Would Impreza image put you off buying??

[BigRichi]

I currently drive a Lexus IS200 which is a fine car....handles reasonably....rear drive....never had any issues....BUT

Its not exactly much fun, doesnt really have much poke being a heavy car with not much power which is further compounded by the low MPG, about 400 miles to a tank driving like your granny.

I wasn't looking to change but seen an Impreza Turbo 2000 on a W plate for sale and it got me thinking.

Its completely standard, 40k on the clock in silver.

I want something to use every day but if I want to go a spin round the Scottish highlands at the weekend I can go in something more fun than the Lexus

However the Impreza image now isnt the most public friendly but would that put you off??

Or sod it and go have some fun??

[Yazza54]

Mmmn a little bit. Think I'd rather have an evo anyway.

[LuS1fer]

No, in a word. I buy cars on condition not what other people think.

[BigRichi]

Yazza54 said:

Mmmn a little bit. Think I'd rather have an evo anyway.

So would I but without a big budget to spend on a car I dont think I'd get into a decent EVO.

Would be more to buy and I'd imagine more upkeep for servicing, insurance, fuel etc???

[irf]

don't let a cars image put you off driving what you want to drive. i certainly wouldn't!

[braddo]

BigRichi said:

I currently drive a Lexus IS200 which is a fine car....handles reasonably....rear drive....never had any issues....BUT

Its not exactly much fun, doesnt really have much poke being a heavy car with not much power which is further compounded by the low MPG, about 400 miles to a tank driving like your granny.

I wasn't looking to change but seen an Impreza Turbo 2000 on a W plate for sale and it got me thinking.

Its completely standard, 40k on the clock in silver.

I want something to use every day but if I want to go a spin round the Scottish highlands at the weekend I can go in something more fun than the Lexus

However the Impreza image now isnt the most public friendly but would that put you off??

Or sod it and go have some fun??

Keep it standard looking and I think they look good. On the other hand, a 4 inch exhaust tip, blingy wheels, 'slammed', blacked out windows, stickers etc...

[BigRichi]

musclecarmad said:

not the image per se, but being dragged out of it at traffic lights or waking up to find a gun in my mouth or at the very least having it stolen would put me off.

Ooooft....where abouts do you live??

it may be genuine but also a completely standard uk car with 40k miles will be very rare unless its a dogy import, dodgy history, cat d etc.

I hear what your saying.....Only had a quick look but will definately be looking into the history in more details, HPI etc.

Its apparently a well known car to a local subaru dealership, Managers old car, so might be worth a phonecall to them also.

[sjg]

The fact they seem to cost insane amounts to insure relative to their performance is what's put me off. Standard ones look (and sound) fine to me.

[BigRichi]

BigRichi said:

musclecarmad said:

not the image per se, but being dragged out of it at traffic lights or waking up to find a gun in my mouth or at the very least having it stolen would put me off.

Ooooft....where abouts do you live??

it may be genuine but also a completely standard uk car with 40k miles will be very rare unless its a dogy import, dodgy history, cat d etc.

I hear what your saying.....Only had a quick look but will definately be looking into the history in more details, HPI etc.

Its apparently a well known car to a local subaru dealership, Managers old car, so might be worth a phonecall to them also.

Dunno what happened to my quote skills there....sorry to the puctuation police

[BigRichi]

sjg said:

The fact they seem to cost insane amounts to insure relative to their performance is what's put me off. Standard ones look (and sound) fine to me.

The insurance is only 90 quid more per year than the Lexus for me

[BigRichi]

couple of people said not up to much performance wise....If I had say 3-3500 pounds to spend what might people look at??

[Matt_N]

doogz said:

musclecarmad said:

not the image per se, but being dragged out of it at traffic lights or waking up to find a gun in my mouth or at the very least having it stolen would put me off.

What on earth are you talking about?

Waking up to find a gun in your mouth!

[Negative Creep]

Sadly they have become the council estate supercar, seemingly driven everywhere in second gear and to be honest that would put me off as well. However, have you considered a Legacy or Forester?

[nottyash]

doogz said:

First, the Turbo 2000's aren't particularly fast at all, nor do they have particularly great damping and spring rates, and the brakes are fairly terrible, secondly, the fuel economy will be dire compared to what you're used to in the Lexus.

However, if you want one, go for it, life's too short to give a rats ass what other people think imo.

I'd def. reccommend a STI though, or a Type R, or RA, P1, etc, generally one of the better spec'd ones.

