EcuTeck 2.5 (sorry if im wrong and its not a map exactly)

 

Ah I see thats ok then, have your driven both? If still undecided flip a coin

 

Not yet thats the next step! Just wanted to get opinions in case one was in theory a lot more of a 'safer' choice in relation to risk of repairs and possible problems etc

 

In reality, nobody can say which car will be more reliable.
You are buying a performance car that will have been used harder and some point than your average car. Service history is vital, more important than mileage.
If you are not mechanically minded, take someone with you that is.

Also, and you may laugh at this, but I would have at least £1000 put aside for repairs. You may not need any, but when you consider that the MINIMUM is will cost you to have an engine rebuild is around £2000. More like £4.5k for a quality build.

Do not kid yourself, these cars are expensive to run. So many people get suckered in with the cheap initial purchase price and then complain when things go wrong.

Just keep this in mind and if ok with you, go for it.

 

Oh another point is get a Shell Drivers Club card for everytime you fill up which will be quite often if you are coming from a little fiesta. Give it a few weeks and you will probably be on first name terms with the cashier at your local Shell garage

 

Have one already when you get 25mpg from a Fiesta its pretty useful too haha! And yeah the low milers a private sale, the high miler is from a dealer so if i go for the private one ill definitely get a vehicle inspection done (£155)

 

Went with a scooby friend to see the 06 plate, dealer wasnt very friendly cos I bought a scooby owner with me i think who contradicted him constantly!! We think was also cos they only sell smaller engined cars so didnt know about the vehicle and got annoyed when he pointed out it was decatted and he said it was standard. Dealer then said... 'o got the old exhaust in the shed' . Was only half of it anyway. We left as he seemed desperate to sell it but wasnt too keen on a test drive for some reason even though would be my neighbour driving it whose 40ish

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-SUBAR...#ht_500wt_1091

 

This may sound a bit strange but, i don't like buying performance cars off dealers, ok you get a small amount of warranty, but you pay a premium for that, this forum is littered with threads of dodgy dealers.

I prefer to get a feeling for the type of person that has owned the car and see how much they know about it, which for me, especially with impreza's is more important than a warranty that may or may not be worth the paper it's printed on, add to that most people that have a car with issues will punt it on to a dealer or stick it down the auction, which is where dealers get most of their cars, and if i'm going to take a punt on a car at auction i prefer to be the one getting the discount that doing so affords, at least then if it's fixable i have the cash to do so, and if it's terminal i'll whack it back down the block.

just my 2p worth.

 

Is a good point actually! Cheers