Can you help a potential Ford defector... ???
 

Hi Guys... I'm Chrisie.. :)

Firstly, I must apologise for the rambling post.. I've just got back from work and the BF is asleep, so you're gonna get 12hrs of lone truck drivers pent up brain-sludge (thoughts) in one go... :D :D
(To cut to the chase, go HERE )
This is my first post on 'the other side'... ;) but I plan to defect here if your replies are favourable...

I've been a Ford nut for many years now, so maybe I should explain myself...
I always wanted a two-tone blue Escort Cabby (it's a girl thing.. ;) ) and achived that goal 6 years ago.. Having always fettled with my mota's, I soon fitted a manifold, system, cam, ind-kit.. blah. blah.. Needless to say after 2 years of ownership I got the turbo bug after a hairy passenger ride in an RST, and converted my beloved cabby..

4 years, 3 engines, and too much blood sweat and tears later i'm here... circa reliable-ish 170bhp...
BUT... Since I became an HGV driver 2years ago I haven't the inclination OR time to maintain her like she really needs..(she being a 15yr old 1.6 running 12psi made from ERST, FRST, XR3, and Saph-Coss bits.. !!!! rebuild was 2yrs agobut she gettin shaky now..)

Driving 44ton artics gives you a different perspective of the road and it's fair to say i've calmed down considerably... I pootle up and down the M-way, to work, at dosile speeds and should really get a die-seasal.. (OMG.. Did I just say that... Hah. ) BUT i'm addicted to all the whistles, pops and bangs.. (well maybe not the bangs.. !! )

HERE (bet ya clicked it didn't ya.. admit it.. :) )

SO....
I want to buy a circa £5-6k Scooby...
I dont want the hassle of HAVING to tune it every week, so i'm gonna limit myself to a system and filter.. No... Honestly... !!! (who am I kidding..!! )

I basically need to know if a car of the above age & spec would be reliable enuf for 800-1k M-way miles a month, with just the occasional blat for self-gratification... I am a caring considerate owner who always lets the lump warm up and turbo cool down, etc.. and rarely 'abuse' it.. It's just nice to know you HAVE got it.. Should the need arise.. ;)

I thought the boxers were bullet-proof, but having read a few posts, everyone is going on about them blowing up on older cars.. !!! Or is this the same case as RS peeps turning the boost upto stupid-psi and wandering why the standard 90k mile block goes pop.. !?!?!?

Do they cost a fortune to run, being jap..?? Relatively speaking sporty-car wise..
(I'm aware of the performance parts cost's, but what about water pumps, radiators, hoses, etc..general boring items)
Whats the oil change interval..??
What's standard / stg 1 boost levels on a 94-96 scoob..??
What kinda level of tuning will they take before they become unreliable (G-box'es and diffs, etc..)

Are ACT temps an big issue...?? After seeing my cabby's ACT's drop 20odd degs by fitting a cossie IC, I was wandering if the front mounted IC's are a must..??
It's just £1k sounds alot compared to the £50 it cost for my Escorts DIY conversion... !!!

Are there any ex-RST / Cossie owners on here who have experience of the cost differences..??? I'm not imagining they're too much more.. ?!

Sorry for all the Q's.. :( If it were a CVH or YB, i'd be ok, but i'm well into unknown territory here... !!!!!

Thanks in advance for all your fantastic replies.. :D :D ;)


Luv
Chrisie (secret scooby lover)... xxx

Hi and welcome :cool:

your clickies don't have any links ;)

I think you answered this yourself ;)

The early Imprea's were 240BHP as STD and Jap Sti's were 280+ IIRC

Tony

welcome to scoobynet girlie trucker :)
just back off nights myself, and off to bed soon, and your post caught my eye. Coming from a long line of fords myself, via fiestas, supersports, rs2000's, mexicos, xr2i's, xr3i's and finally a fiat arbarth until I bought my first scooby 2 years ago.
From a quick search on autotrader, your looking at cars around the L,M,N,P,R and S plate with anything between 30k-90k+ on the clock. As an example, mines a V plate, done 93k, remapped, extensive suspension mods, exhaust and filter and some bodywork, and hasn't missed a beat since I got it.
Nothing has gone wrong, its passed every mot, sailed through every service and starts first time everytime come wind, hail, snow or sunshine :)
It is without doubt the best car I have ever owned. The nicest to drive, the most comfortable and the most reliable.
I paid 10k for it, and I've spent over 4k on mods and other stuff in the 2 years I've had it, but with no regrets at all. I've done more miles in the last 2 years than I did in the 4 years before! That is how much I enjoy my car.
Have you actually been out in a scooby for a test drive yet? I can guarantee, if you haven't, when you do, you'll hand over the cash there and then :)
Find yourself a nice low mileage unmodified model, and look after it yourself, you can't go wrong.
Good luck hunting, and see you at the NBO this year, if you get one in time :)
chris.

HeHe :p Sorry Tony.. :) Lack of sleep bring out the sarcasm in me... :cuckoo:


Chis, that's ace news.. just what I wanted to hear.. :thumb: I can pass on "Hasn't missed a beat" to the other half as the main item in my defense... :)
He's had enuf of my car causing him grief (and occassional wallet herreaging when my funds run low..) He want's me to get a sensible car this time.. "Practical" he said.. !!!

