Lee_2011

Hi all. Going to view a 1998 WRX V limited type R today. I thought it was an STI but it's not. Was there much of a difference between the two? Obviously the STI had 4 pot brakes etc but I mean any noticeable differences as in terms of handling/driving etc. Any advice would be much appreciated. Just to add, the one I'm going to view had an engine rebuild by API.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

http://www.type-ra.com/impreza-my98-...e-r-v-limited/

Hope this helps.

Lee_2011

I did have a read of that. I just wondered if anyone on here had ever owned or driven both cars to see how they compared

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

ABS and no DCCD will make it a WRX in Type R clothing. Still quite a rare car in the UK though.

Lee_2011

The advert says it has ABS but no DCCD

scoobyman2007

iTrader: (5)

You don't need the ABS mate

Zuber

It uses all the MY98 WRX Ra running gear in the Type-R shell. It will be rapid with the low ratio box but without all the Sti goodies. Worth buying if in great condition as they are getting rare now like the rest of the early special edition marques.

plenty

iTrader: (13)

Unlike newage cars they're isn't really that much difference between GC8 WRX and STi in terms of the driving experience...with cars of this age with the modifications they attract there are more differences between individual examples than between specs.

Brakes can be easily upgraded which only leaves DCCD as the other major difference, the value of which is debatable.

Zuber

So was the car any good?

Lee_2011

I didn't go in the end. There were a few things that put me off. Things like interior looked pretty tired & let the car down. Carbon fibre had been put in around air vents/centre console which made it look a bit tacky. Might be me just being really fussy. It's a shame though because rest of car looked spot on. I'm sure whoever buys it will have a good car. Just gonna keep looking & hope another pops up

Zuber

Any links to this Type-R?

Lee_2011

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...obalID=EBAY-GB

328isport

iTrader: (6)

This one looks like one of the better Type R's available at the moment and a decent price..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/subaru-imp...item4d33ea6b5f

Lee_2011

Yeah I have seen that one but it's near a 5 hour drive away from me

Zuber

The MY98 Type-R looks good to me, receipts etc and the car looks well looked after. You will never get 100% mint interior in a 17 year old car, never seen the dashboard pics of the carbon trim? There was a dealer fit carbon trim option available when new, have this on my V3.
The Type-R Sti posted up by 328isport looks like a very nice example too,

Lee_2011

Yeah, I understand that. Just me being fussy. The link for the White STI does look very clean but it's just too far

Lee_2011

The carbon trim on this was fitted by the previous keeper as the build number plate has been removed

jayallen

iTrader: (31)

That's a quality advert....I picked out a few little nuggets of info

Apart from that, it looks clean..

Lee_2011

Is this not correct? Sorry, I don't have much knowledge on the Type R's

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

A GOOD car is NEVER too far

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

Too far? no such thing.

Drove 4 hours to pick mine up on a trailer.

If you're expecting a minter on your doorstep youre in for a long wait.

As far as the wrx vs sti Type R, the complete lack of sti suspension, interior, dccd, brakes etc would be enough to put me off, especially when people are asking sti money.

Decent STI Type R's are in demand, most that are well cared for dont hang around long, whereas that wrx has been up for sale for weeks now.

Based on your statement of not knowing much about type r's I'd suggest you do a LOT of reading up before parting with decent money.

PS, 1 good thing about the wrx type r is that its the lightest classic of all, lighter than the 4 door RA by 25kg I believe

Lee_2011

It's too far if I get there & it's not as clean as I'd like it to be

type-ra

Looks good but V6? V5 with that rear spolier & no front splitter. Boot decal is missing & impossible to replace with a genuine one
You may very well have to travel to find a good one sadly.
Really? Where is this information from?

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

Apologies, its the other way round, 1170-1180kg for the RA vs 1200 for the wrx 2 door

http://www.type-ra.com/impreza-my98-...e-r-v-limited/

vs

http://www.type-ra.com/subaru-impreza-my96-wrx-type-ra/

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

60kg lighter than the STI version Type R

type-ra

You had me worried there!

I thought I'd been serving dodgy information for 10 years

plenty

iTrader: (13)

How is the STI suspension and interior superior? Anyhow it's a 17 year-old car - the first thing I would do after acquiring any car of this vintage is to replace the suspension.

You don't get DCCD nor the R180 rear diff, although the value of these items in the real world is arguable...personally having had DCCD and non-DCCD cars I could live without it. Conversely some might argue ABS is more important for a road car. Depends on what the car will be used for and the preference of its owner.

Brakes - this car has four-pot fronts already, leaving just the two-pot rears which are easily had for not much money.

I am not trying to defend this particular example, but am pointing out that the practical difference between GC8 WRX and STi variants is really not that significant...your choice of pads, tyres and mapping make more of a difference in the real world.

If you are buying the car to drive rather than play Top Trumps on online forums, my advice is buy on the condition of each individual example rather than get hung up on the OEM spec of a 15+ year old modified car.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Good sense in this post.

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

WRX also has a wrx engine, no intercooler spray, 2 pot fronts, single pot rears, vf24 etc.

its basically a lame car asking strong money.

jayallen

iTrader: (31)

Its not like the GC8 STI engine is any stronger, the only real difference worth noting is the cams.