Canuck

I despair that the prestige of owning and driving a 90's rally icon is starting to wear a bit thin when I read here that more and more people are making these cars look less and less like a Giant Killer and more and more like a boy racer toy. I'm all for subtle performance mods (i.e. not window-shattering drain-pipe back-boxes), but can't see the point for anyone over the age of 16 yrs-old wanting to tart the car up with big spoilers, clear indicators, neons etc.

Surely we are in danger of driving the Scoob down the same road as the cars that some of this membership now love to slag off like the lowly Cosworth, sad Astra GTE, and pitiful go-faster Nova/Pug/Escort?

I'll just get my pipe and slippers ...

Canuck

TomM

Do you want to borrow my flame suit??

Fair point though!!!

Trouser @ TSL

i think the cars themselves love it!! .. this one's even smiling





he he

Trouser ( in daft-ready-for-home mood )

mista weava

gotta say that i bought my wrx wagon for the fact that i prefer the design on a personal level to that of the saloon, and because its more covert.

EvilBevel

>>the prestige of owning and driving a 90's rally icon

Not meant as a downer, but that's where you probably went wrong.

It's just a nice car, not a rally icon.

EvilBevel

Oh and Trouser, love the smiley

SimonEvoExtreme

While I agree that it is stretching the point to call a Scooby "a rally icon", the classic shaped cars do define a certain gendre.

The problem that is that having been around so long, the cars are becoming affordable to the "Max Power" brigade. I would expect to see them go the way of old Cossies, etc. And yes, it will become embarracing for owners of newer cars. Unfortunately, there's not a lot that can be done

TurboBoost

You've only got another 20 years before they become "de-muppetised" and "retro-cool" again - like 1970s RS Escorts.
These things go in cycles.

P.S. Aren't early WRXs actually cheaper than Cossies now?

[Edited by TurboBoost - 10/15/2002 10:14:30 PM]

gossythevaleter

Turbo boost in answer to your question yes they are cheaper than cossies

IMHO i like doing things to my car i like to be idividual and yes stand out from the crowd a little and i dont give flying f**k what others think this is after all a free world and its my car and my money, to do what i want with
Sorry if i have offended any body but why winge and moan its called progression its a way of life and it has and will happen to the best and worst cars out there

My suggestion is if you are worried about being tared with the same brush is to move on to a different marque but in time it will happen to that 1 too

catflap

i have to agree

I love the rally image it haz, hate th eboy racer image its now developed, but this takes nothing from the car.

Shame to say it, but a girl i work spotted a dude in a scooby and said TW*T as he went past, just because of the car, i gigled (he was, but she did not know him )

mutant_matt

Trouser, do you have any other mood then?

Personally I think that you are sad if you buy a car for it's image. I bought the car because of it's capability vs cost, I'm not too bothered about image (but I guess that could change when we get to the point when everybody who owns one drives like a **** and we all (as opposed to some) get tarnished with the same brush).

I think the only "prestige" the Scoob ever had was because of it's performance and really, in true prestige terms, that's not really prestige. I love driving mine so as long as that carries on, I won't let it overly bother me.

There's more important things in life to worry about than the amount of prestige your car has......

Obviously all just IMHO

Matt

swan

If others are making their cars "tasteless" yours should hopefully then stand out as being owned by someone with taste, no?

STi go fast

"Personally I think that you are sad if you buy a car for it's image."

most people buy a car for that exact reason....you think TV adds are about giving you usefull info on the size of panel gaps?????

peelo

I'm a bit dim, why do some of you not consider the Scooby to be "a rally icon" ?

DavidRB

How else would you describe the most successful rally car of the 90's?

marty_t3

I hate to say this but i did buy my car because of it's image and reputation.

I had a car before that was constantly being slagged off as a 'Datsun' despite it's performance. Once it passed it's sell by date i bought the scoob. Mainly for it's abilities but it's reputation had a big hand in why i chose it. (if i'd gone purely for performance i'd be driving a 300zx and wearing a medallion)

<fire proof coat on>

Going on the current standard of cars being brought out now (Civic type-r, Evo, Focus RS etc), the Scoob doesn't really deserve the reputation it has at the moment. There are loads of other good performance cars out there that will out perform a scoob but they don't have the reputation.

<leaving with fire proof coat on>

[Edited by marty_t3 - 10/16/2002 10:08:14 AM]

siwrx

personally i think everyone to their own and not all modified cars are tacky. Most of you have different bits of kit, wheels etc so have changed it in some way.

