Fisticuffs

Hi all

After spending a good few months reading different forums, looking on auto-trader and other sites at various cars, I now feel im going round in circles.

I will have 6k for an impreza this December / January and don’t want to buy one that will blow up after 5 miles. There is lots of tech advice about, but as a bit of a layman to cars, could I get a turbo 2000 for this amount, or will I really be looking at the chavved up dregs at this price. If so what would I be looking at spending for mid-range not perfect but not critically (and potentially £3000 engine rebuilding) buggered impreza.

Any other advice would also be received well.

Thanks in advance

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

You can buy a perfectly good Turbo for this money.

Question is, can you afford to insure and run it?

No such thing as a cheap scooby I'm afriad!

Ns04

Shark Man

You should get a straight low mileage 98-00 model for that price.

Finding one is another matter. Lots of so called petrolheads overvalue their sheds so you have the dross mixed in with the gems at that price. So you have a hunt on your hands. A car thats used as regular transport by a normal person will probably be a better car for you than one used as a weekend toy by an enthusiatic petrolhead (the latter will have lower miles, but will be modded, used hard, and will have internal drivetrain wear because of that - despite the mileage. Unless its blown already and been rebuilt ).

One way to make it easier is to bin any adverts of cars with anyform of needless mods - dumpvalves, stickers, or even mods altogether as it will usually point towards a driver that uses the car hard (doesn't matter about warming up/cooling down mumbo jumbo...it'll still wear out quicker), and it wouldn't help insurance either.

<--- FYi, my MY97 2000 Turbo with 40K went for £5.5K If it weren't for the door dings, it would have been a concours car.

Fisticuffs

Running and insuring are no problem as that comes under "Entertainment" or "Little pleasures in life" to be able to drive around in a good car.

Is the worry of spending quite a wedge on something that is already broken that bothers me.

Nice to know that there are low mileage ones out there Shark-man. Are there any obvious ways to make sure that the mileage is genuine?

Thanks

classic Subaru Si

Agree with shark man, got mine about 6 months ago for 5.5k form Subaru main stealer! It's a minter - 1 owner FSH and bog standard! I was looking for months to find one this good though, and ended up in getting this in Huddersfield! Good look with the search mate, and be patient! One will turn up eventually!!

Mikkel

If you can buy a second hand performance car that hasn't been driven hard at some point in it's life you have found an extremely rare, if not mythical, car IMO.

I disagree with Sharkman and think you are better buying from an enthusiast as, although they may occasionally drive them hard, they do look after and maintain them properly. Enthusiast, not boy racer by the way!

Shark Man

Service history, backed up by every single bill, invoice reciept spent on the car, as well as prior MOTs...Stamps in a service book are one thing, but the invoices proving the money was spent maintaining the car are even more valuable.

Unfortunately, many owners (and dealers) throw this away.

Shark Man

My point was mainly aimed at it being used as weekend car, (much like fair weather bikers), almost eveytime the car sees use, its used hard. Rather than a daily driver whereby much of the use will be for general commuting, with the odd blast inbetween

Maintanence is one thing. But its equally rare to find a petrolhead who know that hard use requires more frequent oil changes than what the service book dicates (which is scheduled on normal use, not hard use), when it comes to the actual technical bits, they still fall foul IMO....Usually leaving the car in the hands of whatever garage who works on it, who is unaware of what hard use the car gets- which is what many enthustiastic owners do. So is not imo, any guarantee the car will be any better.

Pros and cons either way, just in my experience when looking and test driving various cars, that vehicles owned by more enthusistic owners generally don't seem to be any better.

But the bottom line with regards to mainatanence still stands that bills and invoices of work done, and equally important; What was done and when it was done, says volumes on the car's history.

Fisticuffs

Thanks for the replys so far, good info in all of them.

Again, Im not looking for the perfect impreza, just one without a timebomb with a short fuse under the bonnet planted by a boy racer.

Anyone else want to throw their 2p worth in?

Daz1121

I've got a MY00 T2000 with full Subaru service history and I'm the second owner. Have all the bills for work done and only small mods are a Magnex exhaust and green panel air filter which I've had done. I bought the car as standard about 2 years ago and it took a lot of finding. Good luck with your search and you will find the car you want eventually, it may just take time but it's worth it.

bob r

iTrader: (46)

By December you will be able to afford a newage STI the way they depreciate.

Mikkel

Here here, depressing!

I lost £2k in 2 years on a 350Z, I've lost that in 2 months on my Impreza lol

The Chief

I've just sold my MY99 UK Turbo 2000 with 84k full sh and loads of receipts excellent condition for 4150 so 6k shoudl get you one with a lot lower mileage in as good if not better nick

Ryo

Got mine a year ago - UK 2000 Turbo - Totally standard, no mods - Full Subaru Service History - 1 previous owner - low milage.

