Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 63 total)
  • Living with a Subaru Impreza Wrx estate.
  • Inbred456
    Free Member

    So I have had my Skoda Octavia mk1 Vrs for a year. I’ve serviced it and replaced the discs and pads and both rear calipers. It sailed through it’s MOT and gets about 33 mpg, mostly urban A and B roads. Its a great car in many ways but it just does nothing for me in the driving stakes.

    I have a crazy yearning for a WRX estate. I know the economy isn’t great and the road tax is top money. I need advice from people who have actually owned and ran them. Do I go for the 2 or 2.5 face lift. Have they been reliable, what is the real world mpg. Any advice greatfully received.

    somouk
    Free Member

    A mate runs one of the older 2.0 ones and it has been reliable but when it broke parts were quite expensive.

    He gets 20-22 mpg normally and the back isn’t quite as spacious as you would think.

    Have you considered mapping the VRS to get some more ponies? I did mine and it really transforms it.

    monkeysfeet
    Free Member

    I ran a 52 plate WRX STI saloon for a while a few years ago. I loved the car, it was brilliant to drive, great in the snow/bad weather. But, I got about 21-25 mpg. It was tuned but it was the sort of car that loved to be driven. Parts were a bit steep, especially cambelt changes.
    If I was young and foolish (again) I would love another. Funnily enough just watched the top gear special with hammond driving one, looks like a fair sized rear.

    hora
    Free Member

    In. A hat trick for me. Why not a Impreza R sportswagon? 160bhp without the ancilleries.

    Ive had a Forester and a Legacy 😀

    BTW they drive way better than VRS’ S

    allthegear
    Free Member

    I’ve had an Impreza Turbo old style and an Impreza III WRX PPP. Completely different experience to all other cars I’ve ever driven. Somehow, every journey was an occasion…

    They were fairly expensive to run but maybe not as bad as you might think. Servicing was fairly sensible for a four wheel drive car and I don’t have much experience of parts – never needed any.

    Remember they are smaller than an Octavia.

    Rachel

    HoratioHufnagel
    Free Member

    I had one. Apart from running costs, another drawback was chav’s trying to race you ALL the time, in the most inappropriate places (i.e. a town high street).

    Fun as it was, i wouldn’t buy another. They aren’t without their expensive problems (big end), and not *that* fast by modern standards unless they’ve been tuned up.

    martymac
    Full Member

    i have a legacy estate, mate has a forester, both brilliant to drive. no wind noise at all, ive had mine flat out on the autobahn and not even a rustle.
    mate got his forester from a scrappy for 300 notes, trailered it home, stuck a centre section in the exhaust, a new battery in it, put it straight through the mot. every single thing on it works, even the aircon.
    i am considering an impreza R sportwagon as my next car.
    been in a couple of wrxs, they go quite well.

    robinlaidlaw
    Free Member

    Why not a Impreza R sportswagon? 160bhp without the ancillaries.

    Because it’s not particularly more economical than the turbo but it is short about 100bhp (nobody runs a standard Impreza turbo), a whole heap of lovely elastic mid-range grunt and a great noise.
    I’ve owned two classic shape Impreza wagons, my wife had a Forester and I’ve now got a 3.0 Outback. All very reliable and eminently liveable with. The only downsides are expensive parts of which you won’t need many and the fuel consumption.
    IMHO given that N/A Imprezas are hardly any cheaper to buy or run it just doesn’t make sense not to buy the turbo ones.

    hora
    Free Member

    Reliable? I had an exhaust joint, air/fuel sensor/boot/driveshaft/window regulator/throttle body fail.

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    Not had an Impreza but I’ve had an Outback (2yrs) a tuned Forester turbo (10yrs) and a non turbo Forester (8 yrs). Fuel economy never betters 30 mpg,
    BUT! Last week, the missus was totting up the running costs for her Fiat Punto, and we’ve spent more on maintaining that for two years than allthe Subarus put together…

    robinlaidlaw
    Free Member

    Reliable? I had an exhaust joint, air/fuel sensor/boot/driveshaft/window regulator/throttle body fail.

    Sounds like pretty poor luck to me. I ran tuned Imprezas for a total of over 100,000 miles, both sold at around 130,000 and had one exhaust up pipe fail. That’s it. Some other consumables like brake pads and so on. Much better on tyres than most things that quick too. The Forester ran for 3 or 4 years with no maintenance at all other than a little oil added and a pair of new rear shocks.

    Scamper
    Free Member

    Not very spacious but at least the rear seats fold flatter than many a lifestyle estate. Always thought the one to get was the 2.0 WRX with the PPP. The power of the sti, a little more torque, less weight and less bling?

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    Had two saloons over 7 years and was an owner until 18 months ago. First was a 52 plate bugeye. When I first owned it it was like stepping in to a rocket ship, but that mellows with time. That was a standard 225 brake version. Highly camber sensitive under braking and takes some getting used to. Then progressed to a 55 plate 300 with full ppp kit. Loved it and miss it every time I get in the Mazda I own now. Hugely reliable! Had cam belt, clutch and big service done on the newer one for 1100 quid, specialist an a bit of cash involved. Only fault I had on either was cam shaft sensor on the older one which was 100 odd quid and about 5 quid labour as it was unplug and plug the new one in.
    I couldn’t recommend a car highly enough. Got 33 mpg ish on runs to Cornwall but had it around 10mpg a few times when “making progress”
    Pads discs etc no more than normal motors if you fit standard, start putting fancy stuff on then you’ll pay more.
    Pull the buy trigger!

