Avi

After succesful negotiations with both employers and Bank managers, i am now in the position to purchase an Impreza as I desire. Living in reality for a bit.. I am going to have to accept that, at 20, I am not going to insure any sort of Turbo. However, after ringing around , I can quite happily afford to insure a "Sport" or if the worst comes a GL (To be specced up).

With between 4k and 6.5k to spend on a 4 door Impreza, I can find loads of early turbo's, but sports and the like, They are all going for Turbo money and all 97/98 on. Anybody suggest anything or even where to look for them apart from autotrader and loot. Minor Damage is also not a problem, but, again there are loads of turbo's and "NO" Sports in the auctions??

I guess they were pretty rare, but where the hell did al the 4dr sports go?

Andy A

<I>Carless</I>

davyboy

Dont do it!! Dont get a GL, ever. Why not buy something to have some fun in until you can afford a proper scoob, something you do not need to mod etc. Speccing up a GL really is like polishing a turd! Have you thought about an MR2? You could afford it with the money you have.

You may think I am talking crap, but I have a problem with buying a car spending loads of money modding it, to make it look like something it isnt. IMHO :-}

BobaFett

Yeah go for an MR2, I had one when i was a lot younger (pre Scooby says), there good cars.

Dream Weaver

Avi m8 - I agree with davyboy here.

A Sport is a nice car from say 97 on, but dont get a GL - it will put you off Imprezas for life.

I had a £6k budget for a car about 6 months back and really wanted to buy a Scoob. I looked at a few WRX's etc but for that money they were in average condition.

In the end I bought a superb M-Reg late spec MR2. It is a lovely dark green colour (which often looks purple or blue or black).

173bhp, 86k miles, FTSH and it cost me £5700, plus £300 to fix a leaky radiator. Other than that no probs so far over £4k miles. The car is very quick, handles like a single seater, gives an average 35-40mpg (25mpg when caining it), is fun in the wet, looks great, and has the best driving position I have ever experienced. Insurance is a slight problem, but ring around and you should get something cheap enough. (Costs me £880 FC - aged 27, 4NCB)

For £6k go for something like this that has the fun element, then progress up to a Scoob Turbo later on - that is my plan. Other examples could include Sunny GTi, Celica etc

DW

PS Here is the MR2 I got:

RAver

Have to agree with davyboy on this: I have a mod-ed sti2 now and it is both mind-bending performance-wise and worth the very high running costs I reckon, but before this I ran an MR2 turbo which is pretty hot (sub 6 sec 0-60) Better to have some performance and get used to stage 1 so-to-speak before getting something seriously quick(?) (Even better if you can sell your MR2 to your girlfriend later too)

Miles

I can point out that *mechanically* the GL is identical to the Sport. The only difference between the two is in the cosmetics.

I started out with a Sport, and to be absolutely truthful they are a fancy looking run-of-the-mill to drive car with extraordinary grip (thanks to the 4wd). A well driven Sport can keep with a Turbo [1].

If you are an Impreza freak, buy a Sport, if you are a fast car freak get a Sunny GTiR or MR2 until you can afford an Impreza Turbo.

[1] Reference 1998 Tour D'Ecosse.

polarbearit

My guess is AVI doesn't want to spend £3k on insurance which is quite likely for a GTiR or Impreza Turbo etc.

So the Sport is presumably much cheaper to insure, but I think it is still around group 12 (?). For my money if I were in this situation would go and buy a Pug 306 Dturbo, good performance for the car, and with a chip upgrade 120bhp/190lbft cheaply possible, plenty to choose from and most importantly GROUP 5 Insurance/45mpg! Great handling too.

Anyway good luck with your hunt

Jon

ScoobyDan

Polarbearit,

Group 12 I wished! My '97 UK Sport is group 17 insurance (the same as my old Toyota Supra 3.0i!?!). But, it is £200 cheaper than a Turbo, hence why I got one.

I will be looking to get a turbo at the beginning of next year, so if Avi is still looking for a Sport, there could be one going cheap...

Daniel

&lt;-- Edited to change the smilies! --&gt;

[This message has been edited by ScoobyDan (edited 16 August 2001).]

Miles

Insurance... hadn't thought of that. Three years ago when I traded the Sport for the Turbo, my premium went up £100. Aaah the days when 22year olds (like me) could insure Turbos with little hassle

Avi

<B>INSURANCE</B>

I'd love an MR2 / Sunny etc.. but the insurance would cripple me. to be honest the fastest I can insure at the moment seems to be: Golf GTI, Impreza Sport, 205 GTI, R5 Turbo etc ....

