Insurance companies list WRX's and other jap imports highly, and one of the reasons I've been told is that parts for jap imports are hard to source. hmm, correct me if I'm wrong, but a bog standard WRX (pre 01) and UK spec of same year are technically the same?

So, the question is:
Can someone tell me exactly what the differences between a MY94 WRX Wagon and a MY94 UK Spec 5 Door Turbo 2000 are? I'm talking engine, interior, body panels, features ,etc..

Just want to know what parts are so specific to a jap import that make it so much harder for the insurance company to get parts.

 

Hey mate. I think the issue isn't the differences in parts, but rather the access to the parts. A UK car has a big network of dealers from whom quotes and parts can be ordered very easily. Historically scooby imports parts had to be ordered thru independent specialists as Subaru UK wouldn't touch them, and this could take longer if parts were not in stock. So the issue isn't the differences in parts, but the ease in sourcing them.
Nowadays, however, imports are so common that there is no problem getting the parts. So the premium differerence should go away for identically specced cars.
Japanese market WRX's had more power than UK spec turbo's BTW. Yours probably had 240 compared to UK's 208 MY94. Go check the SIDC faq Mark.
Aussie market WRX's were the same as UK spec Turbo's IIRC
Cheers
Chuck

[This message has been edited by chuckster (edited 05 July 2001).]

 

Chuck,
thanks for the reply.
true about access to parts, but some of the insurance co's I've spoken to this week still claim it's very hard to get parts for the imports, go figure

As for power, just checked the SIDC faq, and for my car it's still only 220ps so that's about 215bhp? so maybe just a little bit more than a UK spec car of same age. Of course I could be totally wrong and find out that the blackbeast is 240ps, now that would be nice maybe one day I'll get it dynoed to find out what it really puts out.

 

Markus,

If you look under the hood, there are several stickers with numbers on them stating whether it is 220 etc.

My 94WRX was certainly 220ps (beforehand )

Thanks

Gavin

 

Not forgetting alloy bonnet/boot, rear wiper, electric folding mirrors, climate control,etc...

Thanks

Gavin

 

Alloy bonnet, nah, you gotta be kidding me! on the saloon maybe, but not the wagon, or am I mistaken.

As for the stickers, care to enlighten me where they are?

 

My old my94WRX Wagon had an alloy bonnet, I could not beleive the weight difference when I tried to lift a UK spec bonnet, had to use both hands!!!

 

Marcus,

On my car there is a sticker on the slam panel near the radiator with 220 and a lot of writing in Japanese.

I think(?) from memory, it may be on the VIN plate as well...

Thanks

Gavin

 

Gavin,
cheers mate, I'll check it when I next get near the scooby, Suzy is borrowing it at the moment and is enjoying it far to much for my liking

 

What BHP do you get from your Volvo then ???

 

barge,
Not that i'm sad and know these things but....

Power DIN 115 kW/95 r/s (156 hp/5700 rpm)
Torque DIN 235 Nm/50 r/s (24.0 kpm/3000 rpm)

hmm, not as much power as I thought, but still enough to propel the grey tank along at a fair old rate. Reckon that it'd fair a bit better against hedges than the blackbeast did!

 

Hi All,

Not sure if this helps, but I've got a MY94 STI V1 WRX wagon, jap import. And it's has got :-

a) Alu bonnet, much lighter than standard.
b) Intercooler spray, questionable use !
c) Usual jap extras, air-con, etc etc.

Insurance wise, I was led to believe there is a loading for Jap cars, probably simply because they can get away with it. My previous car, a MR2 Turbo, also was loaded for being an import, as parts were allegedly unique to this model.

Not sure that applies to my STI, though..



[This message has been edited by paulhoubart (edited 06 July 2001).]