Hi all,

I've wanted a decent car for a while now and although I've looked at a few different options I alway come back to the same thing. WRX STI blue with gold wheels 2004-2006.

I'm just seeing the feasibility of actually getting and running one.

I'm 28 and have only been driving 3 years. I current have a Fiesta 1.4.

I know what you are thinking, I'll write it off within a week I have been riding motorbikes 10 years, I'm well used to 0-60 in ~3 seconds so feel this gives me the experience and respect to handle a slightly lairy car.

My current thinking is I want to own a quick car at some point in my life and the next year or so is the time to do it, I'm 80% sure it will go something like this...

Love it - It skints me - sell for something more practical - regret it - look back with fondness. My Dad had a Ginetta and I guess this will be my equivalent.

I'm after the STI because I think I'll regret not getting the best level spec. I've loved the blue and gold since the Colin McRae days. I also like the practicality 4 doors etc. I'm also led to believe if driving normally they are very practical and 'normal car' like.

I commute via bike so the car will be used for weekend blasts and the odd local bimble. I understand it will be a lot more expensive per mile however I currently only do about 3k miles a year in my Fiesta (and it only returned 30-35 mpg)

I'll guess I just list the questions.

How much
Insurance?
Tax? (some are 250 some 500?)
Petrol, when driving to conserve and when not?

What are they like
Equipment level? (my Fiesta is a tarty one with Auto lights/wipers AC etc would rather not lose that)
Comfort for tall folk (I'm 6'5")
Cabin noise when cruising?
Are they difficult to drive because of the performance? I want something that will be sedate until I decide otherwise.

Issues

How likely are (expensive) things to go wrong?
Are imports to be avoided?
Mileage? I've always believed condition/history is more important, but are there any big services/bills to expect?
Things to look out for?
Are short journeys bad for it? I find I often use my Fiesta to ferry things between home and my parents ~5 mins away.


My budget is about 10k, is this enough to get a decent one private?


Cheers,
Chris

 

I’ll answer a few of those

How much Insurance? Too many factors in play - your age, your address, your history, your job, other people at your address, other cars at your address, sun spots, lunar cycle…. It will be more than your Fiesta.
Tax – depends which you get. iirc if the car is registered after March ’06 it will be based on emissions and that will be higher, about £450. Pre March ’06 it’s based on engine size and will be £230 ish.
Petrol – pence per litre you will pay more as you will want V Power or Momentum 99. High Octane fuel basically and that costs a few pennies more. Plus you will get worse than the 30-35MPG you are used to. My ’98 STI gets around 22MPG, combined. There are some who claim to get over 30MPG all the time, but I have my doubts
Equipment levels – not sure really. My STI has AC, electric windows and folding mirrors (a JDM thing), but I’ve not heard of auto lights and wipers. Latter models might have them.
Comfort – I’m 6ft and I do ok. My 6ft 7 friend sits in the passenger seat ok.
Cabin noise – they are noisy. Get used to it and enjoy it
Are they difficult to drive because of the performance? – Stay off boost and they are can be sedate.
How likely are (expensive) things to go wrong? – drive like a loon and very likely. Always get checks done to make sure a previous owner has done exactly that and is trying to palm off a lemon.
Are imports to be avoided? – Can of worms opened…. I love my JDM. So does my insurance co as they get more money out of me. There are some who say they extra cost of owning a JDM isn’t worth it. I disagree
Mileage? – My ’98 is on about 148k and going strong. Condition of engine is more important, but obviously high mileage will be factor in that condition.
Are short journeys bad for it? Can be. If the engine isn’t warmed up before giving it some beans you will do damage. I’ve been told that repeated short journeys will shorten the life of the engine as repeated stresses of getting a little warm, then cooling down, warming up and then cooling again will stress any metals.
My budget is about 10k, is this enough to get a decent one private? – Should be.


These answers are based on my own experience, others may give different views.
Buy a Scooby, join the collective, become one of us

 

That's pretty much what I was thinking TBH, treat it right and it will treat you right. Trick now is not to buy a dog. Any links to buyers guide to check everything is working as it should?

 

Check the suspension
Always fails

 

Is there a way to do that on someones drive or is it a case of getting it to a ramp? My uncle owns a garage so if it is local I could get it up in the air.

 

" handle a slightly lairy car"

Scoobys are the least lairy cars ever. They don't wheel spin in the dry. And even in the wet with reasonable power unless you clutch kick. There's no oversteer (on standard geometry)
they are the least "on a knife edge cars I've ever driven" that can be boring as well as fun.
being able to fire out off a wet bent like a rocket on on hand,
But pulling hard out of a junction even in your fiesta, tyres screeching fighting the steering would be much more lairy for me! Miss That traction loss.

"What are they like
Equipment level?"

Air con abs electric everything not seats or steering column obviously. You can easy add a dvd player and a good sound system if you wanted.

The wrx sl is the best equipped model ever the heated leather seats are stunning and sunroof is obviously a plus but there rare in saloon form most are wagons

"Are they difficult to drive"

No despite most pushing closer to 300hp id recommend this as a first car if insurance was viable. Its one of the safest easiest cars ever to drive.

 

Welcome to the site mate.

Well, first off, if you even have to think about petrol costs, regardless of driving style, I would say your possibly looking at the wrong car. For me personally, owning an STi needs to be a semi-thoughtless process I.e I give no thought to tax, petrol and insurance. If any of these factors affect you buying it, I would say don't buy it. Others may disagree, but IMO, you cannot 'fully' enjoy a high-performance car if you're worried about MPG figures. Part of the enjoyment is getting in and not giving a **** about how much it's going to cost to fill it up.