I really do have my heart set on a prezza and looks to me to be the best option with Mild performance and style. I'm past the Boy Racer Days, and I'm happy to wait until I can afford a real sportscar.

I thought about a Renault turbo or similar, sure, they are fast , but they have no style.

With an Sport, i believe I can have the performance of my Golf GTI (Which i'm happy with for the time being), together with 4wd and ABS . Seems like the perfect car for me at the moment. It's just a shame they didn't do them before 96P. I'm going to have to keep a look out for a cheap ,(maybe lightly damaged?) early 4 door sport for between 4k - 6.5k

Looking at my position at the moment, i'd even be tempted to buy a 1.8gl , add a turbo bumper and wheels and run around in that for a few months. - Now that's despair :d

Andy

camk

Got to agree that there are better options out there on the sporty car front. Don't get caught in the headlights that all things Impreza are the best, the Turbo is a great car but the 4WD running gear becomes a weight burden on the lower powered models. IMHO of course

Regards
Cammy

Dream Weaver

Avi

Try Tesco for the insurance - I had a 205 GTi before and the insurance is not much different between that and my current MR2.

With regards the Sunny - I was referring to the non-turbo GTi version. A very fast car for a hatchback. If you are set on a Scoob though, I will keep my eye out for Sport's in Lancashire, and W Yorks.

DW

Jaanus Lillenberg

Hello

I just am about to sell my 97 year impreza. It's red. It's not turbo but a 2.0 liter RX model. And boy it can show all the way for other cars of the same class. I am not sure what's the UK version of RX but my red beauty comes with tail wing, all the spoilers and fog lights. I love it to no end, but I have an opportunity to get a RB5. So I hope everybody understands what's the idea of selling the current one.
I was about to ask 6300 for it, but something can be arranged maybe. It's damn well kept and cared too.
You can take a look at it too:

Avi

Been hunting frantically allday, and if I were to settle for a 5door i could get one asap, i've seen some nice ones at 5k ish... couple in autotrader also. I really do want a 4dr tho'

As i've said before, i'm not really interested in the performance at the moment, just something that looks good, is comfortable for long distances and is fairly Nippy!!

Just been offered a Ahem Ca***ier SRi for next to nothing, that might have to do until I find what I'm looking for

nuclear_pond

If your quick you could have my 97 R plate sport 4 door, in dark blue mica. Group 13 insurance, 0 to 60 in 9.2 sec, which is faster than the Dturbo suggested above and better to drive. (I know cos Ive also had one of those.) The MR2 etc will be more difficult to insure. Particularly the turbo, which is only available in the UK as an import?

I agree thats its no turbo, but is in my opinion and excellent handler, ive chucked mine into b road corner at 60+ mph and there is no loss of grip.

Plus they, like all imprezas are fairy rare on the roads, they hold their value, and are nice looking.

Its got 75k miles and being part exed at the weekend for 7k. (Still cant get reasonable turbo insurance so going for a 01 Y sport spec edition)

Avi

n_p

Damn.. one like yours would be perfect, but about 1k too much

Andy

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

for insurance try lancaster 01480 48 48 48 I had probs with 11points when I was 28 and these did the job for £620 F/Comp incl full breakdown on a uk94 turbo.

nuclear_pond

I doubt you would be able to view etc anyway before saturday, when I get mine in cashmere yellow (yuck?). Only swapping cos miles are getting high.

I wrote off my previous car - the Dturbo, so lost all my no claims, so my insurance on this is £1,500 pa!!!.

1 year no claims now, so down bu aprox 35% to 950 for me & the missuz. This is why I still cant get turbo insurance; only 1 year ncb and accident in last 2 years

Have you tried the subaru website? you can search nationally for cars. this is how I found my current car and the one I'm viewing on saturday.

MattN

my 2 penneth.....

IMO, the sport is just too thirsty for the performance it offers.

My MR2 was great fun, you'd be surprised at how cheap they are to run, what you'd save in running costs you could put towards the insurance.

In fact all this talk of MR2's is making me think of getting one again.........an import should be dirt cheap.

MattN

sooby

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Miles:
<B>I can point out that *mechanically* the GL is identical to the Sport. The only difference between the two is in the cosmetics.

I started out with a Sport, and to be absolutely truthful they are a fancy looking run-of-the-mill to drive car with extraordinary grip (thanks to the 4wd). A well driven Sport can keep with a Turbo [1].
[snip]

[1] Reference 1998 Tour D'Ecosse.[/quote]

Well, I wouldn't say the addition of ABS was cosmetic .

