CyprusScooby

Petem95

Looks from other boy'd up cars are probably from people who are looking for a race.

I dont think many people look at Subaru Impreza's and think "wow look at that car" - they arent really that desirable, especially now theres so many of them and can be got so cheaply.

john banks

CyprusScooby, please enlighten me with your definition of handling and why you do not agree with what I have said.

TopBanana

I hired a Mondeo 1.8 when I was in Skye and it handled much much better than my scooby

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

As you suspect John, I think too many people confuse grip and traction with handling and even use and even use track times as a benchmark for how well a car handles. The first two are objective attributes that can be quantified, handling is much more subjective- it relates to how a car communicates what is going on and where you are relative to its limits, it also pertains to how a car behaves when you're on -or even over- those limits. As noted, Scooby has bundles of grip and traction, but is not to everyones taste as std with respect to handling. People frequently point to a lack of finesse and adjustability.

Personally, I've always seen it from Subaru's point of view: they know that must people don't give two cents about how a car "feels" they want to know how it "grips and goes" (very well in the case of the Scooby). Problem is, this tends to foster a sense of invincibility and they don't want everyone thinking they're Petter Solberg on the public roads, as they know full well that the accident will most likely occur at a high speed and will not be a light one. ]

So, what do they do: give us a car with handling so good that it can be balanced at the limit like an MX5 (but at much higher speeds) or try and disuade such antics by given us a car with a set up that discourages us probing its limits by understeering to warn us to back off. They do the latter, of course, and so they should; everyone thinks they're a bit tasty behind the wheel, when most of us just aren't.

The nice thing about a std Scooby's set up is that it lets you enjoy driving quickly, but doesn't bail on you as soon as you make a mistake. Even cars that have a reputation for having excellent handling can do that. I had a mate with an MX5 who was overjoyed at how communicative it was and how it encouraged you to learn about balancing the car on the throttle. All very well untill he ran out of talent and ended up in a field (fortunately, nothing hurt but pride). I took a roundabout a bit too enthusiastically recently, noticed the understeer, backed off gently, the nose tucked in, I pressed the accelerator down and aimed for the exit and sure enough the car found its purchase and shot me off up the road. Sure, probably not the most fun I could have had, had I been in a well balanced RWD car (and been a bit more talented) ;-) but it was predictable, enjoyable and -above all else- safe even though my tyres are past their best if truth be told.

I think Subaru have got it about right with the std handling and given us a nice base to modify from to tailor the handling to our liking. I do agree that grip and traction should not be confused with handling, but we should not loose sight of what a good job Subaru have done in making the performance of the car accessible to the masses.

Best regards.

NS04

john banks

Agree entirely.

scoobfan

Nice response bud

Rob

HOWY

Well suggest you keep it in the garage at night, set the house alarm and make sure you have a tracker just to be on safe side

dibbleyuk

iTrader: (1)

i get lots of looks in mine i reckon people just thinking whats that kid doing in that! im 18 and this is my impreza

DonnieDarko

^^ how the f*ck can you afford to insure that at 18?? let me guess you paid cash for the car and insurance lol.

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

People confuse grip & traction with handling!

Subaru handling is rubbish, but it makes up for in in the levels of traction it can provide.

My old Honda CRX as standard handled much better than an Impreza! Hell.... my wifes Ford Ka handles better than an Impreza! yes, an Impreza will have a higher entry and exit speed on corners, but it doesn't mean it's handling well! Especially when you talk about levels of balance, feedback, etc.

Imprezas can be made to handle well, if you are willing to invest in dampers, springs, bushes, drop links and geometery changes.

Hanley

Maybe he doesn't spend all his money on booze 'n' ****

I'm 32 and even now I hear people saying 'how can you afford to run a car like that' - funny thing is the people who say this are always the ones who are out clubbing 3 nights a week and smoke 20 or 30 cigs a day

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Yep, A mate worked out how much he spent on weekends out not so long ago, when he totted it up, he cried as much as I did when I clocked how much the scooby was costing me...

Thing is. I'll take the car over the booze and nite clubs anyday!

NS04

Focusbird

Cheeky sod!!!

