Talk to me about non turbo imprezas

[Tamworthbay]

I have had an itch for one for a while, no idea why but don't fancy a thrashed to fook turbo model and also don't have the cash. I have seen a niceish one at a bit over a grand with a guy I know. It's a 2.0 AWB X plate. It's in the chamois yellow which is an odd colour but I really like it for some weird reason.

 

Ha anyone had one? Are they any good?

[J-Rod]

I have had an itch for one for a while, no idea why but don't fancy a thrashed to fook turbo model and also don't have the cash. I have seen a niceish one at a bit over a grand with a guy I know. It's a 2.0 AWB X plate. It's in the chamois yellow which is an odd colour but I really like it for some weird reason.

 

Ha anyone had one? Are they any good?

Nearly bought one about a year or so ago. You're right to want to avoid the turbo models - the turbos go at about 90k. There are lots on the market on about 88k. Funny that... 

 

I know they suffer from water ingress into the rear lights and have a bit of an appetite for tyres. Also, parts are fricking expensive. You'll need to shop about a bit and source your own as most garages will See You Coming. 

[Alan_Green]

Bought a 1.6LX non-turbo Impreza (in a funny sea blue/green colour) after being spectacularly impressed with a panic-purchase Subaru 1600DL.  What can I say?  It was great to own and drive and absolutely nothing went wrong. Would happily have another. Picked up some turbo alloys and a tailfin for pennies. Not the most helpful post, but have some pics for inspiration. Don't seem to have a pic with the alloys on:

[J-Rod]

Sorry, in light of that post above, I might have been a bit negative in my earlier one! Alan_Green is right about them being very reliable cars - just be prepared for expensive bills if stuff goes wrong/needs changing. I'm only speaking from the point of view of someone who had to put alot of things right with the Scooby I had and it cost me a small fortune. I'm sure though, if you shop about, you can find a solid one which has been looked after. Going from memory, I think the belts need doing once every 36k? There's a place in Newcastle which does them at a fraction of the price that you'll pay for one through normal channels. 

[willswitchengage]

The first generation were really minging and even came as a pathetic 1.5. Dead reliable though

[Uncle Jimmy]

Wrong. Need to be removing the alloys and replacing with steels and mismatched plastic covers.

[spike60]

I used a 2.0 n/a 1999 Legacy estate for a while, and it was slow and dismal on fuel, 112bhp and 22mpg.  I don't know if the Imprezas are lighter enough to make much difference. Reliable but aggravated my bad back.

[Tamworthbay]

I think it's pretty crap on fuel, just one of those itches I fancy scratching.

[Ghosty]

Don't know about first gens, but I think the 2001-on  2.0GX is terrible on fuel, and has bugger all power too (130bhp?). A lot of them get thrashed too as they're cheap entry ways to the badge - either that or they're agricultural vehicles. Old Man and I went to look at a supposedly low mileage one, but it was being sold from a dodgy dealer on a farm, it was shabbier than made out to be and it wouldn't start.

I don't think I've seen one of any age that wasn't fucked. Early first gen ones seem to like to rust.

[Timewaster]

My two pennorth.

 

Impreza turbo - ugly dull thirsty car that goes like stink.

Impreza - ugly dull thirsty car.

 

Sorry. Sure they appealed to some.

 

That said, years ago when we had some scrap cars in a mates uncles field, a Subaru was the only thing we couldn't kill.

[Tamworthbay]

I have driven a couple and completely agree they are a bit ugly, but dull? They are amazing things to drive, especially for the money.

[Timewaster]

Fair play, I never drove an Impreza. Just going on the styling and the acres of grey plastic inside.

[KruJoe]

No 1.5 on the earliest ones in the UK. 1.6, 1.8, and tool eater only,(mostly GL's) the 1.5's came later. (GX's, sold alongside the 2.0 GX.)

 

 

Some real experience here: I had three of these N/A "Classics" as dailies all five-doors, and bought another to break for bits.

 

 

Don't worry about the belts, non-interferece, so worst case is you drag it in, bosh a fresh one on, and time it up.

 

My first was a 1.8, S.L.O.W.

 

 

With tall, chunky M+S rubber on the 14" steels, it was bloody unstoppable in winter, it rang rings around farmers' Defender TD5's etc.

 

 

It looked just too shite with the blue grille blanking plate thing, the 2.0 grille normalised it nicely.

 

 

It never spun a wheel, but I did get through tyres. Luckily sets of 15" alloys with tyres were mega-cheap off the bay (everyone wanted bigger), so I ended up with a selection.

 

 

Next - P-sat,

 

 

Utterly shagged 2.0GL, bought for £300, scraped it through a test using bits from the breaker, and sold for £600.

 

 

The last one was the best to drive, and a nice looker after that first facelift. Interior was nicer too, gone were the acres of grey plastic, replaced with something smarter, more practical and better put together. It was similar inside to Pa_KJ's Forester. Mechanically similar to the GL, but more sporty looking 'Sport' model. It went SOOOOO much better, never found out why.

 

I really enjoyed it, but not as much as it enjoyed guzzling go-go juice. Sold that for a profit, too.

These N/A ones have a hi-lo range gearbox, handy for hauling stuff about the muddy fields, but also great for crawling along slowly in traffic jams, saving your clutch leg.

 

Look for crusty bits (arches, sills); and oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold cause more of a smell problem than a mess on the floor. Tired rear suspension and wheel bearings are common. Dependable old busses really - mine were so boringly reliable that I got rid and bought a BX14 as my daily

 

 

[Asimo]

The dual range 'box is great fun, lovely gear whine in low and great for exploring hills and lanes.

