Looking at buying a scooby
11 September 2003, 09:40 AM
#1
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Hi, welcome to ScoobyNet!!
They didn't make a UK WRX 4 years ago. It would be a "classic" style Turbo 2000.
Take a shufty at SIDC FAQ, lots of info on earlier cars there.
Andy
They didn't make a UK WRX 4 years ago. It would be a "classic" style Turbo 2000.
Take a shufty at SIDC FAQ, lots of info on earlier cars there.
Andy
11 September 2003, 09:50 AM
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New to the forum and I have a few ??'s.
Howdy!
I have about £10k to spend plus my car, Rover 220GSi Turbo, and I'm looking at buying a Scooby.
1. Is my budget of approx £13k. Is this good enough to get a 3/4 year old car?? I'm looking at the model before the bug eye version....not sure what ya call it.
You'll get a very good 'classic' MY99 or MY00 for £13k, even £10.5 buys you a good standard one.
2. What do I need to look out for when looking at one.....problems, engine noises, rust spots...etc
Rust would mean an accident, almost all modern cars are pretty much rust-proof for 5 years. Get the engine started from dead cold (ie first time that day) and listen for a knock - this could be piston slap (and the noise goes away when warm) and can lead to expense.
3. If I get say just the normal UK spec WRX. I believe these produse 215bhp std?......what is my tuning options to get to approx 250bhp and is this goig to cost me alot of money or should I look for one that is a different model with higher bhp as std??
Tonnes of options...simplest would be a standard car plus a full de-cat..easy and relatively safe 250bhp for £500-ish give or take.
But there are far more elegant solutions also available which will pass the MOT without fudging..probably get away with an ECUTEK remap on just a backbox change and keeping the cats (you HAVE to change backbox for the NOISE! LOL)
You could also go for an import with *alot* more goodies and power, but watch the insurance...and you'd be limited to SUL petrol only.
4. If buting privetly, with average miles for a 4 year old car...approx 50,000k....what do I need to look for with regards to services, cam belt changes etc.
Look at the service book, the car needs servicing every 7.5k miles or 6 months. For a UK car at £11k it *should* have a full subaru service history.
5. Would it be better for me, as a first time Scooby buyer, to buy a car from a dealer??
Hard to say, a FSSH car with HPI and a mechanical check should be just as good, £2k extra-ish from a dealer does buy some piece of mind though. My car is a UK one and it's got a 5 year warranty which is pretty comprehensive...you'd be able to get the same for the money..ie a MY00 (model year 2000) car could have warranty for another 2 years.
And last but not least..
6. My neighbour has a P1. He says as std these produce about 280bhp but Subaru say in reality they are more like 300bhp+....anyone know????
I've never seen a standard P1 make even 276bhp on a rolling road, definitely not over 300.
Good luck,
Chuck
(and have a look at www.iwoc.co.uk and www.sidc.co.uk )
Howdy!
I have about £10k to spend plus my car, Rover 220GSi Turbo, and I'm looking at buying a Scooby.
1. Is my budget of approx £13k. Is this good enough to get a 3/4 year old car?? I'm looking at the model before the bug eye version....not sure what ya call it.
You'll get a very good 'classic' MY99 or MY00 for £13k, even £10.5 buys you a good standard one.
2. What do I need to look out for when looking at one.....problems, engine noises, rust spots...etc
Rust would mean an accident, almost all modern cars are pretty much rust-proof for 5 years. Get the engine started from dead cold (ie first time that day) and listen for a knock - this could be piston slap (and the noise goes away when warm) and can lead to expense.
3. If I get say just the normal UK spec WRX. I believe these produse 215bhp std?......what is my tuning options to get to approx 250bhp and is this goig to cost me alot of money or should I look for one that is a different model with higher bhp as std??
Tonnes of options...simplest would be a standard car plus a full de-cat..easy and relatively safe 250bhp for £500-ish give or take.
But there are far more elegant solutions also available which will pass the MOT without fudging..probably get away with an ECUTEK remap on just a backbox change and keeping the cats (you HAVE to change backbox for the NOISE! LOL)
You could also go for an import with *alot* more goodies and power, but watch the insurance...and you'd be limited to SUL petrol only.
4. If buting privetly, with average miles for a 4 year old car...approx 50,000k....what do I need to look for with regards to services, cam belt changes etc.
