[Closed] Living with a Subaru Impreza Wrx estate.

A mate runs one of the older 2.0 ones and it has been reliable but when it broke parts were quite expensive.

He gets 20-22 mpg normally and the back isn't quite as spacious as you would think.

Have you considered mapping the VRS to get some more ponies? I did mine and it really transforms it.

I ran a 52 plate WRX STI saloon for a while a few years ago. I loved the car, it was brilliant to drive, great in the snow/bad weather. But, I got about 21-25 mpg. It was tuned but it was the sort of car that loved to be driven. Parts were a bit steep, especially cambelt changes.
If I was young and foolish (again) I would love another. Funnily enough just watched the top gear special with hammond driving one, looks like a fair sized rear.

In. A hat trick for me. Why not a Impreza R sportswagon? 160bhp without the ancilleries.

Ive had a Forester and a Legacy 😀

BTW they drive way better than VRS' S

I've had an Impreza Turbo old style and an Impreza III WRX PPP. Completely different experience to all other cars I've ever driven. Somehow, every journey was an occasion...

They were fairly expensive to run but maybe not as bad as you might think. Servicing was fairly sensible for a four wheel drive car and I don't have much experience of parts - never needed any.

Remember they are smaller than an Octavia.

Rachel

I had one. Apart from running costs, another drawback was chav's trying to race you ALL the time, in the most inappropriate places (i.e. a town high street).

Fun as it was, i wouldn't buy another. They aren't without their expensive problems (big end), and not *that* fast by modern standards unless they've been tuned up.

i have a legacy estate, mate has a forester, both brilliant to drive. no wind noise at all, ive had mine flat out on the autobahn and not even a rustle.
mate got his forester from a scrappy for 300 notes, trailered it home, stuck a centre section in the exhaust, a new battery in it, put it straight through the mot. every single thing on it works, even the aircon.
i am considering an impreza R sportwagon as my next car.
been in a couple of wrxs, they go quite well.

Why not a Impreza R sportswagon? 160bhp without the ancillaries.

Reliable? I had an exhaust joint, air/fuel sensor/boot/driveshaft/window regulator/throttle body fail.

Not had an Impreza but I've had an Outback (2yrs) a tuned Forester turbo (10yrs) and a non turbo Forester (8 yrs). Fuel economy never betters 30 mpg,
BUT! Last week, the missus was totting up the running costs for her Fiat Punto, and we've spent more on maintaining that for two years than allthe Subarus put together...

Reliable? I had an exhaust joint, air/fuel sensor/boot/driveshaft/window regulator/throttle body fail.

Not very spacious but at least the rear seats fold flatter than many a lifestyle estate. Always thought the one to get was the 2.0 WRX with the PPP. The power of the sti, a little more torque, less weight and less bling?

Had two saloons over 7 years and was an owner until 18 months ago. First was a 52 plate bugeye. When I first owned it it was like stepping in to a rocket ship, but that mellows with time. That was a standard 225 brake version. Highly camber sensitive under braking and takes some getting used to. Then progressed to a 55 plate 300 with full ppp kit. Loved it and miss it every time I get in the Mazda I own now. Hugely reliable! Had cam belt, clutch and big service done on the newer one for 1100 quid, specialist an a bit of cash involved. Only fault I had on either was cam shaft sensor on the older one which was 100 odd quid and about 5 quid labour as it was unplug and plug the new one in.
I couldn't recommend a car highly enough. Got 33 mpg ish on runs to Cornwall but had it around 10mpg a few times when "making progress"
Pads discs etc no more than normal motors if you fit standard, start putting fancy stuff on then you'll pay more.
Pull the buy trigger!

The Vrs is nippy enough but I would hate to put any more power through that chassis. It really is an under steering bugger. I've totalled up what I would have to spend to change the suspension and it just doesn't compute. The insurance for me isn't to bad. I'm old , no points and reasonably careful. I've seen a nice silver 2006 2.5 estate that apart from the red calipers and air scoop looks quite nondescript. I could do with 4wd in the winter but not essential. Is the 2.5 a better bet than the 2.0 for reliability.
I thought about the 160bhp 2.0 R but the economy is not much more than the turbo.

Why not the new Octavia vRS diesel estate.
It's economical, 0-60 in 8 seconds, same blue at the WRX, cheap to run, bigger inside than the mark 1 and the WRX and with cheaper insurance.
I'm hoping to get the OK on one of these tomorrow.

Isn't the 2.5 engine a bit dodgy?

