I’m needing a new motor, and am looking to spend 7k ish. Either a newer model with higher milage or perhaps something a little older (seen a 54 plate with 30k on the clock for under 5k). Won’t be using it for daily commute, mainly lowish milage on A and B roads. looking at the WRX version, potentially an estate.

From what I know:

Advantages – quick, great handling, 4×4

Disadvantages – criplingly expensive insurance and road tax and rather thirsty.

Anyones thoughts would be welcome, especially around reliability and what else to look out for.

And what else out there is similar for equivilant cash?

ta

Just got rid of my wrx300, had two over the last seven years. Awesome motor for the money. Mine was sub 5 to 60 mph and onwards to licence losing territory! Never had any problems with either bar a camshaft sensor which was a straight swap and no labour costs as it was minutes to do. Worth putting good tyres on them as they can be lively in the wet but always in control unless you really push hard. It broke my heart to sell it and only got 3600 for it on a 55 plate with 72k on the clock. It also had full history, clutch and specialist cambelt replacement so for your seven grand you should get something very tidy. As a note we got 30 mpg on the run back from cornwall but the minute you go above 3500rpm open up your wallet, one last thing insurance massively variable and my last renewal was £347. Any youre looking at in particular?

They are awesome and will flatter you as a driver.

Stupid thirsty, everyone will want to race you someone will try and steal it.

Bit bland inside but you don’t buy them for the interior.

I’ll continue to bore you, up to the change of engine which was 55/56 plate I think, the tax is nearly half the price due to the 2.0l engine over the 2.5l Evos are the closest comparison but will usually be a good grand to 1500 more expensive for similar age.

Love mine, got a 53 wrx estate as our only car and have had it for 7 years now. I’ll be gutted when it goes. Its a great biking/ family car and i’ve had 4 blokes and kit inside with 4 bikes on the roof and the at other times kids and dog and holiday luggage in it as well. Thing to watch out is servicing them is expensive and they need doing every 10000 miles or bad things happen. Parts are the killer though, everything is expensive and hard to get hold of for them. MPG is not great but not that bad either but as is said above if you rag it it’ll hurt the wallet

Seen a 54 plate Subaru Impreza 2.0 WRX, £4500 with fsh and 28k on clock.

Private rather than trade, which is a worry as I know nowt about car mechanicals

They only come in blue..

A few people at work have them. the thing that takes some getting used to is the lateral grip, it’s just ridiculous. Insurance isn’t really an issue, considering the performance. The fuel consumption is a bit harsh, but again considering the performance it’s ok

MPG is not great but not that bad either but as is said above if you rag it it’ll hurt the wallet

How do you not rag it? 😆 so addictive.

are they reliable? Other than fuel, tax and insurance etc, what are the other commonly incurred costs?

Never had any problems with service costs, same as any car don’t use main dealer which to be fair isn’t that easy nowadays as they are rare. At that age the cam belt should have been done even though it’s not reached the mileage which is 50k, so that’s worth checking for starters as its a £500 affair. Also if it has been done check of idlers and tensioners were done at the same time. Plus check the three yr 30k service was done properly as it includes all the transmission fluids as well.

My two never ever let me down bar that sensor. They are japanese and therefore built properly!

230,000 miles on mine after 8 yrs, SORN on the drive for 3 years… charged the battery and it was driven to the scrap yard. very reliable, stones through the radiator was the biggest problem I ever had.

It is addictive but sometimes the knowledge that is is there to use and that you are going to have to fill it up again if you do, is enough.
Mine has been very reliable. Stuff has broken but nothing major and i’ve done over 100000 miles in 7 years in it. If you are going to get one and don’t want to get it serviced at a dealer then look for a garage that knows it’s stuff or a specialist like scoobyclinic to do the servicing as they can be a bit of a pig to work on if you don’t know them, the engine bay is very tightly packaged to get all the stuff in.

I sold mine in 2007, it was a Jap spec import WRX. Utterly loved it and gutted i got a sensible virus implanted into me by my wife, would have another in a heartbeat if i could get away with it. The race comment above is sooo true, every bloody man and his dog wants to race off the lights/roundabouts and junctions, was very funny watching corsa’s etc full of spotty boys revving the arse off their cars trying to beat me off the lights utter daftness.

I’ve looked and looked at them and had various other cars at times when I’ve been tempted, none as fast B road cars but all much more discrete and pleasant inside – seat Leon cupra, Volvo 850 t-5R mapped to 300bhp-ish , mondeo st (went diesel at the time but petrol worth a look). Was all for swapping the Volvo for one but scooby felt slower from 20mph on a straight bit of road, Volvo went round corners pretty much as fast as I needed on the road.

This time I settled for a Jag S-Type R, rwd, 400bhp, lovely comfy interior, loads of toys and utterly anonymous. 58k fsh, 2002 £5.9k 9 months ago. Handling is pretty sharp, no doubt not as B-road quick but it keeps up with some seriously fast machinery, straight road it’d definitely be quicker than the scoob and insurance is seriously cheap. £70 a year increase from a 1.8 104bhp celica 🙂 Best thing about it, no one tries to race it!