Also scoobies are quite cheap now which is obviously going to open the door for more young people to own them and therefore more mods. Theres no way youd get a decent evo or escort cossie for the money which is probably why not so many of them get cut up.

my opinion anyway, i have no intention of leaving the car standard as i think they look a bit dated and are common these days, my neighbour owns 2. Ive found a lot of japanese styling for the car which in my opinion makes it look far better than standard. It is cheaper to buy a scooby and mod it to your taste than to buy something like an Evo 5/6 or escort cossie.

[Edited by siwrx - 10/16/2002 12:40:52 PM]

Shaun

Surely we are in danger of driving the Scoob down the same road as the cars that some of this membership now love to slag off like the lowly Cosworth, sad Astra GTE, and pitiful go-faster Nova/Pug/Escort?

Shame the LOWLY COSWORTH (ESCORT & RS500) are actually worth more than your "bestest car in the world" Subaru.

You make a valid topic for discussion....... just not wise to slag off other car marques.

That makes you think that your marque is superior to all others..which we all know is not true!!!

Regards,
Shaun.

davyboy

The Subaru is a great car, shame they made so many!

siwrx

well ill be honest, im 20 and i can afford and modify a wrx doubt i cud an evo.

Have to say though shaun my m8 has an rs500 and its a **** heap. Escort cossies r wicked though

Canuck

In fact I did buy my Scoob for the handling qualities and opportunity for safe overtaking in the very rural area that I live in - not as some of you inferred from my comment about prestige. I do think that the cars have alot of street-cred that appeals to a larger section of the population than, say, "other marques", but that this is being diluted by the likes of Mr Valeter who amazingly is the only one with the courage or inclination to admit to the Max Power ideal.

Trouser, I was indeed thinking of you when I mentioned the neons - you wild and crazy tart!

When I first submitted this topic I was mindful of the time a few years back when I actually painted a Starsky and Hutch-like white stripe down my Plymouth Duster (225 cu.in straight six, with 3-on-the-tree); I was 17-yrs-old at the time and while times have changed some attitudes are genetic.

I guess the answer is to move on as the Scoob gets cheap enough for young insecure guys to be able to "express their individuality" in such a public way with what is a great car. If only they realised that they are in fact conforming to peer pressure and stereotype. I'll bet they all dress the same way as well and have the same haircuts.

Pity that this will spoil it for those of us who like the classic image - an older version of expressing an individuality??

<Flame suit on>
whew, I do feel better now.

scoob_dood

Name a car, that costs less than say £25k that doesn't have a similar following ?

At the end of the day, once the cost of a car hits a certain level, it is likely to happen - and this is mainly due to there being no law against it!

NOt all mods, are to everyone's taste, just like clothes, interior design in houses, girlfriends, music etc.

If we all stopped at subtle, subtle would become extreme ...

- Jon

Canuck

SO then the answer is how much do you compromise your own sense of what is acceptable before the mob reduce ownership of a Scoob to the same standard as say today driving round in an Escort or Nova?

Obviously I'm advocating keeping a car as standard as possible (at least on the outside - I do like a sleeper...). What I am concerned about is in the end the image which reduces the value of the car. DO I need to hang onto my Scoob for 20 years as was suggested earlier for it to come back into fashion as a real classic car?

Ownership of a Scoob does have a gloomy future. What should I go for next I wonder ...

Canuck

PeterUK300

iTrader: (1)

It's a shame you feel like this. I bought the car for ME. This means I do what I want with it......
Cars to me are personnal. Many people like to personalise their cars whether it be Engine mods, Body Mods or just change the Stereo.
I must admit I am 43 and would not dream of putting a Garishly large Exhaust on the Car. I mean think of the Neighbours
Heres my Car

And I must also admit I love what people like (to name one) Trouser (must be a boy racer) have done to their's

Perhaps it is Pipe and Slipper time for you. But it ain't for me....


Edited to say a very young 43. I often feel like a 21 year old BUT the wife won't let me


All the best
Pete

[Edited by PeterUK300 - 10/17/2002 7:25:58 PM]

mista weava

canuck, rock on baby, i'm from the sticks too, isle of wight.
there is not many motors out there capable of sorting a scoob on these twisties. mods? well like you i prefer to keep things standard, UNLESS there is a specific performance advantage. spoilers do not interest me much, although i respect that people can do as they wish. i'll admit that i do like some of the kits available, but would never drive a car like that myself. i like the subtlety and practicality of my wagon and i prefer its looks.

peter, as for pipe and slippers, i am only twenty three, so where does that leave me at your age?! anyway i am a bad bwoy junglist! your car does look dope as though i have to say! nice one
peace to all
weava

Alas

Sorry guys
You've all missed a very important point. Young guys (don't want to call them boy racers) buy a car they can afford to drive and insure whilst still modding them (as we all did). The scoob is not really amongst the most affordable as a complete package. I mean, I could afford to buy a nice Sigma( or other ) yacht but would be stoney broke within 6 months for the upkeep.
The Scoob does not fit into this segment. Anyway, I own a wagon and is not the type of motor these guys want so I'm not worried.

