Import or UK?
29 May 2013, 02:38 PM
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Import or UK?
Just looking through Autotrader, ebay etc and the UK versions seem to be cheaper to buy (classic). Also the insurance is about £700 cheaper a year for a UK.
My question is what's the real difference between an Import and UK? Is it worth the difference in insurance and purchase?
PS. I tried to use the search but couldn't find anything..
My question is what's the real difference between an Import and UK? Is it worth the difference in insurance and purchase?
PS. I tried to use the search but couldn't find anything..
29 May 2013, 02:48 PM
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I've had both, started out with a uk classic prodrive when I was 20, a few years ago now 
and it was a great car, ticked all the boxes. Since then I've had a couple of imports, if I'm honest in standard form it's day and night. The imports are a far superior car, well STI's I can't comment on a wrx as I've never driven one. I will say the imports I've had have been in way better condition bodywork wise over my uk car. Your age insurance wise may dictate which is the best option for you.
Joe
and it was a great car, ticked all the boxes. Since then I've had a couple of imports, if I'm honest in standard form it's day and night. The imports are a far superior car, well STI's I can't comment on a wrx as I've never driven one. I will say the imports I've had have been in way better condition bodywork wise over my uk car. Your age insurance wise may dictate which is the best option for you. Joe
29 May 2013, 02:53 PM
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As above, however i've had a uk 2000, wrx and an Sti.
Go for the Sti!!!!
You will pay more but only for the first year or two. Use a well known company like sky and declare the mods and they're very reasonable.
P.s if you buy the uk version you'll spend a fortune trying to make it in to an Sti and it'll be worth no more.
Go for the Sti!!!!
You will pay more but only for the first year or two. Use a well known company like sky and declare the mods and they're very reasonable.
P.s if you buy the uk version you'll spend a fortune trying to make it in to an Sti and it'll be worth no more.
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29 May 2013, 06:10 PM
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Test drive several of each is my advise.
I've had 5 Impreza's, uk and JDM, over the past 7 years, and driven several others. Personally don't think the import is worth the extra insurance, especially if you are going to keep it for a few years. All comments below apply to classics only and are all IMHO of course.
Sti has better ratios for accelerating, uk more relaxed cruising. Depends what you want the car for. Near 4000rpm at 70 provides good in gear response on the track but can soon become wearing if you have any distance to do (my uk car 2750rpm at 70, 3750rpm at 90, 27mpg on a long run) The Sti at 90 is screaming it's nuts off and sucking fuel for all it's worth! Horses for courses.
Sti has up to 60 more hp but the bigger turbo takes longer to wind up so on the road can be irritating compared to a uk car with the smaller td04 which can wind up pretty quickly. It's not that expensive to get a few extra horses on the uk car any way. Sti decat centre section can be had for under £30, Prodrive back box another £80 odd, silicone Y pipe £30, than a remap or stick in a Prodrive ecu for about £300 to achieve near import power with a nice increase in torque which helps overcome the relaxed gearbox, and will still pass the MOT. The makings of a cheap performance car for around £1700 all in. And will still be cheaper to insure than the import. Mine is £270 a year
Biggest argument for the uk car is that both cars have appalling brakes and understeer. Modifying a base uk car with 4pots or better and 2 pot rear is seen as an upgrade, you may not get the money back but you won't devalue the car. May be not so on a prized Sti. You will pay a comparative fortune for an unmolested Sti and devalue it as soon as you start modifying. Again it depends what you want from your car. Of course you can always keep the bits and put it all back to sell it.
The headlights are just as crap on both cars. Again modifying a uk car will be seen as an upgrade as it is not a collectors car, probably not on the enthusiasts Sti.
Biggest argument for the Sti is it's reputably stronger engine, just ripe for power modifications if that is the way you want to go, providing the mileage is low enough.
Most importantly there is the standard rear wash wipe on the JDM saloon. Impressed me so much I fitted it to my wife's uk classic saloon. Someone please tell me why it was left off the uk car!!!!!!
Unmodified Uk car will happily run 95ron petrol all day whereas the Import requires the expensive stuff.
