speirsy

Bleeeeew, looks like a Focus ST. What were Subaru thinking?

urban

iTrader: (1)

Matt,
I've been toying with the idea of an S3.
Currently got an MY05 STI.

What's the S3 like - in an unbiased view of course?

Thanks,
Shaun

MattW

Ok unbiased.

Over the last six years I've had the following cars:

Impreza WRX 01
Impreza Sti 02
Impreza Sti PPP 03
Evo FQ330 03
BMW 330D
Impeza Sti PPP 05

So I'm a bit of a performance car nut.

The Audi is much better put together as you might expect, the plastics are softer, the trim more solid, the standard leather seats are very comfortable and with optional lumbar support, I can find the right position without any trouble.

Visually it looks fantastic, I opted for the Sprint Blue playing safe, but I did consider White long and hard. Standard equipment is good, heated leather seats, HIDs, brushed aluminium inserts, S3 door kick plates, computer etc, the options list is long as you would expect for a German car.

i went with Ipod, MF flat bottomed steering wheel(looks the dogs), Bluwtooth, Front/Rear arm rest with ski hatch, Piano Black inserts(no cost option), Auto lights/wipers, Electric Lumbar.

There are two things I don't like though, the front armrest fouls the handbrake, so in slow moving traffic you have to stow the armrest or hold your foot on the brake. The other one is the Ipod connection, which uses play lists.

With regard the driving experience. It is a very quick car, and I mean quick. it's 60 time is 5.7 however that is not the whole story as I find it bogs down a little at the traffic light grand prix. Once rolling the acceleration is certainly comparable with anything I've had previously (bar the Evo).

As you are probably aware it is AWD, with the Haldex set up, grip is excellent, I find it more predicatable than the Sti, however it does have electronics as well with the DSC so there is an element of the car doing things for you.

One of the surprising things is the noise, the thing makes such a growl when accelerating hard, but quiet as a mouse round town. Will certainly put a smile on your face when having a play.

The only thing that lets it down (and i'm sure you've read it before) is the feel through the steering. It is a little detached, I'd compare it to driving a computer game but it's not that bad. In an Sti you feel like the Wheel is connected to the road wheel, the S3 feels more like the wheel turns an electronic device that transmits a signal to the road wheel, and sensors relay the feel back. Difficult to explain, but it's a little numb. Best thing is to go try it. The steering (as is the clutch) is very light, so I suspect it is overly powered, and that's what causes the feel.

Now you can Bluefin it to 305bhp for £600 as well, bargain!

MrJim

yes i will buy the sti version but will have to change the rear lights.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Cheers Matt,

My 05 STI also has PPP fitted, and since that was you're previous car how do the two compare performance wise?
Fairly close I guess by the sounds of things.

Also, bluefin.
This is a superchips job, so reputation isn't that great - we'll with Subaru's anyway.

Running costs then. I can only guess insurance is going to be cheaper than the STI.
What about servicing, fuel etc. Much difference?

Another thing:
Looked at the pictures of you're car. Looks very good.
Any chance you could get a picture of the seats please?

Shaun

blagman

I like the interior with the big central rev counter, the sat nav also looks good in the dash up nice and high so you can see it properly.

magicgreg

NOPE!!

Really disappointed in the new STi, I'd say I'll be looking at an Evo next before the new STi, really disappointing.

G

MattW

Without comparing with back to back drives it is difficult, I had a rover 214 for 10 weeks while I waited for delivery, however I don't miss the Sti.

The bluefin is a map as opposed to a chip. Certainly seems to have good reviews in the Ford and VW communities. Have a look at Untitled Document as it has been discussed at length.

Insurance was cheaper, by nearly a third, mainly due to the standard nature of the S3, and of course a lower group. Servicing is variable, the car tells you so depends on your style. I think my first service will be 13000 miles, according to the computer. If it's anything like the wife's Golf, it will be slightly more expensive than a Subaru but less often. the S3 is mapped for 98 Ron, though you can use 95, I'm not **** about recording MPG but certainly much better than an Impreza. Audi claim 31mpg combined, Subaru is 27, but in reality that was 20. I'm probably getting high twenties with a mix of motorway and local 30 limits.

GazTheHat

For £28k, i would get a different model (RA ).

But with regards to this one, i like it. lOOking forward to seeing one in the flesh and getting a drive.

hallsy67

id like to to see it in the flesh first i think

danfranklin1

I'm a big fan of depreciation - bought my MY99 in May '06 for £5k, lovely car which I've looked after to the letter with lots of frequent oil changes and the like, changing the cambelt before it was due etc. It's rewarded me with 100% total reliability - still love the car. Best bit is, after nearly two years I've got a friend who's hankering to take it off my hands for £4500. So depreciation once these cars get to 7+ years old is really nominal, as long as they're still straight and in good order. My next car will be a newer Scoob - not the 2008, not ever, I don't think - but certainly a decent 04/05 STi would suit me just fine. Get some other to take a hit on the depreciation.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

The car has no identity - any other Impreza drives past and you know exactly what it is - with this one you'll be going 'is it an MGZR ( which I think Subaru stole most of the outline from ! ) ? a Focus ? a Skoda ? a Corsa with a load of Halfords bodykit ?

I can see that the 17 and 18 year olds will be creaming themselves over it, but they arent the ones who would be able to afford it anyway.

Personally, if I had to choose a brand new car I've be looking at the EVO, or save a load of money and buy an 07 STi with low mileage and a good chunk of the depreceation already gone, or a couple of years old EVO.

Perhaps it is all just a wind up though, and the 08 Impreza actually looks just like the 07, and the Japanese ( with their strange sense of humour ) are just winding us all up with some photoshopped pics...

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

Agree with danfranklin1 - a well maintained good nick Impreza will always hold its value after a certain point as there will always be buyers for them. The £2500 ones are generally sheds on the point of blowing up, and arent going to last more than a year anyway before something expensive breaks and its not worth repairing them.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

You must have lost money Pete as it wasn't free

TX.

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Can't wait to see it in the Flesh but will totally depend on the Cars performance but it does looks much better fatted up

Tony

Deano_P1

The more i look at the pics the more the new shape impreza is growing on me!

Looks very smart!

Is it just me or does the spoiler on the black one look like the spoiler off a civic type r???

Bubba po

The one thing that would save it would be if it had the characterful noise that earlier Imprezas have.

But it hasn't.