Hi,

Just needed a bit of advice...

I'm looking for a new car and found this one ...I'm just wondering coz its a 2000 W-reg so ver 5/6, but it has the front bumper from a ver 3/4?

Am I right in thinking this car has the wrong bumper on it?

Thanks
Alex

 

Yep, it's got the earlier MY93-98 bumper... plus the flatter MY97/98 grille with the diamond-shaped, rather than hexagon-shaped, 'mesh'.

Leaving aside the reg (and whether it is a 2000 or not), the only way of knowing for sure its actual MY is to get the seller to post a pic of the VIN plate's "Applied Model" code... If it begins 'GC8D...' or 'GC8E...', then it's a MY97 or MY98 respectively. So that would mean the STi v.6 rear wing and MY99/00 crystal lights would be additions.

If it reads 'GC8F...' or 'GC8G...' then MY99 or MY00... which would mean the grille/bumper are retro fit replacements, as you say.

 

Thanks Joz, not only prompt, but a wealth of knowledge as per usual... cheers dude

 

also why would some one fit the older bumper ad front as the face lift is a nice look, so this should set alram bells ringing that it might have been in a smash and they ahve just replaced with some cheaper parts

 

I agree with this line of thinking too.

 

That is also what I was thinking... It is priced very low considering... but then again most prices are lower up there in bonny Scotland. I'd have no quarms about flying up there and driving it back IF it was a minter as advertised.

I've emailed the guy with questions and even asked him if its had a front ender... I actually wouldnt mind if it did as long as it was repaired properly, but would prefer honesty from the seller so I'd know the score b4 hand.

 

It looks like its been mis registered by the first owner or company that brought it into the country (if its KTC or WRC etc then walk away), and the steering wheel looks more like a version 4 one, but as stated, check the chassis number to see what model year it is.

Tony

 

I had a reply from the seller when I asked the questions...



"Apologies for the late replay, but you are right. It is Ver 4 bumper because the car (going by the chassis number GC8E2DD) is a ver 4. Not too sure how this happened, but the car is registered in 2000 with genuine mileage"



I really like the car... and the explaination from the seller makes sense to me, is that right?

I'm keen to do a deal with him so just wanted a tiny bit more advice to know that I havnt missed anything else?

All your help and advice so far - thank you very much!

 

The car has only done 55,000 miles and has had 7 previous owners... thats alot of ppl not driving the car much?

 

personally i think you have been told porkys no way thats genuine milage with 7 owners having it in past, someones been turning the clock back or somewhere down the line disconnected the speedo you'll prob find your engine has 100k on it

 

If the seller is "not too sure" how the mismatch between the MY and the registration occurred, he's either totally new to the sport or is blatantly lying. It happens when the individual (or company) importing the car tells porkies on the "date of first use" part of the UK reg documents.

As you say, with the previous ownership history, that's not only a lot of people not driving it much, it's also a lot of people not keeping hold of it for very long. That in itself would be reason to tread carefully.

 

GC8E2DD

Yeah, this code defo confirms it's a Type R STi Version IV (Sep 97 - Aug 98)

It's possible it's done 55k - but that'd be an average of only 7k per owner, and each owner hardly ever driving it!... Or having it for less than 18 months each! Not very probable.

 

Thanks guys

I think I'll DEFINATELY give this one a miss... I was in two minds, but I'm now convinced from what you say its not worth taking the chance.

Sometimes when looking for a car you cant see the wood for the trees and you tend to over look certain aspects just to get what you want... luckily for 'us' you guys are on tap to help out!

 

Totally.

You must view it as just a lump of metal, plastic and rubber - nothing else. DO NOT fall in 'love' with it - be philosophical, not emotional.

At least with Imprezas, there're literally thousands for sale at any one time...

 

I got myself a new scooby and one of the deciding factors was the info I learnt from JOZ.
I was under the impression it was a '99 V-reg, but when I went to look at it I noticed the chassie number was GC8G, which makes it a '00 possibly W-reg am I right?
Either way its on a V plate, but I know its newer than actually registered

Just wanted to thank JOZ again for the info and happy to say I now own by far the best scooby I've ever had!