Look at the service book, the car needs servicing every 7.5k miles or 6 months. For a UK car at £11k it *should* have a full subaru service history.
5. Would it be better for me, as a first time Scooby buyer, to buy a car from a dealer??
Hard to say, a FSSH car with HPI and a mechanical check should be just as good, £2k extra-ish from a dealer does buy some piece of mind though. My car is a UK one and it's got a 5 year warranty which is pretty comprehensive...you'd be able to get the same for the money..ie a MY00 (model year 2000) car could have warranty for another 2 years.
And last but not least..
6. My neighbour has a P1. He says as std these produce about 280bhp but Subaru say in reality they are more like 300bhp+....anyone know????
I've never seen a standard P1 make even 276bhp on a rolling road, definitely not over 300.
Good luck,
Chuck
(and have a look at www.iwoc.co.uk and www.sidc.co.uk )
11 September 2003, 10:44 AM
#3
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Sound like a very good car, but Fife is like the other end of the country for me!!!
So what do you guys class as the "Classic"???
I'm after the P1 shape but obviously can't afford a P1....damn!!..so just the body kit will suit me.
How do you upload pics. I have got a couple of my neighbours P1.
Cheers
Chris
So what do you guys class as the "Classic"???
I'm after the P1 shape but obviously can't afford a P1....damn!!..so just the body kit will suit me.
How do you upload pics. I have got a couple of my neighbours P1.
Cheers
Chris
11 September 2003, 11:21 AM
#4
"classic" basically refers to the pre bug-eye shape. IMO the best bet for your budget would be an RB5 WR version. For info have a look at http://www.forums.dchosted.com/rb5oc/
The WR version comes with Prodrive Performance Pack giving approx 250BHP (the PPP is not exclusive to the RB5).
As regards private or dealer - it depends whether you want the peace of mind or not. £13k will struggle to get you an RB5 WR from a dealer. I recently sold mine to a dealer and they had it up for £13995. They sold it very quickly.
Obviously buying from a dealer will get you a warranty but there is a good chance that a private car will still have a few months of the warranty left, which is transferrable.
Make sure any car you buy has full history. By now any car of this age should have had a new cam belt as it is due at 3 years (or 4 years in the case of MY00). Other than that there is nothing particular to look out for.
Steve
The WR version comes with Prodrive Performance Pack giving approx 250BHP (the PPP is not exclusive to the RB5).
As regards private or dealer - it depends whether you want the peace of mind or not. £13k will struggle to get you an RB5 WR from a dealer. I recently sold mine to a dealer and they had it up for £13995. They sold it very quickly.
Obviously buying from a dealer will get you a warranty but there is a good chance that a private car will still have a few months of the warranty left, which is transferrable.
Make sure any car you buy has full history. By now any car of this age should have had a new cam belt as it is due at 3 years (or 4 years in the case of MY00). Other than that there is nothing particular to look out for.
Steve
11 September 2003, 12:28 PM
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i've been in exactly this position for the last 8 weeks. its taken me that long to find a decent car. 
maybe im just unlucky, or picky.
I had £12K to spend and my spec was :
98 or Later (facelifted model with nicer interior & new front end)
< 50K miles
No Accident damage/engine rebuilds etc.
finally found a mint WRX Sti RA after 8 weeks of looking, with *plenty* of hastle along the way.....
here's a few hints to save yourself a lot of the sh*t i had.
1) always always get it inspected - even if its by the AA. they do tell you immediatly if there's been any accident damage or its seriously shagged - which is pretty much all you'll get from an inspection anyway. I've spent (Wasted) over £400 in inspections so far. If you can get a subaru specialist all the better.
2) use trusted sources/word of mouth/reccomendations from people on here, on SIDC, and on 22B. Everyone knows something about where to go or NOT to go. I'd say this is probably the MOST important point. Nothing speaks more than the experiences someone ELSE has had with a dealer. Good dealers know this, and should be sh*t scared of getting a bad rep.
3) Ask to see the auction sheet if its from an importer. they're usually available, and will be provided willingly if they're being honest, getting it faxed to you prevents you wasting your time viewing cars with obvious damage - although in some cases the sheets arent available legitimately - be careful. I was lucky enough to be in an office where someone reads Kanji so translation wasn't a problem, although some of the sheets did actually have english comments on them too.
