Ok, in need of some help. I’m looking at buying a 2nd car (well technically a 6th, but its intended as a 2nd, lol).


Many years ago I drove a few Turbo 2000 Impreza’s and was suitable impressed at the time. But what I’m after is some advice and opinions on using either a STI or Turbo 2000 daily.

My understanding is the Turbo 2000 is a fully capable car, but due to only having 208/215bhp are people finding they are not as superior on the road as they once where?

With the advent of 200hp Golf’s, 250bhp Astra’s and the like.

I’m not looking to buy with the intent of modding, just a catback and BOV at most. This is because it will be a 2nd car and I already have one fast car for modding.

On the flip side how would running an STI compare? Would it seriously need a lot more maintenance and have higher running costs? Will it drink a ton more fuel?

Does the extra performance off set the cons?



I ask this as I was surprised at how strong the prices seem on the Turbo 2000’s, so I started looking at older STI’s for comparison and got rather interested.

Ideally I’d either be looking for a 98-00 Turbo 2000 or maybe a slightly older STI (1996/7-00) providing the condition was good.

I’m still undecided about a Wagon or Saloon but either would be quite acceptable.

As an extra layer of complexity I also intend to convert either machine to run on LPG.

Thanks for your help, advice and insight.


P.S.

Being a grey import is not an issue. And insurance won’t be a problem for either.

 

I have a Turbo 2000 and although I don't drive like a **** and race everyone (not that your do) I have found it at least keeps up with all the big boys .. BMWs etc.

Its quite fun when you drop onto the motorway behind a 3.2l Turbo diesel Audi and he puts his foot down and you stick to him up to 70 .. obviously I wont go passed 70 as I'm a good boy !!

so to sum up

Yes its fast enough to take 90% of cars off the line and will keep up with anything around town !

 

The Turbo 2000 Impreza are lighter than the newage cars, so don't need as much power to acheve the same kind of speeds. A modded clasic pushing out 280BHP will be faster in a straight line than a newage STI or STI PPP.

With the newage cars you obviously get better interior, better crash test safety (all of which add to the weight) but you also get better handling. Just as an 05 STI will handle better than an 04 STI, as suspension settings were changed and it came with DCCD. Years of development in handling will always favour the newer car. All based on standard suspension.

Horses for courses really. Suppose you have to ask yourself what you are wanting form the car, and what's your budget.

 

Sorry not looking at a newage car.

 

My Classic 2000 GT has nearly 400ps and is more than happy pootling round town or driving across Europe.

 

I've got a modded STi version 2 which has the smaller 50 litre fuel tank and when it just had a decat,BOV, and Ind kit, I regularly saw 300+ miles to a full tank.
The only real downside in cost is that the STi's need servicing every 6000 miles.
Performance wise its not just the added power over the turbo 2000's that makes them quicker, its also the STi gearbox that is alot better.
I've had a turbo 2000 and various STi's, and can honestly say I would never revert back to a turbo 2000!!

 

My turbo 2000 made 278bhp with a full 3" system and an apexi AVCR running at 1.2 bar boost.

The bonus is, you can run any type of unleaded you want and the insurance is less.

Don't forget that the STI's and WRX imports are rated at 276bhp on 100ron fuel. So the map is gonna be retarding itself like mad if you forget to take your bottle of octane booster with you when you have to go and fill up with super unleaded.
And the UK's have better gearing for UK roads. If you want to fit an STI box then you just need the diff aswell.
I can honestly say that I'd never want a WRX or an STI(classic). Too much to worry about for me.

And turbo 2000's are a lot rarer than WRX's

 

I would choose an STI over a UK car every time unless the UK car had had quite a few mods done to it. STI's are far better spec cars and would cost you a lot to get a UK car to the same spec. If you have a 3k budget I would wait a while until you can stretch to 3.5-4k you should be able to got a good V3 (face lift model) STI for that sort of money if you look hard enough.
The fuel/remap debate will run on for ever but I think that up to v4 they didn't have 100-102 ron fuel in Japan so are mapped to run or 98-99 ron fuel. I use 98 in mine as do many others and have had no problems.

 

I would...no...I did get a WRX, get an ESL chip fitted (£150ish) to run on 99ron (no octane boost). Aircon, more bhp (260/280 a touch more with the chip), colour coded skirts etc etc

Flamesuit on.

 

ive got aircon in my uk classic... whats your point

 

My point is that the WRX is a lot better spec as standard. I dont think many uk 2000 have aircon do they, even if yours does. The guys, that I know with uk 2000 dont have it and one has the worst interior i've ever seen, no Recaros and no side skirts?

COB whats the standard power on equivalent MY UK and WRX.

I am interested on yout views though?

 

Mine has air con too, i feel special now and that means my car has to be worth more too.