 

V plate = 1 Aug 99 - 28 Feb 00
W plate = 1 Mar 00 - 31 Jul 00

"G" is thought* to be MY00 (produced between Sep 99 to Aug 00), so either a V or W plate is appropriate (see above).

BUT... check the V5... there'll be 2 dates:-

-Date of first manufacture (or something like that)
-Date of 1st registration (date it was licenced in the UK i.e. when you had it done the other day)

So, obviously for the car to be issued with a V plate, the first date in bold above should be anywhere between 1st Aug 99 and 28 Feb 00...



*There's been a bit of confusion thrown into the mix re. MY letter coding - see this thread:-

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...-year-car.html
.

 

Post up that date would you, just out of interest's sake...

 

if memory serves correctly... i think date of 1st reg was 01/11/99 so the reg is correct in that case... altho i'm still happy its a G

 

Is it a UK/Euro or Japanese market car you've got? If it's the former, the date code Joz was quoting before doesn't apply - as he'd no doubt now concur.

There's no possibility of it "being a W reg" unless the V5 says otherwise. If it was originally registered on a newer mark and has had a plate change you'll see it on the paperwork.

If it's a UK car and has a GC8GK8D model number (and a JF1-GC8xxxXxxxxxxx VIN), it's an MY99, not an MY00. MY00's would be GC8HK8D (and JF1-GC8xxxY... VIN)

Although on the upside, the '99 and '00 cars are all but identical - '00 got a few detail tweaks such as colour coded mirrors and doorhandles, and the interior map lights, but on the reverse side, most of the '99's have the better AE800 or AE801 ECUs.

It probably isn't, but it's still a great car, and that's what counts.

 

lol Splitpin - I've added a link to "that other thread" for Alex to get all confused over!

But at least the reg tallies up.... UNLESS it is indeed a non-JDM "MY99 G" !!!!! - in which case further confusion reigns.

My brain is frazzled by all this now - better get back to work...

 

Its an import and has colour coded mirrors and door handles and the interior map lights, but has an uprated simtek ecu so I've struck gold in my opinion, lol

I'm over the moon with this car, its the best I've ever owned and I love it to bits

 

Result! Passing on that other one definitely the right move

 

Just seen the link, thanks JOZ... I dont wanna start a confusing argument here, but I do find it all facinating and it's a very interesting topic for discusion

 

Simtek, cool!

Post up a pic or two of your new 'baby', would you?

 

Phew! That's a relief for ME then!...



...as it looked like my neck was on the line, otherwise...

 

lol@JOZ... I was just glad for the info and advice you gave me, not necessarily on this car, but the general advice, it helped me look out for other little details I wouldnt have in the past

Ok I have sum pics, but not great ones... I also cleaned up the engine bay after these were taken so will get better ones at sum point soon.
The pics dont do it justice tho, every panel lines up perfectly and its only done 38k miles from new with full UK & Jap service history... its MINT and I honestly hand on heart mean that!

 

Well assuming it has not been altered bodywise then you do indeed have the very last Classic MY00 STi v.6!!!, as the wing has the tell-tale kicked-up "guerney" to the rear of the top-blade... which the MY99 STi v.5 doesn't. Plus the MY00 STi v.6 has the front bumper splitter (which yours has too).

Aside from the WRC97-00 rally cars / JDM 22B-STi / P1, you have my fave Impreza! Ergo, a regular MY99/00 STi 4-dr. saloon in 'Pure White'! I actually prefer the v.5's flat top-blade to the rear wing (have a replica of this wing on my 93 WRX saloon)... but also love the splitter on the STi v.6's front bumper!

Cool and the proverbial gang lol.

 

Thanks, shes most certainly a beauty... I still cant believe how incredibly lucky I was to find it...

I'm so in love with this car, words dont describe how I feel about it... its true love, lol


And just to add, I will not be altering this car in the slightest from absolutely standard. I'm going to keep it as mint now as it will be for what I hope is a very long life.

 

She sure is a beaut.

Yeah, the v.5/6 STi's are well nice as std - even with those OEM 16" gold 5-spokes they come with. Obviously not 'having' to mod it helps with the insurance premium too ;-D

 

I know I said absolutely std, but I mean no major changes to appearance apart from the wheels and the mud flaps came with it and I quite like them.
Apart from the simtek I will upgrade the brakes and be done with it. I think those mods will suffice