BigAl024

Guys - Still searching the net for decent examples to go look at when I get home from Iraq.

Anyone got some good advice for buying a p1 in particular? There are bound to be a few cars out there badged/bodged up as P1's that aint really.

Do prodrive issue certificates similar to the PPP kits on newages?

Whats the score with engine blow-ups at 50k?(In laymans terms - eg: Scraremongering or not)

Also i've seen examples that have colour coded strips on the doors (Half way up), and some that have black strips. Any significance in this?

Any other points that are worth noting are greatly appreciated.

Al


p.s - I'm sorry if this has been done to death before - And no i havent searched. I'd like up-to date info.

THANKS

CyprusScooby

Hi mate,

After previous personal experience, I would personally go for a Type-R STI V5/6. They are a much better drivers car with more toys. They share the same engine which unfortunately does seem to suffer from a lot of problems.
Most P1's/Type-R's seem to have had engine rebuilds by now.

Whichever one you buy, make sure you budget for engine re-builds etc.

Anyway, keep up the good fight and stay safe out there.

Odds on

Prodrive didn't issue any certificates. But if you call a dealer with the reg number, they will be able to confirm if its genuine or not. (They wont supply you with certain parts if your not an owner, so they do know)

The door strips have been added by owners and aren't standard. It just depends if they have had them painted before attaching them.

Make sure its got uprated brakes, or budget to get some. The standard items are not up to the job.

And then there's the engine blow up myth. The don't all explode at 50k like some people say, but they will explode if you hold them flat out for a long time.. You need to be doing 150+ (alledgely ) for quite a few miles.

petedotuk

P1's r great bits of kit, However I also would go for the V5 type-r, lots more toys, lighter same engine but built with better components so you can acheive a lot more for your money, plus if my figures right they r aroud 140kilos lighter and 3-4grand cheaper on a like for like basis.

P.s Done 6mths in Iraq with the Royal Irish and 1 year in Afgan with the Anglians so I know what ur going through. Keep up the fight.

H4RDY-P1

iTrader: (46)

Yes as odds on says the engine's only blow due to top speed runs and people fitting mods like induction kits and decat exhausts without re-mapping them to suite,and also running them on sh*t fuel/poor maintainence,
yes get one with the alcon/prodrive front 330mm breaks loads have them,and the 18"alloy upgrade,they do have a plate under the bonnet on the pas side strut top which has the build number out a 1000 etched on to,if i were buying one again i would go for one which has allready had a rebuild and mods with a good remap.

cheers pete.

STiFreak

iTrader: (4)

If you still have your heart set on a P1, probably the best place to look for info is the P1 owners forum P1woc.co.uk

Daz187

iTrader: (2)

You could have mine for the right price
It's had the engine rebuild and had uprated pads to get the brakes upto shape.
She's in bed for the winter aswell

I haven't had a type r but all i know is the P1 is an awsome car and i've loved ever minute of it.

beef-on-the-bone

iTrader: (5)

was told this by alan jeffries too

he said the engine is happier as long as it's going up and down the rev range

BigAl024

Thanks guys. Only 4 more weeks left here hopefully, the I can come home, have a holiday, get pished, then go visit some garages.

*Not necessarily in that order!*

BigAl024

Any ideas what year the final Type R's were made? 1999?

p1prodrive

iTrader: (3)

P1 Web Owners Club :: Warning, may contain nuts! good bunch of lads on there

Az Sti Type R

Yes, 99 AFAIK.

g7prs

iTrader: (5)

A mint example here....

https://www.scoobynet.com/private-sa...1-up-sale.html

BigAl024

Thanks mate - But I'm looking at trade cars at the mo, as i've got my Golf GTi to part-ex.

scoobynutta555

Here we go again, OP asks for advice on P1s and he straight away gets people saying buy a typeR. Latest myth that typeRs are 140 kilos lighter than a P1

Go to the P1 owner club link above and you won't go far wrong.

BigAl024

Thanks mate. Am registering now. TBH I know very little about either model, so all good gen is appreciated.

