CossieKev

I currently have approx 10-12K available to buy my first scooby and have been looking at prices and see the above special editions are in budget.

Are they worth buying and if so why? What do they have above a 'normal' turbo?

Any other ideas and or recommendations for my first purchase? I want UK for insurance purposes other than that I am open to all ideas.

Cheer

Kev

IanW

Extract from the SIDC FAQ

Series McRae
In June 1995, to celebrate their winning of both the manufacturers and drivers World Rally Championship titles, Subaru in the UK released a limited edition run of two hundred cars (numbered 1 to 201 - no number 13!) prepared by Prodrive going by the name of the Series McRae. The main improvements over the standard model are:

Special mica blue paintwork
6.5 x 16 inch eight spoke gold Speedline Safari alloy wheels
Pirelli P Zero 205/50 ZR 16 low profile tyres
Recaro sports front seats with open headrests and Series McRae motifs
All seats (front and back) and door panelling retrimmed in Le Mans/Avus material
Factory fitted electric tilt and slide sunroof
Interior numbered Series McRae plaque
Side and rear Series McRae decals

Catalunya
In 1996, Subaru again won the manufacturers title in the FIA World Rally Championship, finally winning the title with the points gained on the Catalunya rally of Spain. To celebrate this, another limited edition run of 200 cars (again with no number 13) was produced, this time going by the name of the Catalunya (I wonder why?) The main features of the "Cats", as they are commonly known as are:

Special black mica paintwork (red metallic flecks)
Colour matched door mirrors
Gold Alloys (same ones as fitted to 2.0 Sport, but painted gold)
Front and rear seats and side door panelling re-trimmed in black with red highlights
Short rally style gear **** (initial sales blurb promised a quick shift!)
Carbon fibre effect dashboard
Air conditioning
Special floor mats (black with red trim and Catalunya logo)
Side and rear Catalunya decals
Interior numbered Catalunya plaque
The first examples were registered during March 1997, for an on the road price of £21,610. Note that some dealers decided to cash in on tremendous demand for "Cats", and fitted leather seats, sunroof and other options to all their Cats, forcing buyers to hand over significantly more money than the list price, increasing their profit margin on each car sold.

Your main issue at the moment will be finding either of them for sale as they are special editions.

Little Miss WRX

There is a Series McCrae up for sale in Scotland!!!!!

timmsky and I saw it when filling up on the way to KLnockhill a while back.

IanW

I also know of a Cat which may be up for sale for £10,000

CossieKev

Cheers

There appear to be at least 6 of each for sale in the autotrader online, are they worth buying over a standard model as I assume I could get a younger standard model.

IanW

There are a few later models MY99's in the forsale section for not much more than you are budgeting, these also have the more powerful Phase II engine.

Ian

IanW

See Here for one Example

D Hill 555

Kev. Group 20 Insurance On The McRAE.Got One Myself Had It From New Aug 95 (CANT FAULT IT)

topper

ive got a mcrae kev and its fantastic !!!!!!!!!
dont what the other guy is on about(more powerful engine on a 99)dont think so !!!!!!!

IanW

Topper,

Early UK Engines such as the Series McRae are the Phase I Engine which is 208BHP IIRC and the later Phase II are 215BHP the later engines have a smaller turbo with less lag.

Ian

Tone Loc

iTrader: (1)

Yep, that's right the later engines have less lag and slightly more power but on the reverse side if you want to start modifying the engine the small turbo on the later cars will have to go if you want big gains. Whereas the early cars (pre 97) will have the larger TD05 turbo which can easliy handle over 1.3 bar boost. But the later cars look better IMHO, there's pro's and cons to each. Personally i'd have the Catalunya.

Tony.

chrisp

The specials are nice but if I was buying I would go for an MY99 as they had the 4 pots brakes, new shape front end, phase 2 engine, white dials (I know the MY98 had these as well ). I think the MY99 has a shorter shifter as well but may have been the MY00. Probably have less miles as well but thats dependant on the car obviously.

logiclee

McRae group 20?

Only paid same as standard 96 Turbo group 17 all the time I had mine.

Lee

Doc@IlsonIlson

Tesco insurance class the mcrae the same as the standard car.
Doc

D Hill 555

Privlige Ins Have Aways Told Me Its Group 20,Its All DownTo What Your Paying Per Year? Cant Complain At £600 Fully Comp Protected nc .

IanW

Funny that Tesco and Priviledge are the same company at the end of the day