HowardG

About two years ago, with my eyes open to the potential engine issues, I got back into an Impreza. Previously I'd had a jdm wrx bugeye for 8/9 years, perfect family car, occasional track toy, generally a great car with excellent reliability. Up until it was written off by a truck on the north circ. After a couple of blameless years with a Corolla l got a low mileage 11 plate STI.

The STI has just dropped out of warranty and now I'm thinking the inevitable. What if it blows up?

I've spoken to APIDavid, have been a customer before, for possible works to improve the engine.

Before I make a decision I want to explore some other possibilities and figure out why I went back to an lmpreza.

My needs/ wants from the car are the ability to transport my wife and two kids about, wife to commute in it, ability to do European road trip with us all and gear in fair comfort, a couple of trackdays a year, and be a car of interest, one I'll want to keep for another 5 years or more.

I don't want an Audi or BMW so what are my options for a change if the budget is the value of the car plus up to 4k. Say £22k in total.

You guys are all over the market, what do you suggest?

Thanks

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Bonkers suggestion: VXR8

C63 AMG may just squeeze in that budget.

JC-R

I would say if not a JDM 2.0 STI HATCH or a forged 2.5 Hatch then an EVO X. For an allrounder i.e track days, fast road, comfort, family trips, allweather driving in all seasons, tunability, reliability and a daily then any of the above 3 cars. Only downfall MPG.
There are millions of different makes of cars for sale from £10-25k but none are like an STI or EVO for an allrounder and none capture the fun factor IMO.

HowardG

Quite right I guess, an sti with forged pistons etc! But what alternatives? Surely there must be some.

HowardG

I don't know the C63, will look at it. Wouldn't that be a totally different level of maintainance cost?
Yeah, the VXR8 is bonkers!

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

E92 M3, reckon you could get one for your price range!! If not then have a look at a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo!!

Porsche 911
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

Bmw m3(can get cheaper) but I like this with the 4 doors!!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

HowardG

[QUOTE=scoobyboy1;11414562]E92 M3, reckon you could get one for your price range!! If not then have a look at a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo!!

Porsche 911
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

Bmw m3(can get cheaper) but I like this with the 4 doors!!

Interestingly I looked at both of these before getting the sti. The M3 was top of the list but at the time was about 15k more expensive for similar age. Also it had massive potential for expensive failure and would be expensive to run. Frankly the dealer put me off as they didnt know anything about it and would void its warranty at the drop of a hat. And its a BMW.

The porker as a four seater with touring potential? Unlikely, though I did spend a little time trying to convince myself.

john banks

Aside from not wanting an Audi, B8 S4 is raved about and has to be an STI replacement consideration?

Ruling out Audi and BMW does somewhat limit your options unless you know what STI attributes you can do without?

thenewgalaxy

Only alternative I can think of is a Golf R mk.VI with exhaust, remap and some uprated pads.

JC-R

Or Focus RS ?

urban

iTrader: (1)

C63 is a good shout, and they made a wonderful noise too.
Traction is the main problem I find with my 55AMG, bound to be worse with the 63

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

[QUOTE=HowardG;11414582]How old are your kids?? If there still quite young and in car seats id consider the 996 turbo!! And how many times a year do you drive to europe?? If your after room and comfort and something that ticks all the boxes then a Audi RS4 Avant does it all, but you said you don't want a Audi, and you don't want a BMW, I cant think of anything else.

HowardG

My girls are 12 and 8. The Porsche would be too tight for anything other than the shortest trips.

This thread has illustrated to me what an interesting compromise the sti is. At the price, it has few rivals, hardly any of which I'd consider.

It also shows the idiocy of Subaru selling a high performance car with performance you mustn't use. Or use in fear. I think as a halo model it is missold, a fraud infact, as it isn't capable of being used as proposed.

The current Top Gear magazine review of the car against a BMW is frankly laughable, what poor journalism. They've either been bought and are complicit in the fraud or are unwittingly ignorant.

Having said that, if strengthened, it becomes the car I'd hoped it would be. So that is the likely outcome. Strengthen it and keep it.

Thanks for helping me clarify the situation,

An0n0m0us

For 22k i'd be wanting an RS4 Avant. Will blow the socks off a scoob/evo and has all the room of a family estate car with 420bhp before you even start to play with it.

Cocker

iTrader: (3)

Standard ones are more likely to be around 390-400bhp. They never make the 420bhp claimed

It is ££££££££££ to get any decent gains out of these

An0n0m0us

Still, a nice option to have for a 'family estate car'!

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

I agree. There's very few cars that I'd change to. A hatch 4wd turbo which isn't dull isn't exactly a spec easily found. I'd consider a Golf R now I know they're 4wd but having owned and driven lots of VAG stuff the last character filled car they produced was the MK2 golf.

I will probably get myself an STI hatch in the near future, there's very little like it when you're after a specific car. I'm also limited as I need three seats in the back otherwise I'd be dreaming of Nissan GTR's. There's a thread on GTR register with a new Nissan Pulsar at a show in Japan (think it's japan) That'd be superb! A modern 4wd turbo hatch with a reliable motor, just hope they make the gearbox better.

Please make it Nissan..



That in black or the GTR grey!

JC-R

OH YES YES YES !! Please make it Nissan

Razorwrx1

iTrader: (21)

+ 1 😍😍😍

PlayFair

I'm in a similar situation.
My girlfriend is due to give birth later this year, and I need a car that will be a daily driver, can take myself/baby/girlfriend around in, but also do my yearly trip to nurburgring and 2 other trackdays a year, plus be a car I can play around with.

After looking for a blob eye, i think the hatch will be a better daily car.
I'm just trying to choose between a wrx-s and a sti....

TYPE R BRAD

iTrader: (6)

Second that mate...

I was pretty much in the same boat as you and opted for a stage 3 RS focus mk 2, road test one that's all I will say!

Must have conversion either Pumabuild, GGR or Mountune.

No regrets at mo

jonc

There is the the Lexus ISF if you want something non-Germanic but the BMW e90 M5 is within easy reach, when else are you going to get a 5.0 V10 with 507bhp.

thenewgalaxy

Just remember that they're not particularly incisive drivers' cars.

Lovely motors those E90 M5s but they can attract mental running costs. Same goes for any of the large German barges. A small fault can be figures like a telephone number to repair.

One of my very close friends has the M6 and it's a great car but MPG in single figures is quite a common occurrence.

If you're happy with that they're awesome machines.