Evo VIII FQ 300 or Impreza WRX STi PPP....?????

[vertastic]

Cant decide....please help me choose. Looking for a UK car, £16k to spend (ish) WRX to chop in if buying trade but torn between the two. Owned scoobs for 11 years including 3 Impreza turbos but would like a change although I'm reluctant to leave the trouble free motoring that I have experienced with subaru ownership behind me.. Gonna be garaged and used evenings and weekends only...Help pleaaaaasssseeee.

[steve_evil]

I'd go for a change and try out the Evo, they always seem to come out tops whenever the two are paired up. And the evo's are supposed to be just as reliable if not more so than the impreza, although having never owned either I can't really comment.

[v15ben]

Evo for me... they always do better in the group tests as they seem to have that extra 5% over the WRX that makes them the better driver's car. The 4500 service intervals on the Mitsi are the reason my friend just bought a WRX STi PPP instead of an Evo but she will drive it everyday whereas if it is a weekend toy, the service intervals matter less.

[Monumental]

If it's weekends and evenings only then it has to be the Evo.

The first time I drove an Evo I was quite suprised by how different they feel compared to Imprezas, so try one out and I'm sure your mind will be made up.

The only problems I've had with mine are two alternators and a dodgy speedo that were replaced under warranty.

[bennno]

vertastic said:

Cant decide....please help me choose. Looking for a UK car, £16k to spend (ish) WRX to chop in if buying trade but torn between the two. Owned scoobs for 11 years including 3 Impreza turbos but would like a change although I'm reluctant to leave the trouble free motoring that I have experienced with subaru ownership behind me.. Gonna be garaged and used evenings and weekends only...Help pleaaaaasssseeee.

new 2.5 wrx £14995 - motorpoint

evo needs an expensive service every 4.5k miles

bennno

[Monumental]

bennno said:

vertastic said: Cant decide....please help me choose. Looking for a UK car, £16k to spend (ish) WRX to chop in if buying trade but torn between the two. Owned scoobs for 11 years including 3 Impreza turbos but would like a change although I'm reluctant to leave the trouble free motoring that I have experienced with subaru ownership behind me.. Gonna be garaged and used evenings and weekends only...Help pleaaaaasssseeee. new 2.5 wrx £14995 - motorpoint evo needs an expensive service every 4.5k miles bennno

Why bother? It's nearly the same car. Anyway, short service intervals aren't a problem if it's a w/e car.

[granville]

The EVO without a moment's hesitation.

I have great respect for the Scoob hall of fame, especially classics like the RB5 and P1 but having recently piloted a 'bug eyed' STi and despite claims for uber variants like the Type Cs, it would be almost too hard to accept these models' steering could achieve quite the sublime standard which typifies EVOs since at least the 6.

I'm yawning myself at having to say this but for on-road antics, the EVO remains the most complete vehicle I have ever had the honour of neck-scruffing.

Utterly, utterly intoxicating - buy, buy, BUY!!!

[Turbo T]

I must try a good one. I test drove a FQ340 and was most underwhelmed by the experience. Maybe a dodgy example?

[dnb]

I tested a very modded Evo 5. It was a very good car, but it's not the best car in the world. (I still prefer the driving experience offered by a well set up TVR Cerbera 4.5 or a Sagaris)

My equally well modded STi Type RA (the forerunner of the Spec C - so probably classed as "almost-uber Impreza" ) handled at least as well and had very similar grip levels. The only thing it lacks in comparison is mid-range torque.
Remember that we're not comparing standard cars here - both my car, the Evo I drove and the Cerbera I drove have had several £k's worth of mods... (We'll discount the Sagaris here as it's way out of budget)

The servicing cost is high for an Evo compared to a Scoob, and I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that to get a marginal performance gain.

I don't think I could live with an Evo as a daily driver TBH. I thought that it would get uncomfortable for longer trips - after a half an hour hoon, I was ready for a break as I was beginning to find the car hard work - although alot of this could have been down to the synchro rings in the gearbox being about dead. (Remember that I use a TVR Griffith or Impreza STi Type RA as daily transport)

[granville]

This is really odd.

My car was a (5 speed) EVO VII.

Maybe time has dulled the memory?

I do, however, remember early magazine critiques of the first EVO VIIIs saying how the 6 speed was less suited to the frenetic delivery of the power.

I just recall an overwhelming sense of 'tightness' that I honestly can't recall any car offering quite so effectively.

The Type C Scooby is one I'd love to sample, seemingly.

[Digger Dog]

I have an Evo 8 260, I know its the lower powered version but its still quick around the bends! The running costs are however very high, my mate has a P1 and that is peanuts in comparison. Each 4.5k £100, after shopping around, every 3rd is about £250 and a major over £500. The rear brake pads, at 32000 miles would have been £420 fitted inclusive YES the PADS from Mitsubishi but I have managed to get it down to £100. It has been reliable enough but the discs, a weak point it seems, have a look at Mitsubishi Lancer Review, warped at 14000 miles, they were skimmed 2 times and at the 3rd offer, at 28000 miles I refused and managed to get the warranty department to replace them. That was easier said than done however. Just a thought though find an 8 260 3 years old for about £14000 go to WRC and for about £1800 have one pumping out over 320bhp!

Hey just found this one for sale in Piston Heads, and its already been done!
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/74874.htm

>> Edited by Digger Dog on Tuesday 25th April 16:39

[Mr Whippy]

bennno said:

evo needs an expensive service every 4.5k miles

What is actually on the 4.5k service? Oil and oil filter change?

Also just a quick question. The original VII's in the UK were imports, so insurers don't like them so much. However, the later VII FQ300 was a UK car, but is it much nicer with insurers from anyone's experience with grey vs UK?

Cheers

Dave

[rsvmilly]

derestrictor said:

This is really odd. My car was a (5 speed) EVO VII. Maybe time has dulled the memory? I do, however, remember early magazine critiques of the first EVO VIIIs saying how the 6 speed was less suited to the frenetic delivery of the power. I just recall an overwhelming sense of 'tightness' that I honestly can't recall any car offering quite so effectively. The Type C Scooby is one I'd love to sample, seemingly.

With the 6 speed you do always seem to be changing gear. The engine has a wider spread of torque than the scoobies so doesn't really need the extra cog IMO.

IKWYM about the tightness. After driving my 8MR for a year everything else just seems a bit 'loose' or 'wobbly'. After the directness of the steering (2.1 turns lock-lock) even my old Clio (now owned by my brother) seems barge-like.

I'm with you on the Type C Scooby, though. 100kg or so lighter than the standard Evos (the RS is about the same weight IIRC) and about 320 horses.