Oh no back to flat four crap.

[Dave_Q]

Also: make sure you secure it. I had my last one stolen off the street in the middle of the afternoon. This one has a cat1 alarm, GPS tracker and a disklok.

[garbaldy]

Thanks for the replies I honestly didn't think this would go down so well,

When I went to view it in perfect wet and dark conditions by torchlight it actually looked better than it is which is no surprise really, the lights are all blue including the interior although the seller has removed the courtesy light bulb haha,

The wheels are clean the seats are clean and tidy, bodywork has a couple of minor car park dints paint work is pretty good, the engine sounds sweet and has 94k miles it is a bit of a shit to start though, turn key until it fires then promptly cuts out half a dozen or so times untill it splutters into life with a bit of missing and farting, a few blips of throttle untill it settles down to a more smooth tickover, it's been sat for over a year so hopefully a service will sort that.

 

Still wears it's stickers one on each wing

And one on boot, note drain pipe no sewer pipe exhaust.

Inside has the limited edition badges which I had never heard of untill now.

Apart from the stupid trumpet dump valve the engine looks pretty standard,

English wasp snuck across the border avoiding immigration.

I don't appear to have any pics of the seats but they are black with light pinky red infill patches, will snap a couple when back over at the yard.

[garbaldy]

Also: make sure you secure it. I had my last one stolen off the street in the middle of the afternoon. This one has a cat1 alarm, GPS tracker and a disklok.

This also has an alarm key fob and a key shape light flashes on the dash, if it works I will be amazed.

I do live in one of the lowest insurance postcodes though so not to worried plus it's in a secure yard just now.

 

It's not all good though because it needs rear arch and sill work, that's why it was like a budgie.

[Asimo]

These have got to be a good investment. Just like RS2000 Escorts would have been 30 years ago. The Escort was "Barried" back then and like the Impreza today it had a fanatical following as a club rally weapon.

 

Some of the guys who trashed Escort after Escort back in the day now have real money to spend - hence the fabulous prices for sporty Escorts. The same thing will be true whenn Barry has made his money; he will spend it on the best WRX he can find.

[Arragonis]

If one was after a toy to De Barry and enjoy what is recommended?

[Dave_Q]

If one was after a toy to De Barry and enjoy what is recommended?

 

Most of my knowledge is on the imports but much of it will apply to UK cars.

 

The biggest problems are crash damage and rust. Engines are pretty hardy but should have had oil changes regularly, some say every 3000 miles.

 

Check that there is no mixing of oil and coolant as head gaskets have been known to go.

 

The wagons have a smaller turbo than the saloons (TD04 vs TD05) so make less power as standard, 220bhp whereas the saloons started with 240 and ended with 260.

 

STIs have a quoted 270ish but possibly more as this is from the time when Jap manufacturers had a gentlemans agreement not to exceed this.

 

Personally I prefer the looks of the wagon and hopefully being lower power they're less likely to have been remapped to death and ragged.

 

Ultimately if you're shopping at the bottom of the market you just have to accept that the cars you're looking at have probably had a hard life and buy on what you see. Look in the engine bay and boot area for crash damage, check the arches, sills and floors underneath for rust - depending what part of Japan they're from some imports weren't undersealed from new and if the importer or first owner didn't do it they can be truly hanging. 

 

STI and STI RA are probably the most desirable of the non-special editions, but I would definitely recommend getting the best one you can rather than getting hung up on a particular model.

 

Don't be tempted to go for a non-turbo as they're much, much slower and no better on fuel.

 

If you get one 96 or older, Footman James will cover them as a classic v.cheaply - I paid £140 last year but that's gone up since they had to buy me a new one.

[Dave_Q]

Examples: this looks like a little peach and is probably about right pricewise.

 

Well written ad, has service history, minimal modifications (wheels and exhaust)

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DEPOSIT-HOLDING-Subaru-Impreza-Turbo-Unabused-example-only-3-owners-from-new-/132033752468?hash=item1ebdd32d94:g:JYoAAOSwA3dYUWC-

 

This meanwhile I would avoid: many mods, big turbo intercooler remap etc, £3000 allegedly spent on modifying yet £0 spent on treating the pictured rust bleb and bumper scrapes.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Impreza-Turbo-2000-/162319569707?hash=item25cb00132b:g:hSMAAOSw6DtYUEfM

[Arragonis]

Many thanks, well written good examples.

[Jim Bell]

I think that looks even better in the new pics. Id never heard of the special edition before this thread either. If only you lived somewhere with loads of isolated twisty roads and forests, then you could be a real rally driver.

[nacho man]

Nearly named after me these special editions, so if you wanna sell hit me on the hotline.

[garbaldy]

If only you lived somewhere with loads of isolated twisty roads and forests, then you could be a real rally driver.

I wonder where I could find roads like that,😀

 

 

Today's collection see's the auld pumkin pushed back into service,

I popped over and collected the trailer then promptly got the whole rig stuck in the field in front of our house,

After an hour and a helpful mate with his patrol of much huuugeness we where off,

I met the lad in a laybye so he could show me the way, then we headed up into the hills.

The farther we got the more narrow the road became,

We ended up in deliverence country where the first sight was this.

After a quick look and much chinwag a deal was done and we loaded up my haul and set of back home.

This one definitely has a much smaller toaster look,

Yes it's another one but this one is a source of spares due to an argument with something harder than it.

