I know buying a good modified car saves £££ in the long run but then its noticeable how quickly good standard cars sell and how modified cars tend to hang around for ages.

One reason I made the mistake of selling my old car was that I felt I had taken it too far cosmetically - even though it did look good.

Theres a couple of standard cars I really like at the moment for sale and for not much more theres a couple of modified cars I like too that have pretty much all I would want to get for the car mechanically - their downside is that they are too cosmetically changed for me and I'm not sure I like the cosmetically changed ones over the standard looking ones - if that makes sense.

If I bought a standard car I would make some changes but want to keep the outside as clean and standard looking as possible (FMIC and possibly wheels being the only things that give the game away).

I've missed out on a couple of really good looking cars recently too which hasn't helped. Its funny, loads on sale but not that ticks every box for me.

 

I am also looking for the most original, lowest mileage classic I can afford. I think it is better to start with a 'clean sheet of paper', so any changes you make are exactly what you want, and have been done to the standard you require.

I suppose buying one that has had the work done already is cheaper, but a bit riskier, unless you know the person who has done it...?

 

Or it has been done properly with quality parts............. and not Ebay tat

 

Last year I spent ages trying to find a completely standard low mileage classic partly because I wanted the fun of doing the mods myself and partly because you never quite know what work has been done or how it has been done to a modded car unless there is a lot of history with it.

Found an absolutely standard 47K MY00 eventually (even had the original radio/cassette), but as I was determined to have red mica it did make the search more tortuous. Very pleased with what I got and have begun tastefully modding it - see 'View my Scooby' for original and current pics.

 

Wow, that must have taken some time?

Truth be told I would really want another Sonic Blue 74F UK Turbo (I know they are EU only but you know what I mean) and I don't want a Terzo.

There is a 74F 4 door very close to me but its got hardly any history and over 100K miles. It would probably go for 3k but the miles and history are a put off.

I like dark mica blue and RB5 grey but Sonic Blue is my favorite. There was a mint low mileage on PH a while back but I didn't have the money - I think it was Tony Burns old car. That was stunning.

I think I'm going to stay with a standard UKer but mint low miles 74Fs are like hens teeth. I think one year at Japfest mine was the only one there.

What I really want is my old car back assuming its still good - I keep thinking as soon as I buy one it will pop up on PH!

 

F1Fan, how long did it take to find your car? I am also picky - I want a black classic STI, but you don't see many that are still original. I don't know how long I will have to search?

 

Having modified my car from Std mate, I'd say once you've done that yourself, in future, buy modified every time and save yourself shed loads of cash! You know have the nous to distinguish between desirable mods and cheap nasty and unreliable toot! Put it to good use and grab a bargain!

Ns04

 

Theres one in south wales on pistonheads. Don't know what its like though.

 

I bought a std UK turbo and modded it, if i were to buy another scoob I would have no worries about getting a modified example, providing the mods had been carried out at a decent subaru specialist.

 

thats because the classic STI's are JDM the home of the Modifier they can leave nothing alone lol

 

Yeah but it's not my thing. I want to take the spolier off, then just keep it as clean as I can.

 

Took me about 2 months of extensive searching and I mean extensive, every website, paper, dealer over and over again .... they got fed up with me calling LOL! When I make my mind up about something then I go for it 100% though - hence no compromise.

Yeah it took a while (see above) and I paid over the odds, but I factored in how much more time I would waste looking if I didn't bite the bullet and the car was exactly what I wanted.

What I would say is keep searching and don't compromise on what you want as you will always regret it. I would say any car with 100K miles and sketchy history would be a gamble, but then you know that of course.

Good luck in finding your car.

 

Standard - as the markets tell you - are the best option by far ... the markets never lie.

The reasons are pretty basic, it's highly unlikely that a standard car has been thrashed, tracked or raced .... the biggest reason for buying standard.

People only modify their cars for 2 reasons ....

1. to make them look different (which looks great to the owner, but maybe only the owner!)

2. To extract more power, why? To go faster! Do you REALLY want a ragged car?

The modifications also vary hugely in quality! And in fitting/servicing!

Nah, the big money would be on a standard car with as few owners as possible ..... A One Owner Classic with good history and standard (hopefully from a more mature driver) is, without doubt, the very best you could ever do!

 

I am also looking for a standard classic, I average about 4 k a year so I can afford to get one with a few extra miles so doesn't need to be too low. But I want it to be as close to, if not as original as possible.
I have come across a few nice examples.... just depends on how far and how willing you are to travel. I have 2 kids, so it's difficult to be going up and down the country for hours!

 

Hysteria,

It sounds like we are in pretty much the same position! My annual mileage would also be very low, but I want to get a really good, low mileage car that I can keep for years and years to come.

 

We have been toying with the idea of a wrx... maybe sti, BUT..... my insurance plays a big part in what we get.
I am thinking lower Tax, insurance and cheaper all round. Easy to get about with the kids and still have a bit of fun.

I have been posting under **new girl** attempting to get some help.
Personally, the less modifications, the better the car. Especially with a classic scooby.

I love the look of them. My partner had one 'back in the day' when they were no considered as classic... that was 1998!! lol

 

I had originally decided I didn't want another UK car but I also don't want to be spending £600+ for insurance (31, full ncb, clean) on a car I only use now and again so that puts me off Type Rs and I don't really want to go over my budget of 5k so thats P1s out.

I have a budget because I can't justify wrapping up any more in a car that won't be used all the time (I have an old golf as my work/tip/school run car) I am considering a bit more on a particular car but I'm not 100% on that either.

I'm now thinking an RB5 might fit the bill.

 

i agree eddscott ... they mostly look best in sonic blue ... mostly

 

If I hadn't been after a mica red I would probably have looked at an RB5. They seem to be cherished a bit more than most and I personally quite like the colour, just not as much as mica red LOL!

I know you can get more of a car with an import but I would worry about knowing little of the car's history and whether it is undersealed properly etc.

Probably worrying unecessarily, but that's me.

 

I got a silver WRX 8 years ago, had it for 3 years but had to sell when my second daughter was born. Loved the car to bits, can now think about getting another one - I fancy an STI this time. I checked some insurance quotes and I'm 37 now and the price is almost half what I was paying before.... I don't know if Scooby insurance in general has dropped or if it's because I'm getting old!

 

Subaru : WR Prodrive Impreza

Subaru : 40K Genuine Miles - Standard UK Impreza Turbo AWD