MBK

Well the time has come to leave Scoobyland once more, this time after 18 months and about 14,000 miles. For those just joining the fold welcome and cut up your credit cards now!

Having grown up on a diet of the RAC Rally and hero’s like McRae and Burns and eventually being lucky enough to own a classic Turbo 2000 (after several months in a queue!) I have been a long time Scooby advocate. I followed up with a mighty P1 and after a time away during the style disaster that was the newage Bugeye I returned to the fold - this time a Blobeye STi PPP with Type 20 additions. I’m sad to say I suspect this will be the end of my Scooby journey unless Subaru seriously pull their finger out and build a new iconic car for this generation (Prodrive P2 anyone??). I have one real question - if they can’t keep customers like me who have grown up with the brand at the height of their rally reputation I wonder just who is going to buy them…

Anyway time for the nostalgic tribute to a great car, first up some videos and then the real costs of ownership:

The best bits in Video:

I will let these speak for themselves, the most fun I’ve had in a car ever – full stop.

Pembrey Trackday
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/98680f70-aed1-4b27-8e51-5fbbf24e1e99.htm
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/fdae2d32-5b26-4216-bc02-72f04c5d4559.htm

Ultimate Car Control Course
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A77FE1F9-904F-4D71-9468-27FAA8E2B689.htm

Some great Mid-Wales roads!
http://www.zippyvideos.com/2162181013817526/all_ready/

And an exciting never before seen moment of footage here!
http://www.zippyvideos.com/4854136185533596/thespin/

The Real Costs (Total £18075 - worth every penny, that’s £12050 per year or £1.29 per mile! )

Running Costs (Total £12,650)
Depreciation £6,500 – it pays to buy a year old, if I had been first owner that would have been more like £16,500 eek!!)
Fuel £3000 (MPG - best 24, worst 11, average 20ish)
Servicing, including front pads - £500
Insurance (18 months) -£1400
Tyres - £700 (see trackdays!!) (6x 17” Michelin Pilot Sport 2’s)
Oil - £50 ( “ “)
DOT 5.1 - £50 (“ “)
Tax - £250ish
Cleaning materials – £200

Modifications (Total £4425):
PPP - £0 first owner paid for that – ta very much
Type 25 suspension - £1400
Type 20 engine mods - £1600
New front discs £425 – the cost of enthusiasm after a trackday!
PFF7’s (Used) - £750 with tyres
Mud Flaps - £100
Grilles - £150

Breakdowns & Repairs (Total £0)
Only one when I tried to drown the car in a very big puddle – thanks Subaru Assist

Fines and convictions (Total £0)
I have no idea how though!

Trackdays (Total £1000)
4x Trackdays £700
3x Track Insurance £300
Fuel and tyres included in running costs above

Putting that in perspective – my first house only cost £40,000! Though you could lose the same amount of cash in the first year of ownership on many ‘executive’ cars!

And the intangible costs….

Arguments caused with Mrs over car
10 hours (minimum!) - my time must be worth £100 an hour so…

Cleaning hours
Way too many!

Hours spent driving too/from and waiting at Powerstation!
At least a day of my life!

Bar conversation hours (mines bigger, faster, better than yours!)
Literally millions like the horsepower, ever decreasing 0-60 and increasing top speed – the magic of beer!

Number of ‘Chicks’ who said they liked my 3.2V6 TT much more…
Every single one I know and many I don’t!

Number of girls attracted by a Scooby
None - over 16/outside McDonalds car parks anyway

Number of times tailgated by BMW’s, SAXO’s White Vans etc etc etc
Felt like infinity times 2

Number of Stone Chips
I gave up counting a long time ago! More than every other car I have ever owned put together.

Its been fun, sometimes scary, always fast and often slightly emotional – how may other cars can you truly say that about?

I expect I will still check in from time to time but for now I’m back off to the land of quattro and vor sprung durch technik – after all they started it!

Cheers,

Mark

njkmrs

It will be a bit of a struggle getting your heated rollers ,perm solutions and all that in the TT wont it.

But good luck to you anyway .

Gazz300

One question? Are you listening?

Where is the car going? And how much do you want for it?

And can you PM the details of the Instructor you went out with please?

Petem95

Once a chav, always a chav - you'll be back in a scooby one day

GazTheHat

Cracking thread. I've been a rally nerd pretty much like you.

Enjoy the new car, but at the back of your head, you'll miss the noise, speed, attention & rally heritage.

See you in a year?!

RMA26

Point.......

MickWrx

Superb post Mark, and excellent videos too mate.

could quote all of your phrases

But you know how this story will eventually end.....

what is it Arnie says

MickWrx

Or three questions and a request

RMA26

alwong

Very good! See you soon!

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Mark.

You didn't wait for me ... I thought we had struck a deal?!!!

Best of luck, TX.

PS

Is he gone?

MBK

Ah TX you were so close...I know, I know the cheque was in the post!

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Mark.

Shame ... I was there for you, I really was BTW BM not sold yet

Best of luck in the new TT world. FYI my wife has a TT, 225 Roadster, & I think it's a great car!

TX.

cw42

iTrader: (1)

After chatting to you at Powerstation back in January, on one of your many waits there, it seems weird to hear your leaving scoobydom
Good luck with the tt, but you will be back, no point fighting it

Like the bit about argueing, very true!

MBK

Cheers Chris, I know what you mean - it was a tough decision to let the Scoob go. I prefer to look at this as freeing up garage space for another more track biased toy!

I can honestly say I have now done everything I have ever wanted to with and in a Scoob (track days, hill climbs, x-country runs, driver training, mods etc), driven as hard and as fast as I am capable and had many many big grin moments. Somehow the time was just right to move on.

Keep having fun, cheers,

Mark

cw42

iTrader: (1)

Thanks mark, I will