A scoob has got back doors and a boot..!! how much more practical can you get after a 2dr cab with a boot full of ICE and a wind deflector... :p :lol1:

Keep um coming..


Luv
Chrisie... :luvlove: :cool:

If you do want to go for a slightly modded car get one with PPP (Prodrive Performance Pack) fitted. They are reliable as sensible mods to ECU, Stainless Steel centre and back box and uprated intercooler pipe. I got a MY00 V reg UK Classic with PPP fitted for £7500 with 50k on clock and FSSH. I have had it since last Septemebr 2004 and I can say it is best car I have had for road holding, specifically in the wet. You can floor it mid bend and it grips in the wet, amazing car. 4 doors and big boot so very practical. The PPP makes a big diff to real everyday driving as it increases torque in the usuable rev range between 3 - 5k. So it launches out of bends like it has been possessed. Anyway enjoy, hope this helps!

i had an rst for a couple of years and there's now way i would go back to one now. i had it as my main car, and so is the scooby.

the scooby is much better day to day, well so far anyway. i played with the idea of getting a cossie as like you i was a ford nut. but they just look too dated and there was now way i was paying £15k for what was technically a standard run escort when i could spend £5k and get something that imo is more reliable for day to day use and will do a good enough job at sticking with a cossie on the road.

i've owned 7 cars in as many years and 5 of them were fords. 1 was a bmw (don't bother they're crap imo) and now the scooby. the only car i can see myself changing to now is a ltd edition scooby or a brand new one.

go for it buy one and get away from dagenham dustbins.

Just a one Q ...Have you driven a scooby before?

You may find that as fast as it is. That the "feeling" isn't there when compared to hot old 'scorts.

By that I mean sqidgy brakes, which aren't always that brilliant. And massively over-assisted power steering (although being a girly...you may like that ;) ). If your enthusiatic, you may find problems with understeer too - requiring a change in driving style (slow in, fast out :D ).

I recently jumped into a Mk5 RS2000 and was reminded how alive they felt to drive - scoobs just don't have that unless you go for high spec import varieties like Sti-spec C's etc.

So your filter and exhaust system may quickly turn into an anti lift kit and big brakes ;)

Normal standard parts are not cheap. For example cambelt idlers are £60 each, the cambelt is £50 odd. Genuine pads and discs in some cases cost more than performance non-genuine equivelants. Although, not much does go wrong on them in terms of non-critical parts. Main dealers services are not cheap. Also "scooby specialist" are not that cheap either. Scoobs are a very basic car, about as mechanically/electrically complex as a MK5 escort/fiesta. The only exception is the engine needs far more attention and care as it does not tolerate bodgers or abuse. I should the fuel consumption isn't too brilliant either (my personal average is 24mpg...many other get alot less. My personal best is 28mpg, worst is around 14mpg).

On the old original shape (classic) 6months/6K miles (later cars 2000+ are 10K and reccomend thinner oils)

Don't ask what type of oil..it will instantly spark a 20page thread.
But for normal easy going driving Full synthetic 10w-40
For High speed motorway, mods or hard driving 10w-50
(ideally esther syntheics like Silkolene or Motul rather than PAO mineral based oils like shell helix ultra , mobil 1, castrol RS etc )

Uk models run 0.9 bar peaking/spiking up to 1.1ish

That's an age old question for any car :D The more you run the shorter it will last. Simple as that. Although if you do want figure - personally, I'd limit to 300bhp on a UK car. And 350bhp on a well sorted import Sti. People do run more, but it's their wallet not mine ;)

Charge temps are a problem, simply because of where the intercooler is positioned. As soon as you stop in traffic, heat rise up through the intercooler and out the scoop. They also don't work too well above 120mph+ (aerodynamics of the bonnet/grill force the air over the top of the scoop).

But you only want to look at FMIC mods when you start running lots of BHP, many people run the stock or uprated topmount intercoolers upto and over 300bhp without too much problems and yes....the FMIC kits are waaaay too expensive - as alot of performance parts for this car are. They also create slightly more lag and makes off-boost performance slightly worse (which is bad enough as it is).

I hope I've been impartial...there far too many blinkered scooby owners on here to contend with :D

Have fun!

oh by the way... - each to their own - enjoy your rice can :rolleyes:;)

I still am a Ford fan, older ones I hasten to add. But there is nothing in their modern line up that I would touch with a barge pole, except maybe a WRC Focus, but how impractical is that?

I say bite the bullet and buy a scoob. I did and I havent looked back since, though I still have my old Mk1 Escort stashed away in the lock up.

Now, if I had the time and the money, I would love to graft the running gear from an Imprezza into a Mk 1 or 2 Escort, that would make such a change to all those cossie modded ones that are out there! And how reliable would that be?

Hiya Chrisie... long time no speak :D

In answer to one of your questions i bought a 55k imported wrx MY94 for £4000 and am putting between 1200 and 1500 miles a month on it and it never skips a beat.