buying a JDM STI - ECU Mapping
 

I'm currently on the lookout for a Blobeye Scoob and have found a 2004 STI JDM model (not really bothered if it's a JDM car but should I find one then all the better ;) )

The one I have found doesn't mention that it's been mapped for UK fuel and as yet I have been unable to speak to the seller. Should it be the case, is it best to avoid a JDM car that hasn't been re-mapped or is it generally ok if it's not been thrashed 24/7 ?

It's a 2004 model with 16k miles on it, this one here - Auto Trader UK - SUBARU IMPREZA 2.0 WRX STi 4dr Saloon
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i would think it would be ok if its been run on good fuel.you don't hear of many newage sti's blowing up,im sure a good drive and listen would confirm if its a healthy motor.i'd be more worried if it was a early classic jdm

Bought mine without a UK fuel map, but it was fresh off the boat. Ran it on V-Power and Millers CVL untill I got it down to Zen for the re-map, just to be on the safe side.

If standard and only ran on VPower, which is about 99 RON, it should be OK.

He's quoting 320bhp, so i'm guessing something has already been done.

£12k ono. :( Dear me......not lOOking forward to selling mine soon. :cry:

16,000 miles and "used as a pure toy"....translates to "only used at the weekend when it is thrashed to within an inch of its life".
Although it seems like low milage, the wear and tear probably equates to 50k of motorway miles or 30k of daily driving I should think. Nice of the guy to tell you though.

May even have been tracked I guess.

I know what you mean but to a certain extent how does anyone really know how hard a cars been driven/been treated, unless you buy new of course?

Yes, good time for the buyers (me :D ) but not so good for anyone who's selling.

I think you have contacted me about yours have you not?

Ran a 05 Jdm Sti on V-power and millers octane boost for a couple of years before getting round to a remap .Sent Andy F a email about fueling and he advised to run octane booster with V-power to be on the safe side

Don't think that really rings true with enthusiast performance cars. Otherwise no one would buy, S2000's, Elise's, Exige's, TVR's etc.

It's got a after market exhaust on it.

Yeah you're absolutely right, no-one really knows. You just have to take whatever info the seller is willing to give and translate it. The car may still be perfectly fine obviously - you are not going top know that till further down the line.

The point I was making was that even though it only has 16,000 miles, they were probably not spend cruising gently at 56 mph everywhere, but the seller's own declaration.

Yeah people buy them because they're most likely to do exactly the same thing with these cars, so expect to see that.
Scoobies are one of those cars that can fall between two categories: daily driver and weekend warrior.

As an example, everything else being equal, which one would you rather buy:
1. 16,000 miles on the clock...all gentle motorway cruising
2. 16,000 miles on the clock...all at 6,500 revs once a week.

I'm just pointing out that as the seller has been honest enough to say that the car has not been treated gently (ever seen a young child play with one of its toys - NOT in any way gentle!!) the poster should understand what that could mean.

It's luck of the draw with second hand cars..

No seller is going to be 100% honest about the car, if its been tracked or thrashed they aren't really going to tell you.

If it has been used as a weekend toy... big deal, you could buy a motorway special and find it goes wrong..

Best thing you can do is get someone who knows about Subaru's to go with you. See how the car is and how well looked after it is.. and go from there.

As to the fueling... New Age ECU's are clever enough to use British petrol and as long as you use good quality fuel there isn't always a need for a remap.

I know several people with Newage JDM's who have had them for a long time, drive them like Impreza's and have tracked them a fair few times.. No problems.. ( One of them is on route to Nuremberg in a few weeks .. Lucky sod )

Remapping will improve your fuel economy and increase your power but JDM's come at 320 Standard..

I had mine remapped because I put on a full decat system and wanted more power. It went from 320 to 355 ..

Best person to ask about fueling and Ecu's is Simon

www.jollygreenmonster.co.uk Great guy and knows his stuff

Vash

It could be just how he's worded it. Just because he's mentioned a weekend toy, doesn't necessarily mean he's thrashed it.

I only drive mine once or twice a week (if i'm lucky). I would call it "my toy", far from thrashed though. Could be the guys way of saying he doesn't drive it much.

Thanks for your comments/info guys.

I know what you mean when someone say's it's their "weekend toy" but at the end of the day that could mean one of two things, I suspect the way he meant it was it doesn't get driven much, but who really knows!

Off to do some JDM hunting ;) .............

i class my ra as a weekend toy,that to me is a long drive in the countryside or to the seaside.just because you drive it at the weekend does'nt mean your driving it too an inch of its life.
if anything its better looked after than my no.1 car

Good luck matey.

I personally recommend a JDM, and the JollyGreenMonster too :D