Hi All

I'm looking for some sound advise on where to turn for my next Jap Car.
Currently I am running around in a Impreza 2000 Turbo, running pretty much in standard spec. I got 3 ideas, one of them suits this forum perfectly. However I am interested if anyone has owned and can compare to my other choices.

SO:

1. Impreza Sti PPP Blob eye. around £7-8k 2003 model onwards, with approx. 60000 miles - Good Second Hand Market.

2. Evo 8/9 FQ something or other. around £8-13k 50-60,000 miles - limited second hand market, hard to spot a good looking ad.

3. R33 GTR around £10k Engine professionally tuned to around 500BHP - Very limited market plus car is approaching 20 year old..but max HP/£

I find myself torn between the 3. So any advise on your experiences is much appreciated.

Cheers

 

I think I can appreciate where you are coming from in terms of the EVO, I've never owned one but fancied one, however going by past owners comments on here (who have sold one and come back to the Scoob) I'd probably not bother with it out of the 3 listed.

R33 GTR I have always wanted one, always always always but the age of the cars now and the fact it probably wouldn't fit in my garage (too long???) puts me off plus they are costly to run, far in excess of Subaru (especially a newage), someone may correct me though as its just my research.

I "spoke" to a member on here who used to own one (in the thread below) and he was adamant it was the best car he had ever had:

https://www.scoobynet.com/projects-4...-a-budget.html

I would go for the Blob STI PPP if you like your "modern" refinements, but the Skyline is definitely something I would like to own someday too like you.

 

Hmm, in your market area you're going to have to make sure whatever car you get is well looked after and maintained, and not been thrashed.

Skyrines are too heavy IMO. Not my cup of tea but I think they're lovely cars. And can be tuned to the nuts if that floats your boat.

I'd be torn between the blob STi - more orientated towards fast road driving - or the Evo, which is a little less compromising and a bit more track focussed.

Many members on here have gone to and come from Evos, any opinions you get will be subjective.

All in my humble opinion, of course.

 

Interesting list there, I guess to help here we need to know more about you. Is MPG a consideration? Will it be a daily driver? What sort of driving do you do?

Lets face it I think most people like the idea of a 500bhp Skyline, this is properly what I'd choose if I was going with my heart, however that's not usually a good idea! Running costs will be on another level as will potential repair bills, this is the sort of car where ideally you'd keep a couple of grand aside a year for maintenance.

The EVO and Impreza are both relatively more sensible, and more easy to compare. Though I'd have to say it would be an Impreza STi widetrack for me, and not because I'm a hardcore Impreza fan, but because I think you'll have a much easier time finding a genuinely nice one, and time has shown that these can be very strong reliable cars

 

Ideally the car will be my daily driver, as is my current classic shape Scooby. MPG isn't a biggie as I only commute 20miles a day for work. The rest of my driving is for fun.
I work in motorsport engineering so I am a big petrol head, I worked for 3 years at JRM/Sumopower down in Rye so I appreciate the maintenance of each option rather well.
I must admit I do really want to scratch that GTR itch..... However the thought of maintaining a 20 year old car running 500hp isn't that appealing. But I do want to own a GTR at some point (Hence the user name).
Newage Blobeye is what I feel is the most sensible/practical option. I'm not a big fan of M3's or S3's it has to be Jap Turbo!!
As for the Evo..... it is another itch, but for the driving style and fun. I am sure the newage will achieve just fine. Plus for the money I can get a much less abused and lower mileage impreza over an Evo.

 

Fully understand the gtr pull , always fancied one myself however evo or sti would be my choice , and if I had to break it down even further I'd go for a widetrack sti , not only are they a super realizable daily driver if cared for but there holding value very very well , if anything over the last 12-18 months they have gone up in price , used to see them for £7.5k quite often but now your looking at £8k bottom end up to £10k plus

 

Interesting. What is it about the wide track that makes them more desirable and reliable? I appreciate they have DCCD fitted and a wider rear track width noticeable by the slightly extended rear wheel arch.
Engine and powerwise, are they the same as a non wide track version?

 

Just out of interest (and not trying to sell you my car at all, honestly!) why just a Blob STI and not a hawkeye STI?

 

Just to throw something else in there - short commute, drive for fun, know your way round a car.. Classic Type R!

 

In my mind at least I can't ever imagine why you would want to use (ruin) a Skyline GTR as an everyday car, thinking snow / rain, even with low miles per day - so that would just leave the Evo and the Subaru.

I would be tempted to put the Classic in the same opinion as the Skyline.

Go for a Widetrack / Blob STi PPP or save up a bit more and buy a Spec C

But this is just my opinion limited as it maybe.

What about a very cheap a-b car on limited mileage for work and then something like the R33 GTR for the weekend blast? (on another very limited mileage insurance deal) or is that / 2 car a no go? (garage etc)

 

WRX fifer is selling a nice blob STI that had loads of stuff done to it. Worth a look as well under your budget

 

Cool, Plenty of ideas to get me thinking.

Where do I start?

2nd Car - yes it is an option, but having a garage for a GTR isn't. So on that basis I should probably wait until I at least have a garage.

Honda.... for whatever reason, these have never appealed to me.

Hawkeye Sti. I know too little about these and have only read mostly horror stories about engine blow ups. It is more a lack of knowledge and confidence as to why I didn't list this as an option.

Going back to the daily drive, I do enjoy having a blast home from work. Especially after a Cr**y one. Driving home in a H-reg Escort is a thing of the past for me.

Newage Scooby is looking like the strongest option, hence me posting my question on here and not MLR or GTROC.

 

Twin turbo supra has to be a option surely ?

 

I raise you with a Nissan Silvia S15

 

but not in the wet/ice/snow/slightly damp

 

Yeah that would be a handful! lol

Actually I've never owned one but its something else further down the list I'd like (and the Supra) but my top 3 would definately be the same as the OP's for sure.

I think I'd go for the newage STI until a garage comes along then get a Skyline / Classic STI.

 

For a daily the Blob makes the most sense (head) but if you already own a classic, the R33 would be my choice (heart). Supras are great but more of a weekend / dry weather car, imo.

 

Can I throw in integra type-r or Nissan gti-r
Owned both and the nissans at 330 + hp are frickin mental.....
And integra cause all Hondas sound great with a good full system and good track car to

 

You can't recommend an Integra Type R without a Honda S2000 as well lol I think we digress though ;-) think you'd be lucky to find a GTi-R that doesn't look like its been stored in a swamp now though, old cars.

 

mazda rx7 twin turbo