Seriously considering changing the car at the moment to one of this type of [url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201110381390994/sort/priceasc/usedcars/quantity-of-doors/5/seller-type/trade_adverts/price-from/10000/body-type/hatchback/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/maximum-mileage/up_to_20000_miles/price-to/15000/transmission/manual/model/impreza/make/subaru/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/bs377yt/keywords/wrx?logcode=p ]Impreza WRX[/url]. 2008 to 2010 in terms of age.
So who has or has had one? How do they drive? Reliabilty? Practicality for bike carrying inside? Suggested alternatives with 4WD?
utterly, fabulously brilliant cars. Totally reliable, went like stink. handles amazingly, enough of a hoot to get yourself into trouble. Not too economical, and petrol tank small, so about 250 miles to a tank IIRC. A little short in legroom, which eventually made my left knee sore (i'm 6'4"), but worth it. Loved the noise when you're really ragging it, sounds just like the in car footage of WRC, all transmission whine/scream and turbo whoosh. I still love the sound of a nicely tuned one burbling past. My missus used to hide her head in shame as other scooby owners and I would give a nob and a wave/flash. 😀
Inside is a bit basic, but it has everything i needed and nothing broke. Ever.
My son loved it also (at 2 years old: "go fast daddy!"). 😆
Servicing not too pricey, parts appear cheap, but they were so bombproof that in 3 years of faultless ownership I only had to get new windsreen wipers as the stock ones are comically bad. 🙄
I imagine you could get a bike inside with the back seats down (I had the hatchback, why would you get a saloon?) without too much bother, but I put mine on a rack on the back.
Glad I didn't have one when I was younger and lived in the north east of scotland. Would have been killer (perhaps literally) up there. Instead I owned it down south (Hampshire, bought mine from Bulldog) I did a lot of miles so got cruise control fitted 😳 , which made it a fine cruiser when required.
I went back up north for a wedding and had the best drive of my life on the backroads between St. Andrews and Crail. Wonderful.
I only say all this as I would dearly love another one, but the fact is I ride everywhere now, the missus drives the car and with kid three on the way the Touran is a fabulous car for what it is.
Can still totally feel the car pinging from side to side through a nice chicane (B939 Cockbridge to Tomimtoul), and nailing it away from the M6 toll booths in a drag race with a jag and souped up Mondeo. WHAM! talk about traction.
Practical, great value, drives like a dream, not run of the mill. Get one! ( and then give me a borrow of it please!).
Kev
oh, and I guess by your name you may have owned one before so all the above might be a bit unnecessary! 🙂
I looked at an Evo (just to BOSS for my liking), and a golf VR6 - too pricey and flabby.
Kev
Buy 5 door one, get nav/decent audio/towbar for a rack and you have the perfect MTB car (excluding fuel economy...).
Replaced mine after 5 years a few months ago - had to get an RS4 Avant as there wasn't anywhere else to go in terms of fast, good handling 4wd estate.
My GF still says "I miss the Scooby" on a weekly basis - she used it in the snow for the past two bad winters.
Interior is a bit cheap, but that means you don't mind getting it dirty.
Mine was serviced at a local independent. Nothing went wrong in 5 years, just needed to replace discs and pads due to wear.
My Subaru experiences so far have all been with old, high mileage Legacy estates. Though the last two had the 2.0 Turbo engine and could embarrass the odd sports car or two.
Will be going for a 5-door with a low as possible mileage for my budget.
I've had two and I just know I'll be going back there sometime next year - I miss it so much!
It's not cheap. Get used to that. Mind you, my second one was a WRX PPP which Prodrive had fiddled with to make it 265bhp, which was nice of them...
Still, if I was really easy with it, I could fill up in Cambridge and just get to Carlisle Tescos to fill up and let loose on the other side of the border. 🙂
Just buy one.
