Following on from my thread last week about getting back into a Scooby, my Hawkeye 2.5 STi arrived late last night ..


Getting loaded up down south:






Finally on the drive way:






Bye bye BMW:



After it's last wash and polish:






The Scooby got picked up yesterday about 10, and Alistair from PCC phoned to say that was it loaded up and it would probably be with me around 8 I was a bit surprised as I thought it was more likely it would be with me on Wednesday morning.


I got home about 5:30 last night, and it's a bit of tradition in our family to make sure the car we are trading in, is washed, interior cleaned etc. I like to look after my cars and just don't feel right trading in a filthy car. We'd been to Glasgow with the BMW at the weekend, and the front of the car hadn't been shy in a bug massacre so I set about giving the BMW one last wash and clean. It's a handsome beast, sits really nicely on the 19's and the black exterior and white interior (individual merino leather) really makes it a nice place to sit. It's a GT car though. It just doesn't engage and with the auto box, and full torque from about 1,200 revs, all you do is stick it in D and steer and brake. It barely gets above 2.5K, there's no point. There's no step in power and it's a smooth linear increase in speed.


I had a JB+ fitted and the MPE fitted in an attempt to make it have more character. Unfortunately the JB+ didn't change the characteristics of the power delivery, and it's so well insulated you couldn't really hear the MPE unless in Sport mode with the windows down, when you got some pop and crackle on the over run.


If I did long journeys, or sat in traffic a lot then it's a brilliant car. It's my 3 auto in a row (S-Tronic in the S3, PDK in a Boxster S 987.2 and then a true torque converter) and the conclusion - nope, not for me .. easy but dull. PDK was the best of the bunch. I began to detest the farty 4 pot S3 and the whoomph on upshift, and the small bump and slur from the auto in the BMW when it changed was the final straw. I now have 3 lovely pedals and can't be happier


First trip back in a 10 year old Scooby, yep the petrol station lol .. start her up - oooooh, now that's better. I'm not 100% convinced it has a standard back box, it looks too big, but it's not overly noisy.


Clearly I have forgotten how to drive an older car. I appear to have clown feet. I can't do a smooth take off, I can also hear mechanical things, the brakes are also very good, I'll need to relearn how to modulate them better.


So, my main worry after the BMW. The Scooby will feel a bit slow. It's been a long time since I had my Forester STi and things have moved on. The BMW was rapid when it was hooked up in 3rd and was running around 320/320, pretty much all on tap straight away


In the STi, here we go, 2nd gear, push the throttle, feels ok, revs picking up - holy ****s and giggles ah the memories come flooding back, why oh why oh why did I get out of Subaru ownership. I know it's no longer that quick compared to the latest hot hatches, but it feels like an absolute rocket ..


Anyway, I walked to work today like normal but am going home at lunchtime for a drive. It's been a long time since I've had a car I actively want to take out, and I think that's down to a number of things - 3 pedals, character and noise ..



I've heaps of boxes in the garage all ready for him, new headunit and speakers, centre gauge pod with 3 gauges, H&S backbox, decat centre pipe, Walbro 255 fuel pump, cosworth air filter, wiper blades, rain X, new STi mats .. but I'm going to drip feed these on, so I don't get bored and always have something to look forward to. I'm going to enjoy him standard for a while (apart from the headunit and speakers).

I'm hoping this will be a beautiful friendship hehe !

 

Very tidy looking Subaru there. Well done.

 

Very nice write up and well worded I felt like I was on your journey there.

Having Had my first Subaru way back 2005 and then moved on to an EVO, I also found myself going back to a Subaru for the characteristics.

I'm also in the middle of removing the audio setup where that original HU is shelved in the garage and a nice new Alpine unit sits in place, Speakers are on route and I'm watching a nice amplifier on the well known auction site.

Best of luck with your new arrival and of course lets see some pictures

 

Very very nice indeed,enjoy

 

That looks very clean, and BMW saved your self a few pounds. Now pull up the carpet and check underneath

 

sti-chris .. I have a Kenwood double din unit to fit in mine. I hoping as the one coming out is also Kenwood it will be an easier swap.


jaygsi - this is the first time I've actually changed cars and had money come my way. It's an odd experience lol


Let's hope my 2.5 doesn't cause me too many issues straight away, I'm fully expecting it to have to be forged at some point but even with the planned mods I'm not wanting a map to give me as much power and torque as possible. I'd much rather have a safer 330 BHP that comes in smoothly, without a dump of boost early .. thinking revvy rather than torquey if that's possible with the 2.5

 

Looks mint, enjoy!

 

Sell it and buy a JDM?

 

Really good write up. Enjoy the car and keep the pictures coming.

