10k Impreza - worth it?
Discussion
Hi all,
Just after some opinions please...
Sold my mk7 fiesta ST at the start of the year due to baby number 1 being born in March. I loved the car mainly because it was fun! I then bought a 5 door 130i in very good condition but just didn't gel with it at all. Mainly as the ride was horrendous and I didn't like it enough to put money into it.
Looked at a MK7 Golf GTI which I thought would have been perfect. It would have stretched my budget but I thought it was going to be the perfect car for me. Even made an offer but the seller messed me around so left it. Slept on it and realized i didn't want to spend that much ideally, especially as I wasn't that excited by it.
Really the car I've wanted since I was 14 or so is an Impreza. My max budget is 10k really although I'd like to spend less. Is it even worth considering or are they all going to be hanging by now? I'm in the motor trade so parts and labour etc isn't an issue. With the little one though, I don't want a project or to be spending all weekend working on it! I've read all about the 2.0 / 2.5 issues and differences. I've never spent any time around these engine's so not sure if I would want to get involved with major engine repairs.
Sorry for the long post. Just after some realistic advice / honesty! Can't really think of much else within budget with 4 / 5 doors that I fancy. Maybe someone could suggest something?
Thanks
Just after some opinions please...
Sold my mk7 fiesta ST at the start of the year due to baby number 1 being born in March. I loved the car mainly because it was fun! I then bought a 5 door 130i in very good condition but just didn't gel with it at all. Mainly as the ride was horrendous and I didn't like it enough to put money into it.
Looked at a MK7 Golf GTI which I thought would have been perfect. It would have stretched my budget but I thought it was going to be the perfect car for me. Even made an offer but the seller messed me around so left it. Slept on it and realized i didn't want to spend that much ideally, especially as I wasn't that excited by it.
Really the car I've wanted since I was 14 or so is an Impreza. My max budget is 10k really although I'd like to spend less. Is it even worth considering or are they all going to be hanging by now? I'm in the motor trade so parts and labour etc isn't an issue. With the little one though, I don't want a project or to be spending all weekend working on it! I've read all about the 2.0 / 2.5 issues and differences. I've never spent any time around these engine's so not sure if I would want to get involved with major engine repairs.
Sorry for the long post. Just after some realistic advice / honesty! Can't really think of much else within budget with 4 / 5 doors that I fancy. Maybe someone could suggest something?
Thanks
ThrottleBod said:
Sold my mk7 fiesta ST at the start of the year due to baby number 1 being born in March. I loved the car mainly because it was fun! I then bought a 5 door 130i in very good condition but just didn't gel with it at all. Mainly as the ride was horrendous and I didn't like it enough to put money into it.
Sorry for the long post. Just after some realistic advice / honesty! Can't really think of much else within budget with 4 / 5 doors that I fancy. Maybe someone could suggest something?
Thanks
Did your 130i have run flats? I’ve had three - two on proper tyres and one on runflats - and runflats really do destroy the car, drastically reducing the amount of grip, traction and comfort. I’ve found my other two 130is pretty comfy - one on standard suspension and the other on Bilstein B12s.Sorry for the long post. Just after some realistic advice / honesty! Can't really think of much else within budget with 4 / 5 doors that I fancy. Maybe someone could suggest something?
Thanks
If that was your main objection, you may want to try another one on decent tyres to see how you get on, since good ones are available from around £5k and are pretty robust and decently cheap to run considering the performance. Can’t imagine an Impreza would be more comfortable.
Another option is a Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B - I had one which I bought alongside my second 130i and sold the BMW, as I enjoyed the Subaru much more than I expected…Don’t worry about the 23.0mpg claimed figure - I found my car way more economical, even more so than the trip computer suggested oddly, getting 29mpg over 2,500 or so miles, including a reasonable chunk of urban miles…
Here’s an example for not much more than £4k:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166828362648?itmmeta=01...
Edited by RoVoFob on Wednesday 19th June 19:43
I think the Scooby and BMW are chalk and cheese personally. The BMW rewards accurate inputs, getting the line into the corner spot on and transitioning from brakes, turn in to power smoothly where the Scooby can be taken by the scruff of the neck and chucked into corners at silly speeds and as long as you stay on the power, will come out the other side making you look like a hero. Tried a Legacy but seemed to lack the Impreza DNA despite the marketing.