RLE

iTrader: (2)

Probably works hard. I remember having so much money when I was 18. I dont mean mega bucks or anything average wage monday to friday; had an extra weekend job that paid cash in hand........bloody nice clothes and still managed to have a bender at least once a week. Paid the parents £100 a month and that was that. Could easily save 200.00 a week and it soon built up which paid for both the car and insurance

My god if only things were as easy now as they were then.

danwrx1980

he can insure it coz its a sport!!!!!!!!!

correct me if i'm wrong dibbley

RLE

iTrader: (2)

Yes its a Sport but a nice one none the less. Much better than the Metro Van den Plas I had @ 18. Ah the memories. Still remember it cost me 682.00 to insure third party f&t when I was 17.

Good on you son!

Ben WRX Bug-Eye

It may be a sport but it still tears up the old gravel car parks pretty good doesn't it dibbley?

Edited to add: Nice car mate.

easyrider

Funny you should say this-a couple of months ago i was out on (another) pointless countryside A/B road drive in my scoob(with Eibach suspension) one night,when a what looked like a bog std Focus(but could possably have had suspension mods as it didnt lean much in the corners) decided to overtake,so i decide to take the bait and follow-i was VERY suprised as to how well the focus handled.I will never say that im an excellent driver,but i can hold my own if you know what i mean(done my fair share of circuit/track work ),and i had to work pretty hard to keep up on the twisty bits against this thing-i only had a slight advantage on him on corner speeds-obviously,i could have blasted past on the straights,but never wanted to overtake as i was honestly enjoying being behind this car.Even give each other the thumbs up when we went our seperate ways.
I was tempted to post on here about it,but didnt want to get shot down in flames-Thank you John for educating the uneducated-i agree with you

Gary

john banks

I have followed a Focus as well (and owned one) and when the situation is not reliant on power there is no difference that I could tell between a Focus and a Scooby.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Try lifting off fairly sharply in a relatively high speed turn, John!! Wasn't expecting that amount of oversteer from a FWD (maybe it was the tyres) although I've been told by others that the Focus's rear suspension set up does promote a bit of tail out behaviour. I liked the focus a lot -the diesel engine was even jolly good....for a diesel- but I preferred the Puma.

NS04

ukturbo

Iam 31 years old but work colleagues say i only look about 22 one of my mates was in the car one day and i got stared at he used to have a scooby and he got it from other drivers he said its jealousy and he said cos i look so young for my age and driving a scooby i would love to get a bank loan and get a wrx sti but i cant really afford it at the mo and my job does not pay me the best of wages

trackman

Going back to the original subject, as someone else said, it all boils down to simple jealousy. These lads have probably barried up their motors to 'look' fast. Then you rumble past in your standard looking (nice example by the way) Impreza, which doesn't have any lairy non-standard external crap bolted to it.

It probably annoys them to think that it is effortlessly faster (which is the only thing that matters to them - going fast innit ) in most cases anyway, whilst not having to be as showy as their barrymobiles. They'll grow up one day.

Ok, I'm stereotyping here I know, but it's fun.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Of course, we of have to bare in mind that we bring our own assuptions to the table when inferring what people make of our cars. For example, how often have you thought: "Maybe that bloke in the Corsa wasn't trying to race me, maybe he's just late for an appointment"

Sometimes our reactions to the perceived way people respond to our cars tells us as much -if not more- about ourselves than them!

Something to think about, anyway!

NS04

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

So what would the diagnosis be on this reaction :

Old 80's merc, blacked out windows,big chrome rims, deafening Bangra music coming out of it, two asian lads leaning out of the window doing the 'clicky finger thing' and shouting 'Yes, Yes' at me ?

Its not all bad driving a scooby

Caldo

Alot of time when youg people etc try to race you, they are just wanting to see the car go / what it can do.

trackman

I drive a BMW now, so I'm used to receiving all the stereotypical flak that goes with it, some of it well deserved. It's a good point you make though n_s 04.

*searches deep into the soul*

trackman

[QUOTE=MikeCardiff]So what would the diagnosis be on this reaction :

Old 80's merc, blacked out windows,big chrome rims,


My diagnosis? It's beyond help, scrap it.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

You might want to tell the ones leaning out the window to watch out for that lampost..........................too late!

Oooo nasty!

NS04

Focusbird

Well think what you like, but when I'm looking at Scooby's I'm usually admiring them, or enjoying the sound they make