Butty

iTrader: (2)

David,
At what point did you know the Scoob was a crock o' ****e - before or after buying one?
Perhaps more importantly - why did you persevere with it and know there was potential with taking things further than most, rather than chucking in the towel and moving on to something like an EVO or Skyline?

Nick

David_Wallis

gary..

So basically david, we're driving sacks of ****e, the best sack of ****e i've ever owned

and your driving a modified sack of ****e ?

i suppose i could have brought a low milage astra or vectra....sigh

Gary, Your biased.. Its your current car so therefore you think it the best thing since sliced bread.. replace it with something newer / different and you wont think the same.. go test drive a WR1.. see what you think to the steering on your MY00(iirc)

Nick, It was once I had got it into the garage and started working on it and paying a bit more attention to it.. new wheels, brakes, and interior all went in after it had been resprayed.. private plate also went on prior to it leaving the garage.

I dont like to just give up on things and enjoy a challenge.. most cars will be a comprimise to what you want, so Im used to modifying them to get them how I want.

In all honesty the car would have been sold within 2 - 3 months and replaced with an EVO6 or R34 however I got banned.. so decided to use the cash saving period to drink loads and tinker with the car.

3 -4 years ago when I started this NO-ONE would sell me any bits, oh it will blow up, or we dont map 1994 cars.. So did it all myself and I was one of a handfull of people to exceed 340lbft and 340bhp on home made bits and a budget of less than 1k.. using hardly any bolt on parts

Im now very choosy about which suppliers I will use & recommend.. I have a short list of three at the moment...

Lateral
Scoobyclinic
Scoobymania

David

DarkStar66

David,

Good to see a reply at last, sorry to jump to conclusions.

You made some good points, the interior of the classic scooby was one thing that put me off buying one, I do a lot of driving in slow traffic so I didn't want to feel like was driving an 80's Nissan. I find the brakes in my 01 WRX are too weak for a car that accelerates and corners so well. ()

But when you said that Imprezas are slow and don't corner I had to take everything else you said with a BIG pinch of salt.

The fact that you've been banned from driving in the past tells me that you are a frustrated wannabe racing driver. Perhaps you could take your frustration out on a race track and spare us you skewed points of view (apart from technical facts).

OK, that's the last time I respond to this thread!

PS: David will now tell me that he IS a racing driver.

David_Wallis

well I wasnt banned due to speeding so no not frustrated racing driver..

Impreza's DO NOT corner as well as some other budget cars on the road... fact.

They corner well and probably above the average car.. but they tend to understeer more than some FWD cars when pushed hard IMHO.. maybe subaru recognised this in the 01+ stis which is why they fitted the suretrack LSD, unless it was for homologation (sp) purposes for rallying.

skewed points of view??

Hmm well we are all entitled to our own point of view..

Hands up those who have cracked phase 1 brake disks?

Shall I get some character statements??

ps.. my racing car looked / looks like this:





Please reply again as I would love to hear why you think they are perfect

Dave_A

Answer to the original question - yes, i would have bought an impreza had they never rallied one, assuming they actually made it. Same as i would have bought an escort cosworth, should I have been fortunate enough to afford and insure one when they came out. Prior to that, a saphire cosworth, intagrale, quattro and so on and so forth.


As for the issue of standard uk cars vs modified (improved cars) - there would be little point in modifying a car if it didn't improve upon the original. Manufacturers always face compromises when manufacturing high volume cars, and all drivers are different, what suits one driver may not suit another, so no car is ever going to be perfect.

How many cars are there out there that do not need to be modified in some form or another? I bet every single car you could possibly want could be improved in some respect, whether its by replacing the exhaust or changing the engine.

I am happy to accept the my 99 uk turbo has limitations, something that i would love to be able to afford to do something about. As with most things, newer models are better than older models, but as i've not driven anything newer, i don't feel im missing out.....

Dave
www.scoobyphotos.com
dave@scoobyphotos.com

jerseyscoob

Mine is standard apart from exhaust system and have to disagree as the impreza is a top motor. Would even go for a wrx next time round .
Not had as much enjoyment out of any of previous cars as i have with current my00.