Had an Impreza WRX estate since 2005. Love it, it's an awesome car, fun and practical but they are expensive when they need fixing. Funnily enough will be getting an ocatvia when it dies. Glad I had one when I could afford it but with 2 kids it's not practical to keep spending money on parts and petrol so as soon as something expensive goes it's off for parts.
Mpg about 20-25 and what I have found is if you chuck it about (rather than just boot it) that is what sucks the fuel out of the tank like it has a hole in it.

0-60 in 8 seconds,

Jonjones the Head gasket (x2) tends to be US engines due to fuel

I don't buy into the whole expensive to fix thing. You just need a decent independant mechanic. The 2 litre engine is a beaut and if not going for the sti version far cheaper to tax than any of the 2.5s. 8 seconds to 60 is pedestrian when my old girl used to do it in under 5. We even did a very basic test once using a mate and a watch and still got it at 5 1/2

Boot no bigger than a hatchback and interior designed by a blind man in the early 90s. Interior plastics made in the same factory they make cracker presents.

Apart from those three things we were seriously tempted but we bought a mk2 Octavia vRS estate instead. Not (quite) as quick in a straight line but loads more room and loads better built (and it wasn't particularly well built!).

Did the 2.5's come in 2005/6. There are some lovely well maintained earlier ones. Age doesn't bother me as long as they have been looked after. It's kind of an itch I've gotta scratch. Compared to buying new you can't really go wrong. I'll maybe lose 1.5k on it over a couple of years. That and the extra fuel of course, maybe £ 20 a week if I'm lucky. I know the very latest Vrs has a better ride and handling than the mk2. Modified rear suspension apparently but they are not particularly good value any more.

Think they changed in 06 to the 2.5.We have had three subaru's,an early Forester S Turbo then two 04 wrx's,one an STI and one an import with the twin scroll turbo.The Forester was an amazing work horse and with the back seats down it had some decent room,laughed at snow and even pulled a wagon from a ditch.The other two were tuned and a ball to drive,the STI put out 350 and made grown men wee themselves and none of them missed a beat.Go for it if its an itch to scratch,I did and I didn't regret it.Fuel consumption is as above but just keep up with the oil changes and on top of other maintenance and you will smile as you drive. 😀

Having driven both you can't begin to compare them performance wise. As for saying its slightly quicker in a straight line that's bobbins, the preza would leave it for dead in the twistys.
I chopped my 55 plate for silly money and I think good examples are holding their money well now.

You can't go far wrong with a turbo charged Impreza. My best mate has had several he's a mechanic so works on it himself but recons if you look after the servicing then you won't really get any huge bills. He's seen plenty of the older 'classic' ones were they have now fallen into chav territory and servicing hasn't been kept up needing work.

I really can't see the R being value at all when you total up the running costs over a number of years. You may as well get the real deal. A VRS may be only slightly slower in a straight line but it's miles away on the corners and fun stakes, and pedigree.

suburbanreuben - Member

A bit tardy, then....

Get a petrol vRS then

My brother runs a 2007 2.5wrx its a money pit servicing is pretty standard. but tyres are worn out pretty quick in comparason to his earlier t5 and vrs, and he keeps getting the urge to get more power from it (which wasn't his intention.)

He upgraded the exhaust system the cooling system, the inter cool has been upgraded, the turbo and clutch upgraded all before his remap.not to mention the stiffer suspension and the upgraded brakes to cope with the power out put. the rolling road had it sat at 337bhp the other day and he still wants to do more.

If you can stay away from the upgrade mentality that a lot of people get once they own one then they are a feasible fast and fun car,(unlike the evo's)

Mrs CD runs a 55 plate WRX estate. Repairs are reasonably expensive but better at a specialist than a franchised dealer and fuel consumption is poor, as said above many times. She keeps saying she is going to replace it with something more economical then drives it and decides to hold on for a while. They are great fun. Loud on motorway journeys and not huge in the back even with the seat down. If you go into it with your eyes open you will have a blast.

I had 3 years in a WRX PPP estate. The best 3 years of car ownership I've had. Bonkers-fast, bombproof reliability (servicing at a big specialist) and decent room in the back for the size of car. Roof-rails too if you want to get a rack on, although I guess that'd really destroy the mpg. Perfect winter car as well with the correct tyres on.

The interior is pony and the radio is crap but I'm driving it, not stroking the plastics 🙂
As said above, [i]every[/i] Corsa full of chavs wants to race you all the time which soon gets tiring.

Ironically I now have an Octavia diesel and although it works as transport (and saves me £300 a month in insurance and fuel) by Christ it's dull in comparison.