    Inbred456
    Free Member

    The Vrs is nippy enough but I would hate to put any more power through that chassis. It really is an under steering bugger. I’ve totalled up what I would have to spend to change the suspension and it just doesn’t compute. The insurance for me isn’t to bad. I’m old , no points and reasonably careful. I’ve seen a nice silver 2006 2.5 estate that apart from the red calipers and air scoop looks quite nondescript. I could do with 4wd in the winter but not essential. Is the 2.5 a better bet than the 2.0 for reliability.
    I thought about the 160bhp 2.0 R but the economy is not much more than the turbo.

    JohnClimber
    Free Member

    Why not the new Octavia vRS diesel estate.
    It’s economical, 0-60 in 8 seconds, same blue at the WRX, cheap to run, bigger inside than the mark 1 and the WRX and with cheaper insurance.
    I’m hoping to get the OK on one of these tomorrow.

    jonjones262
    Free Member

    Isn’t the 2.5 engine a bit dodgy?

    Pridds
    Full Member

    Had an Impreza WRX estate since 2005. Love it, it’s an awesome car, fun and practical but they are expensive when they need fixing. Funnily enough will be getting an ocatvia when it dies. Glad I had one when I could afford it but with 2 kids it’s not practical to keep spending money on parts and petrol so as soon as something expensive goes it’s off for parts.
    Mpg about 20-25 and what I have found is if you chuck it about (rather than just boot it) that is what sucks the fuel out of the tank like it has a hole in it.

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    0-60 in 8 seconds,

    A bit tardy, then….

    hora
    Free Member

    Jonjones the Head gasket (x2) tends to be US engines due to fuel

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    I don’t buy into the whole expensive to fix thing. You just need a decent independant mechanic. The 2 litre engine is a beaut and if not going for the sti version far cheaper to tax than any of the 2.5s. 8 seconds to 60 is pedestrian when my old girl used to do it in under 5. We even did a very basic test once using a mate and a watch and still got it at 5 1/2

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    Boot no bigger than a hatchback and interior designed by a blind man in the early 90s. Interior plastics made in the same factory they make cracker presents.

    Apart from those three things we were seriously tempted but we bought a mk2 Octavia vRS estate instead. Not (quite) as quick in a straight line but loads more room and loads better built (and it wasn’t particularly well built!).

    Inbred456
    Free Member

    Did the 2.5’s come in 2005/6. There are some lovely well maintained earlier ones. Age doesn’t bother me as long as they have been looked after. It’s kind of an itch I’ve gotta scratch. Compared to buying new you can’t really go wrong. I’ll maybe lose 1.5k on it over a couple of years. That and the extra fuel of course, maybe £ 20 a week if I’m lucky. I know the very latest Vrs has a better ride and handling than the mk2. Modified rear suspension apparently but they are not particularly good value any more.

    gingefella
    Free Member

    Think they changed in 06 to the 2.5.We have had three subaru’s,an early Forester S Turbo then two 04 wrx’s,one an STI and one an import with the twin scroll turbo.The Forester was an amazing work horse and with the back seats down it had some decent room,laughed at snow and even pulled a wagon from a ditch.The other two were tuned and a ball to drive,the STI put out 350 and made grown men wee themselves and none of them missed a beat.Go for it if its an itch to scratch,I did and I didn’t regret it.Fuel consumption is as above but just keep up with the oil changes and on top of other maintenance and you will smile as you drive. 😀

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    Having driven both you can’t begin to compare them performance wise. As for saying its slightly quicker in a straight line that’s bobbins, the preza would leave it for dead in the twistys.
    I chopped my 55 plate for silly money and I think good examples are holding their money well now.

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    You can’t go far wrong with a turbo charged Impreza. My best mate has had several he’s a mechanic so works on it himself but recons if you look after the servicing then you won’t really get any huge bills. He’s seen plenty of the older ‘classic’ ones were they have now fallen into chav territory and servicing hasn’t been kept up needing work.

    I really can’t see the R being value at all when you total up the running costs over a number of years. You may as well get the real deal. A VRS may be only slightly slower in a straight line but it’s miles away on the corners and fun stakes, and pedigree.

    JohnClimber
    Free Member

    suburbanreuben – Member

    A bit tardy, then….

    Get a petrol vRS then

    Rscott
    Free Member

    My brother runs a 2007 2.5wrx its a money pit servicing is pretty standard. but tyres are worn out pretty quick in comparason to his earlier t5 and vrs, and he keeps getting the urge to get more power from it (which wasn’t his intention.)

    He upgraded the exhaust system the cooling system, the inter cool has been upgraded, the turbo and clutch upgraded all before his remap.not to mention the stiffer suspension and the upgraded brakes to cope with the power out put. the rolling road had it sat at 337bhp the other day and he still wants to do more.

