Edtough

I'll be finishing uni this year (hopefully) and should start earning some real money. In the not too distant future I'll be looking to buy a new car in the £5000 -£6000 price bracket. I currently drive a modified Astra GTE 16v which does 14.8s 1/4 mile runs(beat an RB5 twice at Santa Pod, but that's another story)so I'm looking for a car that won't dissapoint me in the performance field.

My short list is basically between a 2wd Sapphire Cosworth, and an Impreza turbo. Can you please give me your unbiased (if that's possible) comparison of the two cars. My main concern is that the Subaru is a nightmare to work on yourself compared to the more simple and cheaper cossie.

Edtough

Should have also added my other concern about the Cossie is that hey are all getting long in the tooth and suffer the dreaded tin worm.

chrisp

5K is the danger zone as you will be looking for an early scoob and an old cossie. TBH with 5-6K I wouldnt buy a scoob.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

try driving a 4x4 turbo then a 2wd turbo and make up your mind, once you drive the 4x4 think that'll sway it, used to have an astra gte and that spun all the time as 2wd

dnb

Scoobs aren't that difficult to work on. I don't know who gave you that idea

As already stated, you're into the cheaper end of the market - the MY93 WRX etc. that may be getting a little tired now - an extra £1k on the price may be well spent for something a bit newer and less thrashed.

Go in with your eyes open - hang around on the BBS for a bit to learn about Scoobs and drive a few before you buy. If you're a competent mechanic, you'll have no problem maintaining a Scoob. There's even a PDF of the workshop manual somewhere.

Added this: I bought a cheap UK Scoob just over a year ago (in the 6k bracket on a P plate ), and so far haven't had too many problems - just the usual clutch and dampers, both of which didn't cost the earth. It doesn't look too bad, and it goes quite well. I did scrutinise the car for a good few hours before I handed over the cash!

[Edited by dnb - 4/23/2003 8:40:49 PM]

sparkster

Hey if you figure out how to get a job that pays well after you graduate give us a shout. Ive been out of Uni for 4 years now and still get paid **** all and i'm qualified to the hilt.

Oh yeah. Definately have to get one of these babies.

Edtough

Quote:Scoobs aren't that difficult to work on. I don't know who gave you that idea

Well I asked the same question on RSOC.co.uk and was told it was a mission just changing spark plugs on an Impreza. Not true then? And excuse my ignorance, but what is a "PDF"?

Edtough

Quote:"Hey if you figure out how to get a job that pays well after you graduate give us a shout."

Good point

met

its an adobe format, like a compressed .doc format but its adobe's, acrobat reader thingy loke on adobe.com you can download it

sparkster

pdf format
Adobe reads pdf format

Brun

As the Impreza engine is a "boxer", the plugs are situated on either end of the engine. Two on one side and two on the other.
More challenging than Cossie plugs, but nowt too taxing

Edtough

Aah okay I'm with you now.

chrisp

portable document format so it can retain the original style across various platforms.

Charlie H

Just cos it's a 93 wrx doesn't mean it's "thrashed" or "getting on a bit" I've had one for 2.5 years and still love it to bits. They may seem a bit scary to work on at first but I've found it reasonably ok so far and I'm by no means a mechanic. The best thing with older wrx's is they have probably had the main bad points sorted out already (brakes, ARB bushes etc) My car has done 54K (according to the log book and service manual I got with it - it may be japanese but the numbers are still universal) I doubt you will find a cossie with low miles for that price. Shop around because there are a lot of great early motors out there that have been looked after just as well as the newer ones.

sparkster

Hows Charlie

Did you get that knocklink sorted? This guy Dave (aka UHF)has just organised a good knocklink group buy. Mines on the way.

And my 93wrx is a peach also. If i was too sell it now, some lucky bugger would be picking up a rare specimen!!

Mark

camk

Scoobs are more difficult to work on than most normal cars because of the tightness of the engine bay. They can in no way be described as easy.

dnb

OK, I admit the spark plugs are a bit of an adventure the first time, but it only takes about an hour of determined dismantling...

Seriously - it's only a case of removing the airbox and pipework (which you have to do most of to change the filter element that happens in the same service interval) to do one side and removing 2 bolts to get the washer bottle out of the way on the other side.

IIRC you only have to do it every 30k miles or so, so don't worry too much about them.

As for the well paid grad job... I know what you mean - I graduated about 2 years ago, and I've only recently crossed the student loan repayment threshold...

NotoriousREV

I'm another early WRX owner, paid £6.5k a year ago, excellent condition. I've had a few running problems, but nothing that has kept the car off the road. Working on them is pretty easy from a routine servicing point of view although the plugs are a ballache compared to normal 4 cylinder motors.

dnb

Charlie - I didn't mean to generalise about older cars (I bought one myself remember) - however, there are some really dreadful examples out there, as well as some really nice ones - and the asking price is not usually that different.

I still love my Scoob as well, even though it costs a small fortune to fill it up with petrol each week, and to insure.

It's all worth it

sparkster

LOL @ dnb

My advice would be leave school - get straight into some form of sales job. Nae mucking about. Make tonnes of cash and retire at 30. Or go to uni like me. Graduate along with most of the uk then struggle to get a job - get one - get exploited because there is always somebody to take your place - work til you drop - or until your sacked because you didnt put in that extra unpaid overtime.

You can tell i'm havin fun at work - ha ha

KaraK

is it a case of you having £6000 plus your Astra? or is that including the trade in value of your car?

I only mention it because my local subarau dealership had a P-plated turbo 5 door in at £8k but were offering a minium £2K p/x making the price to change £6k..

Edtough

This would still be a good year off anyway so I haven't decided things like that. Thanks for the info anyhow.