Oddly I'm in a similar boat. Mk1 vRS, but looking at something AWD to replace it down the line.

Have to admit I was looking at a diesel Legacy though, now they've dropped in price a little.

Anyone any experience?

As for saying its slightly quicker in a straight line that's bobbins, the preza would leave it for dead in the twistys.

Exactly what I said. Straight line the Impreza would be marginally quicker. I have no doubt in the twisty stuff an Impreza would leave an Octavia for dead.

I was mostly put off by the boot tbh, it's not great. I'm a chav at heart so everything else about it was awesome 🙂 But walked away in the end. Legacy and Mitsubishi Legnum got a lot of looks from me too but couldn't find a good one at the right price (tons of Legacies around with the wrong engine)

Straight line the Impreza would be marginally quicker

Marginally? Behave yourself 🙂 - even a tuned VRS wouldn't get anywhere close to a bog-basic WRX.

I've had a standard WRX wagon for about 9 years and >50k miles now. I don't know how expensive parts are because I've never bought any, servicing is pricey but I use a London main dealer with London prices. The biggest issue is fuel economy, mine didn't seem to come with any, if I did more than 10k/year I'd have changed it long ago.
It has no other faults that I care about though, I'd have another tomorrow, I'd even swallow the full tax rate.

Get one! More smiles/mile than almost any car I've ever owned. Get rid once putting fuel in it outways the fun factor. Also one of the most reliable cars I've owned even after some sensible mods decat etc.

Although I've not driven the latest VRS Ive driven the older/Golf/other S3 etc variants. I doubt its even on the same planet as the STI or WRX (I've driven both). On the STI- its the only car I actually felt scared driving. The speed it can carry is ridiculous.

Saying this- I bet as a day to day car/commute etc the VRS would be better as an allrounder/to own. I am sceptical about the Impreza's reliability. I've just heard too many stories about big end bearings etc. Get a decent Subaru Indie? Where do you bloody find those?

I know of two decent ones (Irlam and Hebden Bridge) but thats luck as two others locally are shit. The main dealers workshop pricing is 😯

I'm still smarting over paying £450 for a sensor then £150 ontop to fit. I saw the bloke do it- unplug, plug. Done. I've still got the old sensor as it bloody cost me so much.

Saying ^ the way the cars pull into and around roundabouts is amazing, like an invisible tractor-beam.

I live about 3 miles away from Scoobyclinic, so servicing/parts was never an issue. Granted, if you don't live in north Derbyshire then it might be a bit more of a problem.

I've looked at these a few times when looking for a small 4wd car. They are certainly fast, been overtaken by a few going pretty quick in straight lines and round corners. Could never commit to one though. Safer option is to find an older A3 Quattro (non S model) or Golf R as discussed elsewhere on here recently.

I cannot believe there are some people on here who think a Skoda VRs is a quick car, never mind able to keep up with a scooby! Bloody Skodas are not performance cars. They are mildly modified shopping cars!!

fd3chris - Member
I cannot believe there are some people on here who think a Skoda VRs is a quick car, never mind able to keep up with a scooby! Bloody Skodas are not performance cars. They are mildly modified shopping cars!!
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO #

But this is STW every car needs to be compared to an 'octy VRS' and come off worse. It's a warm taxi and it's fine as such and will suffice as exactly that, but it's not really a performance car and it certainly lacks that x-factor. Regardless of if it's had a re-map. I'm sure there are many happy Octy owners in the same way they are many happy owners of other white goods.

The Vrs is a warm hatch, nothing wrong with that though. The worst aspect is the handling for me. I've owned some properly quick cars in my time and speed isn't the most important aspect. One of the most fun cars I've driven was a 998 mini cooper with hydrolastic suspension. Loved that car.
So is the 2.5 any better or reliable than the 2.0. Is the blobeye sti the one to go for?

I can't comment on the reliability of the 2.5. I've driven a 330s new shape (10 plate I think) and it missed that low down rip of the original 2litre, however it was better in gear for accelerating. I actually put down a deposit on an rb320 a few years ago. I took that out and it was awesome handling and braking but again didn't seem much quicker than my 300. I pulled out of the sale because it just hadn't been looked after well enough previously, silly things like non matching tyres and scuffed wheels. I wish now I had bought as they've held their money incredibly well.
So after all that, if I could get an unmodded 2 litre with 60k on then Id go for that over the 2.5