Make sure you buy the lowest mileage example you can, make sure it's got full service history and the Cambelt has been changed in line with the service schedule (or close to). Listen for knocks through the rear, rear shocks are prone to failing. Usual checks for turbo cars I.e boosts ok, no smoke in boost etc. Standard brake tests I.e no funny sounds, no shuddering, no pulling to one side etc. Look for accident damage I.e different coloured panels, panel alignment, underneath the car for anything that looks bent / damaged / welded. Open the header tank and check for a white mayonnaise-type substance (head gasket on its way out if its present). Check the car from complete cold and check for leaks. Upon startup, listen for any dodgy sounds (from cold, the car will rev slightly higher at first, then drop to standard idle, this is normal). Once up to operating temp, check to make sure the temp gauge is just above the second notch and stays there.

 

Hi,
If you need any help with insurance at all then please feel free to drop me a line. I'd be only too pleased to help.
Regards,
Dan.

 

I have a DCCD Sti (which is most likely what you would be looking at) and would disagree with the above comment. In auto setting and you are getting near the limit of grip you can feel it want to step the back end out before it puts the power forward and recovers. With an open diff (all the way back) I would not drive it hard in wet, damp or greasy surfaces - I am not a pro driver by any means, caught me out a few times!

 

Hi welcome aboard hope you find a good one I had my first scooby at 27 it's all bout being responsible and being a bike rider who better else to know bout safety and awareness IMO
HEres mine I'm getting to like the std' gold ones aswell

 

Yep, because all motorbike riders are responsible LOL!

Agree with being responsible owning an Impreza though. Many years ago I span out in my P1, done a 360 and ended up on the other side of the road facing oncoming traffic. Wasn't going fast, it was just inexperience.......accelerating at the wrong time coming off a roundabout in greasy conditions. I learnt a lot from that one incident.

 

Well your car had torque split and mine has 50/50. Maby not as fun but a very stable car. High speed cornering is never a white knuckle ride. And the people talking about realy bad body roll have forgot what its like to drive there lesser previous cars.
I run stock wrx suspension. And on the road its all I could ask for. I can floor ir around wet bends at speeds that would send all fwd and rwd cars into the bushes

 

The missus did that once, late at night, icy, gritter just been up the road. Gave it same beans coming off a roundabout and the ice/grit/**** tyres that were on it caught her out, started losing the back end, panicked and lifted and stood on the brakes, 360 down the road. Pulled up and smoked half a packet of **** to calm her nerves.
I am almost certain if she had just stamped on the throttle it would have just pulled her straight with no drama.

To correct the first reply, tax before 23rd march 2006 is £290. Tax after is £490 I believe. If you go JDM (jap import) they are usually classed as private light goods and cost £230 a year be it before or after 2006. Jap spec also gets twin scroll turbo, 8000rpm rev limit (instead of 7k for uk spec) and a few more goodies, power fold mirrors, rear wash wipe, better lights etc, but you won't get auto lights or wipers.

STI's do suffer from knocking suspension and pistons and bolts in the brembo brakes can seize, but they are a pretty reliable car (later 2.5 litre can be hit and miss).
We've had our WRX for 8 years, and the only things that have needed replacing other than consumables, is a radiator top hose (these are fairly common) and a split in the plastic top section of the rad, and a noisy power steering pulley.

Expensive things to consider, cam belts need replacing every 50k. Prices vary drastically from garage to garage.
Clutches typically need replacing at 80k. Again, do your research re prices. Ours lasted to just under 120k (missus is main driver and owned by a doctor and ex demo so hasn't had a particularly hard life) but it was well worn.
Plugs need changing every 60k, but you do need to have gearbox and diff oil replaced every other major service.

 

I picked up my latest Scoob this week. 06 plate blob sti with PPP. As a break down in costs:

£50 to fill up with momentum 99
250ish miles to a tank - with quite a lot of spirited driving
£505 tax (registered 31/03/2006)
insurance is going to be £750 in March - 30yo with 11 yncb

 

Thanks for all the advice guys, I've just bought a house and currently have enough put away plus my Fiesta to get one I think. However head over heart I'm going to wait till the house has settled down and I see what my finances are doing. we've got some money put away to get a garage built and the driveway done assuming that comes in at budget I'm hoping to pick one up this summer! I'm set on one now, I'm just not sure wether to go for an import or not

 

Just to echo what others have said really, i got my Blob WRX in October and love it.

Im 27 with 8 years no claims and i insured it through SKY for £540 with Exhaust, Wheels and Remap declared. really good policy aswell all future modifications covered protected NCB etc.

Fuel wise i use V Power and costs around £55 ish i think to fill up and get around 275 miles per tank so not too bad really i dont think.

I pretty much was in the same boat as i had just moved into my house and i too waited for the finances to settle down a bit and now i have the car i havent looked back.

Chris

 

Did EXACTLY the same in a 95 MR2 a few years back. My ex's parents (in the car in front we were following them to Scotland) were not impressed! It was the last roundabout before the hotel after a 4 hour trip!!

 

I got my first Scoob on Tuesday, 2000 plate WRX Type RA V-Limited and I'm loving every second of it. I have had quite a few 300bhp FWD cars and the Scooby is in a totally different league. Do it mate, I can guarantee you won't regret it.