BaronScooby

Hi everyone,

My names Richard and I'm looking to buy a WRX in January if the right ones about of course!

I'm coming from owning a Mk3 Golf Gti so its a bit of a change and I have a lot to learn but I've always wanted one.

I plan to basically stalk the forum until January learning as much as I can about the different models and modifications!

I've mainly been looking at 2005 WRX's sorry if there's loads of different models I haven't done a lot of research yet but I'm looking something along the lines of this : http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...andard/1757763

I want to buy a completely standard well looked after model and begin with just an exhaust system and a different pair of alloys, A service first though!

A little about myself, I'm very OCD with cars! If someone told me to dance around the car in the morning cause it'd help it I probably would I'm obsessed with oil changes and maintenance, since owning my golf all I've done is spend loads maintaining it hopefully the Scooby won't have as many problems!

My basic plan is to buy a nice looked after Scooby start small with modifications then as I learn more look into what else can be done

If anyone has any models they'd suggest or anything to look out for that'd be great I won't bug for information though cause I know the search function exists

Apart from all that I'll have a budget max of £6000 and more importantly I look forward to seeing it on the drive each morning

R.

stuart148

iTrader: (12)

if your wanting to do mods to the car
I'd start with a sti that way it will save you money in the future

oh and welcome to sn

harrisard

iTrader: (6)

Welcome mate!! As above 6k will get you an Sti and save you in the long run!!

Harri

BaronScooby

Thanks for the welcome

I had thought about an STI but talking to different people I know who own them and also only being 21 I haven't checked but I'm reckoning the difference in insurance between the WRX and STI will be quite large!

Everyone I've talked to says you'll get the speed bug and want more and more power but my licence is my job, I'm more in it for owning a Scooby

JC-R

Welcome to the club m8, Get a nice WRX remap it with exhaust , filter and poss fuel pump, (dont quote me on the fuel pump) and you will have a car thats just as quick as an sti. Dont go silly on spending money on it tho because it will always be a wrx and all that money will be pisst up the wall when you sell it. Save your pennies and when you can afford the insurance get an STI

JC-R

What's the best price youve been quoted on insurance on a wrx and an sti in your name ? When i was 21 i got insurance on a celica gt4 st 205 in my own name £1750.

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Buying either model is not all about speed etc. there are quite a difference between them all. If you press the noise pedal you will go fast in any car, it's how you control the car and yourself that matters.

Plenty threads on here to help decide

Good luck, it's a mine field

Rob

Ps. Give Gary Moulson a ring at Keith Michaels insurance, he's then man for insurance. He's a member on here too

Rob swallow

Apparently the chassis set up on a wrx is better suited to our smooth roads??!!?? Not owned either just what I've read somewhere

Peter Pan

iTrader: (6)

Welcome to Scoobynet I agree with the above, go for the STI and quick enough in standard trim, the money you save on moding a WRX will go towards your insurance, have a good phone around before hand for quotes on both.
Bare in mind that if you modify a WRX you should notify your insurance company and that could increase your premium so it might just work out just as cheap just go for the STI. There's plenty of knowledgeable guys on here that will give good advice if you have any questions and good luck with your search.

Dangermouse1607

Hi Richard

Welcome!

I am reasonably new to scoobynet too and I was in the same position as you, which to buy.
I thought I wanted a hawkeye (they are the best looking) 2.5L but after advice from here I found there were engine issues, not all suffered from but it was more risky unless it was a forged engine. I was also looking for one in the lowest tax band as the 2006 March saw tax per year increase to £490.

After a lot of soul searching and looking on piston heads, ebay, auto trader and gumtree every hour of every day I am pleased to say I have found the Scooby of my dreams.

I had to travel to pick her up but oh boy was she worth it!

It's a 2005 WRX STI PPP 2L so 305bhp. Blue, Gold Wheels No mods other than a different exhaust system. She only had 2 previous fanatical owners and had only done 19.5k.

I had a bigger budget than you said you have but I think to get a peach, sometimes you need to pay a little more.

You mentioned insurance. WRX STI 2005 is in tax group 44. My Honda civic type R was only tax group 34 so it was an increase for me but total quote was just below £500. You got to search for a good deal! I always manage to get my husbands EVO 9 FQ360 into mid £300's so search, search, search!!

Good luck with your search, get as much information as you can so you really know what to go for. There are some beautiful ones out there but there are also some real dogs so one piece of advice I was given was buy with your head not your heart! and that really did work for me.

Be careful of those traders! Any real gems, they snap them up real quick! so you need to get in fast, cash at the ready.

Good luck!

Lisa

thenewgalaxy

Hi Richard

All really good advice above.

I personally would save a bit more and get an STi. I'm not elitist but it's the proper one. If you plan on tuning a car heavily and/or owning for years to come that is the one to get.

But in my view the WRX is a more sensible car for a 21 year old first time Subaru owner. A small investment will see a reliable 280bhp and people are right to suggest that it's not a good idea to throw too much money at one, go for much more power and you'll need to upgrade brakes and think about uprating suspension parts etc, you'll never see that money again when you come to sell up - and probably upgrade to an STi or an Evo.

