Arkynsei

Right fella's, hear me out. I've been on this forum enough to know you're a fickle bunch and it depends what mood I catch you all in whether I get a decent reply .

I've been driving my Hawkeye R Sport around for 7 months now. I'm 20 years old and at the time, all I wanted to do was get into the world of Scooby's as the average Corsa/Clio/Typical young adult hatchback does not appeal to me in the slightest.

I hear what you're saying. And I agree. It's not fast enough. I need more. I'm 21 years old in 6 months and after doing some fantasy quotes (Exactly like I did when I was 19 for my sport) and I've come out at roughly 1.7k for a 2005, Blob STI PPP. Now all I've got to do is save up for the car. I've been looking around though, and I'm wondering if it's TOO much. Am I wasting my money? I want to be pushed back in my seat.. I want to feel as though I am going fast (When safe to do so blah blah) and like I actually have power beneath my foot.

Would an STI PPP be a good second jump into the Scooby world? The Classics do appeal to me, but which one to think about? Is the Turbo 2000 enough.. or am I going to be wanting more? Are they just foundations for mods?

As I write this, I realise I'm probably the only one who can answer these questions. I'm unsure which I'd prefer to drive though.. I can't think of a way to test them both out to find out which I prefer. I can't imagine too many people are going to be wanting a 20/21 year old testing out their pride and joy!

Cheers for your time, opinions are welcome.

Cockney Wideboy

iTrader: (2)

I got my Impreza 5 years ago when i was 23....clean licence, 5 years driving etc and I paid £1400 for my first year insurance so insurance is comparable.

As for if its right for you, as you say, only you can answer that. Some people think premiums of £4K a year is acceptable...others wouldn't have a car that costs them more than £400 a year.

I went from a 1.6 16V Astra to a 300BHP Impreza and it was a reasonable step up for me…but again it depends on you as a person/driver...if you drive like a **** and just want to race everybody then save us all the hassle and buy a golf cart...if however like i was, your young, appreciate performance cars, want to enjoy it for what it is and have a respect for other road users then go for it, get the STi, you won’t regret it.

BTW there is nothing wrong with Impreza Sport....when I was 18 i had a Proton...just image the shame...I’m still scared.

oldman-wrx

suspect you will get every answer going on this one, wrx will be easier on the insurance quotes and is a nice progression up to sti. classic and newage both have their plus's.

If not in your local scooby club join, go to meets chat to the owners, their experience will be invaluable to you.

I agree few will let you touch their pride and joy, but most clubs do trackdays and even only sitting in the passenger seat on a track will give you a real idea what these cars can do. Then you can use your own gut instinct as well as the advice from the forums.

Might be worth speaking to someone like Moley who can give you advice on where your insurance costs are likely to go up to the age of 25 and beyond this could also colour your decission.

Good luck in your hunt

Arkynsei

That sounds alright then! To be honest, I did almost think I'd done my quotes wrong but no, that's the price it came out at.
I'm not one of those pratts who puts his Dad as the main driver and myself as a named. It's all completely legit.
I don't fancy racing anyone.. I have a friend who's already scared of the sport (0-60 in 8 seconds is impressive for him and his Fiesta) so I can't wait to show him what a spare pair of pants feels like. But honestly, I'm a careful driver who's very mindful of others drivers.. Scooby's look just as good slow as they do fast.

I don't think I'll regret it either.. I think the blobeye is the way forward but I do have a bit of an itch for a classic I may need to scratch.. hmm.

Haha! That last bit made me chuckle, I can imagine.. I'm very, very proud of my sport and I love it to bits. I just need a little more when I put my foot down, that's all. Before I get to the age where MPG, space and seats become more of a concern!


Thank you for your input Oldman, that's a good idea RE the clubs.. I think I'll have to find my closest one. I live in Buckinghamshire so I'll have a hunt around. Is the WRX going to be enough? Does it push you back in your seat? I've driven a Focus ST and I was impressed at how.. brilliantly effortless it felt to put my foot to the floor and feel the G's push me back. I'm gonna have to have a ride for sure!

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

Wrx sounds like it will be the next step, you can always mod it once you need more power. That's what I did at 22. 240, 290, 460 and I still want more!

Your local to me but the car is off the road and has had a few big mods but it would show you what can be done over time.

BlueBugEye

iTrader: (12)

I guess it depends how hard a hit you're prepared to take, yes a WRX will be a bit cheaper on insurance however the STi is a better car - if you are planning on keeping for a while and potentially modding the STi is a much better base.

As for the Classic vs Newage arguement - classics are rawer feeling, lighter and as std slightly better handling however the std brakes are the weak link even on the STi, Newages are heavier and do not handle as well out of the box brakes (Brembo on Sti) are much better and the cars are much more 'refined' and more comfortable as a daily drive. IF you can stretch to it I'd say a blob STi with or without the PPP would be a good buy (Personally I'd go without the PPP as you'll probably change the exhaust at some point in the future and remap anyway - go with PPP if you plan to leave it std.)

