Well today was my first go in an impreza and I was soooo impressed, the car was a 2003 WRX which I'm looking to buy, everything on the car looked and worked great but I'm not too sure on the brakes, they didn't seem very sharp and took a bit of effort to get the thing to stop even at slow speeds, I know it has been fitted with EBC pads but from what i hear they are supposed to be good, as I have no idea of how these cars are supposed to act any advice will be appreciated. Thanks,

Dan.

 

Good fun aren't they lol!
Got my first wrx sti '52 plate last month, i know what you mean about the brakes.
Not the sharpest in the box but if you push hard you stop quicker.
And i was used to a 1989 escort before that and the brakes were really crap on that heh heh.
They don't seem sharp but they are effective IMHO.
Good luck, seems like decision time for you...
Lexx.

 

Glad you liked it: Subaru's 4 pot calipers are powerful and capable, but pad choice and amount of wear is very important. AFAIK the only EBC pads worth bothering with are the red stuff ceramics, which have some positive reviews. IMHO you'd be better off going with something like Pagid or Ferodo which are universally liked. Not cheap, but very effective. Do bear in mind though that it is a sports saloon so pedal effort will be higher than in a family runabout: it's part of getting the driver involved in whats going on. Retardation should be proportional to pedal effort. The brakes on my Scooby need a shove, but boy they can stop you in a hurry if you press the pedal like you mean it!

NS04

 

Hello & welcome 2 Scoobynet!
Can't help u with the brake query I'm afraid.
Have got new STi myself & those big Brembos'll stop u dead anytime, anyplace, anywhere!
Well, they have so far anyway! Ha, ha!
Do jump in MX5 sometimes tho, forget which car I'm in (yes, I know, how could u?), brake in usual place 2 turn into drive, carry on sailing past cottage & have 2 reverse 15 feet back up the road!
Very embarrassing!

 

Thanks for your replies.
.......also, this car is an import so has no warranty. I know I can get a parts and labour warranty from the AA, but is this sufficient (up to £500 three times a year)?? It only has 20K miles on it and appears to be in very nice condition. Do you think this is a risk too far??

Dan

 

When you say Import, do you mean a UK spec import from Europe, or a Japanese model? If it was a Euro Spec import, wouldn't it have some of the IM warranty left. If they are in the UK from new and have been fully serviced by Subaru or an independent specialist, then there is no more risk buying one of these than one from the UK. It's a bit more risky with a Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) car that hasn't been in the UK all its life.

Basically the key to the reliability for any Scooby is how its been treated, not where it comes from. Where it comes from can just influence how easily you can determine how well its been treated.

I have the AA cover myself (Subaru extended warranty is VERY dear). If you get a good un chances are, you won't need it though.

I'd advise an independent inspection if you're unsure, take some of the anxiety away. RAC can help you. AA unfortunately discontinued this service. Or you could get in touch with a local specialist and ask them if they would look at the car for a fee.

Happy hunting.

NS04

 

Welcome to SNet

As said earlier, the brakes aren't as servo assisted as other cars so although they seem a little less keen, they are actually very good. The EBC pads are good, but will wear quickly (in my experience) and I'd recommend replacing them with another brand when they're due. It's also worth fitting braided lines and DOT5.1 fluid.

AFAIK the 03 cars on came with 3yr Pan Euro warranty, so will be covered so long as it was imported from an EU country. Many came from Malta and Cyprus though, and until recently they weren't EU members. Scoobs are generally very reliable, unless modified badly. If the car is standard, and has been serviced properly then it should be fine.

You don't mention the price, but I'd expect around £12k for an unwarrantied import. If the funds will stretch then you could find a UK with around 1yr left on warranty, possibly with PPP for around the £13k mark. Check out the For Sale forums on here, as there are many that will ahve been cared for by enthusiasts.

 

The brakes are ****! Don't know about all this press harder bollox but I've had an 03PPP for 18 months, doesn't matter how hard I press the pedal they don't get any better.

Despite the fact that I love my car I'd have to say they are the worst brakes of any performance car that I have ever driven.

Welcome to scoobnet by the way!

 

Thanks a lot for all of your replies. Very useful!!
The price of this car is £12999. Would you say this is too high?

 

There's about 10 UK 52/03/53 plate WRX's (4 and 5 door) on Autotrader for below £13k at the mo'. None in the FS section on here recently though. Expect to pay another £800 or so to get a PPP'd car.