Taking all this in perspective, if you own an impreza now;
and are horrified by running costs and how good the competition
is, why aren't we all trading them in for other marques ?

I know I want to keep mine. If my mileage suddenly increases, I'll get a rust heap and do the daily commute in that; and stick the scoob in the garage until it's time to come out and play.

Jon1T. Good point about the diesel option. Odd that Isuzu can let Saab have the 3.0 turbo diesel for their 9-5TID but not stuff one into an outback or impreza. The 3.0TD trooper was actually quite nippy for a barge, when I used one as a courtesy car.

[Edited by stanmo - 12/5/2002 3:10:04 PM]

 

"no other choices out there"

Course there isn't. America's not noted for consumerism is
it...??? ;-)

They like it because it's an excellent car and the styling appeals to them. If they didn't, it wouldn't sell well, and it has - very well!

As a regular visitor to The States, I see the car driven by people in their early 20s but most owners seem to be mid 30s and upwards. Pretty much like the ones I see here.



[Edited by Toonman1 - 12/7/2002 3:22:05 PM]

 

There are still hundreds of unsold bugeyes littering garages - even at 18995 no-one wants to know. I understand they're considering further incentives - cash backs offers etc on top to try and shift stock.

Focus RS + Civic Type-R and supercharged Coopers etc, not to mention a fall off in repeat buyers have really knockered the bottom out of the market for Impreza's.

So if you've got a bugeye and are considering seelling get out now, because the prices are going to come down further - Cap is listing s/h UK Impreza's as having lost over 1k in value over the last month - any that'll keep falling if IM put further offers on remaining MY02s.

Will the MY03 be enough to save the Impreza in the UK?

Buying my Bugeye was one of the worst financial decisions ever - I saw one in Autotrader at £13995 last week

Any one want to buy a MY02?

 

Will this affect the STi, there cant be many new STI's left for sale? I thought that the new Prodrives were all sold, but you can still pick up a new standard one.

It's a real shame, because the 01/02 WRX isnt a bad car. By changing the shape they have inadvertently shafted a lot of loyal customers who went with the bug-eye.

I swapped my 01WRX for an 02STi (plus cash), so looks like that was a wise move. Perhaps buying something other than any newish Subaru would have been even smarter.

Is this turning into another "sod this" thread??

 

get some morettes, problem solved.

 

Jon,

Maybe this is a regional/Dealer thing. I took my dealer out for a ride in my PPP'd STI 02 yesterday and they've had to get cars in from other dealers to satisfy demand. They've got none left now.

For sure the 3K temporary reduction has hit resale, but I think that will stabilise after Dec 31st when the offer ends.

 

Sti's aren't part of the offer, and aren't really affected.

I think I'm going to go down the route of buying a turbodiesel, esp as I've now got my 205 gti trackday/750mc stock hatch car nearly sorted and ready for the 2003 season. Plus I can't live with the fuel costs anymore....averaging around 18-20mpg.

I love the scoob, but when do you ghet chance to use as intended - you can hardly ever go over 80 on the motorways and those times where you get a clear piece of B-road without the wife being in the car are fewer and fewer....

So yes, I guess this is a 'sod this' thread....

 

Jon

Move from Essex m8

Suffolk/Cambs/Norfolk is full of empty roads

I'm getting over 30mpg ATM driving legally around the place with small exuberances on my favourite B roads

Don't care what PTMW! is worth - not for sale

 

It is exactly this 'panic' attitude that *will* drive the prices down !
If everyone sits tight till after the release of the MY03 the residuals shouldn't be as badly affected.
Also as previously mentioned in the many threads on this subject - no one buys a car and expects not to lose money.

 

If this is true nationwide, then IM should suggest to FHI that
the UK market are elitist b'stards, and don't want no middling WRX; the greatest demand is for the STI, possibly for the 300bhp available with the PPP.

So, they should withdraw the WRX from the UK, putting the STI at the top of the range; make a 5 door to satisfy the stealth drivers, cut the price to a few K over the nearest competition (Focus) and hold their breath. Punters buy the WRX to go fast, and having another higher specced model in the range doesn't help.
IM should look carefully at their product line-up; should be obvious now that the bug eye wrx is not in demand; and question whether there is space for 2 performance models in the range.

I would personally think twice about buying a new WRX, having to Tek 3/change exhaust/'stuff the warranty' to get something akin to how I felt when I first drove a Scoob.

I'd much rather an STI with PPP; but that game gets expensive when magazines like Evo and Car mention that the Focus can run away from an STI round a track. Expensive for dealers too, when customers walk away and spend less on a Ford.

 

I agree with Edcase.

If current bugeye owners do panic maybe I'll pick up a bargain! Then fit some decent lights and have a great performance car for Mondeo money!

Just got to figure out how to avoid losing too much on disposal of my MY97!

 

It's not a question of panicking, it's a question of is it worth continuing to pay the fuel/insurance/servicing costs of a car that is plummeting in value. I don't nessecarily agree that residuals will improve when the MY03 comes out, because a/ the impreza is facing intense copmpetition from other makers, b/ the subaru and impreza brands have suffered recently and c/ who is going to pay more for a car in one month, when they could have had it for less previously. What you probably mean is that the rate of depreciation will slow. Cap lists the trade price of a '02' reg WRX as 16750 - that's a £4,500 (or 20%) fall in 7 months!

I think IM need to address the model line up in the UK - not ahving a diesel in the range is now tanatmount to suicide - even Jaguar are biting the bullet and bringing out a diesel X-type next year...

 

Phew,

glad I got my MY02 on 3+23 CH, mainly because back in July they were offering stupid deals cos they couldnt shift em!!!

