MadDog74

Hello, i`m new to the forum and have a question to ask,

I am thinking of buying a used Impreza for around £8.5K and was wondering what would be the best model, age etc to go for.

Ideally wanted a WRX or STi but not sure what I would get for the money.

Any help or advice would be greatly received.

Thanks
Paul

SC008Y_MAD

iTrader: (5)

Hello and welcome to SN

Have a look at this website

WRX

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Hi Paul

Welcome to SN

If you want to know what you'll get for your money, there's no substitute really for taking a good look through a selection of ads and getting a feel for what's on offer.

For £8.5k you're certainly looking at the Classic shape, which is no bad thing. The Classic WRX and STI models are all, as you probably know, Japanese imports, and there aren't too many WRXs around because most people chose to bring over the quicker STI models instead.

I'm probably slightly biased because right now I have a very suitable car for sale over which I'm sure we could come to some agreement - but for a first Scooby I'd be inclined to go for a UK car just as I did. You get dealer backup, service history in English, plus a very flexible and torquey engine and reasonably comfy ride. An STI may give you more thrills but could be tiring - I've done a 500 mile day (Scotland to Hampshire) in mine without a sore backside.

Beefy

I would definately recommend a UK classic WRX for starters, with a full SSH if possible and in standard form. This is comfortably in your price range for an MY99 or MY00 and will give you plenty of opportunity to learn about the car before you start the inevitable modifications!

Auto trader and/or the classifieds on SN or SIDC forums are the places to look.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

To clarify: there's no such thing as a UK classic WRX. The WRX badge was, at the time, reserved for Japanese market cars only. The UK car was called the Turbo 2000.

As regards modifications: standard is good, though you won't find too many around that haven't been modified at all. The Prodrive range of extras was (and still is) sold through main dealers and is excellent quality with full dealer support and warranty - these are arguably about the only mods that actually add value to the car.

MadDog74

Thanks very much for the replies.

I was looking for a classic shaped one anyway, harsh ride is not a problem as I have become used to this with my current car.
Finally are where any problems that I`d need to look for when buying one.

eg. Knackered turbos, cambelt change, whining gearboxes etc.

Cheers

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Cambelt change is at 45k miles (or 60k miles on some of the last cars, depending on which dealer you ask). I've never, ever heard of an Impreza cambelt failure - but the service is around £600 so make sure it's been done or that the car is cheap enough to cover the cost.

Gearbox synchros can wear - it seems that some die prematurely (which is expensive), while others just go on and on forever. Check that all gears slot home smoothly and that the stick doesn't jump out. Turbo failure is uncommon but it does no harm to check for black smoke on startup and under hard acceleration. Some clutch judder is normal when the car is cold but this soon goes away as it warms up and isn't a sign of any other problem.

The biggest worry is accident damage; Subarus don't crash often but when they do, it's usually serious. A thorough check of the car's background (service history, HPI) is essential. Check for signs of repair and uneven tyre wear (although this can be caused by poor geometry or hard cornering). New cars had a habit of coming from the factory with all four wheels pointing in different directions, so uneven wear might just be a sign that the geometry has never been set up correctly. It makes a big difference to the handling when it's right.

Beefy

Hehe I got my wires crossed slightly whilst posting that and another post on another forum, turns out I called a bug eye a turbo 2000 and this a WRX lol.

little_idiot

A likely story!





Jus' Jokin
James

oh, and welcome to the forum maddog!