ELUSIVEJIM

Hi everyone

I must say that I really am enjoy this forum and the information and knowledge of the members.

Ok I hope this is not going to annoy everyone asking this question "as I am sure this has been asked before" but what is the best Subaru Impreza to purchase?

I have owned two Impreza's in the past and have been looking at a Series McRae or a RB5 to purchase as I thought it would be a great investment as well as I great car to own.

The major issue I have is after reading a lot of the posts on here many are stating that these are really not that special and as someone stated on another forum that they are just not that collectable anymore.

My main issue is now I have read up on the imports and they are mentioned are better than the UK cars.

The cars which seem to be the best as far as I can work out are the following

Subaru Type C
Subaru WRX STI RA V6

So I am just wanting to find out what Impreza is best to purchase around the £15k or under for the money.

Sorry for the lack of knowledge but there are so many different types I really am struggling to really know what to purchase.

The Impreza's I have owned previously were a Subaru Catalunya and a UK classic Turbo but we are talking late 90's

Thank you for any assistance anyone cares to provide

BTW heading to watch the Granite City Rally tomorrow just to wet my appetite for the Impreza once more

Carnut

Could be worth going on YouTube and having a listen to some jdm cars because from what I know (not a lot) the imports don't have the same sound track as uk cars. Something about the headers if you have a look through the recent threads there's one on the differences between them. Plus you say that you have had Subarus before but IMO they tend to drain you of money not make you money so I would just get what you want. If I am wrong I am sure someone will put me right.

ELUSIVEJIM

Hi Chris

Thank you for that

Both the previous Subaru's I had were under warranty back then which would not apply now.

The Impreza was very reliable but perhaps the Japanese cars with the higher output's may require more.

I was hoping to buy one which will gain in value instead of my normal motors which lose money on a daily basis being normally pretty new.

Will check out Youtube also and again thank you

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

Don't wish to sound pedantic, but it's an STI Spec C, not type C, unless you are getting confused with a litchfield spec c type 20, or 25.

I am not sure that you will actually make money on any model impreza just yet, unless you could find a cheap 22b. s202, s203, s204 etc are highly sought after, but spec c values remain fairly steady.

There is a link on here to a jdm spec c toshi arai ltd edition that is up for about 13 grand, fairly low mileage hawkeye model. (The thread is titled 'special edition, rare, check it out' and has a link to the ad)

The headers on jdm spec are equal length, as opposed to the unequal length headers on uk models which helps give them the burble, as mentioned above.

ELUSIVEJIM

Hi Rowdy

Told you I was confused..........LOL

Thank you for this information as it is very much appreciated.

The chances now of finding a cheap 22b now are gone as I am sure all owners would know the worth of the cars.

I had the chance to buy a 22b back in the day but as amazing as the car was to look at it just felt wrong on bumpy Scottish B roads.

Or perhaps I am just kidding myself and trying to make up poor excuses for not buying it

Again thank you for the information and I will go check out the jdm spec c toshi arai ltd edition

Carnut

Hi Jim you allude to the fact that you may have concerns about jdm performance but don't think this is a issue. I would personally want one that has been in u.k for a while but fresh imports may well be fine to. I would say that if you did get a jdm make sure that it has been mapped to run on u.k fuel. I also wonder what the insurance would be on a import I had a jdm legacy but there was no u.k model to compare to.

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

The car I mentioned for sale is in wales and has been for a couple of years I believe.
Before then it was in Northern Ireland and before that I believe it was registered by pro drive. As for the engine, it's a jdm 2 litre twin scroll. Being an 07 plate, if it were a uk car would have the infamous 2.5 chocolate piston engine, so reliability of the engine should be way better than equivalent uk car.

As for insurance, this may well be offset by road tax. I believe the imports even registered after 2006 are still only 200 and something pounds, where as a uk version would be nearer £500 to tax a year.

ELUSIVEJIM

Thanks again guys.

Great info.

Heard a lot of bad press regarding the 2.5 engines which is a worry. Looking at what I have read and as pointed out by Rowdy the 2.0 seems a lot stronger.

The new Impreza is about to come out again with the 2.5 engine so I really hope these issues have been addressed by Subaru.

After looking at Pistonheads I came across the following cars

OUCH.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...-japan/1938002

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...hp-4dr/1109119

RB5
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-m...ple/1054601717

Ok all these cars are different especially in price but there is a wide choice of cars out there.

