UK Car vs Euro Import?
15 January 2010, 12:27 PM
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UK Car vs Euro Import?
Hi, I'm going to look at an 07 Impreza 2.5 WRX Hawkeye tomorrow, which is a Euro import, originally brought in from Cyprus.
What (if any) are the differences over a UK car and is there anything I need to check or lookout for?
Also, does this affect it's price/value and if so by how much?
TIA
What (if any) are the differences over a UK car and is there anything I need to check or lookout for?
Also, does this affect it's price/value and if so by how much?
TIA
15 January 2010, 12:36 PM
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Ok.
Euro will have different front seats, nicer in my opinion but prob will not have airbags built in
No std alarm but will have std immobilisor, should have aftermarket CAT2 alarm fitted, you can tell as the std ultra sonics are the same colour as the a piller and monuted half way up on uk cars
No std locking wheel nuts, again prob has now
No type uk sticker in the rear windows
It will be undersealed
It will have a warranty by IM if it has not run out, most are prob older than 3 years now though and as warranty starts from when it entered the uk, not when it was registed is prob over
Value, it should really be cheaper than a UK model as the purchase price was less originally but when I sold my 06 WRX I got a really good price if not more than UK, I was lucky though!
If truth be told things like the alarm may be better being an after market rather than std.
Tracker is also not std on a Euro car but these were not std on uk WRX's either just the STI.
Think that is it.
Oh, if you can get an early 06 then you will be in the lower tax bracket also.
Good luck
Arron
Euro will have different front seats, nicer in my opinion but prob will not have airbags built in
No std alarm but will have std immobilisor, should have aftermarket CAT2 alarm fitted, you can tell as the std ultra sonics are the same colour as the a piller and monuted half way up on uk cars
No std locking wheel nuts, again prob has now
No type uk sticker in the rear windows
It will be undersealed
It will have a warranty by IM if it has not run out, most are prob older than 3 years now though and as warranty starts from when it entered the uk, not when it was registed is prob over
Value, it should really be cheaper than a UK model as the purchase price was less originally but when I sold my 06 WRX I got a really good price if not more than UK, I was lucky though!
If truth be told things like the alarm may be better being an after market rather than std.
Tracker is also not std on a Euro car but these were not std on uk WRX's either just the STI.
Think that is it.
Oh, if you can get an early 06 then you will be in the lower tax bracket also.
Good luck
Arron
15 January 2010, 12:45 PM
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15 January 2010, 07:14 PM
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Ok.
Euro will have different front seats, nicer in my opinion but prob will not have airbags built in
No std alarm but will have std immobilisor, should have aftermarket CAT2 alarm fitted, you can tell as the std ultra sonics are the same colour as the a piller and monuted half way up on uk cars
No std locking wheel nuts, again prob has now
No type uk sticker in the rear windows
It will be undersealed
It will have a warranty by IM if it has not run out, most are prob older than 3 years now though and as warranty starts from when it entered the uk, not when it was registed is prob over
Value, it should really be cheaper than a UK model as the purchase price was less originally but when I sold my 06 WRX I got a really good price if not more than UK, I was lucky though!
If truth be told things like the alarm may be better being an after market rather than std.
Tracker is also not std on a Euro car but these were not std on uk WRX's either just the STI.
Think that is it.
Oh, if you can get an early 06 then you will be in the lower tax bracket also.
Good luck
Arron
Euro will have different front seats, nicer in my opinion but prob will not have airbags built in
No std alarm but will have std immobilisor, should have aftermarket CAT2 alarm fitted, you can tell as the std ultra sonics are the same colour as the a piller and monuted half way up on uk cars
No std locking wheel nuts, again prob has now
No type uk sticker in the rear windows
It will be undersealed
It will have a warranty by IM if it has not run out, most are prob older than 3 years now though and as warranty starts from when it entered the uk, not when it was registed is prob over
Value, it should really be cheaper than a UK model as the purchase price was less originally but when I sold my 06 WRX I got a really good price if not more than UK, I was lucky though!
If truth be told things like the alarm may be better being an after market rather than std.
Tracker is also not std on a Euro car but these were not std on uk WRX's either just the STI.
Think that is it.
Oh, if you can get an early 06 then you will be in the lower tax bracket also.