I've my heart set on a P1 though...

scoobynutta555

Each model might suit you depending on what you're using the car for. An everyday car, especially motorways, then I'd get a P1, no question. A weekend car I'd go for a typeR (you'll see at least 50 mpg extra on a tank due to the taller gearing on a P1). Forget what people describe as added 'toys' on a typer, they are just that, toys for 90% of drivers. The dccd diff control makes fast driving much harder and can see you driving slower unless you are a very, very good driver. The waterspray is little more than a gimmick, the water runs out very fast indeed. There are various other differences a typeR has over the P1, but none IMHO that makes it a better car. With a P1 you also get special edition status, a car that won't bite your **** on a B road (50-50 spower splits compared to 64-36 typeR), 17 inch wheels, a better bodykit and less firm suspension, ideal for normal road driving, not forgetting ABS of course.

Both engines are reliable to a point. When you do reach that point you won't get a bill for less than 3k for a rebuild from a reputable garage. You won't be spending money on anything else unless the car is being abused.

CyprusScooby

Yeah I think some maybe even rolled over to the start of 2000. My Type-R V5 was 1999.

Gordo

BigAl024

I've had a P1 from new (very much a heart purchase and have never regretted it). Fully intend keeping it and I still grin every time I look at it. I used it as an every day car for 4 years before moving and becoming a london commuter - P1 sits in the garage and only comes out to play at weekends and on long runs.

Random thoughts:

- 18" wheels are a must (Prodrive set the suspension up for UK roads on 18"s - I ran mine briefly on 17"s and it understeered - the 18"s are perfect). Apparently it couldn't be sold in Europe on 18"s as you can't fit snow chains with them. Check the wheels for chips - they're not easy to get hold of originals and they're not cheap.
- have a good look at the front skirt - it costs about £400 to have it resprayed (mine's been done twice) and about twice that to fit a new one. It's both prone to stone chips and, more importantly, easy to scrape in multi-storeys / kerb it when parking nose in. The latter makes it nose dive over time - I'm about to have new one fitted to tidy it up and to straighten it out.
- std disks and calipers are fine - it's the pads that are poor. I run pagid blue (semi-racing) pads and they're terrific. ie if you find a tidy car that's ok apart from not having upgraded disks I wouldn't let it put you off.
- engine - you'll hear lots of random theories on the engines. Mine went wrong 2 years ago at ~45000 miles after a dealer had fitted a new fuel mgt sensor. Nothing to do with bad fuel (only ever run on super), hard running (I was overtaking a truck in 3rd in the preak district - not long distance high speed!) and has always been serviced at main dealers. Apparently one of the causes is what happened to mine - bad sensor had caused over-fuelling of cylinder 4 which caused fuel to leak into, and de-lubricate, the crank. Lesson is to be paranoid - if it's doing anything weird on tickover turn it off and have it transported to a garage to be checked over. I've been driving it hard for the 2 years' since (although it hasn't done that many miles in the interval - perhaps another 7500) and it's fine. A re-built car, as long as it's been done by a reputable dealer etc should be fine. I don't know a lot about engine re-mapping but have never been tempted to have anything done to mine. Not sure there's convincing evidence that it helps and, if anything, I'd worry about it being detrimental.
- Check the panels - they're pretty thin / light weight and I'd imagine would attract young mums and shopping trolleys.
- I'd be wary of any toys that people have fitted - boost gauges etc - the car doesn't need them and it would suggest there may be hidden changes you can't see.

Good luck - it's still the best looking impreza IMO and you'll love owning one!

Gordo

Alan Jeffery

My P1 was really sweet. I imported it from Guernsey with 8000 miles on it. Despite the fact that we are supposed to be all part of the same Country, importing a car from there is a right kerfuffle!
I ran it to 19000 then sold it as they were fetching good money at that time.
(£18750) and I wanted a car to modify. The P1 I had was too good for that!
The new owner was convinced at first it had been resprayed as there wasn't a mark on it anywhere, but it was every bit as good and original as I said it was, and the man took it with him. I'd like to know how it is now if anybody knows? The last time I saw it, it had my plate on P14ALJ