Keef69

Hi all, a newby here, looking for some advice from anyone willing to help. I am coming into some money shortly and am at long last able to buy myself a Scooby. Have wanted one for years and always imagined I would buy a blue P reg for some reason!

Anyway, I have been offered a P reg Sti V-Ltd 555 60,000 miles Immaculate condition with few mods other than dump valve and exhaust. Same owner for 3 years, but I don't know him. Price £8,500

So, a couple of questions:

Is the price about right?

What is so special about a V-Ltd 555, other than they only made 555 and they have a roof vent of course!

Do they really do 0-60 in 4.6 Secs or is that just something a 555 owner believes! All the advertised ones state that time.

Any guidance would be appreciated as I like the idea of buying this one, but don't want to get it wrong the first time I buy one. I need 4 doors by the way, so type R is out! Budget £10k max, want to leave some for any later probs that may occur.

Thanks in anticipation.

Johnny50

Not sure if this is any help...Or even if it's the same model.
But have a look here...This is Ken Ross's Impreza...lots of info in his site about it.

http://www.catherineandken.co.uk/sti/index.html

Keef69

Johnny50, thanks for that. Have looked, but still would like to know members own impressions of the 555 and if the price is right. Not found any others to compare with, except much more recent standard Sti's for the same money!

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

you need to talk to tim mate his name on here is sti555

if you click on private messages on the top right hand corner then click send new message, put in the to field sti555 think hes selling his as well. as for the 0 - 60 id say it was bang on! they are scarily fast. you need to make sure that you get a looked after one.

jamo

stu_5

http://wrx.co.uk/pages/specs7.htm also gives a little more info on their models info page. In addition it should also have an oil cooler (good for trackdays) and an intercooler water spray.

Price is okay, I paid £8750 for mine 6 months ago, but with only 45000 miles in imaculate condition. With 60,000 miles you'd not be out of place to offer £8000 and hope for £8250 though.

Their rareness (only 500 made) means they hold their value better than a standard sti of the same age.

Be wary of cars that look an absolute bargain, all early stis are now starting to get on a bit age wise so it's always worth buying the best example you can afford condition wise, it'll cost you a lot less in the long run.

As an extra point make sure the cambelts been changed already.

They are that quick, but like any impreza they require a proper launch from a standing start to do that 0-60 time, so the clutch would die very rapidly in the real world if it's done more often than very rarely.

The 50-70mph figure in 3rd of 2.7 seconds is far more of useable statistic.

So far mines been the best car I've ever bought.

Keef69

Thanks Stu, good point about the cambelt too! You mention 500 made, but this is one of 555 made, maybe they are different years, still learning all this!

Anyway, going to try and borrow the money in advance as I can't wait till the money comes through, could be 2-3 months! If I can get it now, will go and have a look early next week. Got to get me one of these, and soon!

ra sti

there is 555 made of the one you want
i think that there wasnt a number 13
if the cars in good condition buy it
theyre very rare
its getting harder to find unabused examples in japan
8.500 is reasonable
if you dont wnat it let me know
i'll buy it
speed wise
i've had factory spec right to full tuned cars and from sandard they'll out accelerate most things on the road
theres so much acceleration through the gears
i've extrmely accurately timed a standard 555 sti vltd from 0-60 and never got a 60 over 4.9-thats with proper launching, the best i got was a 4.57 second 60
modified- and even quicker-i just recently blown engine on my sti type ra
a lot of unknown mods from japan which i only found out ago around 8 months after i bought it-264degree jun cams ,forged pistons etc and when it came to 60 my mates noble m12 gto which cost him like 48grand or something liek that 2months back was having trouble keeping up with it.
by far i'd say the 555 and type ra sti are the best-subaru in my opinion made-its pure rally pedigree
get it serviced,cambelt, run it on the right fuel and get a paddle clutch and become a colin mcrae
i like the type r's but they once again my opinion from personal experiences dont handle as well as the 4door 555 and ra sti-the chassis stiff but not as much as these
if you want a impreza
buy the 555
you wont regret it...................unless your engine detonates

stu_5

I dunno, most of the stuff I've read about them says it ended up as a production run of 500, not 555 as commonly thought.

Either way however as ra sti says they are most definitely a special car.

Mad Hammer

iTrader: (55)

I have a 98 STI RA V-Ltd and that's number 523. Don't know if numbers built vary on year of manufacture ?

However as for performance they are very quick. 0-60 times are quite believable. I went from a 280 bhp modded UK car to my RA and the UK car does not come anywhere near it.

Keef69

Cheers Mad, that's what I wanted to hear really!

stu_5

Aye thats possible, the model numbers I was reffering too were for the orginal first 555 run during the 95-96 period.

ra sti

between september 1995 and august 1996 555 blue 555 sti ra's wer made with the roof vent to commemorate the rally championshiop-after september another 500 555 were made
theres just soo many limited edition and thhey changed from year to year
ra sti v ltd
type r vltd
wr vltd
sti ra vltd
22b
22b uk
catalunya
rb5 terzo
i had a 1997 yellow type r 2 door coupe-that was also a 555 limited edition
theress just way too many variations

stu_5

One other thing nobodys mentioned yet, the usual only run it on octane booster and optimax comment.

It's possible to run them without as their inbuilt knock sensor will retard the advance, but at best you'll be lower down on power because of it, and at worst it'll kill the engine.

Always worth casually checking to see what the seller says about what petrol to use in it, if he only runs on it optimax or bp ultimate without ever using booster its not ideal and if he's been running it on anything less ie standard super unleaded or unleaded (shudder) dont go there.

stu_5

Interesting, I always thought the first 555 run comprised of 500 saloons, and 100 estates.

Still not certain how the even rarer to find Japanase Macrae edition comes into things either.

Supposedly those where also being made at a similar period- the 555 was more for the sponsers of Subaru I read somewhere and the Macrae edtion was the one which came with the signed Colin Macrae and navigator (Grist?) seats.

ra sti

i know someone who has a uk mcrae series
theyre rare but dont rally like uk
cars i'm a jap guy type r's n ra's
as i was saying theres way too many
yep the signed mcrae seats

BlkKnight

Hay Keefy,

I've just purchased a '97 STi 555 same spec & similar miles for £6995.

Images can be see here:

http://www.lanse.co.uk/forums/index....=ST&f=1&t=2433

I think the wagon is worth less than the saloon

Keef69

Now I'm confused.... Autotrader: N reg Sti 555 V-Ltd 50,000 miles From a dealer with warranty. £6,495 Someone better go and buy that quick, I haven't got the money yet.

stu_5

Nice car.

Aye, re that price it's either a very good bargain or it's too cheap for a reason.

sti555

Keef,

Just seen your pm mate, sent you one back..

Take it you have purchased it then ??

Keef69

I think I understand now!

Whatever your preference on Scoobie's, they are all great and we will all cherish them, from 1.6 to 2.0L, Type R, Wagon, P1, WR1 or whatever.

All I now know now, is that this is a great site and you have been great. I now know I must get me one, soon. Hope to see many of you at a meet/run as soon as I have one. Will be at Hickstead a week Sunday, with my somewhat tame 170bhp Golf Gti (YUK!) Hope to chat a while then.

Thanks for all the help.

<END OF THREAD> Perhaps!!

dpb

i came across a RED 555 last week - was it a fake