Don't forget a 'Classic' will be at least 11 years old so unless you are very lucky you will be looking at paintwork issues, worn bushes/bearings, etc etc.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

i would take into account fuel costs etc.
1.7k insurance and 18 mpg is going to hurt your pocket

you dont realise what 18mpg is in money terms until you start putting the fuel in i.e. 70 miles for £20 and thats if you dont use the right foot heavy.

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

Blobeye STI is everything you want...power, comfort, better `box, better engine, better looking, better brakes and so on. Why settle for less, you know you`ll want one as soon as you`ve bought your Classic or your WRX. If you can afford it, go for it. I did and there`s no going back Oh and I get average 22mpg and that`s with the odd `play` too

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

This site is p1ssing me off. If it gets any slower it won`t be worth using

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

At your age im sorry to say that they will probably refuse to insure you on an STI even if the site says xxxx ammount, its normally the second you hit the buy now button that it says please call our customer services and quote reference xxx, then they fob you off, and to be honest, they do so rightly as its a big jump between an R and an STI ppp.
I'd say use the insurance people on here but you will get the same answer i feel....

Tony

JamieJerkovic

iTrader: (9)

Hi mate I'm 21 I have a 320bhp wrx blobeye. Car drives amazing, anyone would be happy with a car like that. I pay 1400 fully comp I've been quoted 1600 for a blobeye sti. If you have the money go for a sti, there coming down in price and can pick one up for 6 grand. I wish I waited another couple of months and bought an sti to be on the safe side with gearbox, internals etc. Also try elephant for car insurance that's who I'm with

chopperman

just my opinion but i think an sti is too much for a 21-22 year old, you just don't have the driving experience yet for a 300bhp+ car. Stick with the sport for a few more years, build up your road experience and ncb.
I know a lad who was mid 20's at the time. He bought an e46 M3 and paid 3k insurance. Within a year he had written off the m3. Just long enough to get confident and cocky. When the insurance paid out he bought another m3. Coming home one day on the motorway he hit some standing water and ended up in the armaco. second car written off. Now he is a pretty sensible lad and was not speeding but when talking to him about it he declared he did not know what aqua-planing was. An example of how inexperience can bite you.

Ste-V

iTrader: (2)

You may be right with some companys, but my mate had a blob sti at 20 insured on his own policy and was about £1700, hes now 21 and has a 400 bhp evo..

Arkynsei

I hear you, and it's a good idea. Honeslty though I think I want to keep it standard (Shock! Horror!) as I'm not the most mechanically minded of drivers. I may change my mind in the future, but having the most power out of the box appeals to me. Plus.. anything higher than 300 seems obscene to me. (At the moment..)

Thank you for the advice on the petrol too, I've budgeted 'Worst case scenario' and it's definitley affordable. My sport currently gets around 20mpg so it's not a huge difference, I'm aware that it's going to be premium fuel though. Fuel shouldn't be an issue.

I'm looking to keep it as long as possible. Maybe 3-4 years? Depending on pay rises, living costs etc. I don't have a moneysink at the moment either, so I don't have to worry about keeping her happy.

Nice one ScoobySteve, sounds excellent and your argument was rather.. persuading . I'm going to save up as much as I can between now and July, see how much I save and I SHOULD be able to afford a blob STI. Whether it's PPP or not is another question.. does the PPP actually make a really noticeable difference?

I think I'll be okay on the insurance front too, I know there's a guy on here who's 21 and has a blob STI PPP, so if he can do it.. why not me? I'll have 3 years experience and 3 years NCB. Should be okay. Also Jamie who posted on this thread does too.. Elephant are the one's who consistently give me low quotes. When it comes up to the 30 day period where I can order insurance, I'll get some quotes from the specialists. I know some don't touch under 25's but most of the one's I rang when looking for sport insurance asked if I'd driven a "Performance vehicle for more than a year".. I hadn't at the time, but I'm guessing they're classing an R Sport as a 'Performance vehicle' (Don't laugh.) and maybe more willing to listen.. who knows. If not, Elephant seem very good at it. I'm praying insurance will be okay.

1400! That's incredible.. how long have you been driving? How much NCB? Cheapest I could find from Elephant was 1700.. and that's with my Dad and Uncle as named drivers.

Thank you for the warning Chopperman. My father owns a car business and I've driven cars for him around. Nothing like an STI or an M3, granted.. but some fairly quick cars. I've covered a lot of miles in my 3 short years too. I hear your concern but I feel if I don't do this.. I'll forever be wondering!

