Feffers

Hi all,
I have posted a few newbie questions over the last week and have a couple more if thats ok.
I basically know bugger all about scoobys (apart from they go like stink) and as I am on the lookout for a mid 90's WRX import I thought I best read up. Just bought this months "Japanese performance" mag which has got an Impreza supplement in it. Iknew these were fast but is it true that the WRX import does the 0-60 run in 4.9 seconds?!?!? That is truly staggering. This has got me wondering as to how reliable a car with supercar performance is 10 years in to its life. Im assuming most of its owners have enjoyed a bit of spirited driving! Can someone who owns one comment on the below?

How reliable are 10 year old WRX's?
Realistically what kind of running costs will I be looking at, Services etc?
Is it a realistic car to own day to day. I dont cover alot of miles but I dont want to be ploughing money into keeping it on the road (apart from fuel of course). Insurance has been ok'd so thats not an issue.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

automodellistagt

i cnat answer technical but let me get my slippers and my dads hat on....

why buy a £4k car, when youre going to have to spend another £4k on it in reserve for the eventual blow-up? why not buy a £7k car and keep 1k for the inevitable (less expensive hopefully) blowup.

read into that what you will :s

Elmer Fudpucker

Hmmmm,10 year old Import WRX?

now just where did I put that bargepole

Feffers

Thats what I need to find out - Is buying a 10 yr old WRX a case of waiting for the engine to blow? I have seen at least 5 examples on the web for 5 grand with between 50 and 80 thousand miles. Surely this isnt blowup territory!?!

555wrx

As with all things, it depends on how its been looked after, how its been driven etc etc.
A low mileage thats had the nads thrashed off it is more likely to let go than a high mileage thats been regulary serviced and driven with care.

automodellistagt

you have to remember that even the latest 2000 imported imprezas may have been neglected and blow up. Cars from that era i wouldnt touch. I'd liken it to buying an Escort RS turbo: great fun, blimin quick in a straight line, but it is allways going to blow up so you have to expect it

Feffers

Cheers for your advice lads. I understand that if a car isnt looked after its liable to blow up. So would a, lets say a 96 WRX with 60k on the clock which has been looked after be a bad buy for 5k? If this is the case why are there so many WRX's for sale with 100+k miles on the clock? Surely they cant be that prone to exploding? Or can they....
Obviously in an ideal world I would like to spend 10k but this isnt possible. If the WRX is basically a complete no go I will wait for a couple of years to get one.
Cheers

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

The crucial issue here is how it's been looked after and if it has been run on the correct grade of fuel. WRX's are imports and- as such- are designed to run on higher grade fuel than we have in the UK. If the car has been run on SUL, preferably Optimax, with octane booster for the duration of its stay in the UK, it should be OK. Similarly if it was remapped for UK fuel then it should be ok. Running a car on lower grade fuel means engine goes pop sooner rather than later.If it hasn't been in the UK for long, much of it's service history may be incomplete, or in Japanese. These cars must be serviced properly, if not, it's just a matter of time before they go pop!

HOWEVER,

The older the car and more owners its had, the harder it becomes to
ascertain the car has been looked after. IF you can find a WRX from an enthusiast that's been imported from nearly new, had only one or two owners and has been well looked after, then it may be worth considering. EVEN then, bare in mind it is a 10 year old car, and some parts/consumables may need replacing! For example, replacing a clutch on a Turbo takes about 5 hours! and is, accordingly, very expensive.You'll then need to look after it properly, which means bills every 6 months, maybe more, and the cost of SUL and Octane booster, and only premium quality oil.

Personally, I'd wait till you've got about 7.5k to spare and buy a well documented UK turbo. It's just must less risky.

They are very reliable cars, if looked after properly, if not they can be absolute money pits!

All the best

punkie

If your going to buy a 10 year + car of this type use a dealer.

There are various importers in magazines such as Japanese performance
who can help.

As said earlier routine services are a must.

You will find though that the imports for some reason are of a lower milage
than most UK spec cars.

I bought a mint MY96 WRX Wagon with 43K on the clock for £5495 last year.

Good luck bud

kris55

Hi Feffers
Im in the same boat as you and looking for a nice WRX
I have found quite a few and its like buying any car if its import or not you run the risk of buying a lemon the only thing I can say is when you see the car you wont you will know it
Well thats how I buy and tuch wood I have bought some diamonds you have to over look little things like My GTi-6 I had bought it as it had done 7500 miles with FSH but the wheels were in a bad way the 1 lady that owned it from new couldnt park for beans and thats a nice way of putting it haha
If you buy from a dealer you will get a little warrenty but at least you can opt to buying more if you wish I think if you buy a low millage one say for between £5500 and £6500 you should be ok
Try and go to a good dealer one of the guys hear said goto

http://www.k-t-c.co.uk/12545/ktc.htm

And I found a really nice WRX Sti there in Silver its a limited edition model and its an N reg just into the Uk as well its up for just short of £6k but its looks really nice very tempted but I wont one with white clocks and a digital millage counter which I was told is on 97 onwards models

Also you have to be prepared to travel this place is in West Yorkshire but I think its worth it Im not going as I said cos I in no hurry and can wait to find what I really wont
I dont think the monsy is bad for it either its In great nick
Hope this helps

VWscooby

My import WRX has just had its 10th birthday and is still going strong after 93k

It gets given a thrashing now and again (alright quite a lot ) but does get the best of everything. (fuel, oil etc) and the guy before me took the same care too.

Not all early classics are dogs and chav cars eh guys!!!!!

Danny B

I would keep well away from a high mileage "modified" WRX as it is only a matter of time before it would need an expensive engine repair.
Unless you have 10yrs worth of full service history and it's had less than 4 owners I wouldn't bother buying it.
Keep saving until you can afford a new model.

punkie

[QUOTE=VWscooby]My import WRX has just had its 10th birthday and is still going strong after 93k

It gets given a thrashing now and again (alright quite a lot ) but does get the best of everything. (fuel, oil etc) and the guy before me took the same care too.

Not all early classics are dogs and chav cars eh guys!!!!! [/QUOTE]

No their not !!!!!

Feffers

Thanks for the advice lads. I think im gonna be patient and go and see a few and get a feel for them. Cheers for the info Kri55 I would expect that a decent warranty on one of these is pretty much essential! Ill check out those people you mentioned.

Good work all, this forum is certainly second to none when it comes to getting advice!!

Feffers

Just checked that Sti out Kri55. What a beut!!!

kris55

Told you so Feffers
It doesnt have any alarm on it as its fresh into the Uk I phoned today about it
If it had the white dials and the digital milometer I would have been down the test driving it today
And yes I would have taken my son out of skool to do so he would have loved it
His not been happy with me since I sold the Gti for a 5 year old he has good taste when it comes to cars haha
Good luck Feffers with your search