Just great getting peoples views on the best models and what to look out for as going in blind could cost a fortune.

Carnut

The engine failures are mainly on the 08-09 hatch and are NOT as big an issue on the hawkeye. There has however been some issues on the 2.5 hawk so what some people do is get a import. O.k problem solved well not in my opinion. What I would do is buy a nice u.k hawkeye which sounds better than the jdm IMO (its why we buy these cars after all) and not to mention the 2.5 has more torque low down (more of a mans car lol IMO) they are a lot cheaper. So with the money you have saved you can get the 2.5 internals forged and not only would you have a nice reliable car it would have been run in by you and could be looked after by you how you see fit. No need to worry how the last person drove it but the compromise would be that the money you spend on the engine you would not be able to get back. IMO the jdm cars are just one step to close to an evo they cost more don't have the nice sound track and I think are more to insure. Thay look like a Subaru but your wallet tells another story and I say again the sound is why we buy these cars. The jdm if for hard core race loving tune crazy petrol heads IMO of course but maybe that is what you want and they do seem to hold there value a bit better.

marco58

Best classic Scooby mate
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...example/236785
http://www.svaimports.com/cars/stock...r-version-6-2/
but not the fastest colour that would be yellow

averyp2

iTrader: (25)

https://www.scoobynet.com/showthread.php?t=1000470

jonnyricer2

iTrader: (9)

The blue at the top has been for sale for over a year now.
Oh and it is the fastest colour he he

ELUSIVEJIM

Hi Chris

Thank you again

I am finding it strange how the JDM Subaru's are keeping the value better as normally an imported car would put a lot of people off.

Sounds like Subaru are getting the issues of the 2.5 sorted which is a good thing for newer models but a nightmare for anyone who lands with issues.

I remember owning a Corsa GSI back in 1994-1995 and it suddenly started have major issues. It turned out to be the engine suffering from sticking valve guides, due to carbon deposits on the valve. At the time Vauxhall were not interested and said it was not covered by the warranty but I heard many other GSI owners with the same issue.

I see why the hardcore element is perhaps the reason the JDM are more popular as it really would be the closest Subaru to the Mitsubishi Evo plus also with the rally heritage a lot of owners would want the hard edge driving experience of the JDM cars.

As you mentioned it is all down to personal taste so perhaps I really need to have a go in a few to see what I personal feeling are.

Again Chris great info pal

ELUSIVEJIM

Hey Marco

Thank you for posting a comment

Now that does look like a fantastic car for the money.

Of course yellow would be the fastest

Interesting that the P1 is basically this but without so much extra's

I am starting to see why the JDM cars are attracting a lot of attention.

More performance and special bits for your money.

Just a question to everyone.

Are the JDM cars prone to rust easier once used in the UK or is this a load of bull?

You never can tell if what you read in other forums are true or someone just trying to sell you there UK model........LOL

ELUSIVEJIM

I am amazed this car has not sold yet.

A real cracker and I have to say reading all the comments about the car and the price has made me laugh at times.

I would be surprised if he does not get the asking price but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and accept a lower offer if you need it gone.

If not and you can store it even better.

I have to say I am pretty keen on a white Impreza if this is allowed. PMSL.

Saying that a 22B would do nicely if I had the pennies at this present moment in time.

Saw one last weekend in the local Tesco car park.

Funny enough he had parked it well away from the main area for some reason

The amount of guys out with their camera phones was unbelievable.

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

I would disagree, yes the uk models do sound better, but I would rather have a car I could trust than one that I couldn't, unless I was prepared to spend about three grand making sure I could. I have read a fair few comments from hawk eye owners that have had piston/gasket failures so I would still be worried, but the op's question was which models retain their value more, and the simple fact is that jdm models do.

Yes the 2.5 is has more torque, I can't comment on an STI but comparing my 2.0 blob WRX to a gb270 I test drove a little while ago other than being able to pull away a little better in a higher gear it didn't really feel any, if at all quicker, and the jdm being twin scroll means it will pull better low down anyway.

ELUSIVEJIM

Hi mate

Yes you are correct regarding the prices of the JDM car retaining and even increasing in price.

This along with the performance differences really do make things interesting when trying to choose what to purchase.

I never thought import cars would be ahead of the UK cars by a manufacture which must mean big business for independent garages who import these cars.

Or yet again I could be wrong

ELUSIVEJIM

Over a year???

Big surprise unless the price is out.