Mark

David_Wallis

see the UK MY00 is leaps and bounds ahead of the UK MY94 just check the interior between the two, brakes lights, looks.. were all dealt with post 98.. they made a little improvement with the 97 - 98 ie changed the dashboard colour and seats.. made a start facelifting it.. kinda like they had some bits left over..

David

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

I bought one after reading about them in 'Performance Car' magazine.

I wasn't taken by the looks, but after a test drive, I paid £19k for a secondhand one!! (Bear in mind it was back when there was a 12 month waiting list!)

That said £19k bought me an 18 month old one, with the Prodrive wing (STI4 mid-level), 17" Speedline/Prodrive wheels, Prodrive suspension, leather interior, Prodrive quickshift and air conditioning.

I actually went to look at the MY95 that was up for £14k, but ended up with a MY97 with all the toys.

It was the test drive that sold it to me, especially after driving an M-reg Citroen ZX Furio (1.8 8v) around for 3 years!

DarkStar66

Well.... since you asked so nicely.

Firstly, when did I say they are perfect? My view of the WRX is somewhere between 'Sh!te' and 'Perfect', around 'Very Good'. I think it does more things better than the average (non-modded) car than anything else for the price.

The fact that it oversteers was a decision made by Subaru, not a fault. I guess they thought that most drivers are used to FWD cars so played it safe to stop idiots going backwards through a hedge. I bet their rally cars don't oversteer! The old Clio 16V was the best handling FWD car I ever owned but can't see it going faster round a bend than a standard WRX, although it might feel faster. To be honest I haven't experienced the limits of my WRX's grip yet because the twisty roads are either too busy or too narrow not that I haven't tried!

Your car's looks have been improved quite tastefully, I'd imagined something a lot more extreme. Nice!

Please PM me character references from your employer and next door neighbour.

Marc

LiamWR1

Didn't know much about Subaru till I drove the other-halfs car WRX MY03, thought it was pretty raw but I enjoyed having to 'drive' the car rather than 'ride' in the car.... I only found out about Subaru's rally team when I paid the deposit for the WR1, so I suppose the short answer is YES I bought a car knowing **** all about their rallying pedigree

Rasher

aye ,but the rally kudos is an added bonus

David_Wallis

Darkstar I think you are either confused to what oversteer is.. either that or you meant to write understeer

the main thing I didnt like on my car was the unsettled rear end under braking.. I have now sorted this, (ditched the abs too) and its beginning to feel better..

still doesnt turn in as I want but then a road car and a race car are too different things..

I dont necessarily want to loose 2 seconds around a handling circuit but if they setup on my car gave me confidence then I reckon I could gain 2 seconds anyway...

Anyway Im muttering now.. just brave enough to admit they are far from perfect..

David

DarkStar66

Look, I was having a bad day at work alright!!! There goes any technical kudos I might have had. Yes I meant understeer. Oversteer is what BMWs do.

pflowers

In the last six months before my MY04 WRX I owned a BMW 325ci and a MINI Cooper S works. In comparison the Scoob is awesome the only critisism I have is the road noise which I find annoying ( although that may change when I ditch the Potenza's ?? )

EwanS

I have an MY01 - standard apart from the long list of mods - But have always modded cars - I have a motor that may not look like a porsche but when I drive down the street the guys stare, the girlies drool, and the bairns oggle ' check out the scooby' -
It sounds great (thanks to scoobysport) it goes like a train, Ok the finish may be in questing in areas, and sure for the money I maybe could afford a Porsche instead (running cash), but I love my Scoob for WHAT it IS, I have never had as much fun in a car (apart from the back of a Bentley ooer) I think I can hold my own with regard to driving skill, and only in a few occasions have had cause for concern about looming trees etc, But I think some guys/gals miss the point. A Scooby is for life, not just christmas (However when it snows baby its Playtime !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

You guys that are slagging the car are missing the point - it is supposed to be harsh, bumpy, loud, seat of the pants stuff quick, I dont see fiestas etc doing it - what the **** do you want for 20K - If you dont like it sell it to someone that loves the marque - dont **** the rest of us off by slating them - go back to your fecking beemer - UNBELIEVERS

micared

EwanS, get a grip, ffs. The people who've criticised the Subaru do so from the standpoint of knowing their weaknesses....I'm one of them and if I'd paid even half of the 20k you seem to think mine should owe me, then I'd have been even more disappointed with it when it was standard. The ' unbelievers ' as you choose to call them are stating their opinion, and a number of them are pretty qualified to do so.....looking at the way you've worded your response, all I can tell from it is that you're qualified to spend 20k on a car......and that you, like the rest of us, weren't happy with it as standard.
Seems pretty pointless coming on here to have a go, when the fact you've modded your own car suggests you weren't happy with Subarus standard offering.

