Hi All,
My company car goes soon and I am taking an allowance instead. Considering a Scooby as my next car as my late father had Impreza Turbos in various guises for almost 10 years and I have a soft spot for them.

Always loved the classic shape and the P1 in particular, but after having had new BMWs every 2 years I think I might feel happier with the interior of the newer car?

Anyone had both and can offer an opinion?

Car will be a daily driver, 12k miles per year, and needs to be able to take a roof rack for my bikes! What is insurance and running costs like for these cars? I am 31 and live in a low risk area with a clean licence.

Thanks in advance

Chris

 

12k mate you will get a 2005 sti for that and thats prob the best option with extra room for your needs. Greig

 

Daily driver, get the later STi...

The P1 is a rawer car, but to live with the later STi is the better option...especially with a tweak to the ecu.

 

In the current market you could aim for an MY06 (Hawkeye) STi at that price level.

Subaru : 2006 STi Type UK 2.5

Z Motor : SUBRAU IMPREZA WRX Sti Type UK Ver9

Subaru : Impreza STI Type UK

Just 5 minutes looking for those.

I was going to suggest aiming higher on the performance level with models such as Spec C's and Litchfield Type 20's, but I think UK STi's will be enough and afford you more of the comfort you're used to. I'd make sure you get a PPP model (Prodrive Performance Pack - ups power IRO 40bhp) and you won't be disappointed.

 

I'd say go for the P1.

People I know that have had both have preferred the P1 as the better car.

Limited edition also holds its value a lot better than the standard STI's.

Rich

 

if your looking for a classic the P1 is your car, bea in mind theyre starting to get old so you'll have to give it some TLC if its an everyday car and you dont want to be spending the extra time looking after it go for the newer STI

 

go for the newage sti and you will still have some cash left for a few mods,the p1 is an awesome looking car but as said above is getting on a bit now and if you dont find a good one you might find that you a blowing all your budgit on repairing it.

 

As a daily drive I'd say newage as a weekender the P1

Enjoy which ever you get

 

You'll find plenty of P1s around £6.5 grand and upwards. They don't tend to sell for a massive amount above this unless exceptional. There's nothing wrong with the P1 as a daily driver, I drove my old one everyday and my brother still drives the same one everyday with no real issues. You'll be getting a rarer, prettier and a rawer drive with the P1; also the car will have lost all the depreciation it's going to. The only downside is an inherent weakness with the engine. If you do get one, change the fuel pump and MAF sensor. If the engine does go you'll have to shell out £3k.

The sti probably is a better car day to day and doesn't have the engine issue associated with the classics. On the downside it could be argued that the car is comparitively boring to a P1, it's not a special edition and it will keep on depreciating.

If I had £12k and had these 2 cars on the list I'd get the P1 and bank the remainder for a rainy day. I'd either get one with a blown engine or a recent rebuild by a respected garage. This time I'd get a standard rebuild and not modify it!

 

If you buy the P1 save some money for when the engine goes pop.

 

Thanks for the informative replies!! I wasn't aware of the engine issues with the classic cars, so thanks for making me aware of these.

I am not keen on the looks of the hawkeye cars and prefer the previous shape (blobeye?!). Is the 2.5 engine worth putting up with the looks for?

Spotted these cars on Pistonheads and like the look of them - fairly priced?

Subaru : Subaru Impreza WRX-STI PRODRIVE

Subaru : WR1 LIMITED EDITION 221 of 500

Subaru : Pristine Impreza P1

Thanks again

 

I can't speak for the other 2 cars as I've never owned newshapes, but I found this interesting on the P1 advert:

IMHO this car is overpriced by a good few grand and he'll be keeping it at that price. Some prople selling cars are well optimistic on their value. I've recently sold an Impreza and know how hard it is to sell one at the moment.

 

Also, what sort of annual running costs could I expect, and average MPG (I drive sensibly 90% of time!!!).

 

About £85 a tyre, cambelt service 'around' £500, 250-300 out of a tank normal driving. Most I had from a P1 was 372 miles out of a tank. 99 Ron fuel, which is around 10p a litre more expensive than the usual.

 

im not too sure if that top 1 you mentioned has been sold to a guy on here(check members gallery),you wouldnt go far wrong with a wr1,limited edition like the p1 but your also getting a later model,and they do look mint!regarding mpg i have a tuned classic and on a run i can get 28mpg..mind bare in mind when you put your foot down that dwindles by about 20

 

P1's are fantastic cars, don't let the scare mongering regarding the engine put you off, look after it correct and it will be good for 60k ++
I budget around 60 quid a week for everything including petrol, insurance and servicing.

 

It's not scaremongering. There is an inherent fault with classic engines. I've never blown one in 10 years but the last one I bought was with a shot engine. You hardly see (if ever) new shape cars needing rebuilds.

 

It's also a myth that well looked after P1s don't blow.

 

ive just sold a classic and bought an 02 bugeye and would much rather the newer interior and also feels a smoother drive, but we are all different, if i had the cash you have available there would be no compromise to a new model sti all day.

 

The first 2 are high mileage & the last is a parralel (sp?) import so would have cost peanuts in the first place ... I guess you pay your money & makes your choice.

IMHO the OP will be scraping the barrel looking for a MY05/06 for £12k, better to look for a slightly older one that's been well looked after (try for sale section on here).

TX.

 

This car is gorgeous, 380bhp & only £10k ...

https://www.scoobynet.com/private-sa...-2003-sti.html

TX.

 

03/04 STi all the time.

 

don't fancy a white one for that sort of money do you Chris?

 

Any car can blow, no matter how well looked after.
You can however do things to help and also put things in place to look for the warning signs.
I have seen numerous P1's blow up due to oil pump failure, how many P1's may have survived that disaster if they had defi's installed?

 

I would be going for the WR1 above, the benefits of a more modern car with the exclusivity of a limited edition.

Having said that I love the P1, one of my favourite scooby's just too good to be a daily driver IMO

 

If it's 05 or older I'd aim for a JDM STi, a much better car all 'round. Twin scroll, stronger engine, DCCD(A), quick rack, better lights and dials. If it is a UK car I'd stick to 05/06 Blobeyes to get the revised geometry and DCCD(A). Base level 05's are a better option than an 04 WR1 IMHO.

 

Thanks for all the replies so far. Interested to hear that an 05 STi might be a better option than an 04 WR1 - what are the mechanical differences?

Think I'd better get out there and do some test drives!

Cheers

C

 

05's benefited from a revised geometry (slightly longer wheelbase and wider track) which was first used on Spec C variants, DCCD-A active centre differential (allowing automatic or manually adjustable torque split front to rear), inverted struts, enlarged hubs to cater for stronger bearings which were needed due to the extreme Bridgestone RE070 tires, and ( I may be wrong ) backlit sweep dials and HID headlights ( although I think they might have appeared on 06 Hawkeyes ). Get a PPP'd 05 over a WR1.