1998 Subaru Impreza Turbo 5 door from UK and Ireland - Comments

Piston Slap (never fixed it), Clutch Judder (new clutch fitted),

Not as good as I was led to believe, the fuel usage of this car is horrendous, I knew they were bad when I bought, but there is bad and bad. Only buy if you own shares in BP! Stupidly high service costs, no where near as reliable as people make out very soft engine that cannot take really bad punishment. So pleased to see the back of this money drain never ever again! The car is not as quick as I thought too, I know it is just a standard turbo, but my mates Honda Integra Type R could keep up with it and it is very economical if kept out of the upper VTEC range, it will be as good as a standard family saloon. The Impreza is thirsty however driven, The Honda is also much cheaper to maintain not such stupid servicing costs and the reliabilty is in a different league, as is the build quality. Not worth the stupid running costs in my eyes anyway! Will be buying a Civic or Integra Type R now, maybe have some cash for once!

I agree I have also owned one of these cars and the running costs are way to much. Maybe a while ago worth having, but with the growing numbers of equally as fast cars (standard UK turbo) as the Honda's mentioned and others, I cannot see why people buy such an expensive unrealiable car! Expect loads to disagree, but only buy if low mileage or if you know the previous owner and the history, as the reliabilty of these cars is a bit of a myth. To soft mechanically for such performance!

I have owned a WRX Impreza Turbo for the last three years

prior to this car I had a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth for eight

years. I kept both cars for 18 months before selling the

RS Cosworth..fool.

I was amazed at how the Cosworth was still a thrill to drive

and did not seem that old compared to the Subaru.

I to have been somewhat disappointed in the car overall and the running costs are very high. I must however praise the car for :

1) Very smooth on road to drive

2) Very quick to 70 mph

4) Bodywork all over stays rust free

5) Cheaper than Cosworth to Insure

6) Engine V8 note.

Engine V8 note? I thought all Impreza's had a 2.0 litre flat 4? I've been thinking about buying an Impreza for a couple of years and most reviews praise the Impreza. Very interesting comments here and I'll make sure the example I buy hasn't been abused and has a full SSH. As for the fuel consumption, you don't really, but an Impreza for economy, you buy it for the shear thrill of driving one of the most capable road cars ever made. If you want economy, but a diesel!!

Yes if you listen closely to the exhaust it has a thrum to it, alittle stacatto. Not the single whine youll hear in other imports. THRUM-THRUM-THRUM-THRUM vs WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

I like you to note having owned 2 scoobys, a 95 wrx wagon and currently a 94 wrx (heavily modified) saloon the scoob is a far more superior car than a rusted out old ford cosworth, cossies were good in there day (when flat top haircuts were cool!) the scoobs and evos are champions, that's why I import them. how many cossies have been exported

to other countrys? most fell apart at the docks kev!

If you want economy buy a diesel! What kind of a stupid comment is that? It is common knowledge that these cars are very, very thirsty. And I think in standard UK spec the way they drink fuel is simply not worth the average performance. My Impreza was a dog, but I certainly would never buy another, mainly because the old ones have awfull build quality, and the new ones look completely disgusting they remind me of some cheap car from Taiwan/Malaysia like a Kia or a Proton or something. I do not know who designs these awfull looking cars! The competition has caught up with this car and I think in its standard form there are plenty of other cars that are far cheaper to run a lot better put together i.e. mainly Honda's. People are so narrow minded when it comes to cars when I had mine I got fed up of all the bitching on Scoobynet when you posted a topic maybe suggesting these cars are not all they are cracked up to be. I have now got a Civic Type R and it is a vastly superior car to the Impreza I had. It doesn't rattle, piston slap, has economy like a family saloon if kept out of the upper VTEC range, sounds like a racing car, and is not stupidly expensive to service. Compared to a Standard turbo Impreza there is no comparision to me as it costs a fraction to run and I would say it is just as quick, and it holds its value superbly. Admitedly it cannot be modded as easily as a Turbo car, but when you read on Scoobynet most people were terrified to mod them because of the softness of the engine, the imported more powerful WRX's were always breaking big end bearings, great! Buy a CTR now it may cost more to initially purchase (as there are no old ones around) but the money you save on running costs (petrol, rip-off Subaru servicing) will pay you your money back fairly quickly:-)

I have a 1999 WRX Impreza (turbo) down here in Australia,and while fuel is considerably cheaper than in the UK I can get quite good fuel economy 520 km from the 60 lt tank when driven off boost (below 3000 rpm). If you have a heavy foot like all turbos they will GUZZLE petrol.

My Brother has a v8 XR8 Falcon and he considers the Impreza to get amazing economy for a performance vehicle unlike his 19 lt/100 km v8. As for reliability you have to cool them down and use a good synthetic oil and don't drive at 7000 rpm as no car is bullet proof when thrashed.

I have just purchased my secondhand X-reg 2000 Turbo 5dr and I am so pleased with it. I find myself driving 15 miles extra on my way home from work just to be in the car. It is a very clean example and low mileage with full Subaru history. Before buying the car fuel economy was definatly not a high priority nor running costs. I just wanted a Scooby for what it is, a high performance car, but in a practical form.

