Animal Mother

Hi everyone.

I've come along for some advice. I've done a load of research on this site and others and keep finding different answers to my queries so I thought it may help if I ask some very specific questions.

I am considering a WRX for my wife, however, there are a number of questions that will help me choose the best car to go for. Most of my questions relate to the differences (pros and cons) between the blobeye, hawkeye and hatchback.

1. How heavy is the clutch in a standard WRX (blobeye, hawkeye and hatchback)?

2. Do blobeye's, hawkeyes or hatchbacks suffer with rust? If so, which is the worst and to what extent?

3. Are the 2.5 engines in the hawkeye as unreliable as folklore suggests?

4. Are the 2.5 engines in the hatchback as unreliable as folklore suggests?

5. Many things I have read say that the blobeye PPP ( or similar e.g. 2005 UK300, etc) is the best impreza for everyday use. Is this generally true?

6. Not that this is a concern, but what MPG is likely on a 70mph run on the motorway in the cars mentioned earlier.

7. What mileage should I aim to buy under with relation to the cars mentioned above.

8. Can a WRX (2.0 & 2.5) run reliably on 95 RON fuel?

9. The WRX hatchback seems to be a lot of car for the money, when compared to older cars costing the same with higher mileage. Is this just a desirability/cosmetic thing?

Just so you have a bit of context. She really likes imprezas and fits them really well, despite being shorter than 5'. We don't want the expense (fuel, insurance, potentialy tax) of the STi, although they are amazing cars.

She drives about 8-10k miles per year. Has just got a permanent full time job so wants a car she chooses, not just a POS that I give her to drive. Except for the Prelude 2.2 v-tec. She loved that car.

We've no kids and we have another car for long distances/load lugging.

Budget is variable. Mileage,history and condition is important. We don't want a car older than 2004 either.

Thanks all.

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Pretty sure the 2006+ 2.5 Hawk WRX & STi are the same £475 a year road tax!!

Im sure a WRX owner can confirm, but anything over a 06 plate is the high tax on the STi!!

Animal Mother

I thought it is as follows:

2.0 WRX - £285

2.0 WRX STI - £285

2.5 WRX Hawk + hatch - £485

2.5 WRX STi Hawk + hatch - £500 + £485 respectively

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

Hi and welcome

I'll answer a few question's but haven't had first hand experience with the 2.5, a lot of people just spout hearsay,

I've got an 05 blob wrx, now running 330bhp
1. the clutch is fine, just like any other car
2. mine hasn't got any rust, not noticed any that have rust spot's
5. with the wrx PPP, it has similar bhp to the sti and weigh's less, the gears are longer, so 0-60 is faster and on a fast B road you only need 2nd and 3rd
6. my mpg is the same now as when standard, I have been to Brighton and newquay and got 35mpg+ (wife, 2 kids, luggage)
7. This blob had over 100k when i bought it, it feels and drives better than my last one that had 50k. buy on condition and feel, not just on mileage. when i bought it I had a health check at scooby clinic and it was running 242bhp, not bad at all for a std 100k car
8. i wouldn't advise it, 97 ron minimum. you can have it remapped to run on 95 ron, more bhp from cheaper fuel


for a normal car, and sti isn't worth the extra money. they are worth the extra money if you want 400bhp+ or do trackdays

the PPP map isn't great, buy a std wrx and have a custom remap and get more power and torque

the tax changed in march 06, so the same car/engine will cost double for road tax, some cheap tax 06 reg cars are more expensive than late 06 reg with the higher tax bracket

HTH

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Yeah, thats what I thought the tax was, but thought you was thinking the WRX hawk was a lot cheaper then the STi.

Personally I would go for a 05 blob WRX wagon for your needs, my dad has a bug WRX wagon and runs it on 95 RON, and is quite cheap to run/maintain compared to say a STi!!

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

both are the same tax bracket, just the date that makes the difference

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

you can get hawk's with cheaper tax

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

I will help you a bit on some of the questions.

