Forty5L

Hello.

I left the UK to live in the States in 1993. During the 1980s and early 1990s cars were still getting stolen left right and centre. I currently drive a MY02 WRX wagon and I am planning on returning to the UK (Scotland) in the next 6 months. I have a couple of questions for you.

Are WRXs / Impreza turbos a hot item to be stolen/joyriden?

Do any of you have any experience driving left hand drive cars? What problems have you encountered? What about insurance rates?

What could I expect to pay for a good quality 2 year old WRX, wagon or saloon with average milage, some toys?

Cheers in advance.

Forty5L

Jolly Green Monster 2

Easy answer would be 'Yes' they are still getting stolen and the Impreza is a target..

Although with the new improved security systems they are breaking into houses for the keys to the car, or car jacking you whilst you drive along..

Although I have not heard much about it happening in Scotland, down here in England it seems ever ripe.. whether it is worse or better than the 80s I cannot tell you?

As to prices try Subaru and Autotrader and look in the 'For Sale Forum' on here.

As to left hand drive, you see a few lefthand cars around, guy opposite where I stay has a GMC van.. I think there is just a set amount extra they charge on the insurance although I could be wrong..

Welcome by the way.

JGM

Dream Weaver

A friend (posts sometimes here as AlexB) went to a meeting in Hackney a couple of days ago in his BMW 328. Parked in a busy main street car park, and when he returned some gits had nicked his sideskirts and rubbing strips - in broad daylight with people around [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Gits!!

DW

tony1979

Also the issue with trying to overtake in a left-hand drive car...Or trying to insert your parking ticket into those damned machines from the wrong side of the car.

Active

Look at the threads from Salsa-King and myself, (Active)over the last few weeks. It appears our government and police forces despite all their talk appear to be doing little about it.
Bob

clubby

I live in Scotland and am on my fourth Scooby. Generally car theft is only a problem in the cities. Park any kind of performance car up in any city centre overnight and you are increasing the risk. Most of Scotland is small towns, villages and countryside. I stay 7 miles outside Aberdeen in a village, have stayed there for 8 years. Only one car has ever been stolen that I can recall in all that time. Sadly it was my Astra Gte which I had at the time. But I did leave it unlocked..

If you don't leave it in a high risk area, and take all the normal precautions (lock it, alarm it) you shouldnt have a problem.

Forty5L

Bump!!

Any more opinions?

RichiW

Waste of time trying to drve a left hand car over here, more so a performance car.Theres no way you can see to overtake safely, and dont forget how overcrowded the roads are over here!!

Rich

pacenote

Don't have a problem overtaking in my Integrale
Left hand drive not too much of a problem once you get used to it. Handy for blasts across Europe too

Jo Peters

I don't think the carjacking or stealing of cars from homes, car parks etc. is quite so bad in rural places. If you have a good alarm system, park in well-lit places (even better with CCTV places) then you car should be pretty safe. I think that the whole thing maybe slightly hyped to viewers across the pond. I dont think it should put you off having a performance car over here - after all, isn't America worse than here for that kind of thing??

Jo