DTS

RB5(Non-Prodrive), 1999/T
CD Autochanger

3,300 miles, as new condition

£24,495 ono. Thames Valley area.

Phone Dave Smith on 01442 223857 (Day)
or email smithdt@bp.com

EEasy

Bet you are getting a P1...

Feanturi

Bet you're running scared and are trying to offload a car you paid massively over the odds for!

Why would anyone in their right mind buy this when they could order new from Europe, fit the fancy bits for another couple of £K, and have a 3 month round the world trip with the money they saved?

Dave S

Are you me, or are you a different Dave Smith?

If you're me could you tell me where I've left the RB5 keys. Can't find them anywhere. To be honest, I don't even remember buying the car!

Iain P

Why is it that there is always someone who has to run-down a limited edition car? If you don't want it, don't reply! I think the added options are good value. Go ahead and buy a standard one and save your money and see what the insurance people say when you add all the bits! Or better still, save even more money and don't tell them. Lets see what happens to residuals in a few years and when Richard Burns wins the world title next year! Alot of people apply the same logic to the 22B and compare them to imports - like they need to justify something. If I had 40k I would definately buy one. I would rather have an original than an imitation even if it means paying a premium.

Neil Micklethwaite

Well said IainP.

I bought an RB5 WR Sport and am well impressed. Would love a P1 or a 22B if I had the money. Would have got a UK Spec if I did not buy the RB5.

The old adage still works - You Pays Your Money - You Makes Your Choice.

Feanturi - Why would you wanna go round the world for 3 months when you could play in your new car ?

MorayMackenzie

I like some of the limited edition cars, but then I would because I was lucky enough to find one of the best, a WRX STI III V-Limited. I do reckon the RB5, is overpriced, probably Prodrives margins as much as anything else...

Moray

Iain P

You forgot to mention the stickers!! Its got 3 RB5 stickers!!!!!!! I 've got 2 spare.........I'll sell them for £500 each (ono). If you want blue trim as well my kids will colour yours in for a grand, but they'll need the car for 3 days to make sure they don't go over the lines.

Feanturi

Sorry, I wasn't trying to run down the car in any way because it is a special edition. I'm sure that the RB5, even in non-prodrive form is a very fine vehicle.

The point I was trying to make was that a fancy colour, air-con and some big wheels don't make a second-hand car like this worth £24.5K, which sounds suspicially like the new cost to me. My new MY99 parallel-import impreza cost £16.5K (including aircon). I could fit 17" speedlines to this for £1500 or so, and still have plenty of money left for prodrive or scoobysport mods. This would give me a far better NEW car than this RB5 for a much lower outlay.

Iain P and Neil >>> I can only assume that you are bitter because you are stuck with a UK car too, which you paid over the odds for compared to European prices, and are clinging to "originality" to try to convince yourselves you did the right thing, whilst the price of imprezas dives around you (and deny THAT if you can after the recent postings on this board). On the other hand, if a few RB5 transfers stuck to the boot of your car really do give you more pleasure than a 3-month around the world trip, then I think you need to GAL.

Neil Micklethwaite

Feanturi

GAL - GOTFA

RB5 WR Sport - Damn fine car. The best in certain peoples opinion. I'll be keeping it for at least three years when my warrnty runs out.

Just intrigued how you can take a Euro Spec , Add the same bits and have a better car - surely you mean cheaper. And why would you want to emulate it ?

Alan McCaskie

As someone who initially considered an import before opting for a UK specced car I would say one thing - residual value. Come the time to sell your import your only trade in option will be a specialist who handle the grey and parallel cars. They know roughly what you would have paid and know that the UK dealers can't touch them therefore you don't have alot of bargaining power come the time you want to trade up. OK you have the option of punting to someone in the club, but I would be interested to see what people with 3/4 years old imports, with the exception of one-offs such as the 22B, get for their cars when they sell.

Yes, the initial outlay is less, but what is the total cost of the car over the period of ownership in terms of depreciation etc etc.?

PhilH

Yes, Alan.

However, by reducing new price increases over a period of time for UK cars the depreciation factor for exiting UK cars increases. In comparison, the EU Import purchaser has already paid significantly less and there can accept a lower residual. Once out of warranty there is little between the two cars, it then comes down to condition and mileage. Bottom line is the longer you keep the car the less depreciation effects the residual. Expect to keep the car three years or longer, then the UK car looks the greater financial risk in the current climate.

DTS - hope the car sells soon.

Feanturi

Neil >>>
Yhe difference in price between my NEW 99MY Euro-import and this SECOND-HAND RB5 is EIGHT THHOUSAND POUNDS. For that I could, if I wanted, have:

* Speedline 17" wheels and tyres, £1500
* Leda B suspension £1200
* AP Racing or Brembo brakes £1200
* Prodrive performance pack £2000
And still have plenty of change.