Must admit I'm a bit concerned about it being nicked for a bank job though
Alas

taffyboyo

hello Mr CANUCK, have you ever thought of changing
your social circles, if you started hanging around
mac e d's late at night, playing s*it music out of
naff speakers, chatting up young t*rts, you could
show your mates in their nova's & metro's what your
car can really do, then you would once again be the
the coolist guy driving a real life rally icon
the welsh wizard

Canuck

Now the discussion is starting to get interesting!

PeterUK300, 'fraid I am older than you (by 1-yr, the clue was in the Starsky and Hutch modification - when did that programme come out - hmmm maybe it was later over here in the UK?). I, however, am not a stodgey, graying, porky, jowlie, narrow-minded, lost-in-the-80's, 40-something, P&S guy as the one or two who know me on this BBS can testify to.

But clearly this aint an age thing, but one more of attitude as I mentioned earlier. I am always suspicious of the need to drive around in flash cars with go-faster bits on them, particularly for guys in the 40's - I mean what WOULD the neighbours think ...?).

My point is that modding cars as a security blanket is, and always will be, a young man's thing - I was just as guilty - but the Scoob is not a car that I am comfortable with seeing reduced to the level of stuff that I've read about here or seen blaating around the roads. The image reflects the car and the driver, I fear (not necessarily my attitude but one I think is a fair reflection of the population). That being said, the Max Power image of driving a Scoob is one that I'm not happy with, nor with people who promulgate the idea. To each their own - absolutely - I just wish that people would choose something other than the car that I am wild about. I accept, however, that this will be inevitable as the price comes down and young guys now have more money (or less debt-ridden conscience?) to be able to afford a Scoob.

Maybe those of us with like mind need to come up with the next choice of wheels to move on. I fancy a 911, but it has to be AWD and I need to educate myself a bit more about that marque to be able to buy wisely (ie. get myself into a price bracket that prohibits the Max Power brigade). What about the new Mazda performance AWD that's coming out ...? Too boring.

Canuck

Jon1T

canuck - I agreee with your sentiments 100% (although I am a tad younger than you, just beginning to caress the 30s). I love my scoob (MY02) sometimes, despite all the abuse heaped at them by classic owners, and 'normal' ppl who think i'm some sad 'max power' tosser (ie my wife).

In the 90s Scoobs were considerably better than almost anything else on the road - cars over 200bhp were rare and that's why scoobs attained a certain 'mystique' - esp coupled with the rally image.

But skipping forward to modern times (difficult sometimes for classic owners ) more and more cars have caught up with the subaru and also offer the following benefits:

1/ Longer service intervals
2/ Better build quality
3/ No need to rely on extensive mods to get the cars how you want it to be (thinking of poor standard performance of FUGLY)
4/ Ability to do more than 22mpg

The point is everyone else is catching up and Subaru need to pull something special out of the hat for the next new model (post MY03) to regain their rightful place.

Perhaps I'm wrong to question the cause, but I'm not going to follow the blind 'scoobies are the best cars on the road' argument cos quite frankly those days are long gone...in fact I'm going off to look at a BMW 330d....

Canuck

Ok, I have modded my Scoob from the standard MY97T, but for reasons of a balance of budget and performance enhancement from what was a sub-standard car when it rolled off the assembly line. So 16" wheels (not 18s), with 215/40 F1's to enhance grip and handling, Eibachs and geometry tweak, for above reasons, PIAA headlights (do I need to explain!?), An ITG panel filter (cos it was fitted as standard service by TSL) and a new STi backbox (cos it was cheap and the old one was going). I admit the last one is a little bit too close to the line but it isn't one of those eff off jobbies.

I do not have colour-coding, or big spoilers, or even badging on the car. It still looks classic and yet I still get the sniggers and ****ty remarks from barstewards who think I'm going thru a mid life crisis. I love driving the damn thing tho' and will carry on until the Max Power brigade overcome the marque. I just wish this was some way to keep this a classic, like the old Escorts maybe but more like an E-type or something like that - Am I dreaming?

Canuck