I currently rent (PCP) a Skoda Octavia vRS TDi (stop sniggering) but due to job change and train commute I can now get something childish... My first thoughts were Civic Type R/Focus RS, but £500/month on a weekend toy seems a bit unfair on my wife....

The Subaru Imprezza was my boyhood hero, and am going to look at a privately sold WRX Type UK next week. Car is '03 plate, 75k miles and chipped to 300bhp. Certainly, in the pictures it looks mint, and is priced at £7,5k.

I'm a bit nervous of buying privately but is exactly the car I'm after. What should I look for? Are there any common faults I should be wary of? Should I be looking at lower mileage/new examples in same price bracket?

I'm not buying an Impreza due to value for money, but so I can prepare (lie) to my other half, how bad are costs for servicing/tyres/maintenance? Will I ever manage over 20mpg?

 

That's STI money mate,

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...rt/5440289?v=b

If you try you may see 25 mpg lol

 

Link to an advert? That seems a lot of money for a 2003 UK model.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201604173068491/sort/pricedesc/postcode/rh107lw/radius/1501/make/subaru/model/impreza/price-to/8000/page/1/usedcars

Sorry it's a WRX STi.... Still getting my head around all these damn variances!!

 

Good luck with the purchase, they're great cars.
We've also talked about what to watch out for here:
https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...l#post11823413

I think for this car will be important to find out who chipped/tuned it then do some research I to them. Subaru re-mapping is a fine art.

 

Tyres are no more expensive than any car really, depends if you use decent quality ones I suppose.
Servicing again is reasonable if you use an independent specialist.
Rear shock absorbers tend not to last long although they're not massively expensive.

Will you ever manage over 20mpg?
Maybe on a good motorway run, but mixed driving I could never get more than around 22.

The only bad thing I found is that every tosser in a Focus ST, Civic Type R etc. wants to take you on.

 

Check the MOT history mate, seems a little strange that it's only done 1700 miles since December 2013.

 

Very expensive.

I paid a lot less just a few months ago for an STi with 84k on the clock.

Prodrive, big brake setup etc and running 330hp.

Also last advisory:

Advisory notice item(s)
front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

 

Thanks chaps - how did you manage to get the MOT History?! Sub-frame corrosion is concerning - especially given what I've read on here. How expensive a fix is this? Price seems good in comparison to what is on AutoTrader currently, but then I'm probably looking in the wrong place... Aside from this forum and PistonHeads, where else have you used to source your pride and joys?

 

Just use the DVLA link mate - https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle

Type in the reg and the make of car off you go. Can check if its been clocked and more (Only provides an indicator). I use it for every car I plan on purchasing.

I got mine of Autotrader, but it took me 2 and a half months until I was happy with one enough to make the 7 hour round trip for!

It paid off

 

That's a very handy website, thanks for sharing.
It took me a while to find my wagon and a couple of 4 hour each way trips...