Gary

 

talking to my local dealer yesterday, and he reckoned there were very few left to sell in their area( they have got rid of all theirs already ).

Steve

 

sounds like a sales pitch

 

No names, no pack drill, but the source is of the very highest quality (I don't want to get anyone into trouble)....and is not a dealer...

 

FFS, you don't buy a sports car as an investment. Just buy it and write off the dough, anything left is a bonus. if it makes you feel any better I bought a 996 C4 in Aug 2000, I took it ot a garage at the weekend and got a valuation and got offered 40K euros less than I paid(44% depreciation), its only done 22KKM. No matter what car you buy, it depreciates proportionally.
Its one thing to say i'll save a bomb and drive a shed, a few months of shed driving and you'll be back for a decent motor. I drove a Susuki swift 1.1l for a week last time i was home....that soon makes you forget about depreciation.

Cheers
Cammy

 

Bottom Line is.... Bugeye was a disasterous mistake borne presumably of inadequate market research which was not only a poor seller in itself, but also has lost Subaru impetus and standing in the marketplace. Tough, but it's a competitive jungle out there...

As for me, I've bought my StiUK with a view to running for AT LEAST three years..... and I'll deal with the buying decisions and finance as and when, and not before. I didn't buy it as an investment - I bought it to have fun (and with that PPP I sure am going to have some). And I'm sure most of you did, too?? Above all, I've got more bangs for my buck than almost anything else of comparable price: and more bangs than most cars costing ten grand more. Good value for money..... for sure

I've started to get used to bugeye.... as one does... and, although '03 is more attractive, it doesn't bowl me over. P1 is still the best looker IMHO.

And, yes, absence of a modern technology TD is a glaring omission (in the Eurpoean Market - can't speak for Japan or Australasia)

Phil

 

You don't see the lights from the steering wheel I have a MY02STi7Uk PPP'd lights are far more atractive than Std Bugeyes and I have got used to them easier to clean and better than morrettes IMHO

Tony

The Limited edition My02 Sti7Uk

 

"very few left to sell" - that's what I'd heard too, but from prospective owners, not dealers.

I can't see what all the fuss is about. The WRX is a way better car, and if it didn't sell well here in the UK, it did in the USA. Sales haven't been the disaster worldwide, many would like you to believe.

As regards looks, I love it, and don't like the looks of the 03. It wouldn't stop me from buying one however, providing the driving experience is still there. That's what's important isn't it?

As for buying the RS; good luck to anyone who wants one. You'll have the much discussed handling issues, AND have to deal with Ford garages. You're going to need lots and lots of luck...

Cheers

 

If you wanted to buy my car right now, you'd have to pay me more than I paid for it. She's a beauty and she's staying on my drive.

 

I just put my MY02 WRX up for sale in the Trader...at £15k. Had a few calls, but mainly time wasters, then decided I couldn't do without my beast, so am now not selling it.

I disagree with the idea of only having the STI. It cuts down choice, and some of us wouldn't have a Scoob at all if there was only the STI to buy (& fund!)

I personally don't like the MY03, but I suppose it will grow on me...and yes, I do have Morettes on mine

Tony

 

The only reason the USA market loves the WRX is because they have no other choices out there. Their best model prior to the WRX was the 2.5RS, a normally aspirated 2 door with 165BHP. This was the car for a realy small enthusiast group, very small market compared to the WRX.

The MY03 (MY04 to the USA market) will be an even bigger hit in the USA, they like the style much more.

USA and europe are very diferent markets, the WRX is pretty much a kids car, very cheap compared to here, and a lower spec too. They dont have the same issues with an overwieght, underpowered car compared to previous models or competition to the rest of the kit on USA roads, its a rocket ship alrounder compared to anything else out there.

They have also had a very agresive marketing campaign, aimed at youth, every new WRX comes with a free years membership of the SCCA and SOA sponsor the Pro Rally series, running a Prodrive factory team in that series.

 

Subaru also sponsored a whole lot of Snowboard and Ski events last year.

 

Picked up a MY02 from Beechdales two weeks ago - able to PPP it, add morettes, quickshift kit and a set of anthracite alloys and all still less than the old list price (and got a good trade-in value for my Golf 4Motion).

Good time to buy, bad time to sell (if you must), ride the storm and value will return BUT as various people have said, they are not investments, for that open up a savings account, and drive a diesel Citroen of some sort.

As for me, I'm made up with my Scooby - just had its 1000 mile service this morning, wow it sounds good above 4K rpm!

 

ROFL. I remember people saying that about Imported STIs about 3 years ago.

 

lucky_strike. Ditto all round! My 1k oil change was this morning and WOW what a difference a few more k of revs makes!!!

 

I was told by my dealer on Wednesday that they couldn't get hold of new 5-door WRX's, all the stock was gone (I was after a test drive). Doesn't sound like there are fields full of unsold Impreza's to me.

I'm waiting until the MY03 is out, then I'll be in the market for a nice cheap MY01 wagon. Prices for 2 year old WRX's are about 14K, which is exactly what I paid for my car when it was a 2 year old MY97 - still decent depreciation compared with a lot of £20k+ motors IMHO.

Steve

 

lucky strike

Got a STI 3, goes like the preverbial, Costs an absolute fortune to run. I also kept the old Citroen diesel as a work car & general hack. Had the Citroen 4 years, never let me down, very comfortable, no bills apart from tyres fuel etc & an anual service when the MOT is due. This is therefore a sensible economical car to run & makes perfect common sense.
Mileage for last year, Citroen 5000, Subaru 16000, Need I say any more, Life is for having fun & **** the cost

 

Stuart

Why bother with the Citroen then

Drive the thing everywhere man It's a mass produced lump of Japanese tin and it needs to be driven every day otherwise it'll blow up...... honest