David_Wallis

it is supposed to be harsh, bumpy, loud, seat of the pants stuff quick, I dont

No its not supposed to be harsh bumpy, loud...

the 03 wrx is so quiet you can attempt to start it whilst its running.. they are harsh and bumpy with the ppp suspension...

and loud is a HKS Hiper..

He isnt saying his BMW is better.. just that he doesnt like the road noise..

Bridgestones are pretty bad for that inmho..

Its a hard thing to recommend tyres.. so I would just recommend avoiding pirelli..

I like yokohamas personally but not had any on the scoob YET.. currently running Eagle F1's as thats what was on the wheels.

David

BedHog

Gotta say 'Yes' to the rally bit.

Ever since Colin McRae won in one - then I saw a blue one with gold wheels blat past me on the motorway I knew I would have one someday.

Took a while, and it turned out to be a wagon cos of the family - but I think it's a tremendous car and intend keeping it for many years......

*Edit - Noticed some comments about understeer - mine has only ever suffered from oversteer, something I haven't experienced since my Capri days lol. (Bugeye btw)

GaryScoobNCBR

the reason your race car dont handle is due to the large wagon boot :P

Seriously though when you say doesn't handle as well as cheaper cars on the road which ones do you mean?

I used to own a 205 gti before the scoob which some consider a superb handling car, as I do but Im sure the scoob goes round corners faster..

chiark

The scoob, in my books, didn't handle nicely at all.

To me, handling means how a car feels and reacts to my inputs. Every impreza has pretty good *grip*, but good grip != good handling.

My MY00 had great grip, but the handling never inspired absolute confidence in me. When I drove the car harder and harder, the car never gave me enough communication as to what it was going to do. Sure, you can get lift-off oversteer if you want it which can be fun providing you're expecting it, and as much understeer as you can muster, but there wasn't the finesse in communication. Information was there, but I wanted more before I committed myself fully - especially as the speeds involved in getting near the limits in the dry are really quite stupid in any impreza. I always had more fun in the wet with the car. Perhaps that makes me a *****? I dunno

Put it this way - test driving a 106 GTI really was an eye opener! That car handled better in my books, and absolutely inspired confidence.

The 03 wrx was again a revelation in the handling stakes - although it's not there with the 106 in my mind's eye. The grip is there, but the car is a lot more communicative. Sure, there's too much body roll but I can live with that. The 03 STI with prodrive springs was, in the limited amount I drove it, a very, very nice handling car: you'd got the communication and the grip coupled with the suspension set-up to exploit that grip in more safety.

I should point out (if it isn't obvious) that I know **** all about car handling, and that I class myself only as a technically averagely competent drive. I know what feels right, subjectively, and that's all I've got to go on.

But for the money, I can't think of anything I'd rather drive right now and I'm on my second UK spec turbo, so it can't all be bad can it?

David_Wallis

LOL @ Nick.. I agree with the grip / feedback.. (incidently its nicks car I refer to.... the WRX)

Nick, my old 106 would out handle a gti all day long.. power steering killed the GTi IMHO..

A phase 1 106 with the gti engine is quicker and more erm.. involved? less erm.. loose?

David

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

This is so funny

Having owned 3 scoobs now, i still think they are **** in more ways than one, but they are relatively good value for money.

Its amazing how people think they have a rally car on the road, and can accordingly drive it like such. The fact neither they, or the car have the tru rally ability is somewhat a miss from their minds.

I ordered my 1st scoob in May/June 1998 at a cost of 23500, it was a uk one with a few extras. In between ordering and arriving march/april 1999, i began to doubt its abilities.

I had, at that time my 12 month old 106gti, which i loved, and was going to keep as an alternative to the scoob. I started to come across more and more scoobs, on the roads where i live, which should suit the scoobs "rally" abilities.

Err NO! I could live with the scoobs with still some in reserve, the 106 in standard form was an absolute cracker for handling.