The 2.0 is a stronger engine, on the 2.5 the head gasket(s) is (are) a little thin between the cylinders and they eventually start to leak. I don't think it's a massive deal to fix it but the 2.0s don't do it. FWIW, neither does the 3.0 flat 6 in the Legacy / Outback, which is a superb engine (apart from the fuel consumption obviously).
The stories of big ends going are from bad oil change practise which they seem sensitive to and bad tuning / imports that weren't remapped for uk fuel. The older classic imports don't have a very sophisticated ECU and are mapped for 100 octane Japanese fuel. Without a remap they can't pull the timing back far enough for uk fuel and they eventually suffer severe enough detonation to kill them.
If you make sure the car you are getting is either a uk car or well mapped and are a little careful with the oil changes (turn it over on the starter until the oil pressure light goes out with the crank position sensor unplugged so it doesn't fire up), you'll be fine.
They aren't hard to work on yourself and there is a huge amount of info available on how to do it on forums like Scoobynet which is huge and very busy.

FWIW, neither does the 3.0 flat 6 in the Legacy / Outback, which is a superb engine (apart from the fuel consumption obviously).

That's good to know! I'm having an operation on my bunion next month and won't be able to drive for two months unless it's an auto.

Legacy 3.0 auto will do fine then. Much quicker than the official figures suggest, i.e my Outback 3.0 easily produced a 6.2 second run to 60 simply by standing on the throttle and letting the auto do it's thing. The official number says 8.4. It's a super smooth motor and sounds lovely. The Legacy is quite nice car and although it's not a BMW or Audi, it's very nice inside for a Subaru and well equipped.
POSTED 7 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

I had an 03 WRX and I miss it every day I have to drive round in my poxy van.
Interior as said, not the best but it was absolutely 100% reliable for me. Apart from MOT's and petrol I didn't spend a penny on it in two years. The boot's not massive but when it's that much fun who cares? It was one of those cars that when you fill it up, you don't care because of the enjoyment you'll have running it out of petroleum again.
Also it was the year when we had about two feet of snow and ice for a month, and my wife pinched it off me every day to drive around for work. It absolutely rocks in the snow.

Spec B should fit the bill. Best car ever IMO.
I do miss it 😥
[IMG] [/IMG]

Spec B legacy, is that an import or a proper uk spec car?

Guessing that is UK spec. Unless things have changed don't most grey imports have a squareer number plate? All the older Honda did.

UK I think, the JDM ones have a different bumper if I remember correctly, however I could be wrong. Nice car 🙂

I had an L reg which was 200bhp, (the earliest one I think) but very light.
It was stock, made the best noise ever, and was a hoot.
250 miles to a very small tank (£50).
There are also lots of specialist garages to look after it, and are reasonable.
God it was ugly.
I loved it

OH GOD there's an extremely cheap spec b on ebay and it's just 20 miles away. Must not buy...

PS anyone want to buy a mondeo with absolutely nothing wrong with it and no dubious history, no sir.

I borrowed the BiL's '03 WRX for a few weeks and I'd have another in a flash. Great fun and practical car. Bikes on a rack and heaps of space left over inside, space for a roof box too if you must. Impreza's a common as muck in NZ though which probably keeps the servicing a little more reasonable.

Having that much power and great handling on tap makes you drive like a twunt though.

Just in case anyone's got a bug-eye scooby estate I've got a rigid load liner that's free to a good home, you just have to collect it (too big to post). It's a genuine Subaru product that cost me a canny wack, hence why I can't bring myself to throw it out. I'd rather give it away.

Anyway, if it's of any use please email me.

Ta

What mileages are you/did you get on your Subaru's?

LardLover - Member

Just in case anyone's got a bug-eye scooby estate I've got a rigid load liner that's free to a good home, you just have to collect it (too big to post). It's a genuine Subaru product that cost me a canny wack, hence why I can't bring myself to throw it out. I'd rather give it away.

Anyway, if it's of any use please email me.

Yes please if you are North East based!

It's all yours 😉

I will have to get someone to get it out the loft for me as I'm restricted at the mo (after getting knocked off my bike - broken shoulder/ribs/wrist).

Those spec B Legacy's seem to get better economy with the auto box. Nice cars. The 3.0L's are not turbo charged are they?

They only get quoted as being more economical in auto, in reality they do 18-23 mpg. I got 28 average on a run down to Cornwall and back, cruise control helps!

The uk spec b is 3.0 flat 6, the import is a flat 4 turbo. The flat six is a beauty, ignore the minor power deficit, the drivability is great.

I wish this thread would **** off! Bringing all the heart ache back like an old girlfriend!

It's funny we are all young and daft once then we end up with kids and become all sensible then we think hang on a minute when did I turn into my Grandad!!! This is a good compromise.