swtmerce

Hi Scoobynetters I hope you can help!

I have sold my 03 WRX (fingers crossed the deal goes as planned!) and have a maximum of £7K to spend on its replacement. The replacement will be an older Impreza. The following is what I have been thinking and where I need some opinions please.

Option 1 - spend £7K and get a clean low mileage UK Turbo on anything up to a V/W reg.
Option 2 - spend the same and get an older, higher mileage JDM STi or WRX
Option 3 - The 'dilemma' option - spend about £4K on a similar aged car but with high mileage and spend the remaining £3K on rebuilding the engine and modifying it for more power and better handling.

This way I could be more assured of the engine's long term future so long as it's built right, I assume? Of course, other things can go wrong other than the engine, but those will go wrong eventually anyway. So, what are your thoughts wise people? Is £3K enough? What are your experiences with rebuilt engines? etc etc

swtmerce

what no opinions? On the most opinionated forum going? I'm amazed! ; )

EddScott

£3K isn't going to get an older Impreza reconditioned. Sure it will pay for an engine rebuild but that would take up say £2K. That leaves £1K.

Assuming you've bought say an MY95/96 you'd probably be looking to update the look of the car and that would easily swallow up that 1K. Then soon after the 'box gives up the ghost and you need another 1K for a new 'box.

If I were buying now for the first time I would go for classic STI rather than UK turbo. I love my UK but would rather an STI.

RLE

iTrader: (2)

Agree with the above. I used to have a 97 UK turbo and spent thousands taking the power up to around 320 bhp and altering the handling. Dont get me wrong it was a very nice car and I wish I still had it but I'd often wished I'd have started with the Sti as a base car.

I guess at the end of the day you need to establish where you want to go with the car and how much power you crave.

Best of luck

[Davey]

I'd go for the cheap car and spend the money on it, We've just done the same sort of thing except I've spent my time and not so much money getting it up to scratch .. Spend just over £2k and have a great 94WRX to show for it...