I am on the verge of buying a 2002ish WRX STi, but I mentioned it at work and have been told the running costs would be ridiculously high, so I am having second thoughts.

Apart from the obvious fuel, tax and insurance costs, what else am I likely to be paying for for a car like this? What is their reliability really like, and what is bound wrong to go in the first year!?

Thanks in advance for any help you can be.

 

the day to day stuff like servicing is not too bad, good tyres for example are the same price whatever you drive.

its the petrol thats the killer but thats cancelled out by the grin factor alone

go for it!!! if it becomes too much then sell and move on, but if you dont then you will allways be wishing you had

lifes too sort for 'if only's'

steve

 

They are very reliable, as long as you look after them and drive them well. In three years covering 60k miles and attending 8 (?) track days, mine had two exhaust sensors fail (one fixed on warranty, other £65) and a wheel bearing (caused by me running RE070 tyres on a WRX with inadequate hubs). Warm it thoroughly before thrashing it, give it a few minutes to cool a little before turning it off, service regularly (I used to change the oil half-way between normal (10k) services) and don't drive it like a plank. Hell, I even managed to get 33mpg out of it once, but only once as it was boring. The one factor you haven't budgeted for is modifying, as once you own a Scoob the urge to improve things overcomes all rational thought, and before you know it you'll be posting pics on here of your new valve caps or whatever

 

Thanks for the responses.

Just out of interest what is the cost of having a new wheel bearing fitted?

I have heard that they can fail fairly regularly.

 

Can't remember TBH £60-80 at a guess. Not heard of it being a regular failure though

 

Wheel bearing went on my 04 STI two week agos , the new bearing cost £65 and I had to pay 2 hours labour to get it fitted.

 

At the front they often eat the hub by the time it's noisy enough to be obvious...

£340

HTH

dunx

 

Thanks for all the info, I'm off to look at a WRX STI PRODRIVE tomorrow.

 

Remember, on the 02 Bugeye there were different levels of 'Prodrive'. Some were Prodrive 'STYLE' with cosmetic mods, some had Prodrive 'PERFORMANCE' which up'd the power.