Looking for advice on getting my first scooby
 

Hi im new to this site and really wanted some info.
im looking to get a subaru as need a bigger car due to having a baby on the way. I currently have a toyota glanza v and can get between 250-300miles on £35-£40 but its not big enough lol...The thing is i been reading up that they dont do very well on petrol. Now i know that you dont buy one for good mpg but i was hoping to use it as a daily car. Im fussy when it comes to cars and now i have my mind set on having one i dont want nothing else but really want to find out more info. I dont usually go mad with my glanza so i wont be with the scooby so hoping it might get better mpg. I have found one thats pushing 300+bhp and he says that he is only getting 12mpg and he put £30 in and only got 80miles on mixed driving? :/

I'd avoid buying a car that someone says has 300bhp and is only getting 12mpg, because either there is something wrong with it or he's ragging the tits off it everywhere.

Even my 330bhp STI Type R has better mpg and it's probably one of the worst Subaru models for fuel consumption, I'd expect to get 12/15mpg on a track day.

I also have a Blob WRX Wagon PPP (2003/2005) as a daily and that does 26/28mpg around town and 36mpg at a constant indicated 80mph loaded on long runs, it will do more if you're really really careful, but if you're racing / red lining in every gear everywhere you go, then yes it will only do 12/15mpg.

£4/5k should see you into a nice low ish milage well cared for Blob WRX with PPP or remapped to around the 280bhp mark which is plenty fast enough for a road car, personally I'd avoid modded ones as these cars are getting old and with a baby on the way the last thing you need is to be constantly throwing money at a car.

<<Dad mode ON>>

But then if I were in your situation, I'd be looking at something like a Golf GTI diesel and have it mapped.

<<Dad mode OFF>>

:thumb:

My 2.1 stroker 242bhp classic gets between 27-33 mpg depending on the driving.

However, on a track you can almost see the petrol gauge drop!
20 laps (25 miles)....over 1/3 tank gone!

Hi James. i would love to say to you buy a Subaru. They are brilliant cars! But i was in your situation many years ago and i had to let it go because i coulnt afford the running cost.
Think long and hards before you buy.

Yup, not a fmaily car unless you get a new well cared for example, 07>

Thanks for the replies guys really appreciate it.

I am going to stay cleae of that subaru as did think it aint right for it to be using so much petrol. But it got me thinking are they that bad on petrol even if you dont go crazy with your right foot. I know they aint a family car but i like the to much to go with sonething else and to part with my glanza to go with something other then a subaru i think i would regret it lol.... i think i will stick with my glanza until i decide what to do. If my work can give me a work van then i wouldnt mind spending the money on petrol haha. So i guess i will have to wait till then :)

There prety teriable and ive always wondered why.. Acording to which car a 5.0 v8 lexus isf rocket ship gets slightly better average mpg then a hawkeye sti! Yea there 4 wheel but even when trying not to thrash it they drink like gazza at a open bar

As a daily driver they are awful on fuel. I had the misfortune of using mine one month while the 306td was off the road, and damn did I feel the pain!

As Ditch said best off with something more practical like a Seat Leon Fr+ tdi etc, map it, enjoy the high figure mpgs and save some dosh in the long run.

Jusst because you are having a kid doesn't mean you need a sensible car, but there is sensible, less sensible, and then there is subaru....

Why not something like an astra/vectra vxr?

My vectra vxr returns 36mpg on a run and 28 around town and 20 if I thrash it and that's a 22.8 vv6 turbo

I've been using my scoob as a daily driver for 5 years. Other than the fuel economy, it's been no more expensive than any other car and the most reliable. I usually get 130/140miles off £30 petrol.
That's on a 99T UK turbo. I would suggest you go buy this model as a family car just because they're getting old and might not be reliable, but maybe a newer UK model?

I use my bug wrx as a daily driver & fuel economy isn't too bad if I'm sensible with my right foot, I've had 340 miles from a tank full of vpower.

Can't see why it doesn't make a good family car either?, it's got 4 doors, can seat 4 adults comfortably, has a decent sized boot & if kept fairly std & well cared for it will be a reliable, fun car to own & drive. :thumb:

There seems to be alot of mixed reviews about mpg which still confuses me and makes me feel I should get one to try it out for myself. The thing is during work hours I will take it easy as I do with my glanza. I also work nights so means no traffic and it's just a straight drive in on A roads.

