Cheap WRX STI hatch - what could possibly go wrong?!
Discussion
Next job was sorting out the single key... Now I've never lost a key but that only means I am probably due to!
Standard single button key looks like this. (Pretty ugly and 90s stylee)
I found a guy on Facebook who has a very good reputation and makes new keys at a reasonable price, they are a newer style and seem to be much nicer. Much cheaper than taking it to a dealer but it did mean posting my single key to Glasgow for a complete stranger off Facebook to copy it and send it back.
I was a bit anxious....
But all was well! 3 days later and £140 lighter 2 shiny new keys.
Standard single button key looks like this. (Pretty ugly and 90s stylee)
I found a guy on Facebook who has a very good reputation and makes new keys at a reasonable price, they are a newer style and seem to be much nicer. Much cheaper than taking it to a dealer but it did mean posting my single key to Glasgow for a complete stranger off Facebook to copy it and send it back.
I was a bit anxious....
But all was well! 3 days later and £140 lighter 2 shiny new keys.
Looks like a great deal to me...
I like the original Subarus: There is a YouTube Late Brake Show with Jonny Smith who went to a specialist who can recreate a 90s car to your own spec....at a price of course !!
However, yours looks great ...but here is a personal view... I realise that they came with them, but I would try to change the rear lights to something more subtle....I just don't like the 'Lexus type" clear/white lights.... but thats just IMHO of course !!
I don't know how much power yours has....but judging by those 4 pipes at the back it must be quite a lot...
Looking forward to your journey with your new car..
I like the original Subarus: There is a YouTube Late Brake Show with Jonny Smith who went to a specialist who can recreate a 90s car to your own spec....at a price of course !!
However, yours looks great ...but here is a personal view... I realise that they came with them, but I would try to change the rear lights to something more subtle....I just don't like the 'Lexus type" clear/white lights.... but thats just IMHO of course !!
I don't know how much power yours has....but judging by those 4 pipes at the back it must be quite a lot...
Looking forward to your journey with your new car..
So the next day the battery was flat. I think it had been stood for a while, and on removing the clamps they were pretty loose. I hope that's all it was and the alternator isn't knackered. Time will tell.
Battery was taken out and put on my ctek charger.
Unsurprisingly under the battery was a bit scabby.
Nothing too scary and no holes, so I set about it with my trusty wire brush attachment in my drill and a pot of kurust.
I had a pot of silver hammerite smooth in the garage. This was a quick fix so a couple of coats of this felt good enough, and it's obvious what I have done (don't want to hide anything) but a close enough match it doesn't draw your eye.
I'll keep an eye on it and see if any rust sneaks back through, but should slow it down at least! Nothing else really jumped out under there, bit of rust starting to creep through on the bonnet in a couple of places that will need sorting but not a job for today...
Battery was taken out and put on my ctek charger.
Unsurprisingly under the battery was a bit scabby.
Nothing too scary and no holes, so I set about it with my trusty wire brush attachment in my drill and a pot of kurust.
I had a pot of silver hammerite smooth in the garage. This was a quick fix so a couple of coats of this felt good enough, and it's obvious what I have done (don't want to hide anything) but a close enough match it doesn't draw your eye.
I'll keep an eye on it and see if any rust sneaks back through, but should slow it down at least! Nothing else really jumped out under there, bit of rust starting to creep through on the bonnet in a couple of places that will need sorting but not a job for today...
Edited by drgoatboy on Tuesday 28th March 13:39
Paul S4 said:
Looks like a great deal to me...
I like the original Subarus: There is a YouTube Late Brake Show with Jonny Smith who went to a specialist who can recreate a 90s car to your own spec....at a price of course !!
However, yours looks great ...but here is a personal view... I realise that they came with them, but I would try to change the rear lights to something more subtle....I just don't like the 'Lexus type" clear/white lights.... but thats just IMHO of course !!
I don't know how much power yours has....but judging by those 4 pipes at the back it must be quite a lot...
Looking forward to your journey with your new car..
