Buying a Jap STi
 

Hope someone on here can shed some light.


I went and looked at a Jap STi today for 18,495, in conversation I referred to the car as an STI8 but he said it was an STI9, is this true??? (the car is on a 52 plate)

The guy in the garage also said the engine is different to the UK STI8, anyone know what is different and how this affects the car, is it better or worse??

I mentioned I had just test driven a UK STI8 with PPP and he stated this car is 320BHP and would waste a PPP'd UK STI8.

Apart from insurance is there anything else I should be worrying about buying a Jap STI rather than a UK one.

Car comes with a Cobra 7928 alarm - are these any good?

Sorry for all the questions but I want to be completely sure before shelling out this kind of cash - must admit the car looked awesome, had an exhaust like a dustbin and I'm sure it will sound awesome!! Battery was flat so he couldn't start the car for me

Cheers guys

Hanley

STI numbering stopped at 6, so the numbers that people have used since then are ambiguous at best and worthless at worst. If it's on a 52 plate then it's either an '02 or '03 model, and the difference is mainly the design of the front end.

It may well have 320bhp, especially if it has a sports exhaust, though to say it'll 'waste' a PPP UK car is perhaps an exaggeration. If it has the twin-scroll turbo (which I think came in with the new shape headlights) then it will certainly have a better spread of power and will be more drivable. I have the twin-scroll setup and it's fantastic IMHO.

DCCD is a good bonus if the car has it, it's one of the nice things about the Japanese model, giving you a car which is more agile and has better traction than those without it. You should also expect HID lights, rear wiper and electric folding mirrors.

Usual advice about fuel, remap, insurance and resale applies.

I think the 7928 is a basic Cat. 1 alarm/immobiliser, nothing fancy but it does the job.

You'll have to form your own opinion about the condition of the car and the seller - get that battery charged and go for a test drive. There's plenty out there so if there's anything you don't like about the car or its owner, feel free to walk.

Cheers Andy

The car had the new shape lights and bonnet so I'd assume it is an 03 model.

Car also had DCCD, folding mirrors and rear wipe, hoping to go and test drive next week if the insurance quotes are not too steep

Cheers

Hanley

:)

Further to what Andy has already said; the salesman sounds like a complete gob****e making it difficult to take anything he says seriously.

For your own piece of mind Id suggest looking at the Applied Model Number on the chassis number plate; itll start GH-GDBxxxxx... If you put this into Google youll soon be able to see what the car is from the results.

Simon

Think I'll play safe and get a UK one

:)

Safe from what? You are missing out IMHO.

A JDM STI is definately a superior car; Id play safe and avoid this one...

Simon

which garage??

Garage is in Standish nr Wigan

http://www.wickedkit.com


I was looking at the one for £18,495

But I really like the look of this one, owned by a Scoobynetter

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bah.bah1/photo.htm

Hoping to buy it if I sell my Focus in time

:)

hanley, seen that car @ wicked kit in the flesh, and very nice it is too :)
I've been looking at the white my02 sti type ra they have in, gone down in price from 16.5k to 12.5k in the last few months, either something wrong with it, or just not shifting as it's a specialized niche to say the least.
I've done a few searches on scoobynet about wicked kit themselves, to see if there's anything wrong with them, but they always seem to come out as a good dealer. Friend of a friend has an s202 off them, and well happy with cust. service.
Been in a couple of times, and they basically know there stuff, but like all car dealers, will embelish a little to get the sale :)
The black one on the otherhand is mint, and something I'd deffo like in my garage :)
wonder if the car cover comes as part of the sale? :)

good luck with buying anyway,
chris.

Hanley

That black UK STi is a great car but as pointed out the JDM STi is a superior piece of kit and has a DCCD for a start which improves the handling no end.

If you want a slightly modified car I would suggest you look at this thread.

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=398754

This has everything it needs and is a great price.

Nathan..

Only thing that seems to be putting me off the JDM STI at the moment is the insurance.

Haven't managed to find a quote under 2k yet

Have to keep searching

:)

Nathan

You're right that JDM STI is gorgeous!!!!

Can't buy until I sell my Focus so will keep on hunting

Hopefully these cars will still be available then

:)

Hi M8,
Out of curiosity how old are you? I live in Swansea area own a JDM STI new age 2001 MY full no claims and pay £780 a year for me and the other half to drive. We are both 33years. Before I bought the SYI I owned a UK wrx 03MY and was paying £640 on that. Bye the way my insurance is with L&V.

Havnt got it under 2k?! :eek: how old are you? ;)

Having owned (and still do own) an MY03 JDM STi i can tell you that they are FAR superior to the euro/uk cars :D just the engine alone is much better, but you may be dissappointed by the actual power output, nowhere near the 320bhp they are quoting, more like 300, but an STi panel filter can give you another 10 or so bhp ;) and a little more than that in torque (mine is 312bhp and 331lbs of torque on the japanese map with optimax and octane booster).
These are better cars, but your servicing will be more frequent, 6 month, 7.5k intervals over the uk's 10k/12 month intervals, plus the use of octane booster and optimax, and you will also need a knocklink so you can see whats happening in the engine (www.jap-innovations.co.uk do these and the sensor), oh and if the car your looking at has the drivers pack (wheels/tyres/A-DCCD) then it will also have the quick rack steering :D something the euro/uk cars dont get ;) and its great :D

Tony:D

welshwolf

I'm in Liverpool (so not a good start!!)

My wife and I are both 31, had a Classic Turbo for 3 years and insured it with Liverpool Vic, the last year I owned it my premium was £680.

Rang them for a quote the other day on a UK STI PPP and they were talking £1700.

Best quote I've had so far is Direct Line at £1300 but thats for a UK

Will keep searching for better insurance on a JDM

:)

Hanley

Good Luck!!

I was in a simlar position to you a few months ago m8, i wanted a newish sti. I took a uk ppp car out and was left feeling it missed the mark, i then took a JDM one out and was really happy with it. i did go to wicked kit,but i went there to look at the one for 20k, i drove 80 miles to see it and it did not have dccd, the guy said it was a mistake and would alter the discription on the website. That was four months ago and it is still saying it has dccd. The salesman said about the car you are looking at, that he had took it in part ex and that he really did not want it as it was not a clean car (meaning he did not know what had happened to it b4 he took it in). I was not impressed because it had the roof vent which could of been own'd by a boy racer (and it was a 52 plate for 18.5k). I also thought that most of his cars were overpriced compared to others i had seen.
In the end i did buy a JDM STI it was a 04 plate and i paid £18900 for it four months ago.

If i were you i would take both uk and jdm out and then make your mind up. I bet it is jdm


Try norwich union for your insurance quote they don't want a tracker and came out cheaper than l & V (who i am with). i think they also said it was £780 to insure

donutman

I'm glad you mentioned that about Wickedkit

Sounds like you looked at exactly the same car as me, noticed the roof vent and I also didn't think the car was tidy enough inside for a car with 20k on the clock.

I also noticed he had a silver 52 JDM STI and he wanted 23k for it, when I asked about the price difference his reply was 'it has a few extra bits on it' - want more than that for 5k difference :)

May go back and test drive the 52 JDM anyway just so I can see the difference, certainly won't be buying that one though

:)