4) be wary of stories like "We have buyers in japan and source only the best cars". Unknown garages will often buy from the Port auctions, and try to feed you bullsh*t about the cars origin. Auction sheets are rarely available from places like these cos they're removed at auction.
5) Test Drive the prospective car. Any dealer worth his salt will let you take the car out for an extended period. Dont settle for the half mile jaunt up and down the road in front of the garage. the places which did this with me were hiding something. Arange for the test drive in advance and if they wont let you have the car for an hour or more, ask them why. If you're a serious buyer, where's the problem?
6) Above all, Beware. You've got 12K which is not an unsubstantial amount of cash, and the old addage "A fool and his money are soon parted" applies here more so than buying a car by any other means. You're buying pretty much blind, solely on other peoples word that the car is worth your £12K. Don't get burned.
I know there's dealers on this board probably reading this with skepticism, but this is the Experience i had trying to find a car in purchasable condition, they're not opinions, this is (the hard earned) experience i had.
At the end of the day, When i get the RA, the diffs may fail next week. the big end could go next month, its still quite a lottery, but i've done as much as i possible can to remove as much of the risk as possible. I sleep easier at night knowing the car isn't a wreck, and im being conned.It's worth just being that bit more paranoid, it will pay with peace of mind in the end.
A few other things can be extrapolated from my experience :
Scoobs aren't *that* common. If they were, it wouldn't have taken 2 months to find a one. Ok maybe the scrapper £5k ones are becoming that way, but good ones are harder than ever to find.
The good cars are still holding their value, and you'd be lucky to find decent examples for sub £10K. Even MY97's are still IMO fairly high priced for their age, many still have a 10K asking price.
lastly, on my purchasing journey , there must have been at least a thread a day where "engine blown up" , or "car jacked at the lights", "Scoob stolen". Keep things in perspective there's 30,000 users on here, its a very small percentage that have the problems. I went completely paranoid at first, but that eventually wears off
sorry for the lenght of the thread, my mavis beacon touch typing course is paying off.
maybe im just unlucky, or picky.I had £12K to spend and my spec was :
98 or Later (facelifted model with nicer interior & new front end)
< 50K miles
No Accident damage/engine rebuilds etc.
finally found a mint WRX Sti RA after 8 weeks of looking, with *plenty* of hastle along the way.....
here's a few hints to save yourself a lot of the sh*t i had.
1) always always get it inspected - even if its by the AA. they do tell you immediatly if there's been any accident damage or its seriously shagged - which is pretty much all you'll get from an inspection anyway. I've spent (Wasted) over £400 in inspections so far.
If you can get a subaru specialist all the better.2) use trusted sources/word of mouth/reccomendations from people on here, on SIDC, and on 22B. Everyone knows something about where to go or NOT to go. I'd say this is probably the MOST important point. Nothing speaks more than the experiences someone ELSE has had with a dealer. Good dealers know this, and should be sh*t scared of getting a bad rep.
3) Ask to see the auction sheet if its from an importer. they're usually available, and will be provided willingly if they're being honest, getting it faxed to you prevents you wasting your time viewing cars with obvious damage - although in some cases the sheets arent available legitimately - be careful. I was lucky enough to be in an office where someone reads Kanji so translation wasn't a problem, although some of the sheets did actually have english comments on them too.
4) be wary of stories like "We have buyers in japan and source only the best cars". Unknown garages will often buy from the Port auctions, and try to feed you bullsh*t about the cars origin. Auction sheets are rarely available from places like these cos they're removed at auction.
5) Test Drive the prospective car. Any dealer worth his salt will let you take the car out for an extended period. Dont settle for the half mile jaunt up and down the road in front of the garage. the places which did this with me were hiding something. Arange for the test drive in advance and if they wont let you have the car for an hour or more, ask them why. If you're a serious buyer, where's the problem?
6) Above all, Beware. You've got 12K which is not an unsubstantial amount of cash, and the old addage "A fool and his money are soon parted" applies here more so than buying a car by any other means. You're buying pretty much blind, solely on other peoples word that the car is worth your £12K. Don't get burned.
I know there's dealers on this board probably reading this with skepticism, but this is the Experience i had trying to find a car in purchasable condition, they're not opinions, this is (the hard earned) experience i had.
