Hi all,

First post, so please be gentle

I always loved the looks of the Impreza, but never been able to affard one... until now

I've spotted one for sale at a dealer at a tad under £8K for an x-reg (nov '00), 20K miles and with FSH. Now before I rush out and drive a little over 120 miles to go and see it, is this a good price? And a good buy? What are the things that I should be asking for when I call the dealer?

Any information appreciated.

Q.

 

Bear in mind that the new model sport is due out imminently priced at £15k and it seems pretty well loaded with extras as standard (A/C, Boot Spoiler, WRX body, etc) so you might have a decent bargaining tool on a used one along the lines of "was going to get a new one, not sure, do me a good deal and so on...)

[Edited by Beefy - 3/18/2003 5:47:09 PM]

 

Have a look on the subaru website in the used section, do a nation wide search and this should give you an idea of what you can get in that price range. I had to travel 100 miles to get the one I wanted at the right price.

You will not be disapointed.

Try www.desperateseller.co.uk

 

Well... Disappointed is what I am I went to my local dealer straight after work to see if I could actually sit in one (as I'm 6'5 you'll understand that not every car suits me), and although they didnt have any 2000 models on their forecourt, they did (ofcourse) have the new model. With the seat in the last position, I had plenty space between my knee and gear (which I normally suffer from), but the sitting position was far from ideal. It felt like sitting in a Van, and it looked like the seat couldnt be lowered any further than it already was. Now I must admit that I didnt try too hard to find the best position (as the dealer was keeping me occupied), but I left the showroom in doubt...

 

I would advise not to get a sport, owned one from brand for 2 months and am determined to sell it within a year to get STI (much quicker) go for the older quicker rather then new slower else you may end up regretting it.

 

sorry but disagree with ian, the sport is a good car....... bit more expensive for mods though, if thats your thing.....put it this way i could have had a rather lovely wrx for the amount i have spent on mods for my 99sport......is very insurance friendly and when you consider the speed limit is 70 ( boring i know ) but when you are on nine points (all work related) the speed limit suddenly means something........hitting 30 also makes you think.....back to the sport.....ok so it isnt as quick as the turbo etc.....but with the right mods it sounds great looks great and is a flier........last motor was a scirocco lowered 40mm on good race springs and shocks , felt like a skate board on the back roads but the handling of the scooby is far far superior....practical when you have a sprogg too.....(FFS i am boring)..... if you get the sport m8 ,and find the height a bit restrictive i have a brand new Transit highloader here ready for a swap

scoobers......
all scoobies are equal.....they all look the dogs!!!!

 

BTW the new MY'03 SPORT (aka GX) has the new electronic brake distribution oojamaflic-techno-whatsit installed too, just like its big brothers...

 

Just buy my Sport that is for sale on here. MY00 registered 2001, mint car with some nice mods

 

buy a mondeo

bigger
cheaper
better spec

 

newer cars seem to be smaller, ive a 96 Sport, im 6'4 and theres loads of room, the seats are lower than my otherhalves '01WRX

Had mine for years now & love it. Sure it doesnt boost acceleration but does have it were it counts. Have given some turbos a run for their money

If you can afford a turbo then do, if not, a sport....

btw a sport is a sport not a GX [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] (unless the names have changed for new models)

 

ive had mine 18 months an still kept a few turbos behind me .. they look just as good and if you really want to you can always add the bits on to make it look the same as a turbo .. plus we get better mileage out of these ,turbo drivers always hate it when you mension that .lol
buy 1 get used to the scooby then upgrade when you can afford a turbo

 

ok call me stupid but is there a massive difference between a 1.6 impreza and a sport as i know my 1.6 is quicker than most 1.6 cars

 

Go for the Sport very happy with mine. Looks and sounds well, not Turbo fast but corners just as good.

