'03 JDM STI at Hurst Cars Bedford
02 January 2017, 08:11 PM
#34
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Hurst cars
I bought my 04 JDM STi from hurst a couple years back. Advertised as a 350bhp tuned car, mapped my a well known mapper. I checked with the mapper and he confirmed he had tuned the car.
It was recently remapped my another and before tuning, a power run was done and made just over 300ish with no mods since I bought the car. Turns out car had no restrictor pill in vac pipes so would not have made the 350hp figure claimed in the advert at the time of my purchase so was not advertised correctly - yes i learned my lesson.
I did however negotiate a little on the price as the rear shocks were knocking.
Max did say he usually offers warranty however as it was a Japanese import, his warranty company would not cover this so is effectively sold as seen.
It was recently remapped my another and before tuning, a power run was done and made just over 300ish with no mods since I bought the car. Turns out car had no restrictor pill in vac pipes so would not have made the 350hp figure claimed in the advert at the time of my purchase so was not advertised correctly - yes i learned my lesson.
I did however negotiate a little on the price as the rear shocks were knocking.
Max did say he usually offers warranty however as it was a Japanese import, his warranty company would not cover this so is effectively sold as seen.
02 January 2017, 09:34 PM
#36
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For complete peace of mind when buying any import, you might as well add on to the purchase price an additional £800 for a belt change and a full service. Perhaps factor in the cost of a remap for UK fuel, too. Or buy a JDM that's been in the country for a while, comes with provenance, and has already had all of those things done.
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02 January 2017, 09:41 PM
#37
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Also, when buying a car from a dealer, it's good practice to chuck some of the purchase on a credit card. Even if it's only £500 the purchase protection will cover the entire purchase.
03 January 2017, 08:26 AM
#39
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when are you going to see it?
03 January 2017, 12:19 PM
#40
I did say in another thread that if you're buying an import them should you expect a warranty and I did say probably not. However, the purchase is still from a car dealer who are bound by the same rules as other dealers. Dealers can't sell cars sold as seen.
Also, when buying a car from a dealer, it's good practice to chuck some of the purchase on a credit card. Even if it's only £500 the purchase protection will cover the entire purchase.
Also, when buying a car from a dealer, it's good practice to chuck some of the purchase on a credit card. Even if it's only £500 the purchase protection will cover the entire purchase.
05 January 2017, 07:46 PM
#42
People need to remember that the exchange rate is pretty bad with Japan just now and it's just too damned expensive to import quality Imprezas as a result. I suspect that's why Hursts are only taking older and high mileage stuff in and have higher prices than we're used to. That impacts on the price of the JDM stuff already here too.
Bad times and I for one am hoping the rate improves, as I'm keen on getting back into a JDM Impreza for daily transport - Spec C RA or S203/4 for me please
Bad times and I for one am hoping the rate improves, as I'm keen on getting back into a JDM Impreza for daily transport - Spec C RA or S203/4 for me please
05 January 2017, 08:11 PM
#43
People need to remember that the exchange rate is pretty bad with Japan just now and it's just too damned expensive to import quality Imprezas as a result. I suspect that's why Hursts are only taking older and high mileage stuff in and have higher prices than we're used to. That impacts on the price of the JDM stuff already here too.
Bad times and I for one am hoping the rate improves, as I'm keen on getting back into a JDM Impreza for daily transport - Spec C RA or S203/4 for me please
Bad times and I for one am hoping the rate improves, as I'm keen on getting back into a JDM Impreza for daily transport - Spec C RA or S203/4 for me please
Completely agree with your comments, decent cars in Japan are getting thin on the ground, so that coupled with the poor exchange rate means prices are climbing, and will continue to do so.
05 January 2017, 09:03 PM
#45
06 January 2017, 05:44 AM
#46
Yes the exchange rate doesn't help but the main cause of the current (imo) stupid prices is cheap and easy credit and a gentleman's agreement amongst a cartel of specialist dealers to not undercut each other.
06 January 2017, 11:16 AM
#48
2nd hand cars prices have increased over the last 4 years, and "classics" are even more stupidly priced.
0 interest rates probably play a role but I think it's a big bubble that will soon burst.
06 January 2017, 01:19 PM
#49
They're really is lots of strange and contradictory financial shenanigans occurring in the new and secondhand car markets these days...
As fpan says secondhand prices in general have increased in recent years, despite the proliferation of 2-3 year pcp deals meaning lots of 2-3 year old cars are getting handed back to the dealer at the end of the pcp agreement... therefor you'd expect there to be a glut of cheap 2-3 year old cars flooding the market, but no that's not happening.
Also as I've mentioned previously, how can these secondhand dealers afford to sit on so many overpriced cars, often for a year or more in some cases? Surely the lack of stock turnover must be effecting their cash flow and ability to pay day to day bills?
As fpan says secondhand prices in general have increased in recent years, despite the proliferation of 2-3 year pcp deals meaning lots of 2-3 year old cars are getting handed back to the dealer at the end of the pcp agreement... therefor you'd expect there to be a glut of cheap 2-3 year old cars flooding the market, but no that's not happening.