A well driven Sport can keep with a Turbo? No it can't - I've got both

Gary- X705+++

Why not try an insurance quote when your 21 as when I turned 21 it made a difference.

Miles

Sooby[1] I think you will find that the Sport and the GL are identical *cosmetically*.

And I stand by my Sport vs Turbo comment You weren't there 22B, WRX, STI, UK and Sport - all in the same convoy, Sport in the middle not disrespecting itself in the slightest

[1] Is that a spelling mistake.

matt d

MR2? Hello? Isn't this the same car that had a reputation for hedge-clearance even more so than old school 911 circa mid-1970s?? What is people's fascination with these cars?

For 5k, get yourself a nice Nissan 200SX. &gt;200bhp, Jap reliability, a bit of a Q car, and RWD for easy powerslides come rain or shine. Unlike the MR2, when you get the tail out a touch it's a recipe for fun not trouser-soiling.

davyboy

Matt D, early MR2'2 MK2's did indeed suffer from exciting rides. But only when driven hard. You would have to be a bit of a cretin to spin it "by accident". I like driving mine in the wet (MY96) its rather fun.

ScoobyDan

Miles,

A bloke at work has got a GL, and I can assure you it is completely different externally. My Sport has got a different front lip, LARGE driving lamps (none on the GL), side skirts (again, none on the GL) and the GL has got a different rear wing. Basically, the only thing that distinguishes the Sport from a standard Turbo (cosmetically) is the bonnet scoop and inlets. The differences with the GL are vast.

Daniel

Avi

ScoobyDan is indeed correct , although mechanically they are the same apart from the Sport has ABS

Andy A

Dream Weaver

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by matt d:
<B>MR2? Hello? Isn't this the same car that had a reputation for hedge-clearance even more so than old school 911 circa mid-1970s?? What is people's fascination with these cars?

For 5k, get yourself a nice Nissan 200SX. &gt;200bhp, Jap reliability, a bit of a Q car, and RWD for easy powerslides come rain or shine. Unlike the MR2, when you get the tail out a touch it's a recipe for fun not trouser-soiling.[/quote]


Matt - Mistaken on all parts here. The "earlier" MR2's did have a reputation but after March 94 they revised the suspension.

Mine can be tail happy in the wet, but it is controllable and great fun, especially if you are a good driver

As for fascination with them, they are fast, handle brilliantly and are reliable. On Northern Meet 5 I kept up with most of the Scoobs, but had to drive differently - i.e. slower in to bends and line bends up more.

With regads Jap reliability, what do you call a Toyota? They are extremely reliable, fun, and cheap to run - I average 40mpg on long runs/mway driving.

With regards the Nissan 200SX, a friend of mine wanted to buy one recently - we went to test drive one (a 98 R with 26k miles). It felt slower than my MR2 (173bhp and lighter), and my mate agreed when we went out in mine after. The insurance is a nightmare on these as well - my MR2 costs £880 FC, and for the Nissan they wanted £1790 FC

The MR2 is a true great, despite what certain magazines say.

But everyone has their opinion, and I respect yours Matt - however you need to own an MR2 to understand the understated, and underrated, brilliance.

DW

Maz-old

Don't know if it's too late, but you might want to look at a Peugoet 306 GTi-6. 167bhp, 0-60 in under 8 secs and air con, pas, 6xcd the lot. Get a P-reg, 60,000 miler for £6,500. It's fast, a great drive and Insurance group 16. I'd prefer it to an MR-2 - performance and practicality and BLOODY GREAT to drive...

Avi

MAZ- Funnily enough, I looked at one of those, but the insurance is crippling, seems that Prices take a massive leap skywards after group 14 .

Just been looking through Parkers and it seems that an average P/R should be around 5.5K.... doesn't seem to be true though .

I have decided to limit my budget to this sort of price... I want to own the Car in a year, not end up paying it off for ever like I seem to do with everything else .

Andy

blf21

The Sport also has different size wheels and tyres - 195/60 R15. The GL runs on 14in rims with 185 section tyres.

I bought a MY99 sport a year ago. I wanted a nearly new car and for the money it was definitely the most interesting. AWD, boxer engine, insurance grp 13, so not too painful to insure...

Oh - I am very pleased with it too.

Ben.

Edited to add: Was 22 when I bought it with zero no calims. Premuium was £1170 with RAC last year and is £710 with AXA this year.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Avi:
<B>ScoobyDan is indeed correct , although mechanically they are the same apart from the Sport has ABS

Andy A

[/quote]



[This message has been edited by blf21 (edited 18 August 2001).]