jwilliamsm

Hi everyone, new to the forum.

Recently just sold my e46 M3, to make way for my F80 m3 which i love, but it's too nice for me to use to go back and forth to work in (car parking is difficult and area is a total **** hole) and in this weather the car is all over the place. I had a spare set of winter wheels and tyres for the e46 but they dont clear my brakes due to have carbon ceramics, which are awesome, but spare wheels arent easy or cheap to come by.

So i've decided to get an impreza sti hatch. I love every shape impreza even the bug eye, but another saloon is pointless for me so i'm after the hatch.

Just after a bit of advice, as my mind is set on one.

• Is there any 'must have' options?
• What oil does the engine take and how many litres, and what about the diffs?
• What is the pcd/offset/wheel width/tyre sizes on oem wheels?
• Is the handbrake mechanism a drum in the rear disc or caliper operated?
• Does the SI controller just adjust throttle sensitivity?
• Is there software availiable cheap like vagcom etc to code/read faults/clear?

I probably have more to ask but can't think of anything else for now, thanks all

scooby k

Isn't going from an f80 m3 to s Scooby bit of a downgrade, I would have thought the f80 m3 is an awesome new generation of car the preety much does everything: refinement, great mpg, aggresive looks , great tuning possibilies due to forced induction etc.

Would love to have an m4 but dey are a bit pricey.

jwilliamsm

Should have mentioned, I'm keeping the new m3 aswell

scooby k

What are they like to drive, heard some critisim about the sound but it's fine for me.
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jwilliamsm

It's awesome, worlds apart from my e46 (yes it was a convertible so not totally fair comparison)
Mines the LCI (facelift) which has slightly different dampers that makes it less jittery apparently.
They rev to well over 7k rpm and keep pulling up to the redline which is unlike most turbos I've driven.

Sound wise I love it, albeit some of the sound is from the speakers but you can't tell, the exhaust noise is Fantastic to my ears anyway.

scooby k

What bout handling, does it feel quite heavy to chuck around.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Firstly, what the fewk is a stinkeye?

Secondly, I suggest you read the sticky on 2.5 engine failures. You maybe lucky and pick one up already sorted. But I would source a 2.0 JDM STi, but I am biased.

How's Jackland

jwilliamsm

stinkeye is the hatch shape isnt it!

i'll have to look into them more when i get a chance. never been into jap cars as such.

not much in swansea mate, as you should know

jwilliamsm

no it doesn't feel that heavy, its a fair chunk lighter than my e46 vert, and it handles very well. my e46 had fresh shocks on it too, this is on another level, havent had it to understeer once yet.

i bought it not long before the winter set in, so havent had a nice dry warm day to go for a decent spin yet

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

A JDM(Japanese Domestic Market) would be the hatch STi you want but probably looking on close to £17-20k for a decent one and quite expensive to import one too, but comes with the strong 2 litre engine and the twin scroll turbo(but you dont get that subaru boxer sound like the single scroll turbo used on the UK cars) But a great car and quite rare on the UK roads!!!

A UK hatch STi can be had for as little as £10k, but the 2.5 litre engine is un-reliable if not been re-built using forged pistons etc(there is a thread on here regarding the 2.5) also the road tax is £475 a year which is a bitter of a downer too.

jwilliamsm

im looking at spending about 10-11k max. i know about the tax i work in the DVLA, doesnt really bother me.

i have heard a bit about the 2.5 lump, if i can't find one that has been rebuilt i may go for an older impreza then. as i said i like every shape, ideally i'd like one with DCCD, exactly what ones came with it and what ones did not?

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

£10-11K would get you a decent UK widetrack blobeye STi, comes with DCCD 6 speed gearbox, 2 litre engine, but as you already said you didnt want a saloon and the other thing is there knocking on 11-12 years old now so not sure if you wanted something slightly newer!!!

S204Darren

Great all round daily the hatch

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Really!
A yank video.

S204Darren

S204Darren

Mine handles amazing I think it's down to the competion pack tbh

S204Darren

Getting my hatch back picked up from Chevron tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing how it handles in the wet after the uniroyal rain 3's are on it.

jwilliamsm

Mine is the LCI so it has the same dampers as the comp pack, but yours will have different calibrated settings I believe

jwilliamsm

Whatever Impreza I get first thing I'm doing is chucking some winters on it. I've heard the uni royals are great in the wet but haven't heard much about them in the dry

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Squeeky in the dry and easy to find the limit, which can be interesting.

Frylite

Go for proper winter tyres, with the snowflake symbol, alot of people seem to think wet weather biased summer tyers will be good in the winter

The below are amazing winter tyres,

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Mi...ot-Alpin-4.htm

Regarding the 2.0 vs 2.5, try and find a built 2.5 because the extra torque makes for an amazing road car, i have driven the 2.0 for 4 years and much prefer the 2.5.

jwilliamsm

i had the alpin 4's on my csl alloys for the e46, only sold them last month. gutted as i didnt get any real use out of them!

how common is it for the 2.5 to suffer problems then?

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

You'll have the back bumper off and a suitcase on the roof next.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Only 62 pages of thread so far. Sit down, get a large bucket of popcorn and prepare to be surprised that Subaru are still selling the 2.5 engine.

https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...-failures.html

jwilliamsm

That's all the info I need haha, sod it I'll look for a WR1. How do people rate them on here? Quite like the rb320 aswell

S204Darren

Mines a JDM 😉

S204Darren

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

JDM 2.0
RB320 2.5 UK
Far better cars about than a WR1

RAGGY DOO

iTrader: (1)

Thought u sold the hatch Darren

Guesty

You mean sharkeye mate