dkc1984

Hello, I hope to be posting more to this site in the near future once the purchase has been made. To get there though, I wouldn't mind getting some advice from the right people!

I have been researching WRX hatchbacks a lot - I know some people have not been too impressed with some but I love my Scoobys I want another, more modern looking one (used to have a Legacy).

The prices are not too bad for some 09 models and fairly similar for the WRX-s STI and 330S. Various people have either liked or loathed each, for example, Chris Harris liked the WRX-s more than the STI.

I drive a lot of B-roads and would be my second car (I also drive a 50MPG van!) so not massively concerned about MPG etc. I want real world performance over wet pot-holed roads that's going to be comfortable and fun. Again I hear the WRX-s is a good choice for this - would the 330s be too hard and highly strung? Does the STI offer the middle ground? I should really go and test drive but no so easy with where I live and work etc so thought I would ask opinions!

Thanks, really interested to hear what y'all think.

Dave

clyne 08

I would be more concerned about the crap pistons than the suspension mate!

https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...-failures.html

PODWRX2

A lot of folk on here would reccommend you go for the sti and thats sound advice if you are looking at big horses in the future but the sti does have its engine issues apparently. I have a 10 plate wrx-s as my daily drive and love it. You still get sub 6 sec 0-60, 18" GT1 alloys and sti body bits. yes, running cost for both cars can be crippling with low 20's mpg and £475 road tax but so what! I had a UK300 before my hatch and from a handling aspect that was a much better planted car IMO but like you i wanted something more modern looks..you either love it or hate it!

Mouser

Hello. I had a WRX-S for over 2 years and loved it. Pretty staid looking but that suited me.
Easy to service if you DIY although the air filter was a PITA for some reason. Not the best brakes in the world. Very practical car with the hatchback although not to everyone's taste. Almost as much torque as a standard STi but could have done with the 6 speed box instead of 5. Not too difficult to achieve 30 mpg when on the open road and the ride is pretty firm. No engine problems although I did need a wheel bearing which SUBARU covered half the costs. If you plan to keep the car for a while the STi or 330 might be a better option. Watch the cambelt schedule on anything you buy and factor it into the deal. Good luck with your (difficult) choice!

thenewgalaxy

STi, 320r, 330s, 340r - not much difference between them in ride to be honest, the main difference is the maps on the engine. 340-r gets my vote.

There is another thread in action on here about an STi vs an S3 as a buyer's choice and it mentions engine problems that the 2.5s are known to suffer from.

And no disrespect to Chris Harris, but I find most road tests and articles by motoring journalists very difficult to take seriously these days. Try them out for yourself.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

http://www.premiercarsolutions.co.uk...01402201946355

Here's what you want.

terzoscooby

MY11 STI is a completely different car to drive. It has the spec C suspension which transforms it. I would advise test driving one for the day.

salsa-king

buy the best car you can afford.. then watch it drop in price. ;0

dkc1984

Hi, thanks for the info! I have read about the engine problems on the STI's but if I bought one of those I would only buy one that has had the full Subaru service history and hopefully they will have sorted that out. Plus I would be buying one with a few miles on it with the hope that if something was going to happen, it would have happened already. Would a remap sort out the issue?

I know a lot of people much prefer the older shape hawk eye etc cars. I know I will be in a minority but I am not a huge fan, I like the more conservative look of the newer cars and I want something that is fairly current.

I'm not a huge fan of motoring journalists either but until now it's the only thing I have had to go on. The WRX-s sounds like the sensible plan and I like the sound of it being a bit softer as I drive some horrendous roads. But then I also like the sound of 300bhp. Not concerned about running costs as it won't be a daily drive.

I'm leaning towards a WRX-s as an all rounder. Would an STI / 330S give me that much more pleasure?

Shaun

IMO.... unless you can fund an engine rebuild (i.e. have the money for that, should it be required) I wouldn't even contemplate it.

The 2.5ltr is a turd.

terzoscooby

I still recommend you drive a WRX-S, a MY08 STI and a MY11 STI. I think you will find the brakes far better in the STIs and the handling far the better in the MY11. They are all 2.5s. Serviced well and run on V-power they are a good road engine I have had 115,000 miles of trouble free motoring out of two. My MY11 is on 60,000 and has never missed a beat. It's only ever had v-power to feed it and so far so good.

PODWRX2

Finding a car that has been cherished by its previous owners is a big challenge. Most people who know scoobs only run them on super unleaded (v-power or tesco 99) even though its say RON95 on the inside if the filler cap on my WRX-S. I bought the car on 3k and have kept all the fuel receipts since to prove that its been run on the good stuff. Its serviced every year by main dealer but i also change the oil every 3k myself ( its easy-30 mins tops). Happy hunting.

salsa-king

if you go for a wrx/s................. you'll always wish you'd had the STi

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Ordinarily i'd say if your using it as a daily go for the WRX-s and for a weekend car the STI or 340-r, but as you mention crap roads you may find the latter somewhat bone jaring, the only way to find out which you prefer is going to be via a test drive.

My money would go on the car that trooper linked, then i'd have another boot fitted minus the garish spoiler, you could own that for 3/4yrs and only lose £5k where as any of the others will drop like a stone over that period somewhere in the region of double the depreciation, food for thought.