EddScott

Got some questions regarding WRXs about 05 or 06 plate so hawk and blob.


Are they the same insurance group?

Are hawks more expensive to insure than blobs?

What tax bracket would an 05 blob be in and an 06 hawk?

Are all hawks in the £400 tax bracket?

I've noticed hawks for sale that have had remaps have strong torque figures - is that because of the 2.5 and is it really noticeable.

Is there any difference in MPG compared to the blobs 2.0 and the hawks 2.5?

Is WRX MPG "that" much better than STI MPG?

In the SLs is the leather nice leather? Some leather can be quite nasty.

Anyone thats gone from a classic to a blob or hawk WRX able to give some feedback on the differences?


Reasons for asking?
Well I'm planning on a car change sometime next year and my annual mileage is likely to increase. I only do about 5K a year right now and I might be doing as much as 15K to 20K so not huge miles and not so obvious I must buy a diesel. I do lots of short trips which I know modern diesels don't like. The only other car I really fancy having is an E46 BMW 3 Series and would only really want 325i or 330i if I'm looking a petrol car. The 330i I think is group 17 insurance and I can't see the 330i engine being "that" much better on MPG than an Impreza WRX.

My current vehicle is also group 17 and manages about 15/16MPG out of its 4.0L straight 6 (Jeep Cherokee Orvis) I also really have to want my next car because although most will think an old Cherokee is a complete POS, I absolutely adore it.

I would love to stick with a classic but I think they are getting to the stage of weekend cars only and I haven't got time for a weekender. (although I'd probably keep the Cherry if my daily was a later version Impreza)

ste_brough

iTrader: (2)

Probably same group.

Probably more expensive to insure due to slightly higher value if nothing else.

The tax hike to £400 odd is ANY model on an 06 plate onwards, with the exception of some imports. There are some hawks on 55 plate which are still the lower bracket.

Yes extra torque will be down to 2.5 on the UK cars.

No it isn't, MPG on ANY impreza aint good!

Can't answer the rest sorry!

ste_brough

iTrader: (2)

Oh and why not buy my car See in for sale section ....

EddScott

I'd love to buy your car but it's out of my price range. I've got a budget of £6K but don't want to spend much more than £5K so I've got a bit left over for emergencies.

Funnily enough I do a quick Money Supermarket quote and an 06 STI is about £70 cheaper than an 06 WRX??? Bit odd that.

I know on a long run I could easily get over 30MPG out of my ECUTEK mapped classic. At best I can squeeze about 25 out of my Jeep. If my mileage never increased, buying an Impreza would improve my MPG although it would probably work out the same having to pay more for SUL. Buying diesel over petrol can be a good idea but if the diesel throws me a big bill (which BMW diesels are prone to do) then any saving I make having a diesel car will get eaten up in bills. Imprezas IMO are reliable if looked after.

Insurance is quite a bit more though.

I'd quite like either an 05 blob or 55 hawk WRX SL (I'd like the heated leather seats and they mostly seem to come with sunroofs) in black.

I'd be interested to hear any experiences of annual upkeep costs between a WRX and STI.

NOSSY_89

Bang on. As for your other questions. Leather I don't think so, yes it is better in those cars. I love the alcantara in the STI. But its just down to preferance. Just remember in a scooby you have beucket seats.

Went from a classic to a blob. My one is the last one made so it has the facelift interior of the hawk, breaks etc are all upgraded. Major differences from the 2 models. Obviously interior feels a lot better. Handleing is different but can't really rember as wheels and supension are all aftermarket now lol. The classic feels just a bit more lighter but the blob has the power.

bubba j

iTrader: (1)

i have an 06 hawkeye and its in the cheaper tax band.

EddScott

How much is it £245?

Anyone got real world MPG figures?

High teens round town and high 20s, low 30s on a run are acceptable to me.

ste_brough

iTrader: (2)

Lower bracket is now £265. Any Scoob on an "06" plate should be £450? "06" plate is registered March 2006 onwards. Bar Imports

I'd say mid-high 20's on a run. Late teens-early 20's around town. Single figures when driving it as it should be driven

DannyM

06 Hawk wrx with no mods so far.

32mpg on a run whilst doing outside lane motorway speeds the whole way.

24mpg doing towns/dual carriageway commute everyday

NOSSY_89

All depends on tunning lol push the boost to the max and watch the mpg drop.

bubba j

iTrader: (1)

the tax only went up if the car was registered after the 29th march i believe. mine was registered on the 16th march

EmzWRX

iTrader: (2)

18mpg for me on my modded WRX Hawkeye, but that is round MK with 1001 rounds abouts.........

32mpg from MK to Castle Coombe.....