 

Why have one when you can have two.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Your Terzo is making me miss my old Catalunya from a few years back. This thing was immaculate and pulled like a bloody train. I sold mine after 12 months of fun, and dwindling bank coffers due to the drinkage. It had also hit 100k with no issues, and I was always slightly nervous the motor would implode, which was the case with several friend's well-maintained Imprezas. Fun fact - the original registration of mine was R32 EVL - apparently it was sold off at some point, which was a shame. I can only assume it went to some Veedubya nut.

The value of classic Imprezas are already starting to creep up, and I can see this continuing.

Must...avoid...looking...at Imprezas for sale.

 

[Pillock]

I think it's been long enough since every sink estate in the country reverberated to THAT noise that I can admit.... I'd love one of these.

[Dave_Q]

Dear everyone,

 

Do it.

 

200 or so miles to a £60 tank of V-power isn't that bad? Unless its your only car I suppose.

 

Garbaldy: GR11 purchase, got pretty much everything you need there to debaz the terzo, and give or take a bumper you could probably chuck the other one back together to sell complete for $$.

[garbaldy]

Decided to strip some bits of the old donner so untied it as it's sat on the trailer since I brought it back.

I couldn't be arsed faffing about with the ramps so enlisted the four wheel lift to yark it in the air then just drive out.

 

Omg no wonder he crashed it,

 

 

Where could I find the correct height measurements from top of wheel arch to the ground, don't suppose that's something that's in the specifications list.

[alcyonecorporation]

I want a GF8 to keep my SVX company.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Well done, I think you've bought well there.

[Dave_Q]

 

The distances given are from the centre of the wheel to the arch.

 

Pls ignore the fact it looks like the outline of a Volvo 850, this is actually an Impreza manual robbed off a Subaru forum.

[Station]

I did the same with mine, completely debarried it, removed all the facelift STi crap (which doesn't fit)bought a new WRX sticker and SUBARU badge for the back and put standard 16" wheels back in.

Sold it and new seller quickly Barried it, put ill fitting STi stuff back in, 18" wheels, and removed the WRX and Subaru badge and blew the engine.

 

You can't win with these, nearly all of the men who buy them are complete mongs.

[martybabes]

I had a grey import WRX saloon (260 PS) for three years followed by a grey import WRX wagon (220 PS) for another two.  I loved them both but thought the wagon was easier to drive.  Unfortunately, the wagon was the victim of an attempted theft, so I got rid of her after that.  Replaced her with a Mitsubishi Lancer!

 

I've gone all sensible now.

[Asimo]

I wish they had done a 3 litre / six cylinder Impreza.

Quiet woosh rather than farty blast.

Go for grown ups.

[Snipes]

That's what a legacy is there for.

[garbaldy]

 

The distances given are from the centre of the wheel to the arch.

 

Pls ignore the fact it looks like the outline of a Volvo 850, this is actually an Impreza manual robbed off a Subaru forum.

That is ace thanks a bunch,

It has coilovers on it so to start with I'm going to just wind them up to standard height,

I might go overboard and try and set them to Olli setting for maximum school run shenanigans.

[Dave_Q]

That is ace thanks a bunch,

It has coilovers on it so to start with I'm going to just wind them up to standard height,

I might go overboard and try and set them to Olli setting for maximum school run shenanigans.

You jest but if I ever saw a set of gravel spec coilovers for a reasonable price I would deffo buy them to rock in the winter.

 

I think mine is standard ride height but its still pretty low, if I could raise it even a couple of inches it would make it pretty unstoppable even in slightly deeper snow.

 

The japs actually got a special edition with jacked up suspension, the Gravel Express.

 

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1541060

[Arragonis]

The japs actually got a special edition with jacked up suspension, the Gravel Express.

 

Saw a few of these in the US, along with a load of Outbacks - a lot of them badged as 3.0 and 3.6 models. It did prompt an Autotrader UK search whilst over there.

 

We stayed near Point Richmond right next to a car park full to the brim with new, unregistered Subarus fresh off the ship.

[garbaldy]

While lifting the silver one to remove the wheels the back driverside one went all to cock,

I pulled the back seat out to see this which was probably the reason he crashed it.

 

Not what I was expecting to see on a 99 car but both sides are exactly the same, the strut top has rusted as the three bolts are still holding the top to the shell and the bottom is flapping about.

[Sheefag]

I want a GF8 to keep my SVX company.

 

Pictures?

[garbaldy]

Two seats to make one good one,

The one in the left is from the car and the other one is the passenger seat from the silver car.

Four bolts to remove the runners then two bolts hold the adjuster side and one screw holds the inside then I had two bases and two backs lying on the floor,

To remove the bottom cover the material is clipped by the eight black plastic clips around the the steel frame, three along the top two down each side and one long one along the bottom.

Once unclipped the foam pad pulled of to reveal the frame.

I added a bit more foam to the frame work that holds the sides of your legs firm as a precautionary measure.

I slipped the passenger seat base foam back onto the drivers frame and clipped it back into place and the base was finished.

The back was a bit harder to do first the top hole has to be unzipped then it has to be pealed like a banana,

Then I had to do it all again to the other back.

The passenger seat cover could then be refitted like a huge condom and clipped back down, after this then it was a simple rebolt the base to the seat back and rebolt the runners and jobs a goodun,

Before worn and well soiled,

After like new.

[Snipes]

Nice work with the seats. The rear strut-top rusting out sounds like an old 80s Sunny (N13 and B12 for the Nissan lickers)!

[garbaldy]

Thanks,

When I saw the state of the silver one I removed the back seats of the terzo and thank fook it's nowt like that with only some slight surface rust showing on the seem,

 

On another note the silver one shows as moted till Feb and is still showing insured, the young lad crashed it months ago too,