The clutch weight or whatever shouldn't even be an issue to consider. I'd assume it is not much different to any other car.

Any car can suffer from rust if not looked after properly but a newage should be fine. It's the classic Impreza's that you need to be wary of rust, especially around the rear arches.

The hawkeye and hatchback have the same 2.5 litre engine. The older 2 litre engine in the blobeye is A LOT better and for this reason alone, most people opt of the blobeye due to the 2.5 litre engine issues.

The hatchback is one of the least desirable models because of how it looks and probably the engine for those in the know.

70mph on a motorway run, probably about 28mpg give or take.

Milage is a personal choice. Some people will only by a car with low miles no matter how well or badly its been looked after. Personally I'd much rather buy a car with higher miles that has been owned by an enthusiast or has a comprehensive service history.

You need to run Impreza's on 99 RON fuel (Tesco momentum or Shell V-Power) unless it's a Sport/non-turbo model.

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

I've seen a few blobs with rust specs at the top of the windscreen. Also seen 2 blobs with rust starting on rear arches

Animal Mother

This is all great stuff guys, thank you.

Cpt Jack Sparrow

iTrader: (14)

hi

I will answer some points below based on my experience with a 2005 Hawkeye 2.5

1. How heavy is the clutch in a standard WRX (blobeye, hawkeye and hatchback)?

Fine no different to any other car of that age

2. Do blobeye's, hawkeyes or hatchbacks suffer with rust? If so, which is the worst and to what extent?

I have no rust at all on a 55 plate Hawkeye

3. Are the 2.5 engines in the hawkeye as unreliable as folklore suggests?

My experience .. No I now have 127,000 on mine doing 100 miles a day

6. Not that this is a concern, but what MPG is likely on a 70mph run on the motorway in the cars mentioned earlier.

I get around 27 - 28 mpg average or 300 miles to a full tanks

7. What mileage should I aim to buy under with relation to the cars mentioned above.

Buy on condition and history not necessarily miles

8. Can a WRX (2.0 & 2.5) run reliably on 95 RON fuel?

I would not, although it says 95 Ron inside of fuel flap. If mapped for 95 the that's ok but will reduce some power

Animal Mother

It's less and less likely that the 2.5 is staying on the shopping list!

We really like the UK300 cars.

JusNoGood

Heres my view....

1. How heavy is the clutch in a standard WRX (blobeye, hawkeye and hatchback)?

- It is heavier than a bog standard car...Not a problem for me but it's a lot heavier than my wives Honda Civic 1.8 for example. Its also a lot harsher on a long journey. Suspension is harder, wind noise due to the windows without frame and lack of sound proofing.

Saying all that, I'm doing 100 miles a day to and from work and wouldn't swap it for a boring Audi or BMW. If I'm bored or sad just kick it down a gear, hit 3.5k rpm and can't help but have a big smile on my face.

2. Do blobeye's, hawkeyes or hatchbacks suffer with rust? If so, which is the worst and to what extent?

- Yes. My car looked rust free. I've owned loads of 30+ year old cars so know what to look for...but when my mechanic took the underneath engine/floor cover thing off he found a rotten front sub frame. Doh! Cost about £650 to replace it with a brand new one.

6. Not that this is a concern, but what MPG is likely on a 70mph run on the motorway in the cars mentioned earlier.

- I have a standard WRX and get between 30-34mpg on a run. As low as about 24 on fun times.

8. Can a WRX (2.0 & 2.5) run reliably on 95 RON fuel?

- you get better performance and mpg with 99RON WRX isn't a car to scrimp on in my opinion. Only the best tires, petrol and regular servicing for a car with such incredible performance in my opinion.

I'd suggest you find a garage with a WRX and let her have a test drive

LVC

+1 on the Hawk WRX - use mine daily for pleasure and business and drive it rather than race it (which seems to suit the 2.5 engine better with it's low grunt) - good(ish) MPG, only use SP98, no rust, lovely sound, comfy, well equipped, great all-rounder and the only thing I've had to change in 2 years are the rear shocks which seem to knock after about 45k miles (grease dries out) - but not expensive to change for OE new ones.

