Squadron-Leader

Well its not.

I had a Mitsubishi 'Lack of' Charisma for Wed/Thu while my 04 Wagon was in for it's 20K service. The Charisma did it's job, went OK and even had a few toys like an elecy sunroof

Anyway.... got back in the Scoob Thu PM and it instantly made me realise just how good this car is. The handling, the power, the noise, it bought a smile to my face

So many people loose sight of what the Impreza is all about, or sl*g it off for no real reason. Try driving a few 'run of the mill' cars for a bit and then get back in your Scoob, you'll not be disappointed

J.

FrenchBoy

Aye tis true...

Scooby Dan

RUBBISH,NEVER NEVER NEVER.

Some cars are more comfortable ,cheaper to run and some might argue a nicer place to be, but that just misses the point of what the Scooby is all about.
I love my Impreza, it gives me a buzz everytime I drive it.

BigMikeyBoy

Sqd Ldr,
i only know to well what you are on about....
I also have the luxury of driving one of those courtesy cars when mine is in for servicing etc. Talk about chalk and cheese!

When i gets back in the blue beast, it instantly puts a vey big smile back on my face!

Mikey

SirFozzalot

Agreed

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

yeah right

PHILYB

I hav a P1 don,t do a lot of miles, when i get back in her,

ITS AWESOME.

Luke C

iTrader: (1)

Quite funny you shoud say that.

Was having a conversation about my Type R the other day about how the build quality is pretty crummy. The wind noise at high speed is terrible and when I open the pop top it makes the most awful noise on my window as it does not seal too well.

Even after all that though I just dont want anything else! Its just so much fun and always puts a massive smile on my face!

There are loads of great cars out there and Ive driven plenty of them and plenty more very expensive sports cars. The scoob is still the most fun by far.

And is it just me or do equal length tubular headers with a full 76mm system make the scoob sound even cooler!?!?

Luke C

iTrader: (1)

Tis true. I only drive my Type R at the weekends, makes the weekend so much better!

dpb

Mine went fine apart from costing a small fortune to fuel , brakes that wouldnt stop a morris minor, seats that gave back ache after 1/2 hr,coil packs that packed up........

scoobfan

I don't see how you can compare your Scooby to a Mitsi Carisma, it's a different type of car.

Now, if you had been given a Mitsi Evo, which is compairable you may be
writing something different !

Rob

p1doc

at moment drive ford ka during week to keep mileage down,got home last weekend daughter goes me go in daddy's car got in gave it a blast with her window down and smiles all round from me and my daughter,how many cars do that?
martin

Squadron-Leader

Scoobfan...

I'm not really comparing the two, just making the point that after driving around for a couple of days in an average car, it makes me appreciate what my Impreza is. If I'd of been given an Evo.... I'd still be on the run now

Ali-B... I suppose you're right. It is only a 'hefty' WRX wagon putting out 260, with Prodrive springs etc etc, but I love the Handling, the Power and the Noise.... and forgot to mention it's bl**dy good for the shopping runs too!

J.

scoobfan

You and me both mate !!

Rob

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

All about perspective and all things being relative isn't it? If a Scooby is your only car, it becomes the norm. You get accustomed to its handling and performance etc... hence why most people modify their cars, but its a vicious circle, as you'll need to keep modding as you become accustomed to each stage of modifications.

Getting into another car, puts things into perspective and illuminates what is good about your Scooby.

NS04

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

People who say that Scoobies arent that fast do make me laugh!

0-60 in 4.8 = fast enough! Especially in a car that'll carry 5 occupants and their shopping in relative comfort.

NS04

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

That's the point, stats and figures don't mean squat. The car has very little soul or involvement, feedback or sensation (although non-GT Porsches of late seem to have suffered the same sad fate ). It's excellent considering it costs less than £20K and when compared the like of Old Mondeos, Vectras or Corrollas (not Primera GTs though ) nothing betters it. But when compared to cars of much high calibre and cost (Porsches, CSLs, TVRs NSXs etc) it can't hold a candle, and that is not surprising. Although some owners seem to get disilusioned into thinking they do because they can out-drag them off a traffic light and have the bottle to go round a bend just that bit faster than what the other driver thinks is safe or beyond their ability

So you admit that it needs modifying then. So you wouldn't argue as standard it's abit, well, "average"

noobscoob

Sorry Ali but the primera gt was one of the blandest,foulest grandad with a box of hankies on the rear parcel shelf kinda of car ever!! and did someone say 150 bhp...my god hold back those ramapaging stallions

but please..for all of us not in the know..what automotive gem do you drive to quaff at the impreza so much. must be something special indeed!!

having sold mine i am struggling to find a competitor to match such a fantastic allrounder vehicle that offers power,practicality,road presence and sheer grin factor. anyone selling a nissan primera bwhahaha!!

Squadron-Leader

Ali-B

I think the WRX does benefit from some choice modifications... but there again I'm just into modding cars. I could have left mine as standard (as many owners do) but it's just not me.

This will make you laugh... I used to own an automatic Carlton 2.0 CDi that was modified. It had PI Springs, Bonini Bosal rear and centre exhaust, KN57i, FSE boost value, up rated injectors, up rated fuel pump, Bosch Super 4 plugs, Carlton GSi grill, de-badged and loads of ICE.

Still a big wallowy barge, but very comfortable.

As for ‘Average’…. we could argue the WRX is a bit average, but I'm not going to

J.

Varboy

Ali - B,

Please be more specific with your terms used such as 'The car has very little soul or involvement, feedback or sensation'.

