Reccomend me a Scooby!

[10mpg]

I'm looking to get an early Impreza as a winter hack/daily and as I want something that makes me smile on my commute more than my tdi Golf..

mpg and insurance is not an issue unless I'm gonna regularly be seeing low teens, insurance is via my business trade insurance so spec/power/import is irrelevant..

I'm new to the world of Subaru so I'm completely baffled by the myriad of specs, it needs to be an estate and I'd like it to be as powerful as possible whilst maintaining complete reliability and happy to sit in traffic for hours on end, i don't want it to be a show car, race car or chavved up as it's going to be a family car, but that said i do like to drive my cars hard and I live in the middle of nowhere where the roads are dreadful, also a/c is a must.....

I don't mind cosmetic problems, as it will be covered in mud and crap and filled with kids and dogs from day one, I have 'nice' cars and this won't be one of them, I look after my cars mechanical condition religiously and whatever I buy must be very sound mechanically.

So
1: estate/wagon
2: power
3: reliability
4: a/c
5: visually stock/clean/not chavved


I'm replacing my 1999 tdi golf which is great in every way i just want a little more excitement, I was planning on a mid/late 90's WRX STi wagon, but these seem to be quite rare, i'd spend around 2k happily, maybe up to 3k for something really suitable, and would happily trade in my wee Golf, with someone who fancies 60mpg motoring...

What could I get? what should I be looking out for? and most importantly do I look for a classic or a bugeye, I much prefer the look of the classic but I'm prepared to be persuaded.

Also should I hold out for an sti or will a wrx be just as much fun 280bhp compared to 220 sounds like a hell of a jump to me!

please help!

[Tom H]

Try this ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_C2HJvtRDY&fea...

[TIGA84]

Can you stretch a touch?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3208715.htm

[Husaberk]

From what you've said I'd say you're best bet would be a 1999/2000 UK spec Estate just because they're the most plentiful and easiest to find un-molested. STI Estates will all be imports and a good one of them is not likely to be in budget unless you're lucky and may take a while to turn up.

[LeighW]

I used to have a 95 WRX (none Sti) mine seemed plenty quick enough at the time. 95-96 models had 260ps as standard, compared to 280ps for the later (and Sti) models. IIRC, some of the wagons had less power than the saloons? I may be wrong on that though, it was a long time ago.

[paulmoonraker]

Try and get a new age WRX then get it mapped. It will have circa 270bhp. It might be more tha 2K, but hopefully not by much... If you get one with the prodrive pack then it will already have the modifications etc.

The RB5 is also nice. But perhaps way over budget...

[10mpg]

TIGA84 said:

Can you stretch a touch?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3208715.htm

That would be lovely, but i need an estate (dogs y'see)

[LeighW]

paulmoonraker said:

The RB5 is also nice. But perhaps way over budget...

He needs an estate though.

[Husaberk]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Not so far from me sure they'll be some others in PH classifieds but a good example of what you want to see in ad.

Edited by Husaberk on Tuesday 25th October 12:49

[10mpg]

Husaberk said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

That seems perfect, not sure how i missed it, basically how does that compare to the imports, i was under the assumption a WRX gives more than a UK turbo and a Sti more still, no?...

I did notice this on ebay, opinions?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-wrx-sti-5...

I much prefer the look of the silver one on auto trader, but this seems to be a lot of 'bang for my buck' i was wondering also what sort of mileage these are happy on, i I'm not concerned if the cars can take it, I've had a BMW coupe on 300k+, 2x VW's on over 200k, and a Saab on nearly 400k! so if they're sound I'm happy...

[Husaberk]

10mpg said:

That seems perfect, not sure how i missed it, basically how does that compare to the imports, i was under the assumption a WRX gives more than a UK turbo and a Sti more still, no?...

I did notice this on ebay, opinions?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-wrx-sti-5...

I much prefer the look of the silver one on auto trader, but this seems to be a lot of 'bang for my buck' i was wondering also what sort of mileage these are happy on, i I'm not concerned if the cars can take it, I've had a BMW coupe on 300k+, 2x VW's on over 200k, and a Saab on nearly 400k! so if they're sound I'm happy...

The Silver one will be 215bhp, Estate STIs got less power than the saloons until about 1997. Here's a link

http://www.scoobypedia.co.uk/index.php/SidcFaq/Sid...

The other car may be ok for big miles but playing the odds it's more likely the lower powered UK car will go the distance. The nice thing about UK MY99/00 cars is that they've got a lot of the non-engine STI upgrades and they're a lot of sensible mods about that would allow a UK car to get close to an import. Highest mileage Impreza I've had experience of was a mate's on 100k and still felt as taut as new, both mine I've had/have felt/feel great at 60k/85k. All 3 were/are UK estates with Scoobysport/ProDrive Centre pipes/backboxes so probably running 230ish bhp.

Edited by Husaberk on Tuesday 25th October 13:41

Edited by Husaberk on Tuesday 25th October 13:43

[TIGA84]

10mpg said:

That would be lovely, but i need an estate (dogs y'see)

Ah I see.

Have you considered the alternative. Not that I'm biased..........

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3259706.htm

[10mpg]

Nice car but auto in a performance car? No thanks....

[Lund]

10mpg said:

Nice car but auto in a performance car? No thanks....

Yes. http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3136837.htm

[andy-xr]

any reason for not including Foresters and Legacys in the criteria?

[treetops]

10mpg said:

TIGA84 said:

Can you stretch a touch?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3208715.htm

That would be lovely, but i need an estate (dogs y'see)

If you have dogs the last car you want is an Impreza wagon - tiny boot.

Tiny everything for a estate IMO.

Unless of course you have minatures...

Get yourself a V70 T5 or R or an 850 T5, T5-R or R

[HonestIago]

Go for a classic UK Turbo 5dr hatch.

MY99 cars are the pick of the bunch due to facelift, slightly more power and better brakes and interior than previous cars. MY00 cars had a slightly weaker map from standard I believe and the standard wheels aren't so nice.

My Dad had one from new (only for 3 years though) and I've always missed it.

[madal]

scooby ... to many out there that have had plenty right foot

Edited by madal on Thursday 27th October 16:25

[10mpg]

treetops said:

10mpg said:

TIGA84 said:

Can you stretch a touch?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3208715.htm

That would be lovely, but i need an estate (dogs y'see)

If you have dogs the last car you want is an Impreza wagon - tiny boot.

Tiny everything for a estate IMO.

Unless of course you have minatures...

Get yourself a V70 T5 or R or an 850 T5, T5-R or R

I know what you mean but i have a P38 Range Rover and my Mrs drives a Renault Grand Espace, so we're sorted for big cars, i just want something that is as small as i can cope with, i.e. get the dogs and kids in if i need to, yet is awesome fun and great to blast cross country, also if needed it's capable of towing a reasonable trailer, legacy's are often auto and too big really, and as far as I'm aware Foresters usually had far less power and softer suspension than the Imprezas...

Also Volvos in performance flavour are usually fwd and that is a big no no for me, i'm pretty sure a scoob ticks all the boxes, I cant think of another small familly estate with 4x4 great handling and nigh on 300bhp for the same money, though if anyone else can i'll be glad to hear it

[5paul5]

Get a good one and you wont regret it. Great cars.