 

im not talking about equ. power levels, we all know the jap cars had more, but for the extra power you pay higher insurance, you take a greater risk with regards history, and oh yeah, you still need to have it adapted to uk fuel if your gonna look after it properly. for all these additions, id rather buy a uk turbo (which i have) and spend £5-600 on a rempa to make it the same power level as a jap car.

with regards to interior, only the very early uk cars had a naff interior. the interior in my uk99 scoob is the same/ if not better than the equ war import - not taking the higher speced and more expensive classic stis into consideration naturally.

theres my thoughts

 

STI's are much higher spec than WRX's and UK cars.
Maybe you can get a UK car up to WRX power levels with just a remap but not up to STI.
If I had the choice would maybe get a modded UK car over a STD WRX but I would rather have an STI

 

Had a 'W' reg Turbo 2000 with both air-con & Eleccy Sunroof, it even had black leather seats. Why not look out for a Turbo 2000 with the PPP fitted. They produce around 240BHP.

 

I own a '99 model UK Turbo 2000 and I'm very happy with it. The Imprezas in the late '90s had better seats and a nice momo leather steering wheel as standard. Yes, they're rated at 208/215bhp but you'll find in reality they are liekly to have more than that. Mine has a few very small mods such as a panel filter and downpipe but it's still the standard ECU and turbo, yet it has around 260bhp.

The Sti's have stronger internals so they are more suited to heavy modding, but they have more downsides than the UK Turbo 2000 such as higher insurance, questionable service history, require higher octane fuel, more of a target for thieves etc.....

 

Ok I will try again

My summary the op was asking for peoples opinions on which Classic Scoob may be suitable for his current needs. He commented on his ownership of an early Classic UK 2000 and asked peoples thoughts as to if he should be considering any other models such as an STI.

I posted that in my opinion the WRX could be a candidate because they generally came as standard with higher specification than the equivalent MY UK 2000. Now is that the case or not

As for insurance: I paid no more for the fact that mines an import, I got quotes!
I paid £120 for an ESL chip, fitted by Andy@ESL, so I could run on 99ron as opposed to your suggestion of spending £500-600 to achieve similar WRX power levels. Why would you want to invest that sort of money on a car thats only worth a couple of grand (MY99-00).

With to regards history I haven't had any major issues with my 95 WRX how have you faired with yours?

 

how come youve answered the same question twice

is there an echo in here

i havent had any major issues with my scoob. niggling problems as with any car, but no major issues.

if my uk turbo is only worth a couple of grand... i doubt a wrx of similar year is worth any more...

 

You must be mad to convert a WRX on LPG

 

But I stand by my opinion (which is what I thought forums were about) the WRX is generally better speced than the equivalent my UK 2000 and should be considered

 

I don't see how a standard wrx is better equipped than most UK model Imprezas?

Jap import classics such as the WRX had Aircon as standard and it was an option on uk cars. I don't think it had any other luxuries that the UK cars didn't.

 

I disagree WRX's had cup holders

 

Rear washwipe ?

Not a reason to buy, but handy to have.

 

but no clock

 

My MY98 Turbo 2000 has air con, the same interior as the equivelant WRX (albeit in a different colour) and side skirts. Standard the WRX will have more power BUT the Turbo 2000 should be more economical at cruising speed on the motorways due to the gearing. As far as I'm aware the spec of an equivelant WRX aren't THAT different. I could be wrong of course!
Apart from a cup holder and a rear wiper, of course

For that money you'd be looking more at STi power rather than WRX.

 

my 96 turbo 2000 has air conditioning, sideskirts and the black and grey interior, the seats are the bucket type ones....does this mean that they were put in after manufacture or as extras when bought? i thought they were all like this....no sun roof though

Ash

 

cup holders on the wrx are not exclusive either. Mine has one in the central armrest and one that pulls out from the dashboard and it's a UK model.

In danger of it going off topic though about the small differences between the trim levels, I will simply say that the UK Turbos are great cars!

 

A few years ago i had a mica blue 1995 WRX version 2 the 260 bhp model, it had air con, electric folding wing mirrors, rear wiper, electric aerial, the standard impreza bucket seats but with alcantara, 2 stereos; cd player and cassette player. All this was standard nothing was aftermarket...I was lucky when i bought it, it had very low mileage about 34k i think and was in absolutely mint condition. Being an import the japenese equivelant MOTs are very strict so the cars come over with very low mileage and a lot have them are standard which is as were all well aware a bit of a rarity.

I was out of the Impreza scene for a few years but badly wanted another on so i found managed again to find a Blue Mica 1999 UK Turbo this time, Full leather, Air Con, Standard apart from a Nur Spec back box and some RB5 wheels which in my opinion think look really good with the dark colour of the car. Anyway, back to the point! I was a bit disappointed with the power and acceleration of the UK after the WRX with it being standard i was missing around 45 bhp and you can certainly tell the difference. I'll admit the later facelift classics look a lot better than previous models but to be honest i'm thinking of trading for an older 95/96 model WRX and bagging a few quid!

 

Yeah you got me on that one I do miss a clock
Don’t the Japanese need to know the time

So silly trim bits aside the WRX's and UK cars are fairly similar spec once remapped.

But the STI? Different heads, cams, crank, pistons, rods, intercooler, exhaust, suspension, steering rack, 4 pot brakes my97 on, gearbox, short shift linkage and far better seats
Any other differences

 

Erm...pink badge in the grille



or is choco gonna going to empty his pram about that as well. (Is it that time of the month or something?)

No clock for me either, except in my cd/radio.