Help needed
 

Hi Everyone. I am pretty new to forums so forgive me if I am not posting in the correct place.
Basically I need help. I am looking to purchase my first Impreza on a budget of £10000 and need some advice on which to go for. I have been promising myself one for about 12 years, and now I am old enough to run/insure one, it's time to treat myself. I like the bug and blob shape but have heard bugs have a stronger engine? Does it make much difference? I do prefer the blob. I prefer hawk eye more but not sure I can justify the cost of the road tax on them. I don't want to go too old either (from looking on AT and PH, I think my taste/budget would put me around 2000-2005). Would consider an older one though if it's really, really good as I love the original shape. I'd like at least 300bhp and I know I want an STi. Would also ideally like some sensible performance/styling mods. What mods should I be looking for? Should I buy import or UK car? As I sit I think I should avoid import, but, don't know if they are somehow better all round in terms of reliability/performance/running cost/buying cost etc. This will be a daily driver for me, not a weekend toy. (I go fishing at the weekends so my 'weekend toy' is a van to fit my kit in). Anyone have any input or advice or maybe a car I might be interested in? Thanks. Tom

Have you got the price of the insurance sorted for the different models.

Not really looked into it much. Is there a massive difference? When you say models do you mean in terms of age or spec?

Personally, you are asking very basic questions for spending 10K on a machine.

It would be best to research yourself, learn about the models and their variants, use the search engine on this forum, and on google rather than being 'told' - thats kinda lazy and you wont learn as much.

Eventually you will come to the conclusion you need a JDM twinscroll Blob or Hawk STI, and you wont regret it. If you bought a UK poverty spec car, then drove a JDM, you would have what many others have - 'JDM Envy' and would end up going to sleep crying every night reminding yourself that you spent your life savings on the wrong car (its happened so many times on this forum its terrible).

And ignore anything dickmyster tells you, he will say get a WRX, then you seriously will of made a big mistake.

jdm blob, or a nice wr1, wr1s are a uk car better for insurance and 316bhp standered. becoming very collectable. wr1s also have the dccd. colure lets em down tho. had 2 and would easy have another. white jdm sti blob would win me over lol

Theres no real difference on insurance costs between a UK and a JDM, thats a myth, unless your 17.

Hi Trinity and 4u2nv2. I have done some research and my questions are basic as I'm no mechanic (don't even have any basic engine knowledge) and never owned anything like this before. I don't mean to come across as lazy. I've been looking at Impreza's and researching as best I can for the last 2 months. I'm not just going to do what people say. I'm only looking for advice/opinions to help me decide.

Just phoned adrian flux for a quote on this WRX STi WR1 to get an idea.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...p-2004/4746124

£1450 a year! Are all Impreza's this expensive to insure? It's not that it's unaffordable, it's justifying it. I'm 32 with 10 years NCB, been driving 14 and am a lorry driver. Expected cheaper after doing some comparisons on line. Thought Flux were a specialist. Was just thinking whether I might be better off starting with a WRX and upgrading later. Flux seemed to be concerned that I am not used to such powerful cars having had a commercial policy the last 4 years and nothing with Scoob performance ever.

Are WRX's that bad?

Thought the hawk eyes 2.5 was a problematic engine compared to the 2ltr?

What makes the JDM cars so good? And what's JDM stand for? I know they are imports.

Don't know how to use the search engine. In fact, don't even know what that is. I'm very new to this. Owning an Impreza is just a phase for me really as well. I've always wanted one but, I get bored. Had nearly 30 different vehicles in 14 years, mostly Fords. Give me a year tops in a Scoob and I'll probably be back in a Ford of some description...

if you are considering an sti trinitys advice is about right.

avoid at all costs the uk hawkeye sti as it has the 2.5 engine which is awful and as you say the high tax.

you do have the budget for a jdm model so my advice would be to drive both uk and jdm cars as they differ slightly in spec.

and as said avoid the wrx it is that bad if you are after impreza looks and performance.

in my opinion the uk widetrack blobeye is the best spec uk car and the jdm blobeye in either widetrack or non widetrack is a good buy.

youre budget should stretch to either of these.

id avoid anything like the wr1 as its commands a premium for reasons ive never understood as its not as good a spec as the widetrack uk cars.

