wilko44

This may be an age old topic, so excuse me if it is, but what are the pros/cons of buying a jap import?
A dealer local to me has a white STI8 in and it looks great. It only has 3,000km on clock, and it's been in ages.
The price has recently been reduced to £19,995 - Which looks like good value.
Have a look for yourselves:

http://www.penninewaygarage.com/car_...ail.asp?id=106

I currently drive a 03 WRX, UK supplied, and feel sure he would be more than happy to do a deal.

Any views/comments/advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

John.

wilko44

Any ideas?
I have fallen off the front page without a single relpy, so this is just to get me back to the top of the pile!

greasemonkey

Depends what sort of jap import you are talking about.

Any chance you could stop using this "8" thing, as, despite the garage t doesn't really tell us what you're talking about. The car that's pictured is, if you're going to use a number, really an STi9. Better all round to just call it an MY03 JDM STi, and then there's no confusion.

Good price if it's a GL. Do you know when it was first used, and what the exact spec is? If you do move on it it'd also be worth finding out whether it's been undersealed since it arrived, as many JDM cars don't have UK spec thick underbody treatment.

You'll have to weigh the pro's and cons of running a japanese market car yourself. Main "con" is the necessity to use an octane booster to bring Super Unleaded or (ideally) Optimax up to the 100+ RON the car will expect, or indeed the need to have the car remapped to run properly on pump fuel alone.

Also factor in that many UK dealers won't service it (which may not be an issue if there's an non-franchised specialist local to you), and that it obviously won't have the backing of the three year Subaru warranty, something you'll need to factor into the purchasing decision.

sti555

My advice would be to take it out for a blast, if you like it, buy it!, just make sure it has the locking nuts, alarm/immobiliser, underseal & some sort warranty just in case

scoobynutta555

Prob hasn't sold as its white

ScoobyTal

Seen it ........

Its the basic model i.e. no DCCD-A, quick steering, HID lights ect

But it is the latest spec it is a MY03 car first reg dec 02


Tal

greasemonkey

Not really value for £20K then. It is, to an overwhelming extent, the same spec as an MY03 STi Type UK. Yeah, it's got the twin scroll turbo, but doesn't have the other sought-after features of the JDM STi's (DCCD, quicker rack etc), won't run on UK petrol, and doesn't have any sort of official warranty backup.

wakeboardar

3 month warranty would worry the life out of me

ScoobyTal

just ask they will up the warranty to 12 months

16vmarc

Whats GL stand for?

wilko44

Well I think that's made my mind up - Save a bit longer and go for a UK spec!
Thanks for the feedback guys, I now understand why it's not sold!

John.

ScoobyTal

Its still a far better car than the STI typeuk

greasemonkey

Erm, no, not really, it's largely the same. In what way exactly do you think it's "far better"? Only real differences are engine spec, and they're more details rather than fundamentals.

ScoobyTal

nicer dials( totally black and light up red on ign.,rear washwipe, electric fold in mirrors, 290bhp, twin scroll turbo, equal length twin headers, shorter 5th and 6th gear ratio,different cams, nitrided crank, different pistons, different con rods,revised induction....

Tunning potential greatly improved

350+bhp 350+lbs/ft easy ( de-cat, filter, re-map)

Okay you are right not Far better

but better !


I have no axe to grind mine Is a JDM MY03 gl (with I think all the extras DCCD-A quick rack super sports abs HID lights BBS magnesium wheels RE070 tyres K master stereo (which was rubbish)

Tal

You are a argumentative Person arnt you !!

Nathan L

JDM STi GL is a better car all round than STi PPP. Driven both, extensively. No contest IMHO.

Flame suit on.

Nathan..

ScoobyTal

Hi Nath

But this one is not a GL................

P.s.

Got the zorst fitted it is fantastic pulls like crazy now but over boosts like mad ..............

Did someone say re-map !!

Tal

Nathan L

Doh that will teach me to read the thread properly

My comment still stands though

What's it sound like mister?

What level of overboost are you getting?

PM if you prefer.

Nathan..

ScoobyTal

spiked to a max of 1.7 nothing on the knocklink

Its loud and deep ...............


Tal

Nathan L

1.7 that's not too bad

Nathan..

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

These cars are just alot better in every way over the UK car (except they need servicing more regulary, 7.5k (10k km) or 6 months, 15k or 20k km for the gearbox (or 1 year) if the car is fitted with the A-DCCD (or DCCD for that matter).
Power delivery just leaves even the PPP'd uk cars for dead, from just over 1k rpm your pulling quite nicely, 3k for a PPP'd car, 4k for a non-PPP'd car before you feel the same benefits.
Honest truth, have a look here>>> www.wickedkit.com and buy a JDM MY03/04 STi GL

Tony