Also as I've mentioned previously, how can these secondhand dealers afford to sit on so many overpriced cars, often for a year or more in some cases? Surely the lack of stock turnover must be effecting their cash flow and ability to pay day to day bills?
29 January 2017, 04:46 PM
#52
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Thread Starter
Update time!
So I'm now the proud owner of my first Impreza! I bought the car from Max @ Hurst cars and I'm over the moon with it. I picked it up on Monday this week and after a week of driving around I love the thing. Wish I'd have got one sooner!
Max was great, couldn't have asked for more tbh. We agreed a price and a whole list of things I wanted doing to the car before the deal was done. Max had everything I asked taken care of without causing any issues, excuses damage etc. He kept me informed the whole time with updates of the progress, photographs of the work done and phone calls when needed.
One of the massive advantages for me was I work in Bedford (where Hurst Cars is) so I was able to visit Max and check over the car as the progress was being made. I didn't buy this car as it was close, it was just a MASSIVE advantage and by far the best one I'd seen. Yes I paid the top end of my budget but to me everything fell into place, it's the perfect car I wanted and worth every penny. Should I have any issues I've got a warranty with the car plus the fact Hurst is local. Win win.
I did a lot of research into Hurst, the car, the work it's had done etc. I spoke to the mapper (Richard @ Zen Performance) about the car, asked various questions (Richard too was very helpful) and was very satisfied with my findings.
A little insight into something that happened during the work carried out that I think is worth a mention. Earlier in this thread it was brought up about the cambelt and whether or not it was checked or replaced. This was one of my many questions I needed Max to confirm. Max tells me that each and every car he has is checked and that if the cambelt, tensioners etc have ANY sign of wear what so ever he has them changed. Prior to this check being done I'd had a conversation with Max about me paying to have the cambelt changed regardless of condition (at an agreed price), for my own piece of mind. Initially that sounds risky as Max could say it didn't need doing and charged me for a cambelt change when it did need doing in the first place. We agreed that should it need doing Max would do so as he'd already said he would, like he would in any of his cars, but if it didn't need doing then he'd change it on my say so and my expense. I took Max for his word and waited for the day of the cambell check. On the day Max phoned me, told me to come down, I went to Hurst to find the belt has signs of wear. Max's team put in a whole new kit there and then at Max's expense as agreed prior. It could have been so easy for Max to have pulled the wool over my eyes and charged me for the job but he didn't. He was true to his word and forked the bill himself. Personally I think says a lot.
All in all I don't have a bad word to say about Max and Hurst cars. I work in job where communication, reputation and service is paramount and Max got it all right. I'm sure at some point in the past something has gone wrong for somebody and it'll probably happen again for someone else just from the law of averages, he's dealing with used cars at the end of the day, imports in most cases and they can't all be perfect but if Hurst keep doing what they're doing hopefully the UK will have more top quality Impreza imports to play with.
Binny
PS. Thanks everyone for their help on various aspects prior to purchase.
So I'm now the proud owner of my first Impreza! I bought the car from Max @ Hurst cars and I'm over the moon with it. I picked it up on Monday this week and after a week of driving around I love the thing. Wish I'd have got one sooner!
Max was great, couldn't have asked for more tbh. We agreed a price and a whole list of things I wanted doing to the car before the deal was done. Max had everything I asked taken care of without causing any issues, excuses damage etc. He kept me informed the whole time with updates of the progress, photographs of the work done and phone calls when needed.
One of the massive advantages for me was I work in Bedford (where Hurst Cars is) so I was able to visit Max and check over the car as the progress was being made. I didn't buy this car as it was close, it was just a MASSIVE advantage and by far the best one I'd seen. Yes I paid the top end of my budget but to me everything fell into place, it's the perfect car I wanted and worth every penny. Should I have any issues I've got a warranty with the car plus the fact Hurst is local. Win win.
I did a lot of research into Hurst, the car, the work it's had done etc. I spoke to the mapper (Richard @ Zen Performance) about the car, asked various questions (Richard too was very helpful) and was very satisfied with my findings.
A little insight into something that happened during the work carried out that I think is worth a mention. Earlier in this thread it was brought up about the cambelt and whether or not it was checked or replaced. This was one of my many questions I needed Max to confirm. Max tells me that each and every car he has is checked and that if the cambelt, tensioners etc have ANY sign of wear what so ever he has them changed. Prior to this check being done I'd had a conversation with Max about me paying to have the cambelt changed regardless of condition (at an agreed price), for my own piece of mind. Initially that sounds risky as Max could say it didn't need doing and charged me for a cambelt change when it did need doing in the first place. We agreed that should it need doing Max would do so as he'd already said he would, like he would in any of his cars, but if it didn't need doing then he'd change it on my say so and my expense. I took Max for his word and waited for the day of the cambell check. On the day Max phoned me, told me to come down, I went to Hurst to find the belt has signs of wear. Max's team put in a whole new kit there and then at Max's expense as agreed prior. It could have been so easy for Max to have pulled the wool over my eyes and charged me for the job but he didn't. He was true to his word and forked the bill himself. Personally I think says a lot.
