USED Subaru Impreza Saloon (02 - 07)

My car

Ive had my 04 Scoob Impreza 2.0 WRX for 2.5 yrs now, which is the longest Ive kept any car.

I normally get bored pretty quickly and fancy a swap but I honestly cant see me driving anything else.

You dont buy a car like this if you are looking for fuel economy, but you do buy one if you want to grin regularly on your journeys. Sticks to the road like glue and seems bomb proof.

Apart from replacing the rubbish OEM battery, Ive had no problems whatsoever. Power for pound this must be one of the bargain cars of the century.

Ignore the comments about it being a chav car, thats just unimaginative stereotyping by untalented bored journo's or people who never even been in one.

Get a life, get a laugh, get a Scoob.

My car

Very fast, handles well.

This is my 3rd Subaru - and my last. I have always loved the brand and the car's capabilites but really and honestly they are not as good as they seem.

Interior and exterior quality is poor. Reliability is a big issue. I have had a lot of problems with gearbox, Brembo brakes and turbo. All 3 cars I have owned have been unbelievably expensive to service - parts are overpriced, and as for fuel consumption, only V-power fuel or super unleaded in the STis. Can't say I will miss the car anymore.

I think it's like a mid-life crisis owning one of these, but there are far better and more entertaining less chavvy cars about.

My car

Although ive only had this car for 6 months i have covered some 10,000 miles or so and in this time i have found the car very enjoyable to drive. The steering is excellent,with a high level of grip in pretty much all conditions. I have found the handling to be better on quick tight turns (country lanes etc) than on faster a and b roads i feel that as the speed increases the front end can get a little light but overall its a great handling car. Power wise i think the car feels quicker than it actually is possibly due to the 4 wheel drive putting 100% of the power down, the turbo lag can be a little fustrating and in fact you can be left behind (momentarily) until the turbo starts spinning. The gearbox is really good with good precise changes. Interior quality isnt as bad as some people make out and the flimsy plastics are screwed together really well anyway so there are no squeaks or rattles. The seats too are very supportive. running costs...no matter how i drive the car i never manage to get more than 21-23 MPG, and the servicing prices are high, partly due to subarus labour rates (£74+ per hour). so you may find even a simple job could cost you quite a lot of money to rectify. The insurance group is 20 and for now it falls into the second highest road tax band (£205). This car can be heavy on your pocket but you somehow forget about all of this when your out on the open road driving, having the most fun this side of machines costing 4 times as much...

My car

I have the 2.5 WRX, Blue, bought new, with the more discreet spoiler than the STi. My wife complimented me on the fact I had finally opted for a " sensible family 4 door saloon ". The fact is, the WRX 2.5 is a wild annimal when driven hard. You don't have to behave like a spotty boy racer, but when you decide to open up, the car simply does not disappoint. I love the way it will burble along with the traffic quite contentedly, pretty much un-noticed except for the turbo scoop, but when the opportunity arises, will leave most things fading in the rear view mirror. I've put 27000 in the clock, loved every minute, have no complaints regarding costs because I took all that on board before buying, and everyday this car puts a huge smile on my face. OK, so the interior is pretty basic and grotty, who cares ? The music system is rubbish. What makes this car a real joy is under the bonnet and under your right foot. Grip is just so good that you'll give up before the car. The new 2008 model looks appalling, I will never buy one of those so I guess I'll just have to keep enjoying the Scooby I have now.