Dee33223

Have saved a up a bit of cash over xmas and really fancy a newer sti to replace my trusty uk facelift classic wagon i have had for 6 years.

I'm looking at blobs and hawks and normally the price on the hawks is a good bit more even if mileage is similar. Is there any real worthy differences between the two apart from the looks to make one the better buy. Id still look at a bug also if mileage/condition was decent, looks dont bother me.

Also as a side. My baby has not really let me down and im happy with the car, I just put a lot of miles on it (350-400 a week) so its more for getting something to last me more years and have more grunt. Will i really notice a big difference in the sti?, mine is about the 280ish bhp and id quickly up the sti to 330-350.

Opinions appreciated.

Luckyscoob

iTrader: (2)

Both good cars. I have a hawk and love the torque of the 2.5, particularly now its been mapped. Personally I prefer the look of the hawk, the led sweeping dash and they may hold onto a bit more value as they are the last of that shape. Saying all that, the 2.0 engine despite its lack of torque low down still has that lovely thump of power at the top, the seats in my opinion are better in the blob, so I would simply look at both and try to find the best example you can. Also worth bearing in mind that the later hawks (mine included ) have that ridiculous tax bracket of £400.

Dee33223

Cheers Lucky,

I thought the blob was 2.5 also?. Guess im wrong. I also thought all cars after 01 that are "fun" have that nasty tax bracket put on them. Is the Hawk not 06 onwards?
Im confused johnny??

Dee33223

Very tempted by this..

2003 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.0 WRX STi 4dr Saloon

Mikkel

With the exception of JDM cars Imprezas after 06 (i.e. the hawk and the hatch) get the 2.5 litre engine. A few blobeyes were registered as 06 cars but they are still 2 litre.

Cars registered after a certain date in March 06 (the 25th I think but I may be wrong) go into tax band G due to emissions and it costs £400 + a year.

Luckyscoob

iTrader: (2)

Subaru introduced the 2.5 in the hawkeye. IIRC the only change to the blob was in 05 when they had a wider track/suspension setup and different size/style wheels/climate control.

I think the higher tax is for cars from march 06 onwards. I know someone who has a hawkeye that was an early 06 and pays £215 a year, as opposed to mine which is £400. (august 06 - 56 plate)

There are hawks available from 55 plates.

So briefly

03 - 05 blob are 2.0, cheaper tax and have the older wheels, narrower track and manual air con

late 05 - 55 blob are 2.0, cheaper tax, a few 'improvements' to include climate control, wider track/suspention tweaks, updated wheels (different size pcd - 114)

late 55 - early 06 hawk - 2.5, cheaper tax

march 06 on 2.5 but £400 tax.

I'm sure someone will correcxt me if i'm wrong, but I think thats pretty much it.

Steve

Mikkel

Don't forget the silly IC water spray thing, that wasn't introduced to non JDM cars until the hawk I don't think.

Complete waste of time mind you

Abx

iTrader: (15)

My 06 WRX Hawk was registered in early March 06 so I was lucky enough to stay in the lower tax bracket, think Mikkel is about right and it is around the 25th it changed, a quick look on Parkers should answer that easy enough.

Abx

iTrader: (15)

Personally would go for the Hawk as per the above reasons, last of the old shape will hopefully mean they could hold their value a little better, It did when I came to sell mine.

scoobiewrx555

There's a young lady on here with a mint Bugeye UK300 WRX and it's only done 22K miles. She was talking about selling it and getting a newage STi.

If you're looking for a very clean and super low mileage unmolested example there are very few around like this one. Her monika is jennywren00899.

With such low mileage and mint condition this UK300 is ripe for modding!! The engine has done bugger all work and i bet it's been properly looked after. 330-340 with a few choice mods...no probs!!

Dee33223

That's me clued up now. Cheers so much guys. Im kind of sold on the Hawk 2.5 now. I like the bigger torque figures and even slightly better mpg on it counts with me. They are really pushing the £ figures though for me with current prices. I will need to get out in both and see what like.
Or i may hang on a few years and try to bag a hatch sti, im one of the few that really like em. Im sure with a bit of suspension work they would be amazing cars. I do think the blob looks a bit lardy also.

Saw above post after i did this one.. Will have a look at this uk300 bugeye, cheers for that scoobiewrx555!

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

Nope UK blobs have that to well the later widetrack ones do 55 platers. Mine has it.

scoobiewrx555

Nothing quite like a good run on a baking hot summer day and you spray hot water onto an already hot tmic. Nice!!