All in all I don't have a bad word to say about Max and Hurst cars. I work in job where communication, reputation and service is paramount and Max got it all right. I'm sure at some point in the past something has gone wrong for somebody and it'll probably happen again for someone else just from the law of averages, he's dealing with used cars at the end of the day, imports in most cases and they can't all be perfect but if Hurst keep doing what they're doing hopefully the UK will have more top quality Impreza imports to play with.
Binny
PS. Thanks everyone for their help on various aspects prior to purchase.
Last edited by Binny; 29 January 2017 at 04:51 PM.
29 January 2017, 05:38 PM
#53
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Glad you are enjoying it, Binny!
Any chance we are going to get more pics and an update in the future? Any plans - alarm? Underseal? Map? Or did Max sort these?
I am looking for a JDM sti myself and also think Max is the best option. Shame I'm not closer!
Any chance we are going to get more pics and an update in the future? Any plans - alarm? Underseal? Map? Or did Max sort these?
I am looking for a JDM sti myself and also think Max is the best option. Shame I'm not closer!
29 January 2017, 09:06 PM
#55
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Regards the car, it already has an alarm but I will be changing it very soon as the remote central locking doesn't work. Works with the key but not the fobs. I paid Max to have the underside cleaned and under sealed with a clear coat. I've never seen a car so clean on the under side than this one was but he had it sorted further and treated it accordingly. Max sent me photos via email once it was done and it all looked good. Initially the finish wasn't as clear as I first thought it would, it looked a little frosty. Max said it was due to the cold temperature in the garage when it was put on and that it would clear up over time. It did mean they had to use a lot more under seal than on a normal job to get the coverage so it's extra protected. The next time I went to see the progress of the car I had another look and it had cleared up from the frosted look.
Finally the map. The car was sent to Richard at Zen Performance to have the map checked. Max sends all his cars there. The map was checked over with all the necessary parameters giving a good test and checked for UK fuel etc. I personally phoned Richard to discuss the car, it's performance and health as it is and compared to others. I was very pleased with what I heard! 😀
30 January 2017, 07:56 AM
#56
Scooby Regular
Pics will come in good time. The car was pretty clean when I picked it up but with this weather ATM it's very dirty right now! Once I've had chance to wash it I'll be sure to get up some photos.
Regards the car, it already has an alarm but I will be changing it very soon as the remote central locking doesn't work. Works with the key but not the fobs. I paid Max to have the underside cleaned and under sealed with a clear coat. I've never seen a car so clean on the under side than this one was but he had it sorted further and treated it accordingly. Max sent me photos via email once it was done and it all looked good. Initially the finish wasn't as clear as I first thought it would, it looked a little frosty. Max said it was due to the cold temperature in the garage when it was put on and that it would clear up over time. It did mean they had to use a lot more under seal than on a normal job to get the coverage so it's extra protected. The next time I went to see the progress of the car I had another look and it had cleared up from the frosted look.
Finally the map. The car was sent to Richard at Zen Performance to have the map checked. Max sends all his cars there. The map was checked over with all the necessary parameters giving a good test and checked for UK fuel etc. I personally phoned Richard to discuss the car, it's performance and health as it is and compared to others. I was very pleased with what I heard! 😀
Regards the car, it already has an alarm but I will be changing it very soon as the remote central locking doesn't work. Works with the key but not the fobs. I paid Max to have the underside cleaned and under sealed with a clear coat. I've never seen a car so clean on the under side than this one was but he had it sorted further and treated it accordingly. Max sent me photos via email once it was done and it all looked good. Initially the finish wasn't as clear as I first thought it would, it looked a little frosty. Max said it was due to the cold temperature in the garage when it was put on and that it would clear up over time. It did mean they had to use a lot more under seal than on a normal job to get the coverage so it's extra protected. The next time I went to see the progress of the car I had another look and it had cleared up from the frosted look.
Finally the map. The car was sent to Richard at Zen Performance to have the map checked. Max sends all his cars there. The map was checked over with all the necessary parameters giving a good test and checked for UK fuel etc. I personally phoned Richard to discuss the car, it's performance and health as it is and compared to others. I was very pleased with what I heard! 😀
30 January 2017, 02:17 PM
#58
Ill be short and sweet
bought a v4 sti from hurst the engine was rattling but told it was a heat shield (death rattle 3.5k-4.5k) max talks the talk but the car he sold me was duff he then took the car back after a long battle with court etc and then advertised the very same car on his website with no mention of any faults.....
obviously he has the normal lot on this site on his side but at the end of the day the car was a minger and he knew that.
be careful but that goes when buying any car from anyone but more so a guy who calls himself max who clearly isn't a max
bought a v4 sti from hurst the engine was rattling but told it was a heat shield (death rattle 3.5k-4.5k) max talks the talk but the car he sold me was duff he then took the car back after a long battle with court etc and then advertised the very same car on his website with no mention of any faults.....
obviously he has the normal lot on this site on his side but at the end of the day the car was a minger and he knew that.
be careful but that goes when buying any car from anyone but more so a guy who calls himself max who clearly isn't a max
