I looked at the following -

Toyota Celica 190 VVti - One of the best looking cars on the road, I love the shape of them, unfortunately a good low miler was a bit over budget

Clio 182 - Great fun cars which I really like, hasn't got a great deal of presence on the road though..

Astra 2.0T SRi 200PS - Still like these, especially the sport hatch, only thing is every other car on the road seems to be an Astra or a Focus

Honda Civic Type R - Another car you either like or hate, I think their good, tried to bait one to race the other morning just to see how real world fast they are but he weren't biting!

 

Well, I've had mine since 1998, bought at a time when each Scoob dealer got ONE Impreza Turbo per MONTH, and even huge dealers only got two if they were lucky

I test drove an Ibiza Cupra Sport in both 8V and 16V format. I also tried a Saxo VTS, a Pug 106GTi, a Pug 306 GTi6, and a Golf GTi.

Didn't bother with owt else, and once I'd driven the Scoob, my mind was made up. Ordered it in February for delivery in September.........which was the quickest I could have it

Alcazar

 

I bought mine last year and my short list included astra GSi turbo, astra coupe turbo, skyline, 200sx and an Evo.

I found the astras a little difficult to get hold of and I didn't want to compromise and buy the Sri, skylines too old and the Evo too expensive for the version V or VI I wanted. I would have had a 200SX but I was pipped at the post on a really good one and never found one that compared after that.

Then my bugeye appeared in a local garage with all the right spec and within budget. Only regret in hind-sight was not holding out and saving a bit more for an STi.

 

Before I bought my first Scoob (MY00)

Audi TT 225- Bit too expensive and I don't cut hair for a living
Astra Coupe Turbo- Nice car, but drove a mates and didn't really like it tbh

Before my MY05 STi-

Nissan 350Z- Very nice and quick but only 2 seats and not enough boot space
Mazda RX8- A little underpowered, prefer the RX7
Ford Mustang 4.6 V8- Amazing car, fast, awesome looks but wouldn't be able to justify filling the 40 litre tank up every 120 miles or so.

After test driving the above, I think I'd miss the Scoob grunt too much

 

I was thinking about astra turbo coupe and although not mind blowingly quick a corrado g60 as ive always liked the look of them. I settled for a vectra gsi before the scoob as back in 2003 they were still fairly hard to get hard of and 93 wrx's were knocking round for £8k+

 

EVO 6; looked at one in a garage, but they wouldn't let me test drive it and at £16k was a lot of money to spend on a car you've never driven.

Skyline R33 GTR V-spec; looked to buy a friends, but it had just had a *cheap* engine rebuild, so I gave it a wide berth

RX7; love the look, but the fuel consumption, need for engine rebuild (ha ha owning a scooby!) and lack of 4 wheel drive put me off.

So, looked at 2 door Imprezas and ended up with a low milage V4.

 

Main target was a car with at least 200 bhp.

So I test drove
Civic Type R
S2000
350Z
RX8
330i

Also looked for a Supra, but its hard to find a good one over here.

But had always a faible for the Subaru's (my father owned 2) so I decided to buy my 03 STi.

Serge

 

Mitsy Galant VR4, Toyota Supra Turbo, Porsche 928, Porsche 968 and the Audi RS2. All were either too pricey at the time (5 years ago), or the maintenance looked horrifying!

Wish I'd stumped up for an RS2 though - wouldn't have lost £6k in depreciation like I have on the Scooby.

 

Before I got my first Impreza back in '99 it was a toss up between a new one and a used Escort Cosworth. Although I never regreted gettint the Scoob, I would have loved to have owned the Cossie.
JohnD

 

I had a £20k budget for a company car, had to be new and four seats.

Having had most of the 'usual suspects' rep-mobiles in the past and being sick of fwd there was no other choice than a wrx.

Lease is up at the end of this year and I'm totally stuck trying to decide what to get now though; Subaru have been taken off the new list of approved manufacturers...

 

I've owned a TT, Clio 172 and my cousin has a Type-R.

The TT was excellent once I'd spent 7K on upgrading the engine, brakes and handling. And I presonally think its still one of the best looking cars on the road, just a shame there are too many of them now.

The Clio was such a thrill in the drive, build quality wasn't the best and it was really small, and I did feel a bit of a girl when driving it.

The Type-R handles well, power delivery is good but only when you get out of second gear, before that, there is simply too much power for the front wheels (IMO), especially when the roads aren't bone dry.

The Scooby wins hands down in my opinion, apart from being VERY thirsty!!

 

Before I bought my 1st Scoob I tried an Alfa 156 Sportwagon. I had driven a friends 4dr Turbo and as I thought I needed a 5 door the Scoob was the only other choice and once I had driven a Scoob I bought my 98MY Wagon in 2000.

Before I bought the WR1 I considered an Evo but the '1' won on every day usability. I tried to test drive a used M3 but the dealer wouldn't let me try one so I thought 'sod that'.

