they were a rare vehicle or this one was in some way special, it would be worth all the effort, but it isnt rare or a special version & the point of 'Shed' is surely to buy cheap, enjoy, bin. Not buy, spend many hours under it & make it your lifes work. Know what you're getting at, but gotta disagree This motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
Riggers said:
Find one, send me the link and I'll happily take a look at it
Here you go this is a beauty i'm thinking of getting one to cruise round london taking the dings while the porker is in the sty.http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
mneame said:
VCat said:
What kind of performance would this have had when new?
212bhp iirc.In 1997 I was looking country-wide for a last of the line Escort Cosworth with leather and air-con, but at the time this proved very difficult. I knew the local Subaru dealer, and read the rave reviews so thought lets try one. As soon as I did, I was hooked. Nothing was as good at the time. It was THE car back then and the honey of the car mags!
Now you can get one for £1k or less, amazing bargain I say.
ScoobieWRX said:
Some of the numpty comments on here about this poor old scooby are a joke!! There are plenty of cheap engines around, diffs galore, gearboxes are cheap as chips. Some of you are talking tosh!! You'll pick this up for less than £650 and then it's worth spending a few bob on it!!
This motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
yep you are right loads of cheap parts around but unless you are Edd China all the labour to fit gearboxes engines etc will be more than the value of a decent carThis motor has done 160K miles. I wonder just how many of you driving non-jap motors will need a rebuild well before 160K miles.
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