Alternatively I could just have the 17" wheels and my 3 month trip.

Alan >>>
Your point about residuals and UK dealers not touching imports just proves you have your head in the sand. UK dealers do not even want your UK supplied car, as various previous posts have testified. The residuals on your car are on a one-way downward spiral. The total cost of ownership on any Euro-import is going to be substantially lower than a UK car, given that they can be bought for £6K less.

Jonathan

I owned an RB5 WR for four months and 4,000 miles. Lost 900.00. As someone said it is cost of ownership. There is also the fact that I had dealers fighting over the car come sale time. They will stay clear of imports. If you have the right colour and MY they will always sell. Finance on imports especially people like me who use PCP's can also prove troublesome. I'm trying to sell my S3 to make way for a MY00. Now thats depreciation for you !!. Look at the problem some STI V owners on this BBS are having as well shifting their metal. I had the same problem with my STI V.

I'm not anti STI, Euro Import or UK. They all have their place. The two UK cars Ive owned have lost me less money than any other car. Ive had 14 between me and my wife in the 30 months (I know I need Anders help). Please dont jump down the throats of UK owners. I for one couldnt afford the long waiting list to get a Euro car. When I buy I want it tomorrow. I will of owned 3 UK cars in 10 days time and never waited more then 4 weeks from ordering to receipt.

Jonathan

PS UK aircon now 1000.

Neil Micklethwaite

Feanturi

Maths has never been my weak point and I did these sums back in January when I ordered my RB5.

I got what I wanted at the price I wanted.

I hope you are very happy knowing that you got your car so cheap and as for your 3 Month trip Enjoy it I'll be out driving.

DTS

I thought this was a 'For Sale' section - not a special editions versus imports free for all!

Judging and comparing cars purely by price will always be contentious. There are no right or wrong points of view about this - the bottom line will be the price I get for my car !

... and oh yes, the car is still for sale - anyone interested in buying please reply or give me a ring.

Feanturi

Jonathan and Neil,

From what I read, and hear amongst the couple of people I know who own imprezas, the market is very different now to what it was even a few months ago. A 4000 mile RB5 for a 900GBP loss is a very good deal, and I would be the first to admit that. It has also had good press, which may make it easier to sell to people who just go out to buy a new car having read a couple of the latest magazines.

This, however, is a short-term phenomenan. People are coming around to their senses - why should they pay 6000GBP more for an identical car??? (Neil, whether or not a trip around the world turns you on - and I guess that it doesn't, the fact that you are driving an impreza indicates that you want a decent performance car on a budget, and I can assume that you would not say no to having 6000GBP just added to your bank balance, or if you really enjoy driving *SO* much, 6000GBP of free impreza enhancements should be just up your street???)

DTS - Sorry for getting carried away on this thread. I hope you sell your car soon, and would be interested to hear what you are buying.

Neil Micklethwaite

DTS

Sorry to hijack your thread.

Hope you sell the car soon.

I'm sure you will with the results of the WRC and the limited factor of the car.

I just get little hacked off when I hear people standing on soap boxes and pontificating.

Opinions are personal and I guess that's what makes us all different.

adge

iTrader: (22)

Its all very well paying less for the the car from the EEC but whats the cost of a new engine which my MY98(98R) 38K miler UK spec car is just having fitted under warranty(due to manufacturing fault!!!! along with a lot of others - see threads on drivetrain page) which I would not not have got if I had imported the car. I believe imported cars only get 1 years warranty instead of 3!!.

Feanturi

adge >>> I really cannot believe you are suggesting that 2 years of IM backed warranty is really worth 6000GBP.

The UK warranty only covers up to a maximum of two thirds of the cost of the vehicle. This has to be weighed up against the saving. Cars bought in Belgium have a 3 year warranty as standard anyway. And it is always possible to purchase an aftermarket warranty to cover this sort of catastrophic failure.

Yex

Just thought I'd add my two bob's worth. I own a MY98 UK car and was happy to pay the official list price for it, as at the time the import waiting list for a UK spec car was only very slightly shorter (approx 8 months each). I felt the 3 year warranty, UK Spec, no "grey" import issues gave me the peace of mind I wanted, others have their own opinions.

As stated in this thread some model years have had their problems, particularly the MY98 short motor issue. This reinforces my happiness that if this did happen to my car now it would still be replaced under warranty.

The issue about the 3 year warranty from Belgium dealers has been gone over before. Their warranty is the same as IM's UK warranty in that they support years 2 and 3 themselves. Thus if your car needed a warranty repair you would have to get it back to the Belgium supplying dealer in years 2 and 3, no UK dealer would do the job.

Yex

KRIS

BLOODY HELL ....the guys only trying to sell his jam jar !!!!