My previous car was a Pug 306 Gti 6 a good car in its self, but my family needs changed and 4/5 doors became a must. There were only two choices for me, a scooby or an evo the scooby won on cost. I choose the 2000 turbo over the WRX because I intend to keep the car for some time and it is far easier to find an unabused version of this than a WRX and its more than quick enough for me. How anyone can even mention the civic in comparision to a scooby is beyond me.

Yes the civic is quick in a straight line, but that's only any good if you live in Belgium. Last time I went out we live in GB and we have roads with bends and that is where the scooby comes in to its own and leaves any FWD car for dead. As for service costs, well I guess I will find out for myself soon enough, but any money spent to keep my scooby in good health is going to be money well spent.

Wow!? I have never heard a bunch of jokers bash Subaru's so badly. My family has owned 12 of them and trust me THEY BLOW A HONDAS DOORS OFF! maybe the crappy European models suck, but the north american ones rock... I have a 2000 Impreza TS.. (with the 2.5L DOHC engine.) I have modified the intake (into cold air) added a speed chip/ delimiter new tires sway bars.. and this car rocks... NO TURBO..

Can't handle punishment... Yea I'm sure... ever heard drive it like you stole it??? I do and this car rocks... Don't BE A SUBARU HATER!!!

Hey.

Right Listen.

I Have Owned A 1996 Subaru Impreza 2000 5 Door Sportwagon For Almost 3 Years And Not Once Has Anything Gone Wrong.

Not Once Have I Even Imagined Or Even Dreamt Of Thinking About Changing This Car.

Insurance: Group 17

Performance: 0-60 6.4 (Superb)

Fuel Consumption: 24/42 (Can drop to 18 and 30)

Practicality: 9/10

Reliability: 9/10

Modifiability 10/10

Exterior Looks: 3/5

Interior Looks: 2/5.

Amazing All Rounder For The Man With A Wife And 3 Children Who Would Like Sports Car Performance.

Beautiful Engine Note (Helped By A 4 Inch Slash Cut Exit)

I Have Blown Away A Honda Integra Type-R.

Anyway

Don't Listen To The Review Which I'm Commenting On

People Love To Pick Fault With Things lol

I Would Recommend One Of These Cars To Any One Above 30.

Anyway I Better Go

Good Luck.

WAW...

I am in love with the 1998 2000 RS of North America...

I know Subaru rather well and I was shocked to see all those negative comments...

If I understand correctly, the european subaru's have 2.0L Turbo.

In north america, we have the boxter 4 2.5L engine that has proven to be extreamly reliable.

2.0 turbocharged will consume as much as a good V6. However, fuel here is much cheaper.

Most cars here are V6's to begin with... lots of Fords and Chevys with...

My hyundai Elentra is a 2.0 (450km / 45l). The same car in europe is a 1.6. You guys have 0.6l cars, we don't...

So obviously running cost for you guys is insane...

Built quality... well ours is great.

Besides that, half the year is winter with LOTS of snow on the road... so the Subaru in Montreal is one fantastic choice.

Summary

North America Subaru = Excelent

Europe Subaru = Very expensive, risky quality.

I'm sorry did I hear you say you have blown away a honda integra type r... i think not!! I own one of these beasts and a subaru cannot I repeat cannot pull away from me even the sti version. and to say it out handles it is pure nonsence a subaru has good traction due to having 4wd, but the integra has been voted the best handling fwd car ever made and if you read some reviews about the integra you will find one written by a guy who owned a subaru sti Ra which is a limited edition tricked up car which he traded in for an integra because it handled better without the understeer the subaru had being too heavy when pushed to the limit. so round the twisty stuff (OK fair enough in the dry due to lack of 4wd) the integra is an easy match match for the subaru, even outhandling the civic type r due to a LSD that the civic doesn't have. so before you start having a go at honda integras I advise you do some research.

P.s. I have just today got a t4 turbo conversion fitted to my type r so now subaru boys watch out!!!

Hello, ragarding the last comment, I did some research, but I didn't need that to tell me that the integra has slower 0-60 slower 0-100 and slower 1/4 mile than a uk scooby. It has less power and torqe too. Of course a scooby will blow it away, its in a different class. And only an evo will handle better in this class. Think before you speak.

To respond to the comment made by the guy on the 16th january, apart from cheaper fuel costs in america, a reason many cars in america have bigger engines is because the petrol is lower quality than in europe (in the usa the standard octane rating for fuel is 87 compared to 95 in the UK, and even their premium fuel is only 93). european engines are most of the time more efficient and produce more bhp/litre than in america. it's good they've started fitting the larger 2.5 engine into imprezas over here now too.

I drive 98 WRX. It's an excellent car, very quick and reliable. I drove Honda Integra. I don't like it, it is not quick, it's not good in curves, doesn't have a grip that subaru has. I use 98 octane premium unleaded in Australia.

Runs very smoothly with that sort of petrol. Uses 11l per 100km approx. Nothing ever went wrong with it. I just service it every 6 months. It's a great car inside-out. Very roomy for a sports car that is the quickest affordable rally car on the road. The parts and the insurance are expensive. But the car itself is a rocket.