[Tamworthbay]

Well I have taken the plunge and deposit has been laid in Palm. It will probably be two weeks tomorrow when I pick it up as I need a lift off my mate and that fits his shift patterns. Will do a collection thread when I go. m25 area to Tamworth in a bright yellow scooby, should be a hoot.

[Pete-M]

I loved my Impreza WRX. It wasn't pretty but it went like stink, handled brilliantly, was perfectly civilised around town and in my hands averaged 28 mpg around town - my diesel Mercedes doesn't get near it for city MPG. Mine was running perfectly, unlike 99% of the cunt trumpeted boy racer ones. 260 bhp is enough in one for road use. Gearing isn't ideal for UK city traffic, 4th is too long for 30 mph, 3rd is too short.

 

The non-Turbo ones are dull. Very dull. 105 bhp or whatever isn't anywhere near enough to trouble the excellent chassis and winding up the boggo flat four gets to be too much hassle after a while. Makes the non-Turbo pretty pointless.

[J-Rod]

Well I have taken the plunge and deposit has been laid in Palm. It will probably be two weeks tomorrow when I pick it up as I need a lift off my mate and that fits his shift patterns. Will do a collection thread when I go. m25 area to Tamworth in a bright yellow scooby, should be a hoot.

Would love to hear how you get on with it, genuinely. Keep us all updated? 

[Tamworthbay]

Would love to hear how you get on with it, genuinely. Keep us all updated?

 

Certainly will! I just love weird stuff so couldn't resist. They seem to be worth £1000 all day with a ticket in decent condition so can't go too far wrong can I? (Crosses fingers)

[dollywobbler]

I really liked my Impreza Sport back when I was 21. Sadly, because I was 21, I had a cruel encounter with lift-oversteer and binned it. Compared to the Citroens I'd owned previously, it had a really nice, tight quality feel. Downsides were that obviously the ride was worse, and the thirst. Mine was a five-door. I really like the oddball dumpy styling.

 

Never drove that in the snow, but I did with my Legacy 2.0, and found it superb in the white stuff. Even on cheap, shitty tyres.

[loserone]

I've put 21k onto mine in 12 months, with nothing more than a little welding on the exhaust and a few oil changes.

 

It does drink a lot, especially on stop-start traffic where I don't think I've seen 30MPH in a while. On the other hand I drove to Penrith at the weekend and got 33 out of that tank.  I'm thinking about a small runaround to save on commuting fuel bills.

 

For how much it drinks it is slow, and Pete's absolutely right there's not enough power to hustle the car in what would clearly be a very satisfying manner.  But the solution to that is to only have a 1.0 K11C as a comparison.  I now fondly remember how fast a 1.6 MX5 was..

 

Edit: and it's cracking for going exploring in snowstorms, driving round the local discoverys-with-snorkels brigade

[RichL]

From your description that sounds like a Sport Special.

 

One of the many UK only special editions of the time, basically a 2.0 Sport, which is a JDM LX with Turbo body mods, with different paint.

 

The '98-'00 models were the best, I would love a tidy Turbo from this era because I know how quick they are...

[Pete-M]

Snow and Impreza WRX is a brilliant fun combination. I spent about an hour doing sílly things in a snowy car park in mine. Ace fun.

[martybabes]

I've had a WRX 260 bhp and a WRX Wagon with only (!) 220 bhp.  I have to say I enjoyed the Wagon better as the power delivery was smoother.

To hell with the fuel costs - the sound of the car is brilliant, and the whoosh as the turbo cuts in is awesome.

[Pete-M]

The power delivery on them changes as the cam belt ages. It's about 2m long so as it stretches slightly with age and use it adjusts the cam timing slightly resulting in a more peaky power delivery.

 

I did the belt on mine and it tidied up the power delivery noticeably. Only car I've ever known to do that. The old belt (40k miles) was on correctly and timed up properly but a new belt made the delivery less peaky. Some Yank Impreza WRXs have done serious miles on the original belt, it's not unheard of for Subaru flat fours to bend valves before the belt gives up.

[Lacquer Peel]

I wonder if their small fuel tanks create an illusion of high fuel consumption, but I know they're not exactly VAG TDis

I like the early narrow grille ones. NOT COLIN MCRAE etc.

[Essex V6]

I had a 1997 WRX wagon which was absolutely mint. Spent ages trying to find an unmodified example. Had to punt it when I moved back to Ecosse. The boy I sold it to said he had also been looking for a standard example.

 

Fast forward a week later and I hear this pssssht of a show off valve and turn round it was only my old fecking car - grrrr!

[J-Rod]

I had a 1997 WRX wagon which was absolutely mint. Spent ages trying to find an unmodified example. Had to punt it when I moved back to Ecosse. The boy I sold it to said he had also been looking for a standard example.

 

Fast forward a week later and I hear this pssssht of a show off valve and turn round it was only my old fecking car - grrrr!

 

Unmodified examples are like hen's teeth aren't they?! On a similar note, I once found an unmodified version of a 90s Skyline. Seriously. Nearly bought it too. Should have done, in hindsight.. 

[Station]

My two pennorth.

 

Impreza turbo - ugly dull thirsty car that goes like stink.

Impreza - ugly dull thirsty car.

 

Sorry. Sure they appealed to some.

 

That said, years ago when we had some scrap cars in a mates uncles field, a Subaru was the only thing we couldn't kill.

 

To jump to their defence - 260bhp with rallying heritage, excellent chassis etc. One of the best cars I've driven, I averaged about 30mpg.

 

Here's my one:

 

 

[Tamworthbay]

Pick up is Sunday, forecast is for solid rain there and back which is crap. 350 mile round trip setting off at 6am, should be a laugh.

[J-Rod]

And will we get pics?!