Ste-V

iTrader: (2)

My mate who i mentioned above is with elephant bud

L&G.scooby

Go for the blob sti mate. You won't regret it one bit. I got MY03STI ppp about 6 months ago for quite a bit less than £6000 and love it. If you are planning on keeping it a while well worth it and a superb base for a mod or 2 in the future. You say now you don't want to mod but you will, trust me. Even if it is in 3 or 4 years. And in 6 months or 4 years when you do mod, it will feel like a new car all over again.
Just take your time finding what you want and don't rush in, I didn't and ended up with a great car and a great price. Think I could even sell mine now for more than I paid for it.

L&G.scooby

O, and as for the ppp, on my scooby pretty useless now, as I have a remap and totally different exhaust. I'm not to clued up on the pop but sure someone will be alone shortly who is.

Abx

iTrader: (15)

I went for a Hawk WRX as my first scooby, a little bit cheaper in all area's, fuel, insurance, servicing etc and gave me a great foundation into Scooby ownership, STI was the next step and once I was used to that it was mapped so 345.

I would have loved the STI straight away but at the time was out of my budget but think for me it was the best route as I prgressivly got used to more and more power!

Markfey

iTrader: (7)

If you speak to Sky Insurance they will run through several quotes with you and what the difference of price is.

I've been told numerous different things when getting quotes. I have a V4 Sti and been told its a group 20 black listed car. The P1 was cheaper to insure but the type R was more again but not by much. The UK Bugs and Blobs were a little cheaper despite the value being a lot more.

If i was in your situation i would stick with the classics, but a very good one. Pref an import STi as there is a massive difference between them and the UK2000. That way you won't be loosing anywhere near as much value on the car as you would be with a Hawk while paying £1.7k a year for insurance.

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

I thought that when I bought mine and it was at 285 bhp. Now it`s at 340.....I want moooooooooooooooooooooooore

davoid

I would go for a jdm wrx classic. torque band in sti means opportunities for serious fun are restricted since you need to be carrying enough revs into the corner to be able to blast nicely out, but in an sti that often means carrying too much speed. JDM wrx, brake upgrade, rear ARB, -1degree camber at the front and some expensive tyres. A lot of (useable) fun.

chopperman

Is this post a joke??

daz1968

iTrader: (13)

I had a my03 wrx first then a blob jdm sti my05, I liked my wrx but when I think what I spent on it to try to make it as good as my sti, I would have been better stumping for the sti in the first place, not sure about young drivers but for me any Subaru turbo was in the same ballpark insurance wise, uk or jdm. Depends on your history though I have been driving 300bhp cars for twenty years now. Only reason I had a wrx was I was duped into believing they were a lot better on fuel, but I haven't really noticed any difference between the 2, the wrx was better on a motorway run but think that's down to the longer gearing on uk cars, never owned a car that does better than 26mpg in my life so have always been used to visiting the garage, bet it's a shock for someone who swaps a normal car for something like a scoob.

chopperman

Off topic but what cars did you drive 20 years ago that made 300bhp? Must have been something prety classy.

daz1968

iTrader: (13)

Still got it, had a 3 door cosworth when I was 24, soon had it modded to above the magical figure. Always had other less performance orientated daily runners, then decided the ford was mainly for shows so that ended up just a weekend summer toy and missed driving it, was wanting more performance for a daily runner after a while and sold my escort rs2000 and fiesta turbo and bought my first scoob, bought a my03 wrx from a dealers then decided to change that for an sti.

chopperman

Bet your glad you hung on to the cossie. I always wanted one after having a play in the RS500 years ago. Ended up going the bike route for my speed fix though

Arkynsei

What makes you think that Chopperman? What doesn't add up? Explain it to the ignorant among us. (Me!)

Had some really good feedback and opinions so far so thank you all. I'm leaning towards the Blob STI PPP quite heavily. I know I'm PROBABLY going to want to mod it when I get it.. but I feel if I start with a higher spec, it may deter me for longer or put me off. Being very un-mechanically minded puts me off too as I'm probably not gonna be able to fit many mods myself. If any.

I'm a pretty careful driver.. never even really come close to any sort of crash in my 3 years (Which is a lot more than I can say for some of my mates).

Anyone know any good Scooby clubs in the Buckinghamshire area that I'd be welcome to join?

chopperman

Its this bit.
Its nonsence. The sti has power all over the place and is a great road car with very usuable power. That post makes out there all or nothing with the carrying to much speed out of corners comment.

wrx9181

iTrader: (2)

Hi
I wouldn't bother with the ppp most not all insurance don't nowhat it is so goes as a exhaust and engine management chip etc
Just get a sti newage
I'd stay away from classic wrx or sti as I've found imported classics ( standard ) are more expensive to insure than my uk 400 plus hp sti.
So be careful also what's up with a bug sti?
The prodrive one does look very nice too with different front bumper etc
Good look mate
Mick

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

Babs or jap i are both local, babs is a Subaru club and jap I is for any jap cars