EddScott

Cheers for the replies. The car will be a daily so I don't want to be modding it too much. Usual zorst, filter, map will do me fine

So MPG wise there isn't really that much between an STI and a WRX?

Makes me wonder whether to go for an STI - servicing costs are unlikely to be too much more than a WRX. Disc/pads will be more obviously. I would just prefer to get a later plate WRX than an older STI - keeping in the budget.

L&G.scooby

IMO an sti is the one to go for. You say now you don't want to mod it to much, but believe me, after a while you will and with the sti you will have a much better starting point.

speedking

My experience with equivalent driving, long term average

MY02WRX blob = 25mpg
MY06STi hawk = 20mpg

NB the tax is £460, not £400. But TBH if the difference between £250 and £400 per year is significant then you're looking at the wrong car.

My hawk has leather which is very thin and was quite worn after 3 years.

EddScott

I'm not up for massive mods. A few choice ones if not already fitted and I'll be happy. All my Imprezas have only had mild mods and all have been fine for my needs. I am wondering though if the STI might not be the better purchase as the running costs don't differ all that much.

Its not all about affordability when it comes to VED.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I have a v3 type r and i've just bought blob wrx wagon ppp and i also had a wrx saloon a few years ago, which is why i went wrx again as it's all well and good everyone spouting about the sti, which yes is a better car for modding, but as a daily driver with some grunt a lightly modded wrx wins, and with the mods your talking about you should see 260bhp+ which is standard sti power ish.

The wrx has much nicer suspension, sti too firm for a daily driver, fine for weekender.

With your budget you will get a nice wrx and still have change for light mods, i avoided the 2.5 for all the well documented reasons, and i just like the 2.0l and plan on going the 2.1 stroker route in the future

EddScott

Whats up with the 2.5? I've sort of read grumblings about it but as I've never really bothered with looking at hawks until now I haven't paid much attention.

My last Impreza was a Type RA WRC which was awesome and really quite fast. The gearing however drove me nuts and it just wasn't a comfortable drive (IMO) over a long journey. I want something that isn't an absolute chore to drive.

Anyone have an SL care to comment on the leather. Personally I'm not big into leather and I find my Jeep leather bitterly cold on winter mornings.

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

Full details of the tax difference can be found here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...le/DG_10012524

"...Band K (£260 per year) includes cars that have a CO2 figure over 225g/km but were registered before 23 March 2006"

Other than that, I'm very interested in answers to all the questions you've asked too.

jason73

I've got an 07 wrx sl the leather on mine is in good condition and I find it not cold at all. If so you switch the heated seats on and it soon warms up
It is lovely to drive it eats up the miles With ease and it's comfortable I love it

daz1968

iTrader: (13)

I went from my03 wrx to my05 jdm sti, mpg very similar around town but on a run the wrx was better maybe due to higher gearing, sti is far less comfortable but is a much better car for what I want. If your not sure try both but sti can be harder to live with.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

i have owned several imprezas now and make NO mistake they are rubbish on fuel.
over 30 mpg is only achievable on a run more realistic on everday driving is low 20 ish.
which is very expensive nowadays,if running costs are an isue an impreza is a very bad car to consider.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

The 2.5 suffered from quite a few head gasket and ringland failures, not sure if they have solved the problem on the newer ones but the ones you will be looking at will have these issues, some failed more than once...

uk wrx 5 speed gearing is longer than your old wrx ra and the newer 6 speed sti, the jdm sti has the even shorter ratio's as well, it's another one of the many reasons i went for the uk wrx..

The new hawk uk sti has the strongest gear box with better ratios, but they are well over your budget and 2.5l

777HAM

I have just sold my 2005 WRX SL Hawkeye,in Black. Great first Subaru owned,I thought the leather seats looked great and it had the cheaper £260 tax bracket. I had it mapped by Duncan at RaceDynamix and had about 275bhp so got about 250-270 miles out of the tank and about 26mpg. Moving onto an STI now!

EddScott

Thanks mate.

I did have a go of a friends 05 WRX just before she sold it last year. Was quicker than I expected it to be.

Think I'll focus on a late blob WRX SL.

I get 180 miles out of a tank full in my Cherokee Although I don't put SUL in it.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Really think about the STi,if i would want again Subaru,i would go for STi...


Jura

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Yes, but you have a wagon so no sti and even the sti bug wagon is not a full spec sti..

Big mistake made by subaru, not making a blob or hawk sti wagon

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Yes agree,no proper STi wagon from Blob/hawkeye,if you mean bugeye STi its almost like saloon STi,just don't have Brembo which is shame plus suspension,but technically is same like JDM STi(engine is same,gearbox is same like STi,TMIC and other parts are same)

If i would go again with wagon i would go still with WRX,but if i would go with saloon i would go with STi


Jura