FWIW, my modified turbo averaged around 25mpg across about 70k miles (in 3 years) with a mix of motorway and fast backroads.
Can’t help on the OPs question - for me *the* Scooby was defined by the classic shape and it all went a bit downhill after that with the blob, bug and hawk eye. My money would be on an STi-V or VI in gun metal grey but think you might struggle with “just” 10k!!
Chris
FWIW, my modified turbo averaged around 25mpg across about 70k miles (in 3 years) with a mix of motorway and fast backroads.
Can’t help on the OPs question - for me *the* Scooby was defined by the classic shape and it all went a bit downhill after that with the blob, bug and hawk eye. My money would be on an STi-V or VI in gun metal grey but think you might struggle with “just” 10k!!
Chris
RoVoFob said:
Did your 130i have run flats? I’ve had three - two on proper tyres and one on runflats - and runflats really do destroy the car, drastically reducing the amount of grip, traction and comfort. I’ve found my other two 130is pretty comfy - one on standard suspension and the other on Bilstein B12s.
If that was your main objection, you may want to try another one on decent tyres to see how you get on, since good ones are available from around £5k and are pretty robust and decently cheap to run considering the performance. Can’t imagine an Impreza would be more comfortable.
Another option is a Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B - I had one which I bought alongside my second 130i and sold the BMW, as I enjoyed the Subaru much more than I expected…Don’t worry about the 23.0mpg claimed figure - I found my car way more economical, even more so than the trip computer suggested oddly, getting 29mpg over 2,500 or so miles, including a reasonable chunk of urban miles…
Here’s an example for not much more than £4k:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166828362648?itmmeta=01...
Thanks for taking the time to reply. The one I bought was on non run flat Eagle F1’s all round. The suspension was probably a bit tired but it was a well looked after car. Just wasn’t for me unfortunately. The engine was an absolute peach though. If that was your main objection, you may want to try another one on decent tyres to see how you get on, since good ones are available from around £5k and are pretty robust and decently cheap to run considering the performance. Can’t imagine an Impreza would be more comfortable.
Another option is a Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B - I had one which I bought alongside my second 130i and sold the BMW, as I enjoyed the Subaru much more than I expected…Don’t worry about the 23.0mpg claimed figure - I found my car way more economical, even more so than the trip computer suggested oddly, getting 29mpg over 2,500 or so miles, including a reasonable chunk of urban miles…
Here’s an example for not much more than £4k:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166828362648?itmmeta=01...
Edited by RoVoFob on Wednesday 19th June 19:43
ThrottleBod said:
Thanks for taking the time to reply. The one I bought was on non run flat Eagle F1’s all round. The suspension was probably a bit tired but it was a well looked after car. Just wasn’t for me unfortunately. The engine was an absolute peach though.
Interesting. That’s very different to my experience with my last 130i, which had tired suspension when I bought it, then brand new Bilstein B12s and a set of Eagle F1 5s. Mine had very saggy shocks initially then was nicely planted but not uncomfortable while still satisfyingly sharp on the B12s and Goodyears. Not sure what to suggest, as I’d be surprised if an Impreza were more compliant. Smaller alloys…?Good post, OP.
You’d think there would be plenty of choice on the used market for an interesting or involving 5dr at £10k, but when you actually stop and try and draw up a shortlist it’s quite hard.
The amount of times I see a nice WRX burbling by and think that would be perfect, then I’m put off by previous owners’ experiences or stories of maintenance costs.
I am a sucker for any car with a rally heritage too, it can even be quite a tenuous stretch sometimes and I can still be won over.
You’d think there would be plenty of choice on the used market for an interesting or involving 5dr at £10k, but when you actually stop and try and draw up a shortlist it’s quite hard.
The amount of times I see a nice WRX burbling by and think that would be perfect, then I’m put off by previous owners’ experiences or stories of maintenance costs.