 

TECHNOPUG - I've just bought the bloody thing, why would I want to sell it for a JDM? I could have got one of them if I'd wanted to


I much prefer the Scooby burble with the UK STi anyway irrespective of whether it's revvy or has a chocolate engine.


I've just been home to pick it up and drive it back to work .. put a CD in (Kings of Leon) jeeso that stereo is poor, it's like a Chad Valley my first CD player. Oh well, it'll have to be that flat four .. can't believe that's the standard system (I'll bet it is though) cars these days are so well insulated and quiet. Oh oh, it rattles, a bit .. .. hit some traffic, look like an amateur as I have lost the throttle sensitivity I need to ease away without a flare of revs, too much soft mushy soft throttle exposure in the BMW .. oooh a hill start, when was the last time I did one unaided .. hey ho, that wasn't bad


Into the car park, can feel the 4wd system, feels a bit industrial .. and reverse .. where are my parking sensors, rear camera and passenger mirror that dips? On the BMW I sold, that's where - just as well there is this massive wing shape at the back


Some more pics as requested - interior:



Standard 17's:



I do miss this one on sunny days:

 

They do feel a bit agricultural in comparison to a modern bm or Audi, Bumpy, Squeaky the odd rattle, am I going through a mid life crisis, should I have driven one before parting with the cash.

I done the same thing as you, Bought mines never seen it till the morning it arrived off a trailer, immediately thought what have I done.

Anyways the love soon comes back , mines is only for the weekend and hopeful a future investment.

And your absolutely spot on about the stereo/ tin can radio worst sound ever.

 

Nice looking car but I am biased as I have one the same with PPP...my chocolate engine is all original and has covered 92,000 miles so they arnt all bad!!
only thin I would do would be change the wheels Here is mine.

 

Welcome back. Lovely car.

 

"I'd much rather have a safer 330 BHP that comes in smoothly, without a dump of boost early .. thinking revvy rather than torquey"

Your words, not mine.....sounds like you are describing a 2.0 JDM to me

 

Lovely looking car Smithys STI - nice PFF7's


TECHNOPUG I'm well aware of the revvy nature of a JDM 2.0, however I intentionally bought a 2.5. I suspect most of the remaps to the 2.5 are done to use the extra capacity to get a big dump of boost/torque early .. however what I'm wanting is a bit more smooth power high up and not to overly stress the engine too much low down, I'm trying to give my chocolate engine a chance of surviving a few miles before it implodes.


It's something I can ask the mapper to do (or not do so to speak) and if he can't - I'll find another mapper who can. Plenty awesome mappers up here in Scotland

 

I'm just pulling your leg

Car looks lovely.

 

Thanks buddy ... I had a Litchfield Forester STi a long time ago, so basically the same 2.5 engine/gearbox with partial decat and Litchfield remap running about 330/330 .. it always put a smile on my face with that lovely offbeat burble ..

 

Your original post summed up all the reasons I'm back in one as a daily driver after being around the houses a bit for the last 5-6 years.

I always knew it was where I really wanted to be - trying to save money on fuel just made me unhappy.

 

Looks Lovely, Subaru's are truly a car with a beating heart and a soul.

 

That looks lovely. Nice write up you've pretty much don't the same as me I've changed from a merc c320d. Not quiet the same build quality but It puts a smile on my face ever time I start it.

 

Your car looks great. Similar Journey to myself. I went from a 2004 widetrack to a mk2 RS then chasing the Subaru void went to an E92 M3... never really worked and after years looking for another burbling Scooby went for the chocolate 2.5 and put a smile back on my face. Looks similar to yours


Enjoy the car... it was the right move for me and I feel like I am actually driving something again!!

Cheers

 

Very nice

I wouldn't describe the 2.5 as chocolate, more of a Toblerone, 'Pretty sweet and satisfying but a bit rugged around the edges'

 

I think that's the biggest surprise if I'm honest, you actually feel you're engaged in driving the car. It doesn't like when you're ham fisted or footed, it will judder and whine if you don't get it right. Just goes to show how easy new cars have become to drive.I've already stalled the bugger twice


I've also started using the DCCD (all the way back to the green square) before parking up, as I was hearing some groaning from the diffs.


That's a lovely car cover99, loving the alloys (what are they?) and changing up to 18's are on my to-do list. Although I don't remember my previous Scooby's being as hard as the STi. I'm guessing the widetrack, inverted struts etc. make it a much harder drive than the 03/04 blob eyes?

 

Hi Thanks she's a bit of a garage queen.

The alloys are prodrive GT1 alloys in anthracite 18" and the car runs Prodrive/Bilstein struts with Eibach springs. My old Blobeye which was a widetrack 04 plate was on standard suspension and was a bit higher ride height. Can get an idea below.



But although the Hawkeye is firmer I don't find it as bad as the MK2 RS was and not uncomfortable at all.