If I were to do it all again I would go the same way as the car is mint, reliable and has been looked after.

But as Daz1121 said above, it may take a while to find the right one.

Even some cars that say "no mods" may have had mods taken off and original parts put back on, so look out for that.

Just be careful and make sure you look around.

Be prepared to pay for repairs and services - maf went on mine the first week I bought it. Needed new tyres soon after then services - it all adds up! So even with a clean example still be prepared to pay out some.

Fisticuffs

Again, all good info, its making me feel better hearing some good experiences as well as seeing the usual "My engine just blew up" and "my wheels fell off forcing me into a bus full of nuns on their way to a puppy sanctuary" threads.

So general consensus is I should be able to "Hunt" for a decent t2000 with <80,000 miles on the clock, but they are rare. Then be prepared to start paying for some of the consumables brakes, wheels, MAF's etc (expected on a car like this).

Stay away from boy racers, anything without a FSH and I should be halfway to not getting screwed.

Cheers fellas, and I would still like to hear from people who had good / bad experiences of buying a car around this mark.

gtijames

i got mine two weeks back,1999 v reg 42k miles,great condition,1 mature owner,folder full of history with bills for everthing i paid £4900 for it.had to travel 300 miles to get it and it took about six months for the right car to turn up but the wait was well worth it.
oh and its got ppp which is nice
so with a 6k budget you will find a cracker but just be patient.there are still good unmolested examples out there.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

You lucky barsteward!!

I'd argue that you got that car well below the price the owner could have asked for it!!

gtijames

i was lucky ,the car was up for £5000 i asked if there was any chance of a bit knocked off the price,when i went to view he said i could have it for £4900 didnt argue just ripped his hand off.

Ryo

Great find !

I mean just look at it - obviously standard since new (still got orange bits on the front) - a very good buy indeed.

<------ check my pics - mines identical (apart from different wheels - still standard ones though)

And the comment on invoices for services above, spot on. Service invoices sometimes have "tecnicians reports" on them, or "service advice" sections highlighting issues found during service, or maintenance items.

gtijames

ryo yours is a nice clean example,im not going to be doing much in the way of mods just a de tango for now,btw how much did it cost you to have the aircon fitted i quite fancy getting that done.

Ryo

Thanks mate - I have already started on de-tango as its a sensible clean mod. Those orange triangles (doritos!) are now black on my car.

Havent bought the crystal light pack yet as I spent all my cash on Air-Con......which was not cheap!

I do lots of miles for work, and with summer coming just had to dive in and get it done. Looked into doing it myself with all the bits - (seemed too daunting and I am no expert with motors) so I got my local Subaru approved service center to do it.

Was about £1500 to do (ouch) but was done as per the dealer option when new. The whole kit was new and fitted by coolair I think.

Best & only mod I have done!

However there are some guys on here who have done it themselves after getting all the bits themselves (breakers etc). And I know it cost a fraction of what I paid.

gtijames

wow £1500 is a lot of money but i suppose that it has been done to original spec using new parts so understandable.looks like ill just have to keep on using the old fashioned open the window method for now lol.

staffy-bull

hi, just to say dont rush in and buy a dog.. looks can dicieve..
i bought mine two weeks ago a 1998 classic turbo 2000 with prodrive performance pack (with certificate) absolutley mint inside and out, new rubber all round, FSSH plus recipts, few miles 107k (not really an issue, runs and drives superb) £2900..BARGAIN
[IMG]dsc00719[/IMG]

helium3

iTrader: (1)

you should get a good one for that price,maybe even a bugeye if your lucky.

i would look for a low mileage car thats been looked after,full history and the likes preferably standard,if not i would look for something that has had an engine rebuild but comes with all the history etc,and would avoid most turbos that have around 70-90k miles mark as many of them are ready to pop.

this is just from my experience as i know a dozen(personally)or so engines that have dropped the crank at this sort of mileage,BUT NOT EVERY ENGINE DOES THIS!


take your time and good luck!

staffy-bull

just what i was told,,, got friend that works at a rally school and one works at silverstone.. both saying milage before 70k or after 90k...

MisterMelon

iTrader: (3)

Yeh i have to agree dont rush in and buy the first thing you see, even though you may feel fed up and just want to settle for anything. I spent about 10 months looking for the right one (but i was being fussy on the colour ) and I saw some real terrible examples of the impreza during this time. When you find the right one the feeling will be there and you'll know its for you.

6k should get you a cracking example i bought mine earlier this year, 2001 with 67k on the clock including a full service history and receipts with all work carried out. Also got a 12month MOT and 6 months tax out of the garage. It was in the garage for 6,500 and i got it for 5k and part ex'ed my little N reg 306, Heres some pics of my beauty.





Melon.