I am a sucker for any car with a rally heritage too, it can even be quite a tenuous stretch sometimes and I can still be won over.
rossub said:
davek_964 said:
Blimey. How on earth can they only do 12mpg?
It’s pretty much impossible to get a 2001> STI over 25mpg. But 12mpg isn’t very likely either unless something is far wrong with the car, or it’s being driven by someone that shouldn’t have a licence.
Managed this once and one time only.
At 10k you are going to be shopping at the bottom of the STI market. A very clean WRX might be a better choice.
Assuming you get past the running costs and 2.5 problems, the biggest fear I would have about buying another is rust. Have seen some very clean and very well looked after cars look terrible once some of the bodywork is removed to find lots of rot.
Would have another in a heartbeat. Preferably a rust free import.
At 10k you are going to be shopping at the bottom of the STI market. A very clean WRX might be a better choice.
Assuming you get past the running costs and 2.5 problems, the biggest fear I would have about buying another is rust. Have seen some very clean and very well looked after cars look terrible once some of the bodywork is removed to find lots of rot.
Would have another in a heartbeat. Preferably a rust free import.
CrippsCorner said:
What Impreza are you looking at? I had a 'blobeye' STI which was great... but 12mpg, expensive servicing and various repairs put an end to that for me. It would be a decent family car if you could stomach it lol.
Mind you, I have 3 kids and about to buy a Fiesta ST
YOu must have thrashed it every trip ?Mind you, I have 3 kids and about to buy a Fiesta ST
I used to get way more out of my STi blob type UK, normally about 25mpg.
And servicing wasn't expensive (well, not compared to my EVO V)
I've driven a blob eye STI and a Spec C, and owned a WRX-S (hatch) and recently bought an RX (hatch).
Given you've mentioned the arrival of a child it's worth highlighting that you will likely want ISOFIX and that early bugeyes (and some later JDM models) won't have it. There are some great child seats that don't need ISOFIX (e.g. Axkid) but the options are limited.
Also having looked myself some bugeyes are not ULEZ compliant and some are. I couldn't find exactly when the transition was but looks to be that 51 plate onwards are compliant but X and Y reg aren't.
The hatchbacks are great family cars in that there's plenty of space in the back and the boot, and the WRX models are actually quite soft on the ride. This doesn't make it much fun, but does make it very comfortable. The STi hatch is much firmer and much more "Subaru" but I appreciate for some, it isn't a proper Impreza due to the looks etc.
The final thing is that, in my experience of buying them, the typical owner of a fast Subaru is often not as careful/fastidious as some of the other brands you've mentioned and are far more interested in modifying them than maintaining them. Here's one I went to look at where the money had been spent on all these graphics and dreadful wheels rather then a decent set of tyres.
I looked for ages for nice blobeye but they were all either trashed, or heavily modified, neither of which I wanted. The very few nice original examples then left tended to be £8-10k which feels too much for a 20 year old car that was only £20k in the first place.
Given you've mentioned the arrival of a child it's worth highlighting that you will likely want ISOFIX and that early bugeyes (and some later JDM models) won't have it. There are some great child seats that don't need ISOFIX (e.g. Axkid) but the options are limited.
Also having looked myself some bugeyes are not ULEZ compliant and some are. I couldn't find exactly when the transition was but looks to be that 51 plate onwards are compliant but X and Y reg aren't.
The hatchbacks are great family cars in that there's plenty of space in the back and the boot, and the WRX models are actually quite soft on the ride. This doesn't make it much fun, but does make it very comfortable. The STi hatch is much firmer and much more "Subaru" but I appreciate for some, it isn't a proper Impreza due to the looks etc.
The final thing is that, in my experience of buying them, the typical owner of a fast Subaru is often not as careful/fastidious as some of the other brands you've mentioned and are far more interested in modifying them than maintaining them. Here's one I went to look at where the money had been spent on all these graphics and dreadful wheels rather then a decent set of tyres.
I looked for ages for nice blobeye but they were all either trashed, or heavily modified, neither of which I wanted. The very few nice original examples then left tended to be £8-10k which feels too much for a 20 year old car that was only £20k in the first place.
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