A WRX would lose not too much money (by the way the one on the ad there is overpriced IMO) and in two to three years or so you'd have a nice chance to upgrade to something with a bit more oomph.

Arkynsei

Check out the insurance before you commit to the WRX.. I was 21 when I got my STI and it was only 100 quid more to insure! That was with Elephant when searching on confused.com. £1100 in total with Exhaust declared.
Better base to run with if you want to do mods in future .

Pop me a message if you have any questions about insurance or model types at all. I'm happy to help, silly questions or sensible!

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Ref insurance, I agree with the above. You must check, and chase around before buying, you might be surprised.

My insurance is bespoke, tailored to my needs by Keith Michaels, I know location, age, ncd, driving history, points etc all either favour or hinder, but for me Gary @ KM has always come up trumps. Last 6 Subaru's all insured for a whole host of modifications that some other insurers won't entertain.

Save time and try these guys first, most can be Pm's or emailed, and they call you back to save you being in a call queue

https://www.scoobynet.com/insurance-19/

Hope this helps.
Rob

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

From reading a recent topic on this very subject, Keith Michaels won't insure anyone under 25 as far as I'm aware.

If I was in your position at the moment, I'd consider looking at a Classic (ie pre 2000) Impreza. You might find you can get cheaper classic car insurance on it, and if you pick a good one, its depreciation will have pretty much finished too.

You'll need to look hard, but the folks on here will help you to find a good one.

BaronScooby

Wow. I've owned three cars now, the scooby will be my fourth and I don't think I've ever encountered such a friendly forum!

I knew that I would be persuaded one way then the other there's so much choice! I feel as if I'm going to be bugging some of you now on every different model etc

Just to get back to some people who posted, I always declare my mods I will now 100% be checking the difference between the sti and wrx although as someone mentioned you can see a healthy 280 bhp out of a wrx for me its not really about the speed more the owning/handling of the car, if I get caught speeding I lose my job!

I knows there's going to be a million and one choices that's why I decided to sign up now a few months before.. I've gotta admit though it is torturing me a bit now the wait haha!

Thanks for the replies everyone,

R.

Trinity

iTrader: (28)

I came from the VW fraternity as well...spent well over 20k on my Mk2 Golf with an S3 Engine and NOS...got into my first Type R Scooby, and instantly realised, a base model STI was far better than the Golf would ever of been. However did have some fun times working on the Golf for many years, and at the time, it was cheaper to insure. However the publics response to Golf was far more shall we say appreciative than that of the Subaru, and posh girls preferred the Mk2

Try to sort out the insurance and get an STI though, beg, borrow, steal..whatever you can to make it happen

thenewgalaxy

We're actually a bunch of trolls, we're luring you in before we get you

If you're after the owning and handling you would probably be better off going for a classic. They're zipper and with a suspension upgrade and some meaty tyres those things are awesome on a B-road.

At risk of being mocked, at 21 you could pick up a decent Turbo 2000 low mileage and stick some coilovers on it. Would be cheap to insure and a real scream to drive. Alternatively you could go for an import type R, but these are quick and lightweight cars that often come with a few upgrades to make them quicker still.

The newage and hatch cars are stiffer and heavier and are not as pure a driving experience for it, unless you chuck a lot at them.

Another thing I would say is to see what else is around, 'teg Type Rs and Clio Cups are very pure and license-friendly in terms of performance if you know what I mean

Dangermouse1607

I looked at both the Civic type R and the Clio cup and much preferred the type R for driving experience, handling, performance and reliability. I owned my Type R since new in 2003 and only just sold it 10 years on, that's how much I loved it! As for insurance they are group 34 as opposed to group 44 ish that you are looking at with an STI.

Still, nothing beats that Scooby sound! lol

codfather

iTrader: (1)

Here was me thinking the thread title was 'wet boost'...
Totally different line of conversation their! ... as you were!

thenewgalaxy

Yeah, the Civics are nice and I have learned quite tuneable too (never thought you would be able to tune an NA engine so much) but the Integra DC2 type R was incredible for driver experience, I believe it is still the benchmark for steering (assuming a correctly bushed setup and not something with hammered and worn joints).

I prefer the newer Clios (197 and 200) to the old ones, a bit more refined but sharp steering and a bit more punch - even if you're prey to diesel saloons on the M6

But yes, the boxer burble is quite a thing I love my Cossie but you can get the same thrill from other cars I do love throttle blips as it changes down on my DSG R32

veerinder9

iTrader: (1)

Hi mate welcome to snet. As above check insurance on different models first. And check them by the actual reg plates. Turbo 2000 classic will be the cheapest at the age of 21. Im 22 and I own a turbo 2000. And insurance is 1400. I checked the insurance first before buying any car.

And theres a lot to learn on this site. A lot of good advice is given by enthusiasts and engine builders.

Goodluck with your findings

codfather

iTrader: (1)

Sorry my phone is playing up..wrong thread..wrong comments!
Anyway welcome along!