I agree with the suspension and brakes issues, I cant belive how much body roll there is in them, and thats the bug eyed one aswell.
Speed, well they are pretty fast, I dont know what your comparing it to, but to any 200bhp hot hatch definatly as quick.
I would struggle to stay with the Mrs in her 210BHP Mini Cooper S JCW in my 51 plate Prodrive Impreza, not on the straights where I was faster, but the twisties, It was like driving a boat!

[Orangecurry]

1) No-one is going to car-jack a ten year old Impreza.

2) The brakes are fine on a MY00 car - four-pot fronts, well up to the job but will fade on a track-day.

3) Standard power (215bhp) through a not-heavy car gives a worthwhile buzz.... BUT there are a few upgrades that transform the car. Prodrive did a performance pack (PPP) which is the same as the legendary RB5, the car that WON the EVO 4x4 test back in the day, beating all the Mitsy versions in real world driving.

Essentially a different exhaust, remap/chip and pipework on the turbo will give it the oomph that is 'missing' from the UK cars. Any number of specialists will supply/fit their own versions of the hardware. The official PPP cost me 1600 GBP but that was quite a few years ago.

It's a brilliant car - it wasn't the darling of EVO for ten years for nothing.

ps I've had my current MY00 for nine years (and 80k miles), and the only thing that has gone wrong was a coolant pipe losing 'shape', and it's had the PPP for most of that time.

Edited by Orangecurry on Wednesday 25th August 10:29

[Chris71]

I wouldn't say I was normally an image conscious person, but I would have a slight hesitation in buying a go-faster Impreza. Not enough to stop me buying it (the main thing that does that is the presence of 4WD and the low rent interior compared to something like an M3...) but it would be a consideration.

Likewise, the Porsche Boxster is another car that's slightly tainted by some of the people who buy it. Like the Impreza it's a very credible driver's car, and like the Impreza many people buy them for the right reasons I'm sure, but I live in a rather 'flash' area where frequently people buy prestige cars like that as a status symbol rather than through any real desire to drive them. Out of town - and away from the yuppies - I wouldn't have quite the same reservations, but in North London you look like you've just taken out finance on the first thing that lets you say you bought 'a Porsh'.

[lordlee]

I disagree with the body roll and suspension criticism. Compared with an Evo I always found the Subaru far easier to drive over country roads at pace due to the softer set up. It will eat fuel but it will also make you smile! The image is not great I will admit but if you go for a wagon in a subtle hue such as met black then you are looking far more subtle IMO. Why not go out and test drive one over the bank holiday? It's a bank holiday so therefore it will be raining and you can revel in it's wet weather grip and fairly amazing, if driven properley, cross country pace. Happy hunting!

[rb5230]

if you care about stuck up peoples perception of image you will never drive anything fun.

plenty of chavs are into e36 m3`s etc these days and evos, imprezas etc, just as lots find their ways into rs4`s and m5`s etc that doenst mean they are not worth ever buying or driving. you could go and get an audi a3 etc if you care about image and just be bored to death. (personally i think the image of someone who buys an overpriced crap car for the sake of a german badge is much worse than a someone buying future classic car that may or may not be driven by a "baseball cap wearer")

[nottyash]

doogz said:

nottyash said:

doogz said:

First, the Turbo 2000's aren't particularly fast at all, nor do they have particularly great damping and spring rates, and the brakes are fairly terrible, secondly, the fuel economy will be dire compared to what you're used to in the Lexus.

However, if you want one, go for it, life's too short to give a rats ass what other people think imo.

I'd def. reccommend a STI though, or a Type R, or RA, P1, etc, generally one of the better spec'd ones.

I agree with the suspension and brakes issues, I cant belive how much body roll there is in them, and thats the bug eyed one aswell.
Speed, well they are pretty fast, I dont know what your comparing it to, but to any 200bhp hot hatch definatly as quick.
I would struggle to stay with the Mrs in her 210BHP Mini Cooper S JCW in my 51 plate Prodrive Impreza, not on the straights where I was faster, but the twisties, It was like driving a boat!

I was comparing (in my head) my mates Turbo 2000 to my old STI (~300bhp)

But a Turbo 2000 struggles to get away from our R56 S in standard guise.

Thats a bit like comparing a BMW 330 with an M3.

[Orangecurry]

If you are interested get a copy of EVO 11.

This is the order of how they placed the top 6 that they took to North Wales.

Impreza RB5
Evo VI RS Sprint
Audi S3
996 Carrera 4
Skyline GT-R R34
Impreza 22B