At the end of the day, When i get the RA, the diffs may fail next week. the big end could go next month, its still quite a lottery, but i've done as much as i possible can to remove as much of the risk as possible. I sleep easier at night knowing the car isn't a wreck, and im being conned.It's worth just being that bit more paranoid, it will pay with peace of mind in the end.
A few other things can be extrapolated from my experience :
Scoobs aren't *that* common. If they were, it wouldn't have taken 2 months to find a one. Ok maybe the scrapper £5k ones are becoming that way, but good ones are harder than ever to find.
The good cars are still holding their value, and you'd be lucky to find decent examples for sub £10K. Even MY97's are still IMO fairly high priced for their age, many still have a 10K asking price.
lastly, on my purchasing journey , there must have been at least a thread a day where "engine blown up" , or "car jacked at the lights", "Scoob stolen". Keep things in perspective there's 30,000 users on here, its a very small percentage that have the problems. I went completely paranoid at first, but that eventually wears off
sorry for the lenght of the thread, my mavis beacon touch typing course is paying off.
09 November 2003, 09:30 AM
#7
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Hi,
New to the forum and I have a few ??'s.
I have about £10k to spend plus my car, Rover 220GSi Turbo, and I'm looking at buying a Scooby.
1. Is my budget of approx £13k. Is this good enough to get a 3/4 year old car?? I'm looking at the model before the bug eye version....not sure what ya call it.
2. What do I need to look out for when looking at one.....problems, engine noises, rust spots...etc
3. If I get say just the normal UK spec WRX. I believe these produse 215bhp std?......what is my tuning options to get to approx 250bhp and is this goig to cost me alot of money or should I look for one that is a different model with higher bhp as std??
4. If buting privetly, with average miles for a 4 year old car...approx 50,000k....what do I need to look for with regards to services, cam belt changes etc.
5. Would it be better for me, as a first time Scooby buyer, to buy a car from a dealer??
And last but not least..
6. My neighbour has a P1. He says as std these produce about 280bhp but Subaru say in reality they are more like 300bhp+....anyone know????
Cheers Guys
Chris
P.S.
Anyone wanna buy a Rover 220GSi Turbo
1994 L....68500 miles
Lots of mods 220bhp
0-60 5.9 secs
157mph....Evlington airfield March 2003
£2995
[Edited by Chris200 - 9/11/2003 9:31:15 AM]
New to the forum and I have a few ??'s.
I have about £10k to spend plus my car, Rover 220GSi Turbo, and I'm looking at buying a Scooby.
1. Is my budget of approx £13k. Is this good enough to get a 3/4 year old car?? I'm looking at the model before the bug eye version....not sure what ya call it.
2. What do I need to look out for when looking at one.....problems, engine noises, rust spots...etc
3. If I get say just the normal UK spec WRX. I believe these produse 215bhp std?......what is my tuning options to get to approx 250bhp and is this goig to cost me alot of money or should I look for one that is a different model with higher bhp as std??
4. If buting privetly, with average miles for a 4 year old car...approx 50,000k....what do I need to look for with regards to services, cam belt changes etc.
5. Would it be better for me, as a first time Scooby buyer, to buy a car from a dealer??
And last but not least..
6. My neighbour has a P1. He says as std these produce about 280bhp but Subaru say in reality they are more like 300bhp+....anyone know????
Cheers Guys
Chris
P.S.
Anyone wanna buy a Rover 220GSi Turbo
1994 L....68500 miles
Lots of mods 220bhp
0-60 5.9 secs
157mph....Evlington airfield March 2003
£2995
[Edited by Chris200 - 9/11/2003 9:31:15 AM]
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09 November 2003, 10:14 AM
#8
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Hi Chris,
If you've got £13k, I would purchase this car http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadid=238819
The guy is open to offers and it is well sorted, with PPP (gets you your 250+bhp), Prodrive Alloys, Tracker, Morettes and Spoiler. Very low mileage and should still be in warranty.
Its just a pity you didn't want the bugeye
laters
Stu
[Edited by frisby - 9/11/2003 10:15:32 AM]
If you've got £13k, I would purchase this car http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadid=238819
The guy is open to offers and it is well sorted, with PPP (gets you your 250+bhp), Prodrive Alloys, Tracker, Morettes and Spoiler. Very low mileage and should still be in warranty.
Its just a pity you didn't want the bugeye
laters
Stu
[Edited by frisby - 9/11/2003 10:15:32 AM]
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