I got the scoob and kept it for just over 2 years, got bored of it, even after modifying it more, and went to an MGZT for 6months.

I realised i like the sound, the rawness, the tacky interior etc and the modability of the scoob, so got another in January 2002, this time a wagon due to have a family now.

That lasted 4 weeks when it met its demise due to a stupid incident.

No2 was replaced with the current one, which as a lot of people will know has been extensively modified, and can be seen having the living daylights out of it quite often on track events.

Why have i bought 3? i dont know, guess there is something there that makes me like them? or i am mad!

I am, however, now looking forward to buying the new breed of scoob, after driving a WR1 i was impressed by its build quality, the ride, the roadnoise (lack of), and all round ability.

Steven

GaryScoobNCBR

chiark I totally agree with what you've said.

Maybe a turbo charged 106 is next

Steven how did your wagon meet its dimise ?

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Long story, but basically overtaking when someone i was overtaking pulled out.

chiark

A 106 isn't quite big enough for the family... Plus I think a turbo could kill the handling somewhat

David, I never drove any 106 other than the GTI. Lyndsy used to have a Saxo 1.1, which was quite fun in a perverse way . The Saxo VTR we test drove was a sack 'o ****e, so I can only think it was a bad example. It was bloody awful tho.

Steven, you complain about road noise but it was your choice to put 18s on there

I think we all agree that they're great cars, but if people think they are the pinnacle of motoring then they're being "blinkered".

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Nick, the 18's are quieter

EwanS

Guys ,
sorry for the reply earlier, rather angry and pissed last night - The actual reason I bought the scoob was that everything else I tried could not take the constant intense driving style that I like to adopt !!!! My 106GTI was ace but couldn't cope with the combination of me and the roads I drive, the Scoob laps it up. Did I buy because of the rally heritage, then I guess yes to a point and also the constant boxer beat through the perthshire landscape ! I can live with the odd rattle etc, But the mods that I have done are to improve My driving experience, not quiten or soften it
Would only consider STI's or Evo's now, nothing else comes close
EwanS
Sorry if any of you more gentle natured people were offended by my slagging of Beemers, Like I give a Sh#t !!

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

That's probably true, but you have to factor budget into that equation and I honestly don't believe anything else comes close for the money. If it did, I'd buy something else!

As some of you may know, I have on order a MY05 JDM STI, £26,495 from Litchfields. If anyone can suggest a way of getting a better driving experience for the money then please, sign in below - bearing in mind it'll be my only car (apart from a crappy old red van that I really don't want to keep!), so practicality is a concern.

Jamesemt

Getting back to the original question about rally heritage...

I don't give a stuff about rallying and only had a very vague idea that Subaru were any good at it.
I bought my scoob because it is THE benchmark car. Maybe it's just me, but I see it as a Sapphire Cossie for a different generation (and they don't make the Sierra anymore - so it was a bit of a no-brainer for me).
The fact that it causes so much debate compared to evos and the like proves my point!!

noobscoob

And you call yourself subaru enthusiasts?

Seriously Dave,your a full blown **** wart. Without the classic ''****heap'' impreza you so slate, your oh so superior sti thingymagig type rb5 wr1 gti would have never seen the road.

as well as a bmw, i drive a mild tuned wrx 94..i love it. its practical,it drives well,and above all powerfull for moments when its needed. You seem to base all your tosspot facts on rally/track style driving :- to quote..the steering is ****..the brakes are ****..blah ****ing blah.

Compared to some present day hot hatches the scooby in early form puts them to shame in terms of performance and handling...we dont all drive like a total fukhole as you seem to..as to warrant the need for so many barry boy additions to make your car feel better..i mean **** mate just sell up and get an evo and stop whinging.

Your obviously an i'm better than you sort of person..you have the latest model..its better than the **** that preceeded it..apparently. Shame they now look like bloated garry mobiles laden with **** to entice small phallused gents like your good self. Subarus answer to pig ugliness was strapping on a larger air vent to make ***** like you drool and pay no attention to the fact the car is grim in appearance.It may be advanced and still so very capable..but my god its uglier than Sonia Jackson chewing a curly wurly.

I dont need silly bhp,I dont want brakes to rip my spleen,why.???.because on the road i dont really need them..my car is more than sufficient thanks for the road. i say again..you are a ****** sir.