chris singleton

From previous posts some people might be aware that I'm thinking of trading in my beloved MY96 for MY01 WRX. Being on here for the past 9 months or so, I've picked up quite a bit of knowledge on the classic shape cars but have avoided posts on the "bug eyes" as I never though I would buy one.

Obviously, people have made the same switch, does anyone regret it and what should I be looking out for when viewing a WRX

The car I'm looking at is a Blue/Black Mica WRX, Y Plate, 6K miles, PPP, 3yr Warantee. Dealer has it up for £18,995.00 (is this a good price? I know you pay more from a dealer) and is offering £8,500 - £9,000 for mine (which I thought was quite good despite the huge amounts I've spent on upgrades - See sale forum).

Has anyone got any comparisons between the 2 cars, acceleration, handling, braking, servicing costs etc. I would have thought that performance will be similar to mine (fully decated).

Sorry for so many questions, but if I'm going to be spending the best part of £19,000 I want to be certain its the right move.

Any help or comments will be very much appreciated, prior to Saturday as I'm hopefully going to see the car and I've got a tendancy to buy things on impulse (bought the first car I looked at on 3 previous occassions.)

Cheers

Chris

Scooby Dooby Blue

Just my opinion but £18,995 is steep for a Y plate, even with PPP.

If you have spent a wad on your current scoob, why not strip all the bits off and sell them?

When you trade your car in, the dealer will tell you modifications don't add value to your car but this dealer is obviously commanding a premium for the PPP on the WRX.

Either way, i'd be trying to reduce the amount to pay to about £9K

Just my tuppence...

Paul

chris singleton

Paul,

I thought it was a bit steep as well, however £8,500 - £9,000.00 for mine isn't bad, probably struggle to get that private.

Can't really be arsed to take out the seats, exhaust etc, will only get £200-£300 for exhaust and £250.00 plus seats in exchange for my chairs. Then I've got to pay someone to take it all off as I'm a bit useless I'm afraid

What do you think I should be paying for the WRX with PPP, there's lots about at moment without it for similar money which I know the salesman is going to batter me with!

Come on people, sixty odd views and no comments from WRX drivers, some of you must drive these ugly beasties.

I need info, lots of it and fast.

Cheers

Chris

Hooley

Chris,

Why not get an import and add the PPP yourself??? -
A m8 just got an 02 wrx for £16800, and the ppp is about £1400 if you shop around - totals £18200

Okay you get a little less for your car but you do get a brand spanking new car

Import or not issues - depend on how long you want to keep the new motor and how many mile you will do.

P.S. I've got a UK WRX 02 from a UK dealer and managed to get an 8.5% discount from list with mats, a CD changer and fog-lamp covers thown in to sweeten the deal.

(That's £19,626 if you're trying to work it out) for a new UK-car, changed the exhaust and am a happy bunny - for now......

Hooley

chris singleton

Thought about an import buy worried by re-sale value.

Hoping to haggle them down to £18,000.00 and get a headlight conversion chucked in which is about £500 I think.

Anybody else made the same sort of switch and got any negative/positive views?

Thanks again

Chris

Neil Smalley

I went from a MY00 with PPP to an WRX STi type UK(not the same as a WRX with PPP I know)

The WRX will be slower than yours, though not by much.
Handling, more solid and planted.
Build quality and interior will be better on the WRX
WRX is more refined(read quieter) that may be good or bad for you
Serving costs are the same(about). Unless it's a MY02/late 01 then it will be every 10,000 miles.
MPG will be about the same
Insurance slightly more.

Best thing to do is take it on an extended test drive

chris singleton

Neil

Test drive on saturday I expect will make up my mind for me.

I love the sound of my Scooby at the moment, suppose I couldn't fit the decat + downpipe to the WRX without voiding warranty?

Anybody else got any views on the WRX or a picture with the dealer fitted replacement headlights, think this will be a must if I do go for it.

Chris

clubby

Chris

I came from a 97 Catalunya into a 01 WRX. Make sure you dont get the "sports " seats, they are nowhere like as good as the seats on previous 97 model. I didnt like the WRX (and have now traded it for an STi7).
It was a little more refined, and most people reckoned it was a good looking car (silver with Subaru bodykit). It was lacking in urgency, the more progressive turbo and lack of engine noise made it less fun to drive. Your PPP will probably address most of those issues though.
Coming froma Monde3o into a WRX, you would probably love the WRX. But coming out of a throaty 96 model, into a WRX you might be dissapointed.

If I was you, I would probably try and get a "bubble" finance deal (where part of the money borrowed is interest frozen) and push the boat further and buy an ex demo STi, or an imported STi. The difference between the STi and WRX is like night and day.

To be honest I was never on the limit enough to enjoy the "better handling" day to day in the WRX. It's a persoanl choice I know but the WRX was too civilised for me.

I agree that £19k for a Y plate is pricey, I bought my Y reg WRX last November for £18,300 with 4k miles, carbon fibre interior, subaru bodykit (but no ppp). I got just about £17k trading her in.

Scooby Dooby Blue

Even if you do feel you're getting a reasonable price for your car, the dealer is still gonna be laffin his *** off if he gets £19K for the WRX.
I feel the best way to sweeten the deal is get all the optional extras you can out of the salesman.
They pay a fraction of the cost for the parts so would much prefer to give you extras than cash discount.
Like you said, headlights are a must. Why not try for a quickshift (£160), clear indicators/reflectors(£70), carbon gearknob/handbrake(£300) or anything else you fancy.
Might be worth waiting 'til next weekend to make your deal(end of the month).

Best of luck,

Paul

PS There's a chap "Grey" selling morettes in the For Sale section for £250 in WR Blue. You could buy these instead or getting them from the dealer. That would leave you room to negotiate a big spoiler instead

chris singleton

Thanks for the advice guys.

Couldn't stretch to an STI - which I expect would be £23,000 - £24,000 minimum, can't get an import due to insurance.

If I hadn't bought a flat last year, I'd be driving around in an STI as we speak with the money I would have saved.

If I was living alone, flat would go, STI would arrive, I'd move back to mums. Unfortunately, don't think the girlfried would be best pleased!

The car I'm looking at does have the later bucket seats, not the so called "sports seats" which are similar to the originals I had in my MY96. Would never go that route again, took me ages to find my leather buckets.

Chris

chris singleton

Forgot to say, what are the brakes like on a MY01, do they have 4pots, the hassle of upgrading my 2pots is what led me to look for a new car.

clubby

Insuring my Euro Import Sti7 with mods, was only about £150 more than my standard UK MY 01WRX. I guess I must be an old f@rt at 39.

I never thought I would go to an import, turned out to be a good move so far.

chris singleton

Only 23 so insurance premium hike would probably be much worse.

Slightly worried on resale value as well from what I've seen on here and various car programs.

Not got anything against imports, mum's focus is an import, made a huge saving.