Yes they are pretty awful the rear lights, totally standard. Hate the way they are different from one side to the other for the fog light. One to sort at some point and apparently a pre cut red film is a quick cheap fix...I like the original Subarus: There is a YouTube Late Brake Show with Jonny Smith who went to a specialist who can recreate a 90s car to your own spec....at a price of course !!
However, yours looks great ...but here is a personal view... I realise that they came with them, but I would try to change the rear lights to something more subtle....I just don't like the 'Lexus type" clear/white lights.... but thats just IMHO of course !!
I don't know how much power yours has....but judging by those 4 pipes at the back it must be quite a lot...
Looking forward to your journey with your new car..
These are 300bhp ish from the factory...
Good to see it’s being returned to a less boy-racer spec, it’s almost a form of asmr 
I had a blob eye I did similar work with, in the end it was largely as Subaru intended and was a delight to drive fast down a b road, imagine yours will be the same.
Will continue to watch with interest!
I had a blob eye I did similar work with, in the end it was largely as Subaru intended and was a delight to drive fast down a b road, imagine yours will be the same.
Will continue to watch with interest!
Just by losing the pram handle, wind deflectors and chavvy stickers alone, you could probably put it up for sale for £1k more than you paid (based on several thousand pounds saved already)...
I was always a bit iffy about the hatchback Impreza, but that looks pretty good - was it the saloon version of these that you couldn't buy in the UK or were they released over here as well?
That could be a youtube channel idea - buy examples of the most chavved up cars, return them to standard and see if you can get more money when you punt them on!
I was always a bit iffy about the hatchback Impreza, but that looks pretty good - was it the saloon version of these that you couldn't buy in the UK or were they released over here as well?
That could be a youtube channel idea - buy examples of the most chavved up cars, return them to standard and see if you can get more money when you punt them on!
I had one of those, in that colour, with those wheels, that grille and the front splitter but sans all the other tat. I hope it isn't my old one, as that was a lemon of gargantuan proportions. 2 engine rebuilds and it still overheated and tried to die again. Got rid 7 years ago, PXing on a new Megane Cup-S (which I hated for different reasons). Seems a long time ago now.
Check for a reasonable but slightly visible chipsaway repair on the top of the rear, offside arch. If one exists I'll pray for you.
Check for a reasonable but slightly visible chipsaway repair on the top of the rear, offside arch. If one exists I'll pray for you.
Mr Happy said:
Just by losing the pram handle, wind deflectors and chavvy stickers alone, you could probably put it up for sale for £1k more than you paid (based on several thousand pounds saved already)...
I was always a bit iffy about the hatchback Impreza, but that looks pretty good - was it the saloon version of these that you couldn't buy in the UK or were they released over here as well?
That could be a youtube channel idea - buy examples of the most chavved up cars, return them to standard and see if you can get more money when you punt them on!
Love the YouTube channel idea. Go for it!I was always a bit iffy about the hatchback Impreza, but that looks pretty good - was it the saloon version of these that you couldn't buy in the UK or were they released over here as well?
That could be a youtube channel idea - buy examples of the most chavved up cars, return them to standard and see if you can get more money when you punt them on!
There was a saloon version, lately available in the UK but not for the first few years of the models life. I think I prefer the hatch shape personally, I know that upsets the traditionalists...
Nexus Icon said:
I had one of those, in that colour, with those wheels, that grille and the front splitter but sans all the other tat. I hope it isn't my old one, as that was a lemon of gargantuan proportions. 2 engine rebuilds and it still overheated and tried to die again. Got rid 7 years ago, PXing on a new Megane Cup-S (which I hated for different reasons). Seems a long time ago now.
Check for a reasonable but slightly visible chipsaway repair on the top of the rear, offside arch. If one exists I'll pray for you.
Looks like previous owners were Scotland, it's also had the private plate from it's first year in it's life so I don't think it will be the same car. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the repair though!!Check for a reasonable but slightly visible chipsaway repair on the top of the rear, offside arch. If one exists I'll pray for you.
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