Good luck
Arron
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16 January 2010, 11:41 AM
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this one has warranty and had the 1k mile running in service, or so I am told, but will check this later when I go to see it
16 January 2010, 06:29 PM
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16 January 2010, 11:35 PM
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well I drove it this afternoon, it wasn't that quick, as I'm used to more power & less weight, but it wasn't slow by any means and they are easy enough to tune it would seem from having a quick search
nice torquey engine though, very little lag, gearbox was smooth, steering feel was good, however the brakes were nothing special
also surprised at how quiet and 'non Impreza' like it sounded, can this be easily remedied?
based on the advice above, seats were non-airbag, it didn't have locking wheelnuts and it would seem it had no alarm either!
nice clean example though, standard & unmolested, only 1 small ding on the rear n/s door and a couple of stone chips on the front, other than that it was immaculate
nice torquey engine though, very little lag, gearbox was smooth, steering feel was good, however the brakes were nothing special
also surprised at how quiet and 'non Impreza' like it sounded, can this be easily remedied?
based on the advice above, seats were non-airbag, it didn't have locking wheelnuts and it would seem it had no alarm either!
nice clean example though, standard & unmolested, only 1 small ding on the rear n/s door and a couple of stone chips on the front, other than that it was immaculate
16 January 2010, 11:45 PM
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These cars are quiet without the flat 4 sound, even a cat back replacment gives little improvement, down pipe may help but a remap is required according to the sites that sell the downpipes. Did you have it in s# mode as this makes a lot of difference. i mode really dumbs it down but is good for fuel comsumption!
16 January 2010, 11:56 PM
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sorry, thought you were talking aboput a new sti, WRX will have 225bhp ish, try an STI is you want quicker! CAT back may be the way forward to improve the noise, all cars standard are pretty quiet these days, doubt you will feel a difference in performance. Down pipe may help?
18 January 2010, 01:03 AM
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well I drove it this afternoon, it wasn't that quick, as I'm used to more power & less weight, but it wasn't slow by any means and they are easy enough to tune it would seem from having a quick search
nice torquey engine though, very little lag, gearbox was smooth, steering feel was good, however the brakes were nothing special
also surprised at how quiet and 'non Impreza' like it sounded, can this be easily remedied?
based on the advice above, seats were non-airbag, it didn't have locking wheelnuts and it would seem it had no alarm either!
nice clean example though, standard & unmolested, only 1 small ding on the rear n/s door and a couple of stone chips on the front, other than that it was immaculate
nice torquey engine though, very little lag, gearbox was smooth, steering feel was good, however the brakes were nothing special
also surprised at how quiet and 'non Impreza' like it sounded, can this be easily remedied?
based on the advice above, seats were non-airbag, it didn't have locking wheelnuts and it would seem it had no alarm either!
nice clean example though, standard & unmolested, only 1 small ding on the rear n/s door and a couple of stone chips on the front, other than that it was immaculate
If you're after more power when not just go for the STI instead of the tuning route? I've no idea of the price difference but if you're looking at an import you've got to get a tracker/alarm and the spec is different. Then you've got the outlay on the modified parts. It possibly will be harder to sell an import when the time comes and insurance companies may not like it, especially if your considering modifying it. Just a thought...not looking to pee on your bonfire!
Vince
18 January 2010, 08:08 AM
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noise, easy fix, second hand prodrive back box and deresonated center pipe, prob less than 200 all in and will get the burble back.
Alarm, prob does have one, had a piggy back cat 2 on mine and used the std key buttons to arm and disarm so no need for sepearate remote.
Wheel nuts, wo quid.
Insurance, will be absolutley fine for std example, and bettter value to go to somewhere like a plan rather than getting a tracker fitted and subscription.
More power, for relativley a small outlay you can get upto around 300 bhp.
Brakes, sti brembos can be had for the other side of 500 all round.
Cheers
Arron
Alarm, prob does have one, had a piggy back cat 2 on mine and used the std key buttons to arm and disarm so no need for sepearate remote.
Wheel nuts, wo quid.
Insurance, will be absolutley fine for std example, and bettter value to go to somewhere like a plan rather than getting a tracker fitted and subscription.
More power, for relativley a small outlay you can get upto around 300 bhp.
Brakes, sti brembos can be had for the other side of 500 all round.
Cheers
Arron
18 January 2010, 12:21 PM
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Hi Rich,
If you're after more power when not just go for the STI instead of the tuning route? I've no idea of the price difference but if you're looking at an import you've got to get a tracker/alarm and the spec is different. Then you've got the outlay on the modified parts. It possibly will be harder to sell an import when the time comes and insurance companies may not like it, especially if your considering modifying it. Just a thought...not looking to pee on your bonfire!
Vince
If you're after more power when not just go for the STI instead of the tuning route? I've no idea of the price difference but if you're looking at an import you've got to get a tracker/alarm and the spec is different. Then you've got the outlay on the modified parts. It possibly will be harder to sell an import when the time comes and insurance companies may not like it, especially if your considering modifying it. Just a thought...not looking to pee on your bonfire!
Vince
This particular WRX is very well priced and for the same money I'd not get another WRX let alone an STI, unless it was older and/or higher mileage car, which is why I was tempted in the first place, it's someone I know
Mods can also be bought in stages, as & when finances allow, I have owned several modded cars over the years and I'd probably end up modding an STI if I got one anyway, it's too addictive, LOL
Need to weigh up the pros & cons
18 January 2010, 12:27 PM
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noise, easy fix, second hand prodrive back box and deresonated center pipe, prob less than 200 all in and will get the burble back.
