Pars

Hi there :up:

http://www.jcimports.co.uk/SportsDetail.cfm?recordID=33

I am thinking of buying this and I want a balance of opinion.

Is the engine likely to be ready for UK fuel (i.e. Optimax)? I would be a little disconcerted if it was sold whilst still in need of becoming UK-safe.

What are the other things to bear in mind? (I am aware of the radio frequency, alarm and rear foglight issues with Jap imports, and these would be catered for).

Once I buy my WRX and pay the insurance, I don't want a shed load of necessary / mandatory UK-specific alterations to organise. I just want a good-looking standard car.

The guy is being pretty explicit and I am fairly happy with the discussion so far. But he is the seller innit

Comments, experiences, musings etc most welcome

mo,s scoobymonster

himate it won't be ready for uk fuel as all jap cars run on 100 ron fuel. so you'l have to put optimax and octane booster on it. also to be safe invest in a knocklink senser. another point is if the car is a 94then if its 10 years to todays date old you don't have to do a sva test for it. it will also be running in kmph so you can buy a converter for £70 this will make it run in mph and also will derestrict it so you can go past 112mph. hope that helps

Jamescsti

I just bought an import STi of a similar age,
I had to get it converted to MPH, as i'm not bothered about it going over 112mph for the mo i bought a new clock face of Ebay for £16 to convert it to mph display.
I also asked for the timing belt changed which they did for me for free
Mine had a blocked radiator which needed sorting as well

Pars

Thanks chaps :up:

I'm not one for pasting correspondence but this is from the exchange:

"It is a totally standard car apart from the alloys, which I have attached a photo of as well as the seat to show there is no wear on the side walls.

When the vehicle arrives we first send it for an mot as a general check. Then we convert the km to miles and delimit it, we also fit a band expander so that it picks up the uk radio frequencies and a rear fog light, which we fit nicely next to the rear number plate. We then if needed (ie under 10 years`old) prep and sva test them. The vehicle is a November 1994 so if it remains unsold we will prob wait till its 10 years old, but if you want it we will get it ready asap."

In layman's terms, is he saying that he is sorting the 112MPH thing?

sKunk

Good luck Pars

simplyscooby

pars you have pm m8t

Pars

Thanks Skunk

SS - replied :up:

Keef69

Personally, I think it's a lot of money for the car. There is one near me ( Hove), silver WRX, been in the country just 3 months, he wants £4,500 now as he can't sell it! Been in Autotrader several weeks for offers around £5,000 and no calls. Great condition and standard everything. I bought mine recently MY97 STi version 3 for £5,500 privately. I'd say, keep looking and maybe buy one that's already registered as all the necessary bits and bobs have been done. Plus if it's been in the country a a couple of years, it should have blown by now, if it's going too!

Still that's my opinion. Whatever you buy, you'll love it! Good luck

Pars

Thanks for all the feedback and PMs so far... what a cool place

Factors in this:

1) I have a car to shift too. If I buy private I need a workaround. I would need the car until I swap as travelling to see WRX examples is gonna be inevitable and necessary.

2) It needs to be standard

3) It needs to look good (no crappy alloys or flat spoiler)

4) It needs to be UK ready / compliant / coherent in a UK motoring sense

kilo_4que

That seems a lil expensive man. Cud pick up a sti version 1 for that much

Pars

But I haven't seen the right car on Auto Trader yet... I am exploring as many options as I know

Ultimately I want a UK car.

Pars

I know this might seem boring to some but I do need the advice... so allow me to bump this in the hope that others comment

I have only had 'average' cars before now but have deeply wanted a WRX for a long time... and now I can afford it.

Jamescsti

It seems overpriced, bearing in mind I got an STi V1 for 4800 a few weeks ago, because it has a couple of small dents to sort

Pars

Where from?

jmc1968

You could probably get a UK car for less money, with less mileage on it.
Have a look on e bay,
It seems far to much money for a standard 96 Import

jmc1968

Forgive me a 94 Import, don't buy it

Jamescsti

Keighly trade centre, think i landed lucky, because it was a wagon there was not much interest in it so I got a good deal.
A lot of people don't like them, and they do sell some fairly tatty cars mixed in with the good one's but sometimes you can get lucky!

Pars

I agree entirely in principal but on ebay and on AT the cars haven't been suitable so far... I am looking every day, several times a day. I don't want to compromise on colour, miles or even sunroof

The first guy that PM'ed me... give proper details of the silver WRX and I can assure serious talks :up:

Pars

James: I don't want an estate... no kids and my dog is way small

Jamescsti

Appreciate that mate, they sell saloons as well, but when I went there it was to look at a 555 which when i got there was no such thing, might be worth a look though they have a website.

P.S I don't have kids either (single bloke) and the Scooby is way too small for the two dog's I have!! :LOL:

NotoriousREV

Definately too expensive, I paid that much for my MY93 2 years ago and prices have dropped a lot since then.

Why do you want a standard one? You'll buy it standard and start reading Scoobynet, so you'll add a panel filter, and then get a full decat for it, then a boost controller, then an FMIC, then a hybrid turbo and 2.5 STi bottom end, then headers and injectors and pretty soon you'll be skint and wish you'd bought one with all the bits on it in the first place

Buzzer

Words from the wise

Keef69

Try SIDC This WRX is up for £4,000 now!


http://forums.sidc.co.uk/messageview...threadid=21317

StickyMicky

get this instead

http://www.jcimports.co.uk/SportsDetail.cfm?recordID=37

Pars

Emailed him for pics and registration

Thanks for the heads up K

mt fuji

a little expensive, i paid 5k for my95wrx import with 63k on it,did not know the jap history but only had 2 uk owners before i brought it, i done me homework,checked chassis numbers codes ect,massive load of paperwork for servicing,cambelt,all oils incl diffs and gearbox and rocker cover and power steering pump gaskets had been done (common problems)well looked after,and only ever run optimax. a reputable dealer should include the sva in the price (if needed),also if the car is the one in the photo,the rear spolier is not standerd and its unusual to find ac and a sunroof on the same car in my experince,but as they say the chocie is yours.

Pars

The spoiler is not standard? I like that spoiler way more than the 'flat' type :\

Also, I have to have a sunroof :up:

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Skunk, did u sell a mongoose decat downpipe on ebay

Pars

These seller dudes don't seem to like answering the further questions needed when thinking to buy... my PM'ers and the other dude have all gone quiet when I have probed further :\

sKunk

Not me mate.