Impreza's
- Thread starter Arch
- Start date
Not now but I owned 4 in the past. 2000 Turbo 2000, 2001 P1, 2003 STI Type UK, 2005 STI Type UK PPP
Had 3 in the past, the 99 STI V5 coupe was the pick (think you called them the P1 in the UK), they got heavier & heavier after that. Just like Mitsubishis’ EVO 6.5 TME, 1999 was the height of Jap awd ‘bang for buck’ performance cars.
My 99 coupe...
My 99 coupe...
Correct mate. The P1 was a revised V5 STI, all were Sonic Blue and were set up by Prodrive who also built the SWRT cars. Best Impreza ever bar the 22B. My P1 had the optional Alcon brake conversion, 18inch OZ wheels and Prodrive exhaust. My Yamaha R1 has very similar characteristics, power, noise and the fact it doesn't like going slow!
I owned a 2001 bug eye WRX (non-sti) for some 4 years. gearbox was the main issue, hardly capable of handling even the stock power (when pushed). running just above stock, around 240 - 260 hp, i had syncromenchs replaced a few times. understeer was another problem and you'd need to 'learn' how to drive to overcome it. at the end had an engine built for excessive oil consumption but i don't really remember the exact, technical reason behind it. I was 25 at the time, living in Istanbul and was both tracking it regularly and driving quite ridiculously on public roads as well so ended up with many additional small problems as well as the ones mentioned.
I had a couple of friends who were driving STI 's at the time and they never had any of these problems. Those cars seemed bulletproof in comparison. I remember that I strictly told myself to make sure to get an STI if I ever buy one again.
I had a couple of friends who were driving STI 's at the time and they never had any of these problems. Those cars seemed bulletproof in comparison. I remember that I strictly told myself to make sure to get an STI if I ever buy one again.
Yes the WRX was absolute rubbish in comparison to the STI.
The big issues were that the WRX was 50:50 power distribution thus understeered like a pig whereas the STI was 35:65, the STI gearbox was stronger internally so didn’t break as readily (even the pre 6 speed box), the STI engine had forged internals so took hp upgrades better, the STI turbo was the ball bearing IHI not the usual Mitsubishi TD, along with alloy suspension arms, shorter diff/gearbox ratios & a host of other stuff. I never understood people that purchased a WRX & modified/raced it as the STI was such a better starting point in every way.
Like many others mine progressed to full time track/tarmac rally use & I fitted a dog gearbox & KAAZ front & rear diffs along with big hp etc.etc etc, back in 2003-2006 it was pretty much untouchable on track by any production based ‘tin top’ this side of a well driven 911 GT3.
It’s a shame Subaru lost their way, nowadays my Mégane RS275-R sees off later model STI’s on track whereas it wouldn’t have got near my 99 STI. I guess carrying around an extra 300-400kg will do that to a car, such a shame.
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The Jap domestic market STI’ have always had the good 2.0L, it’s only the export markets that get the rubbish (non forged) 2.5L engines, it started back when Subaru entered the US market which is when they really went to crap.
They put on 100s of kilos after 99/00 (cg8) & just got worse & worse each year (only big improvement was the STI got the 6speed box in 01).
Subaru Australia was selling loads of WRX’ from 1997 onwards (earlier if you were prepared to order one) & STI’ from 1999 onwards, I purchased my first WRX new in 1997 & first STI new in 1999. As far as bang for buck they were unbeatable back then.
Mitsubishi’s EVO’ also peaked in 99 (EVO 6.5) & started to become bloated after that but at least we still got reasonable quality components (still not as good as the JDM stuff), thus the EVO is generally a better option from EVO 7 up until the EVO 10 when they also lost the plot.
The knowledgable enthusiasts over here buy Euro performance cars now.
Hopefully Japanese manufacturers will get their shit together again some time soon because aside from the R35 GTR (still not really what you’d call an affordable bang for buck car) not much worth mentioning has come out of Japan for a long time. Yes the new Civic Type R has some performance but after visiting the local Honda dealer I couldn’t bring myself to even test drive one (I know looks aren’t everything but what a disgusting designed car).
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Arch
Paid Member
Of the more up to date cars the Hatch STI has the best potential but if a U.K. Model is the choice it does need the engine pulled and pistons as a bare minimum changed due to ring land failures but if it's apart pistons rods a closed deck insert decent studs and gaskets and unless you go mad you will have a reliable quick Road car.