ahar

iTrader: (3)

Morning all

It seems that I'm going to have my midlife crisis a little early (at the age of 30) as I've decided to swap my old 206 for a scooby. I still have a new shape 5 door civic for a sensible car that my wife drives and that fits the baby seat, but after going on a track day with a mate and being booted around Donnington in the passenger seat of an M3 I realised that fast cars could be fun!

So I've got around £8k to spend (that's all the wife will let me spend for now ) and was looking at getting a UK spec WRX. Reasoning? Well as I'm new to fast cars I'm not sure that I would have the driving ability to use an sti to the full at the moment and I don't think that I'll be doing too much modding at first.

Few questions:

Looking around it seems I could get not a bad car for 8k at the moment - on average something like a 51 or 52 plate WRX with 40-50k miles. Do you thing I could get something better for the cash? What should I hold out for?

Why do some WRX have the word Turbo after them in some adverts but not others? I thought all UK spec WRX had a Turbo in the engine?

Never bought a car ina private sale before. Whats the best way to sort payment (and to avoid carrying 8k in cash around!)

Test drives - top three things to look for?

First Mod - from what I've read the first mod if I'm planning to take it on a track should be on the brakes, and then maybe the second on the suspension. Does that sound right? I don't give a toss about bhp figures, though something that significantly affects the speed might be good to do later!

Any other help gratefully received. My mate Chris (also a member on here) has a scooby has been badgering me to look at a JDM but I'd rather not have the insurance hassle!

GC8

For £8,000 Id expect a lot more than an average Bug Eye. Imprezas arent selling and Ive seen 2006 cars being part exchanged for that sort of figure...

escott

iTrader: (1)

I agree, you could either get a much newer WRX or probably a 2003 STI for that money. You're buying at a good time!

All WRX's are turbos, it's just a difference in wording on the advert.

Do shop around, look in the sale section here, Pistonheads and Autotrader.

Your modding plan sounds spot on, but if you got an STI it has better brakes, suspension and engine anyway. It's also worth getting the PPP version of either, they have more power and generally don't cost much more.

Scoobybits

Find an sti
/It'll save time later on.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

and guess who is selling one

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

here you go mate, barter and you should get it for £500 less

Auto Trader UK - SUBARU Impreza 2.0 WRX 300

ahar

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the replies guys. What about payment methods for buying privately? Never done it before, does it come down to bags of £20 notes?

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Basically yes!

Take someone along who knows what they are looking at though. Sure someone from here or SIDC would be happy to go along. Both the sites are good for looking too. You might pay a little more but you'll be able to search for their posts, find out the history of the car and you know it has been owned by an enthusiast.

5t.

EddScott

P1 or Prodrive Bugeye STI

With that amount of cash anyway. Both UK cars, both have + and - points but both will serve you well.

Blueblaster

Thank God I'm here! Much more of this and you'll be paying cash for a £100,000 Classic .

1. You don't have to pay cash. Take the seller along to a branch of your bank and get a banker's draft. But only after you have had the car professionally examined. There are loads of crap cars being sold by dishonest people so take no chances whatsoever.

2. If you pay £8k for a 51/52 plate WRX I will personally track you down and beat you to death with the Stupid Stick. You should be looking at a 05/55 plate WRX for that price with half the mileage.

3. There is a world of difference between driving on a track and driving on the roads. Can I suggest you hire a Subaru for a week, use it exactly as you intend to and see what it is like to live with. Congested roads, crap MPG, expensive insurance/servicing/parts/road tax really take the shine off cars like this.

4. The longer this thread drags on the more suggestions you're going to get. Before long you'll be trawling through the classifieds looking for a WRX STI VLtd Spec B Version 8 S204 Newage Classic with PPP, Remap, PPF7s and kitchen sink. Keep it simple. It you buy the fastest car out there it'll cost a load of money and you'll have nowhere to progress to. Get a one-owner, low mileage WRX and enjoy it. Later on you can upgrade if you want. With prices as they are at the moment it won't cost that much to upgrade if that's the route you want to take.

5. Your wife has limited you to £8,000. Does she know that a WRX is going to cost TONS more to run than your 206? Road tax up, petrol up, insurance up, tyres/brakes up, servicing up...the list goes on and on. Work this out now before your wife starts asking why you're getting through a £250ish extra every month. It adds up.

And finally, it's a BUYERS MARKET!!! If you don't know how to haggle then take someone along who does. Find the right car and then pound the seller into the ground until you grow tired of his sobbing. Asking prices are nonsense at the moment so you hold all the cards. £8k for a 25,000 mile 05 WRX is a piece of cake. Don't get suckered in by canny sellers!!!

STiFreak

iTrader: (4)

I would test drive both a WRX and an STi before making your mind up because they are different animals ... but if it was my money, I wouldn't hesitate to go with a STi (they are just a better car straight out of the factory). Whatever you choose guaranteed you'll be hooked for years to come. Enjoy.

ahar

iTrader: (3)

Hi Blueblaster

Thanks for the reply - I'd seen it was a bit of a buyer's market but I'll raise my sights somewhat! I'm going to do a few test drives so hopefully I'll get a good cross section of the gems and the dross.

Not worried about ongoing costs as the cash isn't the problem - the wife won't notice the monthly costs as that'll be going out of my account but she will notice me spending out of our joint savings!

We have a sensible civic for usual runs and I take the train to work so it won't get used except for the occasional motorway trip for work (they pick up the petrol cost, hurray!) and fun driving on roads and track. As for the pain of everyday driving - there is no way it can be worse than an old 206 with more than 100k on the clock and sponge where the springs should be!

ahar

iTrader: (3)

Did a bit of a tour and saw a few scoobys today - finally put down a deposit on an 03 WRX with PPP fitted. Bought it from a stealer so probably paid a little more than I would have privately but I thought that 6 and a half isn't a bad price for the car considering its not a private sale. It had one owner from new who bought it from that garage and had it serviced there each time (FSH). I probably could have got a better deal elsewhere but I don't think I was gouged !

Now just have the insurance hassles trying to explain what the PPP is. Thought that I would try direct line as they insure my other car - they quoted an extra £150 to take me to January changing the car on my insurance from a 206 to the scooby, but they are insisting on a tracker being fitted so I'm going to try a few specialists (currently trawling the insurance forum!) on Monday.

Thanks for the help!

lovinmescoob

ahar, welcome to the mad house and enjoy!!!

for insurance try a-plan or give keith micheals a ring either should be helpfull for you.

STi_Si

Please, please, please go to a specialist for your insurance, BIG thumbs up to Keith Michaels from me, HALVED what I was paying Direct Line.....