Hi Fat-Thomas,

You say what I thought about the hawk eye engine. You agree WRX no good.You say about the wide track blob. I've looked at these extensively. 2005 model with the dccd, correct? My only concern with these is my budget seems to be bottom of the barrel for them. Most are priced a fair bit higher. Have looked at the JDM ones but just not sure about imports? Is there a lot of risk with buying an import?

talking like a tit mate, im 35 with trade insurance, it made a difference to me to have jdm cars on there. dont make much difference pmsl :lol:

Dude, you've researched for two months and have not come across the meaning to the term 'JDM'? Ive just typed Subaru Impreza JDM into google and the second hit tells you what it means.

Adrian Flux, are terrible, overpriced and don't cover Jap cars very well. Some owners get decent quotes, but its not a lot. Go to Kieth Michaels for a proper quote.

WR1's are just a polished poverty spec UK car in a gay colour.

ive had a wrx and an sti, the sti is streets ahead if you are after the performance car.

yes you are correct about 2005 model. no risk really about imports a lot of the parts a readily available.

insurance shouldnt be an issue with a specialist, obviously it will be if you use a crap insurance supermarket company but most sensible owners use a specialist like keith michaels .

get that wr1 you have put link up for. cracking motor.

Big man with lots of posts to back up his knowledge.

Your trade policy might be an issue, ive had plenty of Scoobs, and never had any premiums over JDMs, its common knowledge.. So you need to find yourself a proper specialist insurers like Kieth Michaels and stop making a fool of yourself on here and go save some money to drive a proper car.

Off you go!

Thanks for the insurance tip Trinity.

And fat-thomas

Japanese domestic market. Okay. Hadn't looked as I had been avoiding looking at imports as I said. Going to look at them a bit more.

Ring Kieth Michaels in the morning, get your quote on a JDM Blobeye and a UK poverty car.

Then you know what your budget for the car is..you might not be able t stretch to a JDM, but they are worth saving for.

Ive had a turbo 2000, sti v5, bug jdm sti, and now widetrack blob uk, my favourite was the jdm bug, that should be well within your budget.

Hi,
If you wanted to PM me your details I'd be happy to take another look at your quotation to see if there is anyway I can shave something off it.
Regards,
Dan.

You'd need a big ass razor to "shave" something off that price!!!

Having said that, if the OP has no recent experience of performance cars, then that effects the price, I believe? Still needs at least £500 quid knocking off the cost though.

There's part of your problem. Just because you're a professional driver, doesn't mean your insurance policy will be cheap. It'll usually be higher than someone with the exact same age/driving history etc, only difference being they work in an office or something.

Hi Dan, that's good of you fella. At the moment I am just trying to get an idea. I know the wr1 I got quoted for is quite heavily modified and don't know if I might be better with a standard ppp blob wide track/sti bug or jdm bug/blob. If I need your help, I will PM you, when I work out how...;) cheers fella.

Insurance is funny like that ain't it. And although never owned big power cars before, I have had a 190 bhp Renault 19 16v in the past and have driven powerful cars before (Silverstone track experiences in Ferrari 360, Aston V8 Vantage, Nissan GTR, Lotus Exige S, Formula Silverstone single seater, MK2 Escort rally car, and done a skid control course, but I suppose that doesn't count for much. Also I have had a Transit van the last 4 years. Lol

jesus £1450 :o, mines a 1 less for a type r all mods including 2.5 cdb and agreed value.

try elsewhere

first things first, do you want balls out raw performance or some comfort?

Yeah as advised, I have got in touch with Keith Michaels, but am waiting for them to come back to me.

I assume you are trying to show me your car on the link, but all I can see is a video of a jumping cat fail????

Want performance but some comfort would be nice. My wife will use the car from time to time and I don't want it to scare the **** out of her (too much)

Avoid Adrian flux, I'm with them at the moment and I will not be renewing that's for sure.

nah the jumping cat is my signature hahaha

sounds like new age will be the one to go for then, if you wanted raw performacne classic RA or R.

For 10k you should find a decent 2005 widetrack uk or jdm or a slightly earlier spec c.

couple of examples

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...03-reg/4699895

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...import/4300715

I love the classic shape Impreza, a friend had one years ago which I was going to buy off him when he bought an 03 Sti, but at 21 with low wages, I couldn't afford insurance.

Have looked at those two on PH. The blue wide track is nice, but I still don't know about an import and would need more pics. It says it is a fresh import. I assume some extra cost would be involved in registering it for the UK?

The red spec c has previously been a cat d write off which puts me off.

price will be on the road unless it says different in the advert,

hadn't spotted the cat d bit, but depends what the cat d was.