Alarm, prob does have one, had a piggy back cat 2 on mine and used the std key buttons to arm and disarm so no need for sepearate remote.
Wheel nuts, wo quid.
Insurance, will be absolutley fine for std example, and bettter value to go to somewhere like a plan rather than getting a tracker fitted and subscription.
More power, for relativley a small outlay you can get upto around 300 bhp.
Brakes, sti brembos can be had for the other side of 500 all round.
Cheers
Arron
Alarm, prob does have one, had a piggy back cat 2 on mine and used the std key buttons to arm and disarm so no need for sepearate remote.
Wheel nuts, wo quid.
Insurance, will be absolutley fine for std example, and bettter value to go to somewhere like a plan rather than getting a tracker fitted and subscription.
More power, for relativley a small outlay you can get upto around 300 bhp.
Brakes, sti brembos can be had for the other side of 500 all round.
Cheers
Arron
Locking nuts aren't an issue, they are cheap to buy, so I would just get a set
However the alarm is questionable, no ultrasonics in the car, no alarm LED, no record or certificate of one being fitted and we tried to set it off, with no joy, so came to the conclusion that it might not actually have one! Cost of fitting one needs to be considered, any ideas how much?
Brakes wise, it could just be the pads that need changing, they worked and the pedal was firm, but they felt wooden and needed pressing harder than I would have expected
18 January 2010, 12:33 PM
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What alarm do you want fitting rich?
A clifford concept 650 mk 2 for instance will be around 400 quid, but its pretty good
Have a chat to Tim at Trilogy in duckinfield.
Tony
A clifford concept 650 mk 2 for instance will be around 400 quid, but its pretty good
Have a chat to Tim at Trilogy in duckinfield.
Tony
18 January 2010, 01:25 PM
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not bothered really, any alarm that meets insurance requirements is fine with me, an aftermarket one will probably be better than the factory one anyway
and I actually know Tim, from my RC car racing days, so can have a chat with him if I get this car
18 January 2010, 01:30 PM
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I think you will find that the STi is not more expensive to run or insure. I checked before buying my car. It is a popular misconception. It is of course more expensive to buy, but that is because it has a much better spec (not just power) that will cost you a small fortune to get a WRX to.
The WRX is a good sporty saloon but the STi is set up as a performance car. If you are talking about tuning it then you really need an STi unless you have a lot of funds to invest in the brakes, gearbox, engine etc etc.
On the import thing, it doesn't cost much to get a Euro import up to UK spec as has been mentioned above. They were brought in to the country for a lot less than a UK model though, so their resale value should reflect that regardless of whether things have been added to get it to a UK spec level. Doesn't make sense but that's the way the motor trade tends to work.
The WRX is a good sporty saloon but the STi is set up as a performance car. If you are talking about tuning it then you really need an STi unless you have a lot of funds to invest in the brakes, gearbox, engine etc etc.
On the import thing, it doesn't cost much to get a Euro import up to UK spec as has been mentioned above. They were brought in to the country for a lot less than a UK model though, so their resale value should reflect that regardless of whether things have been added to get it to a UK spec level. Doesn't make sense but that's the way the motor trade tends to work.
18 January 2010, 06:01 PM
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I think you will find that the STi is not more expensive to run or insure. I checked before buying my car. It is a popular misconception. It is of course more expensive to buy, but that is because it has a much better spec (not just power) that will cost you a small fortune to get a WRX to.
The WRX is a good sporty saloon but the STi is set up as a performance car. If you are talking about tuning it then you really need an STi unless you have a lot of funds to invest in the brakes, gearbox, engine etc etc.
On the import thing, it doesn't cost much to get a Euro import up to UK spec as has been mentioned above. They were brought in to the country for a lot less than a UK model though, so their resale value should reflect that regardless of whether things have been added to get it to a UK spec level. Doesn't make sense but that's the way the motor trade tends to work.
The WRX is a good sporty saloon but the STi is set up as a performance car. If you are talking about tuning it then you really need an STi unless you have a lot of funds to invest in the brakes, gearbox, engine etc etc.
On the import thing, it doesn't cost much to get a Euro import up to UK spec as has been mentioned above. They were brought in to the country for a lot less than a UK model though, so their resale value should reflect that regardless of whether things have been added to get it to a UK spec level. Doesn't make sense but that's the way the motor trade tends to work.
they are worse on fuel, maybe not massively, but they are worse and with the cost of fuel set to rise further this year, every little helps
plus as you say they are more expensive to buy, but they are a better car and I realise this
the only things that are the same are road tax, servicing, etc
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