Air con is standard on the import, option on the uk car but more easily found on the post 97 face lift cars.
Import Sti has the lightweight bonnet as standard. Fitted one to mine in the correct colour for £122
Imports also have electric folding mirrors, but none have heated mirrors, another inconceivable omission.
The last of the classic Sti's had inverted suspension and trick diffs, but these will cost you in the purchase price of the car.
Lets not mention the bright button......
Important to bear in mind that you should keep a substantial wedge of cash in reserve for the inevitable disaster. These cars where not that great on reliability when they were young, now they are old.......
My wife went thru 3 engines before giving up, and I trashed 3 gearboxes in 90,000 miles (six years) but keep battling on.
I keep coming back to my faithful MY97 uk wagon with bigger brakes front and rear, braided hoses, brake stopper, removed proportioning valve, prodrive engine/exhaust options, stronger box and some suspension tweeks. Used daily on a 28 mile each way commute can be driven like a hooligan or just as happily trog along with the traffic as the mood takes or wife allows lol. It's only worth about a grand now (worth a lot more in bits) but overall it has only cost £4k to purchase and mod over 6 years of ownership. The saving in insurance has nearly covered this.
Whichever you get please don't be disappointed when you are handed your **** by a modern hot hatch, they cost a lot more to buy and you don't come across the quick ones being well driven that often lol
Flame suit on
I've had 5 Impreza's, uk and JDM, over the past 7 years, and driven several others. Personally don't think the import is worth the extra insurance, especially if you are going to keep it for a few years. All comments below apply to classics only and are all IMHO of course.
Sti has better ratios for accelerating, uk more relaxed cruising. Depends what you want the car for. Near 4000rpm at 70 provides good in gear response on the track but can soon become wearing if you have any distance to do (my uk car 2750rpm at 70, 3750rpm at 90, 27mpg on a long run) The Sti at 90 is screaming it's nuts off and sucking fuel for all it's worth! Horses for courses.
Sti has up to 60 more hp but the bigger turbo takes longer to wind up so on the road can be irritating compared to a uk car with the smaller td04 which can wind up pretty quickly. It's not that expensive to get a few extra horses on the uk car any way. Sti decat centre section can be had for under £30, Prodrive back box another £80 odd, silicone Y pipe £30, than a remap or stick in a Prodrive ecu for about £300 to achieve near import power with a nice increase in torque which helps overcome the relaxed gearbox, and will still pass the MOT. The makings of a cheap performance car for around £1700 all in. And will still be cheaper to insure than the import. Mine is £270 a year
Biggest argument for the uk car is that both cars have appalling brakes and understeer. Modifying a base uk car with 4pots or better and 2 pot rear is seen as an upgrade, you may not get the money back but you won't devalue the car. May be not so on a prized Sti. You will pay a comparative fortune for an unmolested Sti and devalue it as soon as you start modifying. Again it depends what you want from your car. Of course you can always keep the bits and put it all back to sell it.
The headlights are just as crap on both cars. Again modifying a uk car will be seen as an upgrade as it is not a collectors car, probably not on the enthusiasts Sti.
Biggest argument for the Sti is it's reputably stronger engine, just ripe for power modifications if that is the way you want to go, providing the mileage is low enough.
Most importantly there is the standard rear wash wipe on the JDM saloon. Impressed me so much I fitted it to my wife's uk classic saloon. Someone please tell me why it was left off the uk car!!!!!!
Unmodified Uk car will happily run 95ron petrol all day whereas the Import requires the expensive stuff.
Air con is standard on the import, option on the uk car but more easily found on the post 97 face lift cars.
Import Sti has the lightweight bonnet as standard. Fitted one to mine in the correct colour for £122
Imports also have electric folding mirrors, but none have heated mirrors, another inconceivable omission.
The last of the classic Sti's had inverted suspension and trick diffs, but these will cost you in the purchase price of the car.
Lets not mention the bright button......
Important to bear in mind that you should keep a substantial wedge of cash in reserve for the inevitable disaster. These cars where not that great on reliability when they were young, now they are old.......
My wife went thru 3 engines before giving up, and I trashed 3 gearboxes in 90,000 miles (six years) but keep battling on.