I realise that ones opinion of a car is based very much on their own experiences and feelings but magazines such as EVO who test drive the most impressive of automotive exotica get on with the Impreza and I haven't heard them describe driving one in the same way you have.

Not a flame, just nice to hear valid opinion.

B.I.G SCOOB

ive had a lot a cars and the impreza is the best,after a year it still brings a smile to my face when i open her up!awesome growl from the boxer,goes exactly where you point it and feels safe as houses!great fun

catmeat

Really only use mine at weekends so i dont really ever get used to it,as for mods i think its just part of the whole impreza scene,u never see a scoob with exactly the same mods or looks as another which is just another reason to love them even more!

JTaylor

What a rubbish car!

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Many miss the Primara's forté, The primera is without doubt the best handling FWD 4 door saloon chassis out there. Sure it is completely gutless and devoid of any character, but comparing to mudanoes and vectras it shines in the handling department, for that I couldn't put it my listing

LOL, now I can't be too specific as it varies from classic to new age and UK to JDMs. But typically the PAS is far far far too light, it's a typical trend of Japanese cars to have over-assisted steering, so its not just an Impreza thing. To make matters worse, non-sti's have a large number of turns locks to lock - making the PAS somewhat pointless anyway imo. In turn this removes alot of feeling and involvement alone. If your were born and bred on performance cars with low assistance pas or no pas you would appreciate this. As this detracts so much from overall involvement as well as feel or sensation. Then the brakes follow suite, over assisted and spongy which gives nothing to proportion the effort and also masking the actual capability of the braking system, so after pressing on your left with useless brakes before you even expect it.

Then accompanied with the usual "safe" dynamics of the car, geared for understeer, yet still with the reminants of the snappy back end leaves you with car that although in most circumstances is OK, and grips well. Needs no effort to go round bends fast, until pushed beyond the limit, whereby it catches almost every "glory driver" fool out every time by ploughing them backwards into the nearest obstacle on a off-camber or mid-bend braking maneuver or just leaves them going wide through a hedge into the next field.

In the end of the day it’s a £20K car and you get exactly what you pay for and nothing more (unless you mod it ! ). Just don’t kid yourselves

No-bars Krud

Jason - you talking about the red hatchback? What a great car ! When the Impreza was in for the turbo upgrade, injectors, etc, I had the red beast for a week. I drove it home, and it stayed on the drive the whole week until I drove it back. I used the 1.8GL in preference. Waste of a courtesy car really !

Ben WRX Bug-Eye

One of the best things about the Impreza is its ability to keep up with cars costing a massive amount more – so you do in some ways get more than you pay for. To illustrate the point, the 400bhp Vauxhall Monaro 6 litre (the one that is supposed to handle well) couldn’t go around Top Gears test track quicker than the 265bhp STi!

As for modifying them, the reason people do it is because every car is built around a set of compromises. By modifying your car you are simply tweaking it more towards your own specific set of priorities.

SCOOBYD00

Rubbish... well.. went off one.... then sold it... got another... sold it & finally came to my senses and got another! Keeping it this time. Great cars. Had double the power in another JDM car...but not in the same package. Scooby great all rounder IMHO

Varboy

Ali-B
I do see what you are saying now. I agree especially re the the steering. I don't think you can judge a car too much though by how light it's steering is. If find the steering wheel perfectly communicative, but do wish that it would load up like a rwd car. Saying that, every turned the wheel in a fully prepared 4wd rally car? You could probably turn the wheel with your little finger all day long. I also find the WRX, turns is sweetly and is not put of course.

I haven't had my WRX long enough to comment on the snappy back end but when I have had the back end out (which incidentally took a lot of effort) I found it quite catchable and I don't consider myself a particularly skillful driver.

I think even if the WRX cost 30k (provided the interior wasn't made out or recycled milk cartons) it would still represent fair value for money if you are using a more £ =better driver's car equation.

I came from a BMW Z3 3.0 which modded pushed out about 263bhp. It was great fun trying to get the corners right espceciallly in the wet, but now I have changed to the WRX I have never looked back, it's a lot more fun.

StickyMicky

drove a citreon zx diesel for 2 months while the scooby had an engine rebuild and its felt amazing when i drove it again

jeremy

Ali-B- Agreed. Not the steering feel of, an old-school BMW M3, an NSX-R, any 911, Any Lotus, a Lancia Delta Integrale, Nissan Skylines, or even old school VW's. All true.

However the Impreza handles better in all road conditions than any 4wd driver to date, with the possible exception of some of the older gen Skylines-which are rather big and heavy. Unfortunately no-one has ever bothered to do a proper comparison of a good SKyline vs Impreza on demanding roads- short of Performance Car many years ago.

Indeed the on-limit handling of most all Scoobs can be somewhat agressive, and not as friendly (except maybe P1 or Litchfeilds T25??) not as neutral and safe as the granddaddy UrQuattro-which benifits from a heavy front end and overal lightness of the whole car), but then again most cars on your list are not so tossable on tough roads as a old school quattro either.

So I think a point raised now, is that we need a Porsche or a Lotus to build a true four seat supercar of Impreza proportions with the very polished handling and steering feel of a 911 or Elise, the neutrality/stability of a UrQuattro. Unfortunately not very likely at all. VW dosn't do steering or braking feel anymore and hasn't even got a legitimate 4WD system, Porsche's front engine car will be a 5000LBS beast, and Nissan's new Skyline absolutly great as I'm sure it will be, will be strictly M5 class. Alfa's new 159Q4 looks alright-could it be modified/lightened? BMW is now making a X-drive 3-series maybe that as well? Or last maybe some small player like Noble could make one from scratch? JL