Guess I’m saying there are definitely other options out there (Mazda mps range too) that are a lot less obvious and avoid the scooby image problem. Have a look at the Legacy and Forrester too.

Still an itch I’ll have to scratch at some point, driven a few plus a rally experience so I know how awesome they are!

As others have said, they’re cheap for the performance they provide. However, 5 speed boxes are really thirsty, even cruising on motorways, and the fuel tank is small so you end up on the forecourt a lot.

Never had any problems with mine (old WRX) apart from the crappy alarm system which used to stop working when near to a mobile phone mast. And when I say stop working, I mean you can’t get into the car.

They are quick off the line, and lots of grip, but I wouldn’t say they are as balanced as I would like – however, I’m comparing that with other ‘toys’ which are considerably more cash to buy.

The downsides for me as that the older models are quite cool with their aggressive styling but the body panels are super thin and dent in a bad wind, and the newer ones don’t do anything for me – they look like a badly styled Focus.

Try and get an extended test drive – what is entertaining in the short term may not compensate for long term livability.

Have you been watching Top Gear by chance ?

Look crap but boy racer loves them !

dey is sik

I’ve got a load-liner for a bug-eye WRX estate (not sure if it fits post bug-eye models – it doesn’t fit pre bug-eye) if anyone wants it??…!!!

It’s free, you just have to collect it. Damn thing cost me £100 when I had mine. Loved it, sadly couldn’t afford it to run it every day for work.

Please email me if you want it (address in profile), I’m just north of Newcastle (Morpeth) if you want to collect it.

Cheers.

The stereo in my Impreza Sportwagon was the worst I’ve had in any car. But the rest of it was bloody great!

Get a prodrive exhaust, you’ll not need a stereo after that!
My bugeye wagon has been great, 130k and it drives like its done half that.
Cambelt and rollers was 190 for parts and pretty straightforward to change, don’t be scared by it!

Know of a import WRX STI registered as a standard 2.0T it’s a older model with a 01 interior, low miles and just had engine stripped and rebuilt by a Subaru specialist. Big loud thumper with a good turbo bolted on.

Isnt this the new car of choice on council estates across the land?

Straightliner – Member
Never had any problems with mine (old WRX) apart from the crappy alarm system which used to stop working when near to a mobile phone mast. And when I say stop working, I mean you can’t get into the car.

Ha! My mates one has done that several times… Infuriating but fun car. Glad I don’t have to pay to run it. 🙂

Fantastic performance, but too much performance at the same time ie they actually become a bit dull unless you just like to put your foot down and brake heavily. A Mk2 MX5 wil be way slower but more fun to drive in reality.

OP do all the usual online mot mileage checks before buying. 8yrs and 30k is … especially if its had more than one owner. Strong engines but when they go wrong (big end bearing) etc its eye watering.

Personally I’d get a turbo diesel.

I disagree about flattering a driver. They can easily make you overstep your talent window.

How very dare you sir, I disagree with you. 😉

Hora – I think they really flatter the driver. They feel awesome in how fast they accelerate and corner, but then you are right when they let go they let go in a big way, and most don’t have the skill or ability to catch them.

Hence my first post re good tyres, you need something on there that gives you plenty of feedback or one minute it’ll be cornering and the next you’ll be giving it some drift 8)

I know. I was lent a STI and jesus it scared me shitless. You really can wind on the speed very very quickly. I cant see a boggo wrx being that far off in the real world. It begged for more as it felt planted. A S3 by comparison felt grownup/mature/’safe’.

Recently sold my 54 plate WRX wagon which had had the Prodrive pack from new.
Most things have been covered – 5 secs to 60, ridiculous grip and general performance from a car that can be picked up for very little.
Yes, the stereo was awful. The only thing I would’ve changed about the interior (I’m driving it, not looking at it). Petrol is the killer and why I got rid in the end. Servicing was ok at a specialist, I’m fortunate enough to live near Scoobyclinic though. Bombproof reliability for me, nothing beyond standard service items in the time I had mine.

Loved the sound, esp. with the Prodrive exhaust. I liked the looks as well but as with the interior I’m really not that bothered when I’m driving it. Bikes fitted in fine and with the roof rails putting a rack on was dead easy.
I live in the countryside and with winter tyres on it was unstoppable.

Previous poster is right though – Monster grip and handling balance means you can go very quick, but at the very limit they are knife-edge cars. There’s no progression from 100% grip to 100% slip, and you’ll be travelling very fast when it goes.

You could always look at a Legacy / Outback.

Great handling, not quite so thirsty (2.5l non turbo charged) and not so blindingly fast that they can get you into trouble with hedges / the law. Still pretty quick though and they sound good when pushed hard.

I love my 54 plate Outback.