 

I'm sure Quinten would go for a Turbo if circumstances suited him, but that ain't his question! Quinten - tho' I've had a Turbo and now have an STi, I've frequently driven my Dealer's 2.0 Normally Aspirated MY'00 Impreza. Of course, it doesn't have the Turbo margin, but I've always found it to be a very respectable, capable, 2.0 litre car, with the AWD advantages and disadvantages. I enjoy driving it, and if you like the Scooby style, presence and AWD it may well be the car for you. I believe the seating is different from that in the Bugeyes, so it'd be worth your while checking it out.

IIRR it puts out around 120 BHP - the tecchies will put me right - and the AWD soaks some of this up. So, for example, it doesn't have the grunt of the 150BHP Cavalier GSi which was the last 2.0 I actually owned. But, if that worries you, I imagine you'd be looking for the Turbo anyway.....

It's worth 60 miles each way to look, IMHO, unless your researches have thrown up something better/closer

Phil

 

I have a MY97 Sport and love it. Ok it's not as fast asd a turbo but the handling is still good. You have to compare it with other 2L saloon cars rather than a turbo. As to whether you'll get in it, I'm about 6' and I have shed loads of head room and need to move the seat quite far forward. I would go and sit in an older car and test drive it. I would echo the above used car search on the Subaru webisite. BHP will be 125 on a late car btw.

Steve

 

is the myoo x reg a bugeye?, i had a 96p which is now in the hands of my father,it now has my turbo wheels and backbox, i did 60k miles in it,and for me has one of the best driving positions for a lanky(now lardy) lad(6'3"). for me it it also one of the only cars i have driven which you can easily wear a helmet and still have room above the head!
it may have only 120hp, but i think it is quite torquey(150)so was quite quick when overtaking etc,more than a match for astra gsi's and the like.
of course now i have a turbo, i wouldnt go back,although running costs for me are about an extra £3000 a year!!

try the classic (older version) if it is not the one you tried,i loved it

regards
dave

 

Thanks to all who replied so far, and Phil Harrison hits it right on the nail. If I had a Turbo's budget I would have looked at that one, but reality is that it is some years away from what I have set aside for one now. The car in question is 120 miles away from where I live, so it is not as easy to have a look as it seems, but ofcourse well worth it if it is a suitable car for me.

I'm still determined to find a closer Sport MY'00 (am I right in assuming this stands for Model Year 2000? All these TLA's are doing my head in )... Maybe someone in the Buckinghamshire area (Aylesbury) could be kind enough to let me sit in it. I dont need to drive it, just need to know how the seating arrangement is.

Q.

 

Quinten

@ £8k, I guess you're not too far off a '98-ish Turbo! Downsides would be slightly greater thirst and higher insurance, but the grin-factor would be terrific!!! Ought to be pretty reliable, 'specially if the cam-belt's been done.

Ask your local Dealers if they have a Sport as a courtesy car, which wouldn't show up on the 2/h lists. The one I drive is my Dealer's and is one of the run-out 'specials' pre-bugeye which they hung onto .....

Phil

 

Invisibleman

FYI - the MY'01 / '02 / '03 SPORT is called the a GX, not a SPORT.

Rgds, Alex

 

ah so they have changed then. <phew>
I dont want to be driving a GX

mine is definately a sport not a gx, everything was uprated on a sport hence calling it a sport not a naff gx

 

It corners weel except for the body roll.

I am in ascot and have an MY98 Wagon, if you want to sit in it mail me as per profile.

 

Thanks for the offer Nexuas, but it looks like I'm able to sit/drive one this weekend (Turbo MY'00), and from what I've seen, they are identical (as for seating arrangement and seats) to a Sport. Wish me luck

Q.

 

You FOOL!! You'll end up buying it.....

Phil

 

There are a limited number of GX Sports (MY52) like mine (silver) on here...

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadid=180458


Factory fitted Morrettes and spoiler

You'll find some GX Sports in Proven Used cars on Subaru site

Go for it

 

LOL no power. no looks and bland that spells scooby. i am off