RS_Matt

Only place mine has rust afaik.

Always run a WRX on 99 if poss, MPG will improve too.

Stock WRX suspension and brakes are questionable.

CV boots continually split.

Many, myself inc, complain 3rd is hard to find at high revs.

Standard stereo sounds like a 14 watt special out of a 1987 Escort 1.3L

.....Car is great fun regardless and with a few lightweight mods and mapping 36mpg is manageable on a steady run to the coast etc!

LuckyWelshchap

Good choice.

I'd definitely accept a WRX for my missus.

Apart from that, a lot of good sense mentioned on the thread.
Welcome aboard and I hope you (she) will enjoy the ride.

subaru8189

another place rust seems too appear is the lower cross member, the one the bottom radiator brackets bolt too.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Clutch is pretty much like any other car.
I regularly see 28mpg normal driving, last tank full was 29.9mpg mixed driving. On a run at a steady 70/80mph I can see as much as 36mpg if I pay attention and don't let it boost too much.

PPP is great, most people that slate it have never driven a car with it, once you learn where the power is you can have plenty of fun and it has more than enough go for a road car, also for what it costs to convert a standard car to PPP which is literally peanuts these days, it represents very good value for money. There are risks involved in letting some bloke with a lap top thrash your car to within an inch of it's life while adjusting timing and fueling, I prefer to put my trust in Prodrive for the sake of 10bhp.

Rust can be an issue on blobs as mentioned above, rear wheel arches have a rubber trim on them that can trap moisture, I removed mine and gave the arches a good squirt of wax oil, I just make sure they are clean and dry them as the rest of the car. I'd remove the plastic under engine tray and have a look for rust there too, it's more of a problem for the earlier cars but some do get it.

My car is a WRX Wagon PPP with a few handling mods and some better brakes, because despite the 4x4 they aren't the best handling car out of the factory but the good news is it's very easy and relatively cheap to sort, just a few easy diy replacement poly bushes and a decent geometry set up by a Subaru specialist will improve things massively.

I have never had a problem with knocking suspension on 2x wrx's and my current one has 111k on the clock, but some do suffer the odd knock on low speed bumps, it's also good to note that a knock is not always the suspension as it can some times be due to worn bushes but everyone just blames the suspension without checking other parts first because it says so on the internet, but it's actually for the most part an STI problem.

Avoid the 2.5 variants, just not worth the risk of a £3k plus rebuild on a £5/6k car, if I had bought one i'd just be waiting for it to let go which would spoil the ownership experience for me, then there is the higher tax too, which isn't a fortune in the greater scheme of things but it does all add up to making them less desirable IMO.

Buy on condition and history, milage is not an issue if they are well maintained with regular oil changes being the key to longevity, you will see many with 150k plus on Autotrader, mine had 92k when I bought it but was enthusiast owned and is still fine 20k later and it does get driven reasonably hard sometimes, most recently at a local sprint, also it will see a few trackdays this year and has done a gentle couple of laps at the Ring , as long as you're sensible about it they can take some abuse and are stronger than some would have you believe.

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

the photo you posted is a wrx300 (blob), not a uk300 which was a bug

Animal Mother

Yarp. My mistake.

oliver dufresne

WRX Blob Wagon, I would say is a great second car, they look a bit more subtle, either way both are great cars. Wagon would be cheaper for insurance.
ON long hauls you will easily achieve 35mpg at a steady 70, like anything though if you rag it, you will get into teens or early 20's.
I had mine for 2 years and always hit around 27 to 28 with mixed driving.
Clutch and steering on the blob are easy, the steering doesn't have massive feel but the trade off is nice and light.
Make sure you get one with cambelt done recently as this quite expensive.
I had problems with rear shocks and have too now on my STI Blob, they are prone, dont re-fit OEM ones though, do some research if they do go, and fins some good after market ones.
As standard the WRX 2.0 is a little breathless when pushed hard, needs a remap and possibly bigger exhaust which is essentially what a PPP upgrade is.
The later 'SL' version got leather and sunroof which is a nice addition.