    If you can stay away from the upgrade mentality that a lot of people get once they own one then they are a feasible fast and fun car,(unlike the evo’s)

    cudubh
    Full Member

    Mrs CD runs a 55 plate WRX estate. Repairs are reasonably expensive but better at a specialist than a franchised dealer and fuel consumption is poor, as said above many times. She keeps saying she is going to replace it with something more economical then drives it and decides to hold on for a while. They are great fun. Loud on motorway journeys and not huge in the back even with the seat down. If you go into it with your eyes open you will have a blast.

    LS
    Free Member

    I had 3 years in a WRX PPP estate. The best 3 years of car ownership I’ve had. Bonkers-fast, bombproof reliability (servicing at a big specialist) and decent room in the back for the size of car. Roof-rails too if you want to get a rack on, although I guess that’d really destroy the mpg. Perfect winter car as well with the correct tyres on.

    The interior is pony and the radio is crap but I’m driving it, not stroking the plastics 🙂
    As said above, every Corsa full of chavs wants to race you all the time which soon gets tiring.

    Ironically I now have an Octavia diesel and although it works as transport (and saves me £300 a month in insurance and fuel) by Christ it’s dull in comparison.

    PimpmasterJazz
    Free Member

    Oddly I’m in a similar boat. Mk1 vRS, but looking at something AWD to replace it down the line.

    Have to admit I was looking at a diesel Legacy though, now they’ve dropped in price a little.

    Anyone any experience?

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    As for saying its slightly quicker in a straight line that’s bobbins, the preza would leave it for dead in the twistys.

    Exactly what I said. Straight line the Impreza would be marginally quicker. I have no doubt in the twisty stuff an Impreza would leave an Octavia for dead.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I was mostly put off by the boot tbh, it’s not great. I’m a chav at heart so everything else about it was awesome 🙂 But walked away in the end. Legacy and Mitsubishi Legnum got a lot of looks from me too but couldn’t find a good one at the right price (tons of Legacies around with the wrong engine)

    LS
    Free Member

    Straight line the Impreza would be marginally quicker

    Marginally? Behave yourself 🙂 – even a tuned VRS wouldn’t get anywhere close to a bog-basic WRX.

    sproot
    Free Member

    I’ve had a standard WRX wagon for about 9 years and >50k miles now. I don’t know how expensive parts are because I’ve never bought any, servicing is pricey but I use a London main dealer with London prices. The biggest issue is fuel economy, mine didn’t seem to come with any, if I did more than 10k/year I’d have changed it long ago.
    It has no other faults that I care about though, I’d have another tomorrow, I’d even swallow the full tax rate.

    RaveyDavey
    Free Member

    Get one! More smiles/mile than almost any car I’ve ever owned. Get rid once putting fuel in it outways the fun factor. Also one of the most reliable cars I’ve owned even after some sensible mods decat etc.

    hora
    Free Member

    Although I’ve not driven the latest VRS Ive driven the older/Golf/other S3 etc variants. I doubt its even on the same planet as the STI or WRX (I’ve driven both). On the STI- its the only car I actually felt scared driving. The speed it can carry is ridiculous.

    Saying this- I bet as a day to day car/commute etc the VRS would be better as an allrounder/to own. I am sceptical about the Impreza’s reliability. I’ve just heard too many stories about big end bearings etc. Get a decent Subaru Indie? Where do you bloody find those?

    I know of two decent ones (Irlam and Hebden Bridge) but thats luck as two others locally are shit. The main dealers workshop pricing is 😯

    I’m still smarting over paying £450 for a sensor then £150 ontop to fit. I saw the bloke do it- unplug, plug. Done. I’ve still got the old sensor as it bloody cost me so much.

    Saying ^ the way the cars pull into and around roundabouts is amazing, like an invisible tractor-beam.

    LS
    Free Member

    I live about 3 miles away from Scoobyclinic, so servicing/parts was never an issue. Granted, if you don’t live in north Derbyshire then it might be a bit more of a problem.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    I’ve looked at these a few times when looking for a small 4wd car. They are certainly fast, been overtaken by a few going pretty quick in straight lines and round corners. Could never commit to one though. Safer option is to find an older A3 Quattro (non S model) or Golf R as discussed elsewhere on here recently.

    fd3chris
    Free Member

    I cannot believe there are some people on here who think a Skoda VRs is a quick car, never mind able to keep up with a scooby! Bloody Skodas are not performance cars. They are mildly modified shopping cars!!

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    fd3chris – Member
    I cannot believe there are some people on here who think a Skoda VRs is a quick car, never mind able to keep up with a scooby! Bloody Skodas are not performance cars. They are mildly modified shopping cars!!
    POSTED 1 HOUR AGO #

    But this is STW every car needs to be compared to an ‘octy VRS’ and come off worse. It’s a warm taxi and it’s fine as such and will suffice as exactly that, but it’s not really a performance car and it certainly lacks that x-factor. Regardless of if it’s had a re-map. I’m sure there are many happy Octy owners in the same way they are many happy owners of other white goods.

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