Mark Asylum

Obvious question: How much unwanted attention (esp. in town) should I expect from plod if I decide to take on an impreza? Any wagon owners out there with advise? Running a near invisible legacy at the moment which has been a god send. So a little nervous about trading my Q anonimity for boy racer status. Any tips on buying a jap STi very welcome...

Thanks

Neil Smalley

Depends how you drive, your age and where you live.

I've had an MY00 5 door and have now got an STI-7. The STI 7 gets more public attention(looks/double takes etc) than the 5 door ever did. However I've not been stopped.

Get a 5 door STI to retain some Q car ness.

TAZMAN

I drive a MY96 Wagon and never get a second look. Works great as a Q car plod never even sees it... also great fun watching peoples faces as an estate car whizzes by them!!

Mark Asylum

Yeh, thats what I have in my sights at the moment. You live in town? Evo crit. of jap STi suggested gearing and suspension was more suited to home market. Have you ever driven a MY97 STi? Is it a little hectic for everyday use and does it have more of a drink problem than std WRX. I am 34 by the way...

Thanks for help...

TAZMAN

Often up in town and the same applies there as anywhere.. Gearing and suspension are fine for any market where very very rapid accelration and amazing handling are needed!!!! I find mine as at home in town traffic as out on the b roads...also great for holeshotting the traffic light lane race....
Give me shout on my e-mail if you want a longer discussion on this or maybe meet up and you can see for yourself just what great fun but practical cars they are..apart from the fuel consumption but when you smile all the time..who's counting the litres?

TrueSTI man

Just don't wear a baseball cap and they'll leave you be

reaton

I drive a MY94 5 door thats unbadged and box standard and I don't seem to get much unwanted attention. Have only been stopped once by the police and thats because I left him for dead (his words!) as I didn't realise it was a police car, doh!

Love the Q car factor

Rich

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

I have an M96 UK wagon with 17inch gold wheels...

Been stopped once.. but I don't think it was due to the car..

Although he was moaning at me for going a bit quick across some roundabouts (which I would not have been doing in an Escort for example) and then for doing 50 in a 40 (for all of 200yards, I was lazy slowing down) which was fair enough... was nice enough and let me off after a stern talking to.. don't think the car really had much play on the situation although he did use it as a ploy to try and scare me with the threat that points would increase the insurance on that luvly car you have there...

I think if you are sensible and stick to the speed limit in 30/40/50mph limits which is sensible anyway you should be fine.

JGM

TAZMAN

yep Q car factor does it for me for sure. Just stick to the 30/40 speed limits and I then understand why they call em grey imports...
love the fact that people see a small estate car and yet it goes 140mph plus... so much fun it should be illegal..oh yeah the 140 bit is..thanks for private roads though ..

reaton

Yep I agree. As long as you drive sensibly then you should be left pretty much alone. I live in a village so appreciate and stick to the 30 and 40mph speed limits in ANY built up area - now don't even get me started on the boy racers and mothers in people carriers/4x4's that fly through the village at 50mph

But come an open road with the right conditions, good visibility, and a keen eye - I love to "enjoy myself" A time and a place and all that...

As for my "incident" with the police. He only stopped me as they'd had reports of a red estate (as mine is!) acting suspiciously in the area and it turns out that as he started to tail me I just happened to boot it past an old dear doing 40 in a 60 limit and he thought we were in cahoots! Luckily for me I got stuck behind two cars further up the country lane as there was no safe overtaking places.

He pulled me over a couple of miles further on and was really good about it. He explained why it looked suspicious and like I said actually used the words "when you left me for dead" (he was in a Volvo T5) which had me worried for a sec! He had a bit of a joke and said I wouldn't have left him like I did if he'd been in their Impreza, thanked me and told me to take it easy. Now why aren't all traffic police like that...

Rich

Phil Harrison

Wagon is definitely ultra low-profile Q car..... an STi wagon even more so Never, ever attracted attention in either of my 5-doors...

Phil

Sheepsplitter

Had an STI4 for 4 years.
Drive it hard (except in 30/40/50 limits).
Never even been stopped.
Drive hard where plod is not expecting kids and old people to run and out and I think you will find similar.

ScoobyDoo555

[touchwood] I've never had any police interest in 2 years of Scoob ownership [/touchwood]

The only time was driving home the 1st day i had it - was given a police escort to my door nice guys!!!

My 5dr is debadged, has MY00 wheels and has an STi 3or4" backbox (the only indication that there's a few mods!!!

Just try and overtake!!

5drs rule!!!

Dan

Luke

Had my Legacy for 2-3 years. It was an estate turbo with lowered suspension. I dont think anyone use to see it!! I never got stopped and as posted before... It was one of the fastest driven scoobs in town.

reaton

Ooohh look at that sensible estate car



Its just the bonnet and fogs that give it away to those in the know



Rich

The Crushinator

I've never been stopped (thank ****!) 21 years old, driving a turbo wagon, although i don't look like a boy racer, so i'm guessing that must have something to do with it, cos i've had a lot of cop cars right beside me before

But i do believe 30 & 40 mph limits should be observed!!

[Edited by The Crushinator - 8/23/2002 11:43:26 PM]

Jaay

I notice youve got London as your Location, Id be more worried about theiving gypos rather than the police.

WhiteSTi3

I have an eycatching Brilliant White STI Version 3 4 Door, with 17" Gold alloys & I cover approx 40,000 Miles a year all around the country.......Never been stopped....... & I cant say that I drive slowly on the m/ways I always average (if the conditions are right) approx 85/95mph

so far so good!

AJbaseBloke

If you want Q status a B4 or Legacy GT-B sounds more like it...

Both go hard enough to worry UK cars, and don't wear the perf on their sleeves. http://www.lumine.net/subaru/legacyb4/index.html

Mark Asylum

Thanks for all help. Been looking at the the bi-turbo legacy as well. My current 4 cam runs swift and makes me feel like the invisible man. But its a little on the large side (although not as heavy as it looks). I work at M.S.P. (we build WRC and grp N cars for privateers) which deal with a lot of imprezas so going with the flow is the smart move.

Unfortunately not all speed limits are thought through. In London there are many stretches of road which are ridiculously restricted. Local councils prefer to set traps than re-engineer roads for safer use. Thats london life at the moment. I try to keep to the + 9mph rule but occasional time pressure forces the issue somewhat (although always to the road, environment and conditions).

Anyway, I dont think i can resist this MY97 STi wagon. Silver with gold wheels. Stereo looks useful too. Cleaver chaps these japanese you know.

Rusty Festa

Watch out for them hiding around corners...and the police too