Cream

Still looking for a car....

but one thing I've noticed on autotrader is the 2 different seats. Does anyone know why this is?
this is what I'm on about, These are both WRX's and both 55 reg.






IS one a later model than the other and if so which is the later model and are there any other differences between the 2 cars?

53

iTrader: (41)

Euro imports used to have the seats in the second photo.

Cream

Ahhh, So then your into your car being and import? hence Insurance going up and being more awkward to get?
God I hate being a newbie.

HOWY

Bull**** if its an EU import there is no difference to your insurance try A Plan
I had the seats in second pic on my cyprus scooby you get 5year warranties on the transmission with them too

Cream

Calm down calm down

A-plan Quoted around £1300 for a wrx(261) Esure where £600 but won't insure imports or modded cars. Hence my coments.

HOWY

Well I know some insurers won't touch imports but A Plan did a competitive price on my EU scoob, check out Privilige too

Cream

I stand corrected, If it's a U.K. Spec import then the insurance is the same, So that puts me back to my original question are there any other changes with these imports that I/Insurance need to know about?

Also how go you know if it's a UK spec import or just an EU import, it makes a big difference on early inspection(Gocompare.com)

1nten5e

a-plan were as cheap for my jdm sti as they were for my old UK turbo

Snazy

Beg to differ, but the first seats are Euro airbag seats, the second pic a UK non airbag seat

As for insurance, I pay the same on a Euro as I would on a UK. Spec of the cars, Euro cars getting side airbags suit me fine. Locking nuts and a tracker are cheaper to add than airbag seats, especially second hand lol.

Also with imports, some recognise the difference of parallel imports, and personal imports from Japan, USA etc.

Cream

Your loosing me now!!
Are you saying the one with the bump is a UK seat and the one without is an EU import?

El Cat

im at tightwad when it comes to insurance
i pay £350 fully comp with ECAR uk turbo MY00 5 years licence and no claims but had to make a claim in jan this year with them but luckily was protected no claims(wrote my last scooby offdue to mechanical malfunction) went up from £280
import wrx cost me twice that!!

HOWY

Nope second seat with bump non airbag EU seat

Mark'sWRX

Just to clarify. The 1st seat is a side airbag seat as fitted as standard in official UK cars. The 2nd seat is a non side airbag seat as fitted to most EU imports. Some EU cars had the airbag seats fitted as an option, but I never saw any.

EU cars didn't have locking wheel nuts, but theses can be picked up cheap off ebay.

If you are looking to buy, UK cars are worth paying a few hundred quid more for just for resale as some people are funny about imports (even if they are identical) especially dealers.

Also if you are getting insurance quotes for the WRX(261bhp), then this is the Prodrive (PPP) version (much better) which when fitted to an EU car invalidates any remaining warranty (although won't be much left on a 55 plate).

A Plan do not charge any extra for insurance on an EU import and I don't know of any that are not UK spec.

Cream

Thanx Mark.

It's amazing how much you don't know about a car until you start looking for one

jasonius

iTrader: (1)

Having an 05 EU WRX from new, with the hump/sti type seats, I wouldn't have a car with the UK/USA wide @rse seats. They're truly awful and IMHO completely spoil the driving experience..!

Yes they don't have side airbags, but neither does the STI..

The only real way to tell an EU car is by the service book, but having these seats is also a main indicator.

As long as the EU car has had some additional under seal at some point (EU cars have U/S, just not as much as UK cars, ie wheel arches) I wouldn't worry. The usual things matter more, such as condition, FSH, providence/history and attitude of owner.

Finally, as a UK spec EU car every ins co I've dealt with class them as the same car..