whist true, there’s no reason an MX5 needs to be an only car. A bike will go in the passenger seat, on a saris bones rack or tied to the little luggage rack thing you can get.

Yes, get a silly car. but a non-turbo impreza is not a silly car, its just slow, heavy, thirsty and not particularly good at anything

Sold my 54 plate 2004 Impreza estate 2 or 3 years ago for only £800 having done 70k. Its still knocking around and needs little doing to it. Just check the gear box and the brake pads recently done.

The boxer engine sounds great, its not fast at all in a straight line and only does 32mpg, but across country its great fun and the low ratio box and winter tyres will get you up and through anything except deep snow drifts.

I had a Celica at that age, and it was pretty cheap to run, super reliable (despite me thrashing it), fun to drive and easily swallows a bike. what about one of them?

I’d be saving as much as possible to get away from living with my parents instead of looking at which bangers I could replace my current banger with. Or maybe putting more effort into finding a girlfriend. Or doing something exciting.

Anything but buying an Impreza GX really.

Someone asks which to choose between a Micra or an Impreza, gets told they need an MX5, a Celica or a girlfriend – STW at its finest

Im 45 and I’ve got a stupid car, anyone who says you cant when you have a family and responsibilities is talking rubbish.

Its a Renault Scenic.

Don’t feel pity for me, im already dead. 🙁

Almost ANY other car is better than a Micra

However a standard impreza is just a boring old saloon

£1k might get you a better car, but it’s still going to cost you the same again in insurance, at least

How about get a motorbike licence? £1k will cover all the fees for the tests, and you’ll have the licence for life. A motorbike will give you more thrills than many cars. I wish I’d got my licence earlier (did it just before I was 27), I had more free time then and could have gone on long trips etc on the bike. That sort of thing is less appealing in the car (solo, or in groups of solo drivers anyway)

Someone asks which to choose between a Micra or an Impreza, gets told they need an MX5, a Celica or a girlfriend – STW at its finest

Ah, I think you’ll find that ‘MX5’ is a suitable response to pretty much any car need.

Staggered that people would take a Micra – a ruddy Micra! The epitome of an ‘I’ve given up on life car’. 😀

I’d have any Subura over a Micra.

I had a GX like this (but in silver) – I enjoyed driving it!…

I’d already owned a v8 Land Rover and a Toyota celiac GT4 at your age. Go get a ridiculous money pit whilst you can and enjoy it.

Don’t feel pity for me, im already dead.

I can’t picture Barney Gumble in a Scenic. A Snowplow, maybe.

Is a Civic Aerodeck VTi available around that price?

There aren’t any 1.8VTis left. 🙁

At the OPs budget he should just have one car imo. OP search the old MX5 threads, plenty of photos of them with bikes etc in the back. I will admit I was quite negative on them (all the cliches) but reading the threads and paying more attention to them when I see them I have become a real convert.

Have a 1L Micra, it’s been really reliable with my rubbish driving. Would like something a bit more powerful though. But will probably just drive it until it dies, I gave up on life a long time ago.

£1k? Quick? Room for a bike?

Not the quickest, but handles like a go kart:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/ford/focus-st/ford-focus-st-170-2003/6854361

(struggling to find a Type R for less that £1k)

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/195179/1998-citroen-saxo-vtr-buckinhamshire

Impreza GX’s aren’t any more fun to drive than a Micra, will use a lot more fuel and cost more to run/insure. If it’s an older one expect it to be rusty in places too! We have at least a couple of Imprezas fail MOT’s, due to corrosion, every month.

Whilst the Impreza GX would definitely be faster and handle better than a Micra I don’t think it would be my choice of upgrade. Although they can still have the 4 pot burble with the right exhaust which sounds nice.

Can you get an EP3 Civic type R for around the £1k mark? Always wanted one of those but never had one. Clio 172 might be an option – had a few of those and they’re fun. Bit older but Citroen Saxo Vts are really fun to drive and very cheap to run.

Stretch your budget a touch and get a Fiesta ST (around £1300-£1500)

This.

@oliverracing – Is that thing owned by a stripper?

Micro to gx is going from one crap car to another crap car but for different reasons.
The Subaru will be a bit quicker but equally dull and cost a whole lot more for the privilege.
Keep the micra, save the money and buy something decent like bike parts.

I can’t believe nobody has suggested coke and hookers yet.

I’ve had two Imprezas over the last eleven years. I think they are great. First was an 04 WRX, swapped for a 07 STI which I’ve had now for seven years. I think you’d be dissappointed with a non-turbo version and you’d be better off saving up a bit more for one of those.

Micra 160sr. A micra and actually quite fun.

I’ve got the 1.4 K11, bloody brilliant little car, the engine is never stressed no matter how hard i thrash it, pretty nippy as they are only 850kg.

I got a 54 plate saab 9-5 3l v6 for a grand 2 years ago. beast of a car…although i’ve spent a fair bit on it to keep it in tip top condition

180 bhp, room for 6 bikes with the seats down or two with wheels off in boot, cruise control, heated seats…

lots out there for a grand. not sure a subaru gx would be near top of list. as others hsve pointed out, its a long way from a wrx.