Hi guys, I currently have a 350z (the 300bhp model), bit of an impulse buy and one that i regret, looking for something more practical so I have decided on an impreza sti, just not sure which to go for. I like them all but don't want to go older than 05 (the interior is nicer on the 05 blob).

If you had £9.5k to spend what would you be buying, i've had a look around and it seems that blobs and hawks are fairly similar priced, is this because people prefer the cheaper tax of the blobs and the better engines ? Is the better engine thing legit or a myth.

 

Just check out the sticky thread about the 2.5 engine failures

Have a look for a JDM model Blob or Hawk, although I doubt a JDM hawk will fall into your price range, the JDM 2.0 twinscroll units, far superior to UK spec vehicles.

 

Yeah a jdm hawk would be ideal, but like you said won't fit into budget. JDM blobs easier to come by ? Do they have the same interior as the 05/55 uk blobs ?

Can't be dealing with engine failures so i'l just have to avoid the 2.5 then.

 

they are the same interiors as UK, so if you find a 2004+ JDM it will likely have the same interior as a 2004+ UK, they are the wider track models, and yes would be one of the best choices if going for a blob, however it might be difficult fitting it into your budget, but they do come up. There are loads of 2003 models for less than your money, but I agree the dash isnt as nice, and its the only bugbare I have with mine

Have a look on PistonHeads, always a few on there...theres a wonderful white one at Hurst Cars, but unfortunately way out of your (and mine!) budget

You could have a look at a Hawk that has a forged engine rebuild, they come up in budget, just check who built it and what parts where used - and that its been mapped.

Try and drive both, you might like the lazy 2.5 more, I prefer a screaming 2.0 twinscroll, sounds like a wailing banshee on full song

 

In answer to your question . . .

Mine

 

+ 1,000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000.

 

Hi m8 and welcome.

You've clearly done some research, you fancy an 05+, Winter's a good time for buying, so go for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Find a car you fancy, put up a link, and there's LOADS of feedback to help you.

 

Like above jdm blob,hawk is close to your budget but needs hunting/time,or forged uk hawk.
engine could failure in any car but is more common in 2.5.
interior the same apart clocks- are way better in hawk.
If uk hawk try find in lower tax bracket to.

 

If the interior is one of the main points for you - bear in mind its not hard or expensive to swap them around.
Just something you might like to think about.

 

Sorry to hijack the post...

But, can someone explain what this twinscroll is? Why is it better and could a twinscroll turbo be put onto a UK spec car?

Cheers.

And the 350Z is a nice motor!

 

I had a 2.5 wrx a couple of yrs ago modded to 400 brake but still on the standard engine. I absolutely loved how the tourque came in low down in the rev range. Throughout my 1.5 years of owning it i never had a problem with the engine and it was driven in anger alot. Im not saying that the 2.5s have no issues im just saying i had no problem with mine but quite possibly the day after i sold it , it may have gone bang , I dont know. Im on the hunt for a well forged 2.5 hawk sti , Ideally a T25 as i just love the more torquier engines. Having said that i may get a JDM 2.0 or a T20 if the right one came my way for the right price.

 

https://www.scoobynet.com/subaru-444...b-replica.html

:0>

 

Hawk IMHO is a better car for the money and will hold its residuals longer then the blob at this current point in time. Major caveat is to ensure it has had a forged rebuild.

The 2.5 Motor once forged, remapped to 350-400BHp is probably one of the quickest and easiest Impreza to drive.

There is a few floating about that have had rebuilds done within your budget. Good luck with the purchase mate.

 

Giving me ideas

 

Ive just had the same dilemma and i went for a 55 plate blob sti widestrack with ppp. for me its the perfect car.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...%2Fimpreza-sti

 

Twin-scroll or divided turbochargers have two exhaust gas inlets and two nozzles, a smaller sharper angled one for quick response and a larger less angled one for peak performance.
With high-performance camshaft timing, exhaust valves in different cylinders can open at the same time, overlapping at the end of the power stroke in one cylinder and the end of exhaust stroke in another. In twin-scroll designs, the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_manifold physically separates the channels for cylinders that can interfere with each other, so that the pulsating exhaust gasses flow through separate spirals (scrolls). This lets the engine efficiently use exhaust http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_manifold#Exhaust_scavenging techniques, which decreases exhaust gas temperatures and NOx emissions, improves turbine efficiency, and reduces http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_lag
(With acknowledgement to Wikipedia).

And unsurprisingly, in view of the above, they can't simply be put onto a UK spec car, due to the plumbing etc.

 

Going back to the op, I'm sure there was a T25 Blob advertised somewhere not so long ago for under £10K.
Possibly Hurst ?

JDM Hawks are 2.0, and as long as the car was reg'd before March 06 it's the so-called 'lower tax bracket', so don't necessarily think that a Hawk will automatically be in the banded bracket (£400+ ?).

 

Widetrack, facelift dash, reasonable miles and Twinscroll

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...etrack/1707674

 

Good shout. x 2

 

Yep, it was Hurst:

http://www.hurstcars.co.uk/used-cars...01309248929429

(Hate the wing though).

There's also an MY04 JDM STi on there for £8k+.

 

cheers mate

 

And in English please ?

 

Is there any way of knowing if its an import or not apart from them listing it as jdm or import? Also which part of the interior is different on the 05 to the earlier ones is it just the center console?

 

Chassis number check..

If referring to a blob..visual checks can be:

Most JDM saloons have a rear wiper when UK ones didnt, power fold mirrors, pre 2004 they had DCCD which the UK model didnt, xenon lights, Defi Style instrument cluster, card holder in dash, 'reversing' beep (interior)....Auto+manual function on the Intercooler Spray..

and most imported ones will have a dodgy applied rear fog light, either in the bumper, or done properly in the light cluster, and mroe often than not a dodgy rocker switch in the dash for it, unless it was done properly with an OEM part

not sure if UK was the same, but have to drop the clutch to start the car

 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-m...#photo-content

Giving me more ideas!!!

 

I have a jdm widetrack blob sti and ran a uk car before this, took a while to find one for sale but worth the wait. If my budget was 9.5k I would hold out and buy the same again, some don't like the linear power delivery of the twinscroll cars but I really like mine. Spec over uk car are as above plus the rear wiper, tinted rear windows and the intercooler spray is auto so it just uses it when needed so is more efficient. In the summer the bottle can empty quite quickly. Indicators are on the right stalk and the gearing is lower along with an increased rev limit. The cams are also different and the intake is enlarged and it is about 45kg lighter than the uk car. It's like a can of worms though the jdm vs uk debate.

 

Insurance much more on an import than a UK car ?

 

I have a UK hawk STi and a mate has a JDM hawk STi, you would not believe how different the two cars are. they look the same, but drive, handle different!!!

Both great cars, but JDM demand slightly more money, but you do get more car(and thats from a UK owner)

 

Why not a low mileage one?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...etrack/1823881