ScoobyNet.com - Subaru Enthusiast Forum

Hi all!

I registered here just for set of the Prodrive PPF -wheels (for sale at the "general area"), so why wouldn't I introduce myself:

-I had a '05 STI back in the days ... I chose Subaru over Mitsubishi (Evo) purely because of the boxer engine soundtrack. My friend had one around 2008-2010, that's when I really fell in love the "unequal length" soundtrack of these :luvlove: And of course the rallying heritage as I'm much more a "rally guy" than a "F1 guy". Anyway I literally drove her all the time, ranking up ~50k miles (80k km) in under 4 and ½ year. And I even wasn't commuting to work with it, I just loved to drive and wash it, kind of I loved the car lol... It had all the basic mods; CAI, Walbro 255 fuel pump, de-cat with 3" exhaust, Ecutek Race Rom w/ custom tune, H&R lowering springs, Tommi Makinen Racing group N -bushings. And most importantly, it had the Prodrive PPF7 -wheels which I'm currently so eager to find. Those wheels got so much compliments, literally no one here (Finland) had these, everyone had Rotas, Enkeis, TSW's etc. I had the car 4 and ½ year and went all sort of meetings, gatherings and track days and did not see a single Subie with these - except mine.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...54291c2fb7.jpg
MY05 STI

Time went on and I made a stupid decision to trade her for a Porsche 997. I've missed her ever since and finally in 2019 I did a "DVLA" search - found out that she had burned earlier same year. I was gutted :(

Forward a couple of years and I found that my old kind-of acquaintance from the Scoobie days was selling his pride'n joy, MY08 STI hatch. That car has been built with no costs in mind... I pulled the trigger even while it was not the "blobeye" -model which shape I loved by far the most. Here's the car which I bought July 2021:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...8e4c92ad71.jpg
MY08 STI "Cosworth"

This car has all sort of parts, from group N gearbox (rally car kind "semi straigh cut gears") to carbon fiber drive shaft, Tommi Makinen Racing Group N -bonnet, fully built engine "Cosworth" with methanol spray to intake, Ecutek custom maps for road and for track, COBB SS 3" exhaust with race cat, built front and rear LSD's "rally style aggressive", custom built Blouch Performance billet turbo, WRC style carbon fiber rear wing, Sparco B pillar strut brace, front & rear strut braces, Tommi Makinen Racing group N X -shape chassis braces under the car, Öhlins Race Suspension tuned for optimum corner weights (each corner has as much weight on it when 80kg driver sits in the car), AP Racing Cosworth 6-pot BBK -kit. Half the things I cant even recall, but this is seriously fast machine in tracks. This was originally built in 2011-2012 and was the most famous STI in Finland.

I enjoy the gearbox most, its just like driving a proper rally car without too loud whining, I've never felt as precise gearchanges in any car, upshifts BANG BANG BANG with acc pedal at the floor "no-lift shifting". I got the vanity plate for it, which for my surprise, was still free "SUBIE".

Even after getting this car I was still searching for the ultimate, MY05 STI blobeye "widetrack". Don't know about the UK market, but in EU the blobeye "widetrack" STI was only sold during the Model Year 2005 making it somewhat rare, much more rare than 2003-2004 blobeyes. MY05 "wide track" had ... well widened track, "modern bolt pattern" of 114.3 x 5, upside down shocks, modern interior, DCCD and some other minor tweaks mainly in chassis department. Basically all the "hawkeye" generation facelift goodies with the strong 2.0L -engine. And it was only produces during 2005 as for 2006 EU got the hawkeye with the sad 2.5L -"chocolate" engine. You guys in UK might not understand what I'm blathering as you have had all the JDM derived goodies for ages.

Finally ... I mean for my total surprise ... my local Autotrader "search agent" alerted me in Oct 6th 2021. I had really stricken parameters set for over a year and this was only the 2nd time it alarmed me. This beauty had just popped for sale mere 500km away from me:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...8d7e7b7369.jpg
My new MY05 STI

I instantly rang the dealership and paid the asking price with out seeing the car nor having any details about its true condition. Later the dealership sales person said that this car got way more enquiries than any of the cars they've sold for a long time (dealership weren't any way specialized to sports car - it was local VW / Audi / Seat main dealership).

-Just 50k miles driven, previous owner had it ~12 years, meticulous service records & upkeeping, not driven in salt, OEM (except exhaust), etc. A true lucky find! Only mods are exhaust and built engine (Garret turbo, Ecutek custom tune, injectors, CAI, Walbro 255 etc). This is the keeper which I'm planning to keep as long as there's petrol around. I'm so in love, this car brings back so much loving memories from the days from my past. When I drove the car 500km back to home it was strangely emotional trip, really can't describe with words. This car is everything I want, everything I sought, and it has exceptional history, and low mileage. 1st owner had even get the proper vanity plate it; "WRX-265", as here in Finland we can't play / toy with reg plates like you guys do in UK. For example here one can't just sell / buy a previously used vanity plate, you have to buy / sell whole car its attached to. Only the "previously unused" ones one can buy from DVLA for the price of around 850 euros / £720.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...bb98467aa0.jpg
Both my pride'n joys :-)

Greetings from Finland,
Samu