White-Un

iTrader: (1)

Is it worth havin a WRX rather than a UK ???? aside from gearbox ratio's and other differences say If you were to buy one of each and do the same mods e.g.

Two pre 96's one WRX one UK
Both have full decats, air filter, scoobychip ECU, FMC, 440 injectors, walbro, Fuel Press Reg and runnin same boost say 1.2 bar would one have more bhp than the other ?? cause they would be running same map wouldn't they ?

White-un

seanie boy

if it was me id rather the jap better car i think may be not on insurance side of things but extra goodies on it makes up for it

i think japs are have more torque and bhp dont now wether the mods will make them the sam i guess jap would be more

chris25uk

jap for me to as long as you dont mind abit extra on the insurance and maybe running cost (octane booster)

hivis

iTrader: (1)

I have had both now a wrx and a uk turbo and once modified the uk car is just as good imho dont have to worry about fueling issues ie;octain booster,cheaper insurance find a uk with good history and your laughing.I dont think the difference between early uk cars and wrx's is that far apart in power anyway(excluding sti) they have they are basically the same except one is mapped to run higher octain fuel thats comparing the 2 i've had. uk turbo

rabskyline

had a few ! wrx, sti, wrx type ra, wrx 555 sti , 2x uk wagons aswell ! loved the long uk wagon gearing ! my favourite ! ive got a 555 sti and it replaced my 97 wagon which was ace off the line ! top cars for everyday, the uk wagon !!

pinky-lad

i got a jap wrx and wen i got it at the age of 22 i had the same quotes on insurance than a uk so thats why i went for it, turns out i was happy with the 280 bhp so aint modded it , after all the power jump from a veedub jetta 1.6 75bhp was enough to deal with lol

andy.downes

iTrader: (1)

I do believe a pre 96 Uk model is rated at around 208BHP, whereas the WRX is rated at either 240 or 276BHP depending on what year.

I would go UK for the simple fact is it'll be very hard to find a decent scoob pre 96 anyway, and most imports come with no history and are quite often ragged to pieces.
Insurance is not that much more I believe and I think you'll barely notice the difference (unless your last name is McCrae)

StiX

iTrader: (4)

UK: up to 99 208bhp, then 215bhp.

Jap: 236bhp, 256bhp or 276bhp.

Insurance cheaper on UK - ins gp. 17, Jap - 20.

I've had both, and would go for UK - however a well sorted STi V5 would still be nice

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

I am interested in the objective answer to this too.
As I have always owned WRX and liked then people say that the UK cars are not as raw in stock form.

I like to run about 290- 300bhp ish.....

So I could take a MY98 WRX and 280 and lightly mod it or a
MY98 UK car and have to more heavily mod it to get the same power.

When both cars are running this kind of power is there anything to choose between them in terms of how they drive. Has the WRX lost its ´raw´ advantage by this stage?

What are the actual major differnces between the two cars. Is it just the gearing and the mapping. So once the mapping has been done on a UK is it just the gearing that is a difference?

Because in some respects a well looked after UK car seems a safer bet - but I am concerned I would be disapointed in it after WRXs.

Moonloops

With all jap imports can you ever be sure that it's allways being run on the correct fuel or remapped ?? - that's the biggest issue for me.

Quatto

Why is it that UK cars produce 240bhp on the rollers when stock?

Anyway stock power statistics are totally irellevant when mods are concerned, so i can't see why people are using that as a basis when the car is modified-dur. Both pre97s use the same engines and turbo, its just minor differences between them regarding ECU programming and a bit of pipework here and there.

A scoobyECU if anyone can be bothered to read up on it (christ, its been around for over 8 years) allows a WRX to run on UK 97RON fuel, when fitted in a UK car it can no longer run on 95RON, so both have to use the same fuel.

Either way, an older JDM car can run on 97Ron on stock. It's the 280ps WRX and Sti that spat out bearings and holed pistons on UK fuel without being mapped for it. Older 240ps model can run on 97RON quite happily providing they are running right to start with (and if they were not running right, they'd still die on 100RON LOL).

However. Get the right year JDM and you will get 4pot brakes as opposed to UK's 2pots. Both the 4pots and 2pots are crap, but for what its worth, the 4pots are slightly better. LOL.

The UK gearing is annoyingly overtall when not on motorways ot fast dual carriageways. This is a personal taste, as I like the WRX RA's mega short gearing (I'm using the RA as an example - it has shorter gear than a WRX) which suits the car as it being ideal for sprints on tight tracks, but that would probably annoy the **** off anyone who has to travel at 60mph+ on the road everyday LOL.

I should mention some other bits, WRX can have a few more toys such as electric aerials anda double DIN radio (although the radio is isn't much cop, but the double DIN space is handy). And some early UK cars had tweed interior without the sports seats, paying homage to its farmer's car roots - yuk LOL.

In either case, finding a good pre 96 in any guise is highly difficult. I wouldn't dream of buying one that has been messed with either, as it often means previous owners have used the car enthusastically. Which often lead to big bills for subsequent owner and everything has worn out (engine, gearbox, turbo, suspension etc. LOL ). I like virgin cars, so me and only me gets the chance to "break" it in, LOL.

EddScott

Not quite.

The 280 quoted is on JDM fuel which is more potent than ours. So when they get here they aren't producing 280 oon UK fuel.

I'd like some more information on WRX Vs UK Gearboxes too. How different are the ratios from identical JDM and UK years.

IMO, the only reason to buy a JDM car over UK is if you can't get that model in this country STI, RA etc.