Rachel
I've got a 2002 wrx ppp and agree with all the comments above. Fast as hell (mine is remapped and running p1 turbo and lots of prodrive bits), relatively economical if driven gently, but thirsty if shown open roads for 'spirited' driving, very reliable, cheapish interior although I have the blue sti interior so looks lovely, large boot although the back seat doesn't fold on the newage saloons so getting bike in the boot is a no-no without surgery!
I'm having to put mine up for sale soon due to company vehicle, but it's gonna be the hardest goodbye ever as I love every minute in it!!!!
two issues both regarding money
INSURANCE ... petrol is now 1.36 a litre it aint going to be cheaper any time in the next 5 years. but if money is not an issue... hell yes i'll have a blue and a white one.
My mum has a WRX Turbo 95 (mega low mileage minter).
I 'borrow' it as much as possible. I drive proper big engined seriously fast cars and none are as much fun or as easy to drive quickly as the WRX.
When I have a bit of spare cash I'll be getting my own one...
i had an imported 02 bugeye with all the usual 'extras', unbelievable motor, but had trouble gerrin a bike in. twas blue with gold alloys, the wife hated it cos it drew too much attention and i drove it like a tool all the time!! still, i will have another even if it means a divorce 😉 god i miss it 🙁 thirsty as hell, would do a full tank between mansfield and darlington! which twice a week mounted up! get one, have fun
watched the top gear bit on Evo v Scooby....would have to be the Evo unless a real test drive proved otherwise.
Looking at last weekends Scottish rally championship results the Evo is the new Escort 😆
Pete, there is a Subaru garage (bulldog) in my village next time you are down this way 😀
Brother had a P1, saw one the other day for sale, so tempted.....
Thanks for all the help everyone.
Andy I am just about to Google them. Edit, nothing I want there.
Owner for 7 yrs now, bought my third one 4 months ago and unfortunately had a change of heart (sensible) and kept the one I've had for the last 3 yrs! I've driven mine everywhere and the most exhilarating was the daily drive from port William to Newton Stewart for a whole week! I ragged the nuts off it through that forest windy bit!! Having owned for so long I really do know the ins and outs. Run back from Cornwall achieved 38 ish mpg, however I once spunked 20 quids worth in a little under 40 miles.
Service at main dealer is expensive but there's some great independents round here (midlands) who know there stuff. Had clutch cam belt fully pulley set and service last yr for 1100 quid, it was just unfortunate it all came at once!
One word of warning tho, the new shape is a bit marmite and definately struggles to resell. A local dealer stopped taking them on his forecourt because he couldn't shift em. If you can go for the 330 model, I've drove it, it has gadgets and I had it drifting on a roundabout with a wide eyed dealer sat in the back. One last thing you can still pick up some of the last run of hawkeye shapes, they're holding they're value well and I unfortunately misdeed out on a sti ppp for 13,5k because I dithered!! If you really want any more info I could bore you for ages so just ask !!!
Where you at pete?? Know of a great midlands dealer who has some corkers in now'n again!!
I am just north of Bristol.
Send me the details of the dealer to the mail in my profile please.
YGM pete.
I've had 3. Now have an RS4 avant. Prefer the Audi but bang for buck the sti version I had was quite quite amazing. Cheap interior though and not really plush but handled well and went like stink. Good track day car. Hate the new shape. Drove the sti on a track and was distinctly underwhelmed.
'54 plate PPP sportwagon here. Best car I've owned by a country mile (previous highlight was an Integra so it has a bit to live up to).
Interior basic, but who cares, honestly? I'm driving it not stroking the plastics. Good aircon and a decent stereo and I'm happy.
As a combination of performance, practicality and value they're untouchable. 27mpg average for me.
I've had a couple of 5 doors, loved them, amazing cars, not that big inside though. I wasn't keen on an average of 18mpg.
I'd go for the 5dr PPP also - slighlty more suttle as a 5dr.
I've got a boggo 2.0 5 dr. Everyone moans about the basic interior of Impreza's but mine does not rattle and the low rent plastics are not as bad as some found in my previous mark 5 Golf Gti.