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

As said I wouldn't run it on 95ron, in fact mine says 98ron only inside the fuel flap, don't know why some people suggest it says 95ron on theirs? Mine 03blobeye.
Fuel consumption, I calculated mine over a week used daily and driven normally with the occasional boot down moment and averaged 29mpg. On a run from mid sussex into North Devon it used half a tank, with some fast motorway driving so not bad on a run.
2.5 WRX engine supposedly not as likely to let go as a 2.5sti, mainly down to smaller turbo so less pressure on the internals. Having driven a late model Hawkeye gb270, had more low down torque but ultimately didn't feel any quicker than mine, which has prodrive exhaust but I don't know what else so unsure of power output. Didn't feel any different to drive than mine either and it had done half the mileage.
Rear shocks can knock on 05 model onwards as apparently different to earlier model shocks.only rust on ours is the odd stone chip and battle scar the missus has given it.
Think the hatchbacks are cheaper mainly because of the much higher tax, although many people find them less desirable than a blob or a hawk. They also have a lower top speed and 0-60 time nearly a second slower than a standard blob WRX. They have also gone back to a conventional type 2 pot caliper brake system at the front, as opposed to the WRX four pot system. Having never driven a hatch I don't know what these brakes are like, but I wouldn't be impressed if they were worse than a standard blob/hawk setup.
Cambelt need replacing at 50k intervals, have been quoted £300 in the past by local subaru dealer, but that was without any additions like cambelt tensioners.
If you find one with standard wheels that have been refurbed, find out if they have been powder coated, the standard wheels don't like this process and can be prone to snapping at the spokes.

fat-thomas

iTrader: (4)

wrx is perfect for a woman being the girls version of the impreza.

WRX 2312

...it never ends does it...

Plenty of threads on various forums will say WRX is the primary choice for daily driver due to, as mentioned above, the longer gear ratios etc making it easier to drive.

I own a 53 plate WRX with 60,000 miles standard apart from a cat back exhaust and has no rust anywhere, clutch and gearbox are also in great condition, my clutch is light in my opinion compared to other cars I have driven. My mpg averages between 25-33 depending on my mood.

I'm still relatively new to the subaru scene and in my opinion (probably be slated by someone) the WRX is an all round great car with enough power for daily driving and plenty of space

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

Edited for ya

JA1987

My wife uses our 2004 Blobeye WRX everyday on the school run and she loves it. Clutch is easier than our modified Touran was, parking is easy (especially with parking sensors) we use Tesco momentum as its not much more expensive than normal unleaded and it runs well on it. Average about 300 miles to a tank and is quick enough when the local chavs need showing up ;-)

RS_Matt

I thought my car was special doing up to 36mpg, but you're all achieving it lol!

JusNoGood

MY 04 Blob has 98 minimum in the manual and on the cap too. I've had people say it's probably an aftermarket sticker but pretty sure it isn't...especially with the manual backing it up. I only use Shell 99VPower

LVC

FYI 2005 UK Hawkeye WRX





However I only put SP98 in it (hard to get anything higher in France) Although a lot of the owners over here including specialist garages only put SP95 in theirs (STi's of all years included).

VictoriaYorks

I'm female and I have a hawkeye WRX. I knew about the engine issues before buying but I much prefer the look of the hawkeye and generally the STI is more likely to have issues, so I'm told.
In my opinion yes the clutch is heavy, much heavier than my previous cars and it did take some getting used to. My left calf is half an inch bigger than my right, I checked after some boots fitted differently. If your wife is teeny tiny she will definitely need to test drive a couple to see how the clutch feels.
It is possible to get a hawkeye in the low tax band if you're lucky, there are a few out there, but it shouldn't be a higher priority than service history and number of previous owners!
I only run mine on Shell V Power, I think the manual says 98+