I keep coming back to my faithful MY97 uk wagon with bigger brakes front and rear, braided hoses, brake stopper, removed proportioning valve, prodrive engine/exhaust options, stronger box and some suspension tweeks. Used daily on a 28 mile each way commute can be driven like a hooligan or just as happily trog along with the traffic as the mood takes or wife allows lol. It's only worth about a grand now (worth a lot more in bits) but overall it has only cost £4k to purchase and mod over 6 years of ownership. The saving in insurance has nearly covered this.
Whichever you get please don't be disappointed when you are handed your **** by a modern hot hatch, they cost a lot more to buy and you don't come across the quick ones being well driven that often lol
Flame suit on
Last edited by his-n-her-scoobs; 29 May 2013 at 06:19 PM.
29 May 2013, 06:26 PM
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I have a "w" reg phase 2 classic uk 2000 turbo, it's been a good car, I got mine when I was 21 and the insurance was fairly cheap, it's been good on fuel. Would have prefered the sti but with a few tweaks its not far off sti performance. Looking back I would have saved a little more and done the jdm route but I'm glad I brought a looked after one and not a cheap one (3 years and no issues other than Leakey rear lights caused by me not sealing them)
29 May 2013, 11:15 PM
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I've had uk cars and jdm and recently I bought another uk car, cheaper to buy and mine is now fitted with the dccd gearbox and rear diff so is great fun to drive but looks like a standard uk car!
30 May 2013, 10:07 AM
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Thanks for all your advice guys. One more thing, could anyone be able to tell me if this is an Import or UK: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Imp...item3381567706
I went to see it and fell in love with it dispite the mileage (even after seeing some others). I am able to get it cheaper with a good deal as I have used the garage for cars in the past. The cambelt was done at 100,000 miles with receipt. Car is completely standard apart from the spoiler (which cost £900 fitted) and induction kit. It has full service history and lots of receipts and looks like it's been looked after, not been in the hands of a ..... well you know.
The insurance is the cheapest I have got a quote on and it's the only one that I can get day insurance cover on so my guess is it's a UK version? If it is I'll have to buy it, I love it.
Save up my pennies over the years and when I get bored I can move onto an STI, or modify this one.
So back to my question, how would I tell if this is a UK or Import dispite the cheaper insurance? It's 230bhp..
I went to see it and fell in love with it dispite the mileage (even after seeing some others). I am able to get it cheaper with a good deal as I have used the garage for cars in the past. The cambelt was done at 100,000 miles with receipt. Car is completely standard apart from the spoiler (which cost £900 fitted) and induction kit. It has full service history and lots of receipts and looks like it's been looked after, not been in the hands of a ..... well you know.
The insurance is the cheapest I have got a quote on and it's the only one that I can get day insurance cover on so my guess is it's a UK version? If it is I'll have to buy it, I love it.
Save up my pennies over the years and when I get bored I can move onto an STI, or modify this one.
So back to my question, how would I tell if this is a UK or Import dispite the cheaper insurance? It's 230bhp..
Last edited by RCS2810; 30 May 2013 at 10:10 AM.
30 May 2013, 12:22 PM
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30 May 2013, 12:40 PM
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Yes but a lot of these "specific" insurance companies wont entertain me as I'm 21 with 0 years no claims (as I've only just gone on my own), even though I've been a named driver since I was 17. Plus I have a months speeding ban in 2011.
30 May 2013, 01:26 PM
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I'm not being arrogant by saying this but can you blame them?
30 May 2013, 07:54 PM
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Everything I said above was referring to the classic.
Had a 53 plate uk blob eye similar to the one you are looking at and sold it after a month as I and my wife found it boring to drive (compared to the much lighter classic).
If you are going to go for the new age car then the Sti is a must IMHO.
Again test drive all versions to avoid disappointment and good luck with your search.
Had a 53 plate uk blob eye similar to the one you are looking at and sold it after a month as I and my wife found it boring to drive (compared to the much lighter classic).
If you are going to go for the new age car then the Sti is a must IMHO.
Again test drive all versions to avoid disappointment and good luck with your search.
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