Impreza STi, should I?
 

I'm thinking of going down the 2.0 Blobeye Impreza STi route as a weekend car, not daily use as I have another car for that. Mileage will only be a couple of K a year.

Tell me, is it a good idea or a bad idea?

It would be a summer car only for trips up the black mountains etc with friends for a good hoon. General consensus, are they reliable? Or will I be taking it to be repaired all the time? I have heard the 2.0 STi is the one to go for?

Realistically I have a budget of around 15k absolute max, I am aware that will get me a very very good example if I want to spend the whole budget. What's the max sort of power people generally run them at on stock internals?

Let me know what you think, I currently drive an MK2 Focus RS but need something cheaper to free up some £££.

Cheers

For 13k to 15k you will get a very nice Impreza forged engine with a nice power too few weeks ago my one was for sale for 13.5k but not anymore as I am keeping it now change of plan so just a example for you my car was:

fully forged 2.1 was running at 440 bhp with safe map its a Sti type uk 2004 black colour :)

I say don't rush look for a nice one and make sure its not with stock internal as if something happens to the engine then its 6k job :(

And they are build for mountains roads you will love it and enjoy every bit if it ^^

Any ways good luck :)

I use my Impreza as a weekend car/summer car and it's great, as has been said don't rush, there's plenty out there make sure it's a nice one. Plus when you come to sell it will have most likely gone up in price.

It's a good idea :thumb:


2.0 is a more reliable engine than the 2.5 (I have the chocolate one :Suspiciou) and it's easy enough (and safe) to go down the usual decat, fuel pump, remap route and get good solid reliable oomph.


It may drive a bit differently from your RS, it will be more a nothing, nothing, bang than a flat wall of torque .. but then again you will have very little traction issues.


I'm finding my STi suspension not that great (worst of both worlds, crashy but also a bit bouncy) so have plans to sort this out. Might be worth an idea driving one to see if it suits you, but properly set up they are awesome fun as weekend cars and B road hoons.


I'm using mine as a daily as I only do @5K miles per year, and I'm fed up of characterless anodyne cars that you actually don't need to drive well.


Go for it, and you have a good budget for a nice car + mods. Take your time finding one and you'll have an awesome car.

I am in no rush as I still have my RS, just trying to gauge if the Subaru is the route I want to go down:) at the moment its ticking all the boxes to be honest.


What sort of mileage do people generally aim for when buying and what's yours on? just so I can get an idea of what to look for.


Thanks for the info on forging, seems logical. I'm assuming they are much more reliable when forged then?



Im in no rush mate :) Yeah I sort of assume they will creep up in price as new cars get more boring every year.


Thanks both for your help!:luxhello:

That's what I wanted to hear:thumb:


The usual stuff then, same as my RS has really for a bit of extra power and more importantly... NOISE:luxhello:


A friend is trying to arrange for me to go out in his mates STi soon so look forward to that happening! tbh I'm pretty sure I will enjoy it and know it will be a different experience to my RS:cool:


Haha my daily is a 53 plate Skoda Fabia VRS with the strangest suspension in the world, crashes over pot holes but can go flat out over speed bumps no problem and it just bounces over them. think everything is a bit knackered on it:D good daily though to be fair!


Suspension can be easily sorted I suppose and I could just buy one with a better set up as I have a decent budget for a good car.

My car have 96,000 miles but that doesn't matter as everything on my car have been changed :lol1: and yes forged engines are very strong :) go for 2.1 or 2.3 do not go for 2.5 even if its forged I don't trust 2.5 engine at all :D some people call them chocolate engine :lol1:

There is a pristine 1 owner Widetrack 2.0 STi 2005 car for sale at KT Green's in Otley. Crystal Grey and absolutely mint. 60K and full history. I think it's £14,995 and If I didn't own my Hawkeye I'd snap that car up in a flash.

My Hawk is a 2.5 but forged after the usual problems....

As to suspension problems, the standard car is OK. but has it's limits. For some unfathomable reason, Subaru fit soft springs and long firm bump stops. The damping is set for something in between. When cornering the inside wheels are firm but compliant and the outside wheels bouncy. ?????

I have coil overs, but like any flash anodised alloy aftermarket parts, they just look corroded and knackered after a couple of years. Certainly solved the handling issues though.

If you want a blemish free car, that's the one to look at.

Once forged 2.5 will be reliable at 450bhp no problem. or if you really wanna give it some closed deck it and make the 2.1 look like a lag monster.

Just can't beat a 2.5 for a fast road car.

So is the 2.5 'bulletproof' once forged or should I just stick to looking for a 2.0?


I would look at changing the suspension set up anyway, I like my cars to be quite harsh for fast road use.


From the advice I have been given I think I'm just going to look at going down the forged engine route as if I want to increase power I can do so without having to worry about the engine strain as much.


Thanks for your help

It's getting harder and harder to find a mint Scoob, either Blob or Hawk with DCCD.


I didn't limit my search so when a Hawk came up, I went into it with my eyes open, and a slush fund in the bank if I need to rebuild the 2.5


I had a Forester STi before with the same engine, Litchfield remapped etc. and ran it for 2 1/2 years without issue so they don't all go pop immediately. I like the extra torque of the 2.5 too.


I do plan a remap with my Hawk at some point, but will ask the mapper not to push things above 1.3 bar and try to make it come in as smoothly as possible. I don't want a big bang of early torque as I think it's asking for trouble.


As for the suspension, I do a wee bit of town driving and it's horrible and bouncy, almost like you're continually pulsing the accelerator, then it'll crash over the smallest bit of bad road.


I suspect my shocks are either way past their sell by date, or the grease has gone solid. I'm planning on a strip and rebuild, prodrive springs, revised bump stops etc. as a first attempt to get it to behave.

Have you not seen this in the for sale section ?

https://www.scoobynet.com/subaru-444...6-kws-etc.html

Thats very nice car but cat d :/

I had 2.5 forged engine before I went for 2.1 forged I just lost trust on them very unreliable :( and they don't revs either like 2.1 :/

In stock form they are crap, but if you had issues after it was forged i would question the build tbh

I find the low down grunt they have is alot better for the road (2.0 and 2.1 will never have the torque or spool of a 2.5), but does depend on what you want.

Its not the issue with forged or builder the issue is with the 2.5 engine you can't run higher boost on them and max you will get is 450 bhp to be safe :thumb:but you right the torque is great on them :D

Really?

You'd happily pay £15k for a car that 4 years ago you could easily have bought for £8-9k?