Which Subaru Impreza for me..?

[10mpg]

I'm looking to get an early Impreza as a winter hack and as i want something that makes me smile on my commute more than my tdi Golf..

mpg and insurance is not an issue unless I'm gonna regularly be seeing low teens, insurance is via my business trade insurance so spec/power/import is irrelevant..

I'm new to the world of Subaru so i'm completely baffled by the myriad of specs, it needs it to be an estate and i'd like it to be as powerful as possible whilst maintaining complete reliability and happy to sit in traffic for hours on end, i don't want it to be a show car race car or chavved up as it's going to be a family car, but that said i do like to drive my cars hard and i live in the middle of nowhere where the roads are dreadful, a/c is a must.....

I don't mind cosmetic problems, as it will be covered in mud and crap and filled with kids and dogs from day one, i have 'nice' cars and this won't be one of them, I look after my cars mechanical condition religiously and whatever I buy must be very sound mechanically.

So
1: estate/wagon
2: power
3: reliability
4: a/c
5: visually stock/clean/not chavved


I'm replacing my 1999 tdi golf which is great in everyway i just want a littl more exitement, i was planning on a mid 90's WRX STi wagon, but these seem to be quite rare, i'd spend around 2k happily, maybe up to 3k for something really suitable, and would happily trade in my wee Golf, with someone who fancies 60mpg motoring...

What could I get? what should i be looking out for? and most importantly do i look for a classic or a bugeye, I much prefer the look of the classic but I'm prepared to be persuaded.

Also should i hold out for an sti or will a wrx be just as much fun 280bhp compared to 220 sound like a hell of a jump!

please help!

Edited by 10mpg on Tuesday 25th October 12:21

[micron750]

Have thought about a Legacy GTB big car twin turbo plenty of power on tap snow button too loads of room for kids and dogs most come with a dog net built it the back seats i've got one and love it.
I had a wrx wagon it was great car i just needed more room the Leggy more than filled the bill you can pick up a good leggy for well under 3k

[AWG]

Get yourself onto scoobynet.com mate guarantee all your questions will be answered...

[bazza1000]

Hold out for an STI, best to start with the top model if you get one of the others you will always be chasing the power.

[5paul5]

I have owned a few impreza wagons and they really are great cars. Find a good one and they will be ultra reliable. I thrash mine on trackdays on a regular basis and it never misses a beat. The import models have all got air con i think and have a few more horsepower.

[japgt]

I have a my94 sti wagon, number 85 of 200 built, had it nearly eight years and loved every minute of it so far, never had a serious issue with the car in all that time, just been mapped on simtek ecu to 303 bhp, just wants tp keep going and going. Plenty of space for dogs, kids, shopping etc, zircon, leccy windows and mirrors etc etc, go for it, but make sure you get a good one, there are some real dogs out there and these are getting rare as rocking horse st now.

[itiejim]

I've just bought a 99 WRX wagon with exactly the same rationale as the op. So far I've put about 500 miles on it and am really enjoying it as a cheap winter hack with B road credibility.

I have to say that the car feels mechanically bullet proof and quiet quick and capable enough to meet my requirements.

Great tool, thoroughly recomended.

[10mpg]

micron750 said:

Have thought about a Legacy GTB big car twin turbo plenty of power on tap snow button too loads of room for kids and dogs most come with a dog net built it the back seats i've got one and love it.
I had a wrx wagon it was great car i just needed more room the Leggy more than filled the bill you can pick up a good leggy for well under 3k

I have thought about a Legacy very seriously, i even slightly prefer the way they look, i was looking for the Impreza due to the smaller size (i park on the street in Oxford during the day) and the edge on handling, ultimate space is not an issue as I also have a P38 4.6 Range Rover, and my Mrs drives a Renault Grand Espace...

[pidsy]

i would second the suggestion of a legnum, but also look at a Galant Vr4.

[micron750]

10mpg said:

I have thought about a Legacy very seriously, i even slightly prefer the way they look, i was looking for the Impreza due to the smaller size (i park on the street in Oxford during the day) and the edge on handling, ultimate space is not an issue as I also have a P38 4.6 Range Rover, and my Mrs drives a Renault Grand Espace...

Lol you do have plenty of space in them two..............you'll be very supprised with the leggy handling mines mental as it lowered even standard its pretty good have to admit i did preferr the manuel gearbox the Impreza had although many have been modded a standard one is rare thes days.

[footsoldier]

I bought an 02 WRX wagon with Prodrive upgrade and 45k on the clock about 18months ago for same reasons.

Fitted Nokian winter tyres 12 months ago, and haven't taken them off! In the snow last year (which was a lot where i live) it was unstoppable. Rest of the time I mainly use it for kids' football taxi.

Only problems I've had were having to buy a new battery (mainly because it was left for a few months over summer without moving) and the front fog lights were pinched one night!

Car is perfect for what you want, and I plan to keep mine until it falls apart. I didn't try STi as there was less wagon choice