Scooby, should I buy it?

[Rubber Bullets]

I have been saving a bit for a new car, and have just tried a Subaru Imprezza Turbo, from a trader.

It is R reg with 87,000 miles and looks immaculate inside and out, 2 owners from new and with full Subaru service history. I took it out yesterday for a few miles and it drove very well, and was very quick.

It is on for £5,295.

I have a 1994 M plate VR6 that is not immaculate, but very tidy for it's age with just 69,000 miles on it. Glass's say this is only worth £2000 trade in, though I know that I could get more than this privately.

The trader will give me only the £2000 plus a little maybe in part-ex, and I HATE selling privately. This kind of car just attracts tossers who want to 'have a go'. On the other hand I'd put it in for £2,995 and probably get the best part of that.

I also can't advertise the VW till next week, but it is still a possibility to buy teh scooby and sell teh VW after the event, my other half'll sub me the money.

I am so indesicive about these things, it isn't even that much money, but I dither like crazy.

So as has been often shown there is a great deal of car knowledge on these boards, what should I do?

RB

(Trem, you know I'm talking to you here don't ya? )

 

[Trem]

I thought you were chum!!

Right, well, in my opinion Subarus are good cars but are getting so common nowadays and are generally owned by chavs. I still have mine but with it being the estate it tends to not have the same aura about it.

The price of the R reg Impreza is about right, maybe a bit dear and your car would certainly fetch 3k in the autotrader or on Ebay(imo).

I got used to my Impreza very quick and ended up spending a fortune on making it quicker, I have now put it back to standard.

I truly can't fault mine, it has never let me down apart from a gearbox problem that I knew about when I bought it.

In the real world your VR6 won't be much slower than the Impreza in everyday driving.

I would, personally, keep the golf and wait for a better cheaper Impreza if thats what you want. Go for at least an STi.

Is the Impreza you drove a UK car RB?

If so they are quoted as being around 215bhp which is a total lie, my mates version 1 STi can only just keep up with mine and his is around 300bhp.

I personally prefer the drive of the smaller turbo'd UK cars for A-B driving.

Have a look on http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/ for all you need to know and also for some cheap, good scoobs.

 

[old.user4556]

Scooby: great car, if you like it you shoud buy it. Trem is the man to listen to if he owns one.

My only problem with the Impreza is this: if you take away the speed, what are you left with?

 

[Trem]

The handling

I get what you are saying though G they aren't the best looking car.

They are great at what they do.

Be warned though RB the seats are uncomfy on a journey and if you are over 6 foot.

 

[old.user4556]

Aye, I think they're superb motors and if i can sell my 182 i might be in the market for an STi (seen a low mile 2003 for £14995, or an STi PPP for £16k).

But as someone said to me, "take away the speed, and what do you have" - and I knew exactly what he meant; it's a bit OTT on the outside and the interior is a bit tacky, i'd perhaps be better of putting £16k into (for example...) a BMW 330d which is more comfortable, more quiet, better built, more economical etc even though it doesn't have remotely the same pace.

 

[Trem]

I will be going the Audi route for my next car, and most certainly the RS4 all being well money wise.

Like they said on Top Gear, BMW's are more common than Mondeos now, I have gone right off them, although they are good cars.

Edited to say - My mate had a 2003 UK STi PPP and it was stupid fast, very blippy, it certainly scared me(he drives like a twat though). I have to say the fastest car I have ever been in was an Audi RS6, that almost made me cry it was that fast.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Well I've done it, or at least put down a deposit, I'll get it next Friday/Saturday.

The interior is OK, at least in this example it is immaculate, but not as nice as many cars. No toys as such, no AC or trip computer etc. in fact still has a radio cassette!

It is in dark green with sliver alloys, so it is as understated as a scooby can get (which isn't very), again all paintwork is spotless with just one 50p size shallow dent.

I haven't talked to the previous owner yet, but judging by his answer phone message he is an oldy, not a typical chav racer type It is also a totally original UK car, which was very important.

They are everywhere of course, sadly common, but I couldn't think of anything else that offers the performance/practicality/value.

I looked at a Clio Sport 172 last week, it went well, a bit quicker than my VR6 possibly and with slightly better handling, it had quite a nice interior leather etc, but was not enough of a step from my Golf.

A Seat Leon Cupra would have been the same story, and the Cupra R too expensive ATM. Same goes for the Civic type R.

I may end up not keeping the scooby long, but it was always going to be something I had to do, and it may as well be now, I was in the market for a decent mid life crisis anyway

Thanks for your input Trem and G, I'll let you know a bit more when I get it. We're off to Cornwall now for a few nights anyway so it'll make the wait go quicker.


RB

 

[Trem]

Thats great RB! I have so much useless knowledge about Imprezas so you know where I am if you need any advice.

With it being an R reg can I suggest you buy a new MAF sensor just to be on the safe side, if they play up it wrecks your engine very quickly. I will give you the parts code for it when and if you decide to swap.

I also have a Tek 3 ecu lying around if you ever want to go faster

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Thanks Trem,

What is a MAF sensor? and how much is it? How easy to fit?

BTW here it is, not that the pic does much for it.

Thanks for the offer of teh chip, but I think I'll pass. It'll be plenty fast enough for me, and I like to keep these things original

RB

 

[old.user4556]

MAF is mass air flow sensor, found on the intake/throttle body.

Dunno how much or where for a Scooby.

 

[Gumbo]

What's your part number for the air flow sensor, I might be able to do you a good price...

 

[Trem]

If RB's car is a 1999 then the part number is - 22794AA010

Let me know if its a 1998 model RB, if it is then the MAF isn't likely to fail, its the above year that has the problems(like mine )

If you were to go into a Subaru garage and ask for it they sell you the whole section that the MAF sensor fits into and it costs around £200, if you use the above part number that will give you just the MAF for around £50.

 

[Tom]

RB, stick your car in here: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/

Its totally free, the ads don't time out, and you can stick as many piccies in the description as you like.

I also suggest Ebay.

For what the trader is offering, if you can afford it, I'd hang on to your current car and try to sell privately. Even if it takes a few months, you'll still be quids in. Perhaps sell it to a family member or friend?

 

[Embattle]

A guy I work with got one recently and he loves it, although the insurance is a lot.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Fortunately it is a '97 R so hopefully no problems with the MAF

I spoke to the previous owner and he sounded very sensible and had looked after the car extremely well, he sold it because he thought the exhaust was sounding slightly noisy and wanted to avoid having to replace it. I'll just have to keep an eye on that.

I agree Tom, I'm going to just sell my own car, though I hate private sales I will get more for it. It is in Autotrader already, even though I am away for a few days.

Fortunately, Embattle, I am very old, and hold a clean licence with no claims. I should be able to insure for under £400. It was this fact that changed my mind about getting one

See ya'll Thursday

RB
RB

 

[Trem]

I'm 32 and my insurance is £350 a year. Try Norwich Union RB.

 

[Gumbo]

My insurance came down by 400quid this year on the liz, went from 1000 to 600 swapping from NU to AutoTorque. Trackdays at 50 quid a pop too, yay!

 

[nath]

50 quid for trackdays? Nice.

I assume the excess on trackdays is huuuuuge though?

 

[Gumbo]

10% of cars value.