Before I bought my Spec D, I tested an Evo FQ340 but as I was only allowed to drive it round the Dudley Ring Road so I was unable to find out if I wanted one.

 

Really wanted a wagon. Couldn't find a low mileage MY00 within 100 miles of my home.

Was going to make an offer on a black 51 OCtavia VRS but went on SNet and found my sonic blue MY00 about 50 miles away in Swansea. Only needed to drive the car back and for to the petrol station and agreed there and then.

 

ive been after a scoob for over a year prior to the one i got now but was put off by some bad ones and comments but i looked down the M3 route but couldnt get insured reason why i got a 328i sport coupe instead, but i would of liked to get the C43 AMG, i didnt want an evo as a m8 had the evo 6 rallyart and i wasnt to impressed with it, i didnt want to get the skyline as another m8 has a 96 gtst and its too plain inside for me.

 

There's no other car worth considering.

I wanted a 4 door, reliable, quick, practical, not too common, good looking car for £13k.

If someone can come up with something that fits the bill then I'll consider it next time.

 

before my first scoob(MY98)i had a 205 gti - 6, wasnt very practical and decided to sell, but i did have my eyes on a bmw m3 the saloon shape one, but then i went against that, and looked at evo's, skylines, focus st170's, saab 93 turbos, but nothing tickled my fancy, until the bossman said he'll give the scoob up for the right money, and i was always in love the car just never asked if he would sell, and one day he just comes up to me asking if i wanted it, how could i say no, and i dont regret a minute of it

 

Delta hf turbo

 

very nearly went for an M3 before buying the current scoob. Scoob won due to being cheaper and the warrenty cost on the DSG box was

 

Doe to the fact my car needed to be financed, I could not find the car i wanted in any gagages (Escort Cosworth), so settled for a 02 WRX, and am glad i made the choice i did.

PArt exchanged my 53 Civic Type R for her

 

I had a Jap 4x4, and wanted something more sporty. Was looking for a coupe of some sort - you know the sort, totally impractical etc !
Looked at Ford Puma Milleniums etc, then thought how much I loved my Jap import... but could I really afford a sporty jap car? Not a Mazda MX5 fan (didn't want a cabriolet ) then thought stuff it, lets go the full hog and look at my fav Jap import.... EVO !!! Cant afford a 6 , didn't like the look of 1, 2 or 3 so Evo 4/5 it was .... until my insurance company got involved and wanted RIDICULOUS amounts of money ! Don't like MR2's, Skylines are OK, but not really me, do like the FTO's but would have to be a Mivec.... then the dealer mentioned the words Subaru Impreza, and I laughed!!!
"Wouldn't touch one with a barge pole..." I think were my exact words..... 4 months later I'm cruising around in my beloved white MY98 WRX Impreza and loving every minute of it !!!

 

Was living Ipswich (1997) at the time, no sports cars in the 'Trader and went back to midlands to buy a Williams Clio.

Saw a minted MY96 Classic Turbo for similar money. Thought it was a fake or dodgey, so didn't call it. Called a few days later, was perfect. Cherr-Ching.

10 years on...

Finally had the money to own an Evo 6+, but went to the subaru camp again.
This time round was a wagon, but upped the funds to a newage wagon, then come home with an STi. Had ear-ache for many months, but was worth it.

 

considering i bought my scoob while i was taking driving lessons, there was never really any contest.

il admit, when i was 18 and all into gay bodykits, floppy hair and 15 year old bitches, i wanted a calibra, with neons, 28" wheels and a 32" backbox.... but that all changed when tesco said, "yes andy we'll insure you on a scoob even though youve not passed your test"

whoo hoo. the rest is history as they say. i will never sell my scoob, unless its replaced with another one.

andy

 

Here we go my first choice was going to be a Mitsi Galant VR4. Second choice was a caterham superlight, with a ****ty 1.1 diesel fiesta for putting boats on. Rx7 was on the cards, but there was some confusion over it`s boat carrying capacity. And I did seriously look at an immaculate 1986 911 Turbo. So if ya see a mica pink bugeye with a couple of long pointy things on the roof, tis I , and I do wave if I see you.

Jase

 

New Shape Golf GTi but couldn't find one @ April 2006 below £19k.

Ford Focus ST - long waiting list (at the time) and it is still a Ford....

Audi A3 2.0t - £20k plus for a new one even on import

And so the WRX at Motorpoint won it based on performace and space per £. £15.7k new. So impressed with their service have just bought a Focus C-max for my wife from them.

I always wanted a WRX but being a Buyer during my day job, I really had to investigate all the options

 

was either a escort cossie or a evo for me, think i made the right choice tbh

 

Was between Leon Cupra R, Civic Type R or my WRX. Glad I went for the WRX, not really interested in the CTR any more, but i'm still curious about the Cupra R.