My Classic Impreza Wagon
Discussion
I've realised that though I have a couple of threads going on my other cars, I have not got a RR thread on what is the closest thing I have to a daily drive - my Impreza!
The quest for an affordable Classic began last year, with the purchase of this car.
Bought with no tax or test for about £720. I had a fail sheet, which was essentially rear discs and pads, and a couple of minor things. I changed the brakes, and on the way to the MOT this happened!
Nasty noises
I didn't really want the hassle of changing engines, so I sold it for spares or repair on Ebay.
A month or so later, I bought the car below, which I still own now.
I bought it with 6 months MOT and no tax for £850 - it had done 112k.
Bodywork has the usual rusty rear arches, and the paint isn't very good in places - it's had some ropey paintwork in the past.
It was MOT'd earlier this year, for which it needed new discs and pads at the front, and other than sourcing a secondhand alternator it hasn't needed anything else so far!
I bought a second set of alloys with decent Pirelli winters on them for £90 just before Christmas, and ran them until about a month ago!
With the winters on the car was pretty much unstoppable in the snow earlier this year. Took it out for a drive on Dartmoor several times when the snow came down, and confounded a few people who told me I needed to turn back, as I'd get stuck!
Mechanically it's completely standard, though I'm not sure whether to make a few mods or not - it could certainly handle a bit more power!
I haven't really ever bothered to work out the fuel consumption - I just know it's terrible!
It's really fun to drive, and I still enjoy every single journey in it, long or short. I've wanted a Classic for years, since I used to stand in muddy, wet forests watching Rally GB when I was younger, so I can't see me selling it anytime soon.
Plans really at the moment are limited to sorting the bodywork out and getting some new summer tyres. I might get a decent exhaust and front decat pipe, if I can find a system that sounds soft and burbly. I don't like the harsh, brappy exhaust you hear a good few Imprezas with these days.
If anybody has any suggestions, fire away!
The quest for an affordable Classic began last year, with the purchase of this car.
Bought with no tax or test for about £720. I had a fail sheet, which was essentially rear discs and pads, and a couple of minor things. I changed the brakes, and on the way to the MOT this happened!
Nasty noises
I didn't really want the hassle of changing engines, so I sold it for spares or repair on Ebay.
A month or so later, I bought the car below, which I still own now.
I bought it with 6 months MOT and no tax for £850 - it had done 112k.
Bodywork has the usual rusty rear arches, and the paint isn't very good in places - it's had some ropey paintwork in the past.
It was MOT'd earlier this year, for which it needed new discs and pads at the front, and other than sourcing a secondhand alternator it hasn't needed anything else so far!
I bought a second set of alloys with decent Pirelli winters on them for £90 just before Christmas, and ran them until about a month ago!
With the winters on the car was pretty much unstoppable in the snow earlier this year. Took it out for a drive on Dartmoor several times when the snow came down, and confounded a few people who told me I needed to turn back, as I'd get stuck!
Mechanically it's completely standard, though I'm not sure whether to make a few mods or not - it could certainly handle a bit more power!
I haven't really ever bothered to work out the fuel consumption - I just know it's terrible!
It's really fun to drive, and I still enjoy every single journey in it, long or short. I've wanted a Classic for years, since I used to stand in muddy, wet forests watching Rally GB when I was younger, so I can't see me selling it anytime soon.
Plans really at the moment are limited to sorting the bodywork out and getting some new summer tyres. I might get a decent exhaust and front decat pipe, if I can find a system that sounds soft and burbly. I don't like the harsh, brappy exhaust you hear a good few Imprezas with these days.
If anybody has any suggestions, fire away!
Saw your car before in the scoob thread, absolute bargain at that price! I paid more than double that for mine.
On the exhaust front: mine came with a standard downpipe (leaky and rotten), un-resonated centre de-cat and a Prodrive backbox. This was nice but not burbly enough for my liking. I replaced the downpipe with a 2nd hand original one (didn't want to de-cat as would then need to replace PPP ECU and remap) to pass MOT and also the Prodrive backbox with a Scoobyworld Ninja 2 slash-cut one. It now sounds perfect in my opinion; a lovely deep rumble without being too harsh. I've never needed the bung that came with the Ninja.
Sounds like you've been lucky with yours so far, if you check my garage I've detailed all I've spent on mine in the short (but fantastic!) time I've had it!
On the exhaust front: mine came with a standard downpipe (leaky and rotten), un-resonated centre de-cat and a Prodrive backbox. This was nice but not burbly enough for my liking. I replaced the downpipe with a 2nd hand original one (didn't want to de-cat as would then need to replace PPP ECU and remap) to pass MOT and also the Prodrive backbox with a Scoobyworld Ninja 2 slash-cut one. It now sounds perfect in my opinion; a lovely deep rumble without being too harsh. I've never needed the bung that came with the Ninja.
Sounds like you've been lucky with yours so far, if you check my garage I've detailed all I've spent on mine in the short (but fantastic!) time I've had it!
Rollcage said:
Crumbs! Thtas a lot. Your car does look nice though, and it's lower miles, which would affect the price your way.
Thanks, its in good nick for the age other than a few door dings plus the dreaded corroding rear arches of course. Having spent all I have (some of which unnecessary) I am definitely going to keep it long term and fingers crossed the £ per mile will come down a tad! 
Rollcage said:
martin mrt said:
Cracking car op, I sorely regret selling mine last year, I loved it.
Yours was the same colour as my original one IIRC? Didn't the arches put you off In the end?The arches were a bugbear, and to rectify correctly, it was going to cost the same as what I bought the car for, that and the centre diff needing replaced as it got tight when hot.
A mate bought it and still has it, but I'm not entirely sure what the future holds
They are fabulous value for money
Nice car OP, agree with pretty much everything you've said given I bought a MY2000 wagon, great car absolutely love it. Mine is also standard save for a stainless steel catback, imo pretty much perfect, doesn't drone and isn't loud when cruising along, but when you wind it up it has that classic Impreza growl 
anyone got any choice mods for handling or power?
anyone got any choice mods for handling or power? S10GTA said:
Rollcage said:
http://tiltshiftmaker.com/
Col 666 said:
I'm a bit of fan of the old wagons, here's mine from back in the day-
Stick an updated fuel pump on and fuel cut defender then up the boost a wee bit, instantly different beast
I am certainly tempted to have a bit of a play. I'd think that with 280 bhp or so (which I understand isn't hard to achieve) it would feel pretty intense!Stick an updated fuel pump on and fuel cut defender then up the boost a wee bit, instantly different beast
Decent exhaust, and remap gets you there AIUI, though not cheaply on an Impreza.
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