Alot is how you drive it. keep off boost and low revs and shouldnt be too bad. use the loud pedal alot and get ready for regular fill ups lol

Jamesh,

Normal driving is between 20 - 30 depending on conditions. Rag it and the mid to low teens. On a gentle motorway run you may get 30 - 33 mpg.

If the car has had a decent remap you may achieve a little more but not much. But expect 250 - 300 miles on a 55 litre tank at best.

I've done 25k+ in the last 10 months ownership of my '02 WRX Wagon with PPP.

I have a weekly commute of 550 M-Way miles and the rest is B-roads. ~28mpg combined figure. M-Way higher, B-Roads lower. Regularly see over 300 miles between refills.

I could have bought a tedious diesel and saved £1500.....ho-hum....

I think that MPG should be the least of your concerns, unless you are doing 20k+ miles a year or do all your driving in City centres.

Debatable :norty:

If I were in your position I'd be looking for a hot hatch instead (or a Golf GT/GTD and get it mapped). But it's your money - if you can afford the petrol and the repair costs should it go wrong (unlikely in a pre hawkeye but a headgasket is going to cost you the best part of 2-3k) then go for it, perfectly adequate as a family car! I bought mine off a guy who's misses was using it as a run around for ferrying their kid about but he couldn't afford the fuel.

I would rather keep my glanza then get a golf etc. I don't want to get rid of it as like the fact I hardly see them out and about lol.
As long as I can get at least 300 miles out of a full tank then I'd be happy with a subaru as again anything else I look at does not appeal to me. (I'm very fussy haha)

I've got a new 2015 STI, and did 360 miles from a tank the other day, taking it easy on the M4, but also about 100 miles of fun Welsh roads thrown in. It's averaging 26mpg.

I also have an RB5, no fancy computer on this, but worked out its doing about the same, will just get over 300 on a tank, if I wait for the light, but I normally fill up when I get to 240 miles.

Get one, 4 door family saloon, just what you need. You won't really regret it, unless you suddenly develop a really heavy right foot. Can be mpg friendly (and diesels are boring and more polluting with nasty stuff), and super reliable.
Just stay away from anything modified, you'll be alright.

OP - If you're at all concerned about MPG, don't buy a Scooby.

I average about 19.5 mpg in mine. The only time you'll see mid 20's is on a long run.

Just noticed this, why would go for a stroker build for 242bhp? :wonder:

Mpg on mine, range between 23 and 28 usually. Never seen over 30 that's for sure on a mild tune P1.

This....

Running costs will be high m8. They are gd cars though, new age is pretty reliable. If u r going to get one be careful as many have been abused

I'm not really bothered by the mpg as it will be a car I want to enjoy. But I just wanted some info on how far a tank would really last me before filling up again. I guess it does really all depend on the driver and how well the car has been looked after as everyone has different answers. I am trying to find a non abused and non modified one so I can get the best out of it rather then having to spend loads money on it to begin with. I do appreciate all your help guys.

I brim my tank very 2 weeks, i get around 250 miles to a tank give/take 20.This is a tad under 1/4 tank before the petrol light...........guess you could add 25 miles or so........

On a run the other week of 280 miles,i averaged 32mpg which surprised me, as most of the miles was cruising at around 80. Of the 280 miles,around 200 was motorway/duel carriage way.

So just allow for 250,for me its fantastic as my previous got 10- 12 mpg on a good day,200 miles to a tank and a 92L tank at that!(use around 80L as i never run it down into the red).

Subaru's are cheap as chips to run:lol1:

I'm lucky to get 200mile per tank, 2005 sti PPP, with remap to around 330, but I'm always local not had a big run out to see, but never bought it for MPG, which most will agree. Great cars though very practical size wise for dad mode, leave wife n kids at home and still able to have great amounts of fun!!

I get about 30 MPG on my WRX PPP. Though it's normally on open/country roads as I try and